13 minute read
SALMON AND WINE PAIRING
A SUMMER OF SALMON AND WINE
9 best wines to pair with smoked salmon this summer!
You are not alone if you are wondering what wines go best with the delicate taste of salmon. Therefore, we thought it best to team up with the premium salmon producer, Aoraki Salmon, and with none other than Vic Williams, the guru of wine and food, and we can now share his suggestions, pairing wine and salmon for you this summer.
Farmed in the fast-flowing, glacial waters of Aoraki/ Mount Cook, Aoraki’s Fresh Water King Salmon is known for its clean taste and buttery texture. At Aoraki’s smokehouse, the artisan smokers take time to craft the perfect smoked salmon that brings out the lighter, subtle delicate flavours, creating a match in heaven for that perfect summer wine.
Vic Williams’s involvement with wine and food for 40 years has drawn from his knowledge, and compiled a list of wines that pair beautifully with their hot and smoked products. Vic has spent some time with Aoraki Salmon and his list features an exciting, eclectic and needless to say delicious, mix of New Zealand and imported wines.
OUR SALMON IS CONNECTED TO OUR PLACE.
Our salmon thrive in the fast glacial ice-cold waters that flow from Aoraki/Mount Cook. This pure freshwater environment allows us to work in a gentle, patient way which is always in harmony with Nature. At our smokehouse, we take our time to bring out the natural flavour of our salmon and not overpower it. Crafting a smoked salmon that is lighter and pure; a taste connected to our place.
AORAKI, OUR PROMISE.
Our remote environment works for us, and we work with it, to farm fish naturally. This is 100% the New Zealand way and the cornerstone of our aquaculture beliefs.
AORAKI SALMON WINE MATCHES
COLD-SMOKED SALMON SLICES
Cold-smoked salmon’s gentle smokiness and whisper of sweetness are nicely accentuated by white wines with well-rounded fruit edged by lively but not-too-assertive acids. This trio fits the bill nicely.
CHAMPAGNE BILLECART-SALMON
Champagne is a classic match for cold-smoked salmon, and the appropriately named Billecart-Salmon Brut is the perfect match for this member of the Aorangi portfolio. The name is a fortuitous coincidence – the house was established in 1818 by Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon – but the wine they created works particularly well with the fish because it contains a high proportion (40%) of Pinot Meunier, the lesserknown member of Champagne’s vinous trio. Blended with 30% each of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it adds a stylishly acidic edge that cuts the richness of the salmon while the rounded fruitiness of its fellow grapes plays nicely with the fish’s mouthfilling texture and savoury flavour. Particularly good with the hand rolls. AORAKI COLD SMOKED SALMON TOURNEDOS
Tournedos usually refers to wrapping a beef fillet cut in bacon. Many species of fish are excellent to grill but lack a little depth in their taste. Wrapping small fish fillet steaks, in Aoraki cold smoked salmon, adds a subtle smoked, salty sweet flavour.
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Ingredients
■ 200g Aoraki Original Artisan Cold
Smoked Slices ■ Thick fillet of fish (monkfish, ling or elephant fish) ■ Cherry tomatoes ■ Salt & pepper to taste ■ Olive oil ■ Skewer or toothpicks
Method
1. Cut steaks about 1 inch thick through the fillet. (It’s important not to cut them too thick as it will take longer to cook, which would over cook the smoked salmon). 2. Lay a fair amount of cold smoked salmon out in a strip. 3. Roll the salmon around the edge of the steak tightly. 4. Secure the ends of the strip of salmon with a skewer or toothpicks. 5. Season and grill in a hot pan or
BBQ carefully turning each side twice until cooked. 6. Remove skewers and serve with cherry tomatoes that have been blanched and partially peeled.
Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil.
Helpful hint
It is possible to increase the size of small steaks by placing two back to back and wrapping together with the cold smoked salmon strips. Skewer together and grill.
FOXES ISLAND BY JOHN BELSHAM
LA LAPINE 2013
It’s Sauvignon Blanc but, as the vintage suggests, not as we know it. Made from hand-harvested grapes, it is fermented with wild yeasts and matured for 10 months in French oak barrels before being put aside to rest for a few years before release. Sauvignon Blanc can be a good match for cold-smoked salmon, but the ubiquitous youthful, upfront styles can often be too aggressive for the velvety texture of the fish. It is the spicy, faintly charred notes of the oak that make the difference here, echoing the smokiness on the plate. It’s easy to find dried flower and orange rind characters on the nose, both of them contributing nicely to the match. The taste combination is equally successful. The wine’s well-rounded texture meets the salmon point-for-point, but it retains enough lively acidity to keep everything nicely refreshing. It works well with either of the suggested recipes, but combined with the sort of meaty fish species suggested for the tournedos, it’s a standout.
FORREST ESTATE MARLBOROUGH
ALBARINO 2020
Albarino, the ‘great white’ of Spain’s Galicia region, is beginning to make a name for itself in New Zealand, and Forrest Estate is one of the variety’s local pioneers. Once again, it is the notes of dried orange peel in the bouquet that begin the link with the fish. Sliced peach and apricot impressions are content to loiter in the background. Lively acids on the front palate put an edge on the salmon’s rounded texture, while the well-rounded fruit flavours accentuate its savoury richness. A great match for either recipe, or for the salmon on its own, on grainy toast or as part of a green leaf salad.
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AORAKI SMOKED SALMON HAND ROLL
Ingredients
■ 100 grams of Aoraki Hot or Cold
Smoked Salmon ■ 4 half sheets of nori ■ 2 cups of cooked sushi rice ■ Slices of avocado and cucumber ■ Sprouts and any other vegetables ■ 1 tbsp Japanese style mayonnaise ‘Kewpie’
Method
1. Place ½ a sheet of nori shiny side down diagonally in your nondominant hand. 2. Spread a ping pong sized ball of cooked sushi rice onto the third of the nori closest to you. Do this in the shape of an upside-down triangle. 3. Add the smoked salmon and selected garnish evenly in a line along the center of the rice triangle. 4. With your free hand, fold the bottom corner of nori closest to you snuggly over the rice and roll into a cone. You can serve with a soy sauce (we recommend a citrus soy like Ponzu).
Helpful hint
Once you’ve made a roll, use a pinch of rice to glue the loose end of the nori sheet down.
CLASSIC HOT-SMOKED SALMON
With power-packed savoury notes, mouth-filling texture and a tempting melange of flavours, hot-smoked salmon has enough versatility to partner a wide range of white or, unusually for fish, red wines. Go forth and have fun!
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AORAKI SMOKED SALMON ANTIPASTO
The warm months of summer call for hot climate flavours. Fortunately, New Zealand grows some amazing Mediterranean style vegetables with intense flavours.
In this dish, slow roasting condenses these flavours and provides a perfect pairing for the sweet, smoky taste of Aoraki Smoked Salmon.
Ingredients
■ 2-3 packs of assorted of Aoraki
Smoked Salmon (Hot or cold smoked). ■ 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes ■ 1 x capsicum cut into 6 ■ A dozen or so quality olives (pits in) ■ 1x small eggplant cut length wise. ■ 1 x head of garlic top 1 cm cut off to expose the cloves ■ 1 x small onion, skin on, cut into quarters ■ Some Mediterranean herbs, basil, thyme etc ■ ½ cup good quality olive oil ■ 1 heaped tablespoon mascarpone cheese ■ Sea salt and cracked pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 175° C 2. Toss the tomatoes, capsicum, onion, olives, eggplant and garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil. Season with sea salt and cracked pepper. 3. Spread out on a tray and place into the oven. Cook for approximately 45 minutes or until soft 4. Choosing a long platter, place the mascarpone in the middle. Create a divot in it and fill with olive oil. 5. Arrange the roasted vegetables and Aoraki Smoked Salmon around the mascarpone and serve with crusty bread slices. 6. For the bread, squeeze the garlic out of each clove to create a creamy spread.
MUDDY WATER
CHARDONNAY 2018
From Canterbury’s Waipara sub-region and the winner of several awards, this no-holdsbarred Chardonnay has the power to match the equally uninhibited flavours of hotsmoked salmon, even in combination with spinach, potato and onion ingredients in the hash. Impressions of pan-roasted hazelnuts, grilled peaches and browned butter on the nose are followed by creamy characters that sit perfectly with the runny egg yolk and mascarpone in the dish.
ROCKBURN CENTRAL OTAGO
PINOT NOIR 2019
The bouquet brings hot cherry pie to mind, but it is the smoky oak in the background that suggests the match with the savoury salmon. The flavour profile seals the deal. An overly tannic red would clash with the fish, but this lovely example of winemaker Malcolm ReesFrancis’s skills keeps the ‘grippiness’ under control and combines it with nicely tuned acids plus a wealth of rich berryfruit flavours.
EL QUINTANAL RIBERO DEL DUERO
TEMPRANILLO 2018
Made from gnarly old vines, some of them close to 100 years old, this approachable Spanish red has the gentle tannins we need, plus plenty of our soughtafter savoury richness. The bouquet emphasises ripe fruit and the palate fulfils the promise in spades. Savoury oak adds just the right amount of grip and adds to the moreish finish.
Hash and eggs is an undisputed American diner favourite. Replacing the traditional corned beef with Aoraki Hot Smoked Salmon brings a lighter texture to this luxe brunch dish.
Ingredients
■ 1 x 180g Aoraki Original Artisan Hot Smoked Portion (or Aoraki Cracked Pepper & Vanilla Bean Hot Smoked
Salmon Portion) ■ 1 good handful of washed spinach leaves ■ ½ red onion, finely diced ■ 2 large potatoes ■ 1 egg ■ 1 tablespoon butter ■ ½ cup of cream ■ Salt & Pepper to taste
Method.
1. Boil the potatoes until cooked and grate while still warm. 2. Roughly chop the salmon. 3. Beat 1 egg and combine with the salmon, diced onion & potatoes. 4. Season with salt & pepper and form into 4 patties. 5. Cook the patties in half the butter until warm through and golden brown. 6. Roughly chop the spinach, sauté in the remaining butter. Add the cream and reduce by half. Season to taste. 7. Serve the creamed spinach with the patties.
Tip: For a little extra decadence top the salmon hash with a runny fried egg.
★ Serves two people
PŌHUTUKAWA HOT-SMOKED SALMON
Coating the salmon with blackstrap molasses prior to the smoking process adds an extra dimension of sweet and savoury richness to this member of the Aoraki portfolio. Exciting wine-matching versatility is the result. The two suggested recipes work best with white wine, but on its own or with different ingredients this member of the range would sit happily with a low-tannin red.
AORAKI PŌHUTUKAWA HOT SMOKED SALMON PAPPARDELLE CARBONARA ★ Serves two people
A twist on the classic carbonara. The richness & smokiness of Aoraki’s Pōhutukawa Hot Smoked Salmon is a great alternative for the pancetta or bacon that is traditionally in this dish.
Ingredients
■ 300g Aoraki Pōhutukawa Hot
Smoked Salmon ■ 140g fresh pappardelle ■ 100ml cream ■ 1 x whole egg ■ 25g finely grated Parmesan cheese ■ 50g finely diced onion ■ 50g butter ■ 1 teaspoon chopped parsley or other herb ■ Grated parmesan for garnish ■ Chili flakes for garnish (optional)
Method
1. Whisk together the cream and egg. Add the parmesan cheese.
Set this mixture aside. 2. In a pot, boil water and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set to one side. 3. Melt butter in a pot large enough to hold the pasta. 4. Quickly put the diced onion in the butter and cook until soft. 5. Remove from the heat and add the pasta. Then add the whisked egg, cream, and cheese mixture to the still warm pasta. 6. Stir in the still warm pot for approximately 2 minutes. 7. Add the Pōhutukawa Hot Smoked
Salmon in chunks. 8. Serve with chopped herbs, grated parmesan, and chili flakes for extra zing.
DOMAINES SCHLUMBERGER LES PRINCES ABBÉS
PINOT BLANC 2018
From France’s Alsaçe region, this approachable white has enough acid zing to sit perfectly with the olives, blanched beans and red onion rings that bring such delicious freshness to the salmon Niçoise salad, while the generous quota of lemon zest and ripe peach flavours through the mid-palate emphasises the dish’s savoury notes.
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COOPERS CREEK GISBORNE CEE VEE
CHARDONNAY/ VIOGNIER 2020
This unusual blend of 73% Chardonnay and 27% Viognier, both grown on Doug Bell’s longestablished Gisborne vineyard, has the richness and creaminess we need to partner the Salmon Carbonara. Only the Viognier spent time in oak barrels, and because they were seasoned from use in previous vintages their influence was subtle. Chardonnay’s spiced peach and lemon rind notes dominate the nose and front palate, but rich, open-fruited Viognier notes fill out the middle and guarantee a long, refreshing finish.
NAUTILUS MARLBOROUGH
PINOT GRIS 2020
Most Pinot Gris is fermented in stainless steel, but a portion of this example spent just enough time in pre-used barrels to smooth its texture, guaranteeing a successful tie-in with the fish. The touch of ginger behind the ripe pear aromas is a classic identifier for the variety, and it heralds in a mouthfilling flavour profile with plenty of fruit edged by acids that add brightness but know their place in the scheme of things. PŌHUTAKAWA HOT SMOKED WITH NIÇOISE CRUDITÉ
The rich Smokey nuances of APHSS lend themselves to Mediterranean flavors. Serve it with a deconstructed Niçoise salad assembled in the form of crudité. Find an umbrella and some ice-cold hazy IPA and create your perfect summers day.
Ingredients
■ 300g Aoraki Pohutukawa Hot Smoked Salmon ■ Classic Niçoise item, we’ve used: ■ 4 Boiled new potatoes ■ 2 soft boiled eggs ■ 12 oven roast cherry tomatoes ■ 12 blanched green beans ■ 12 black olives ■ 8 green olives ■ red onion rings ■ 4 iceberg lettuce slabs
You can also add: fresh garden peas, cucumber.
Method
1. Break your salmon up into large chunks 2. Place all your niçoise items onto a plate along with the chunks of salmon 3. Serve with your lunch a black garlic dipping sauce (recipe below) and enjoy!
Black garlic dipping sauce: 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise to 2 cloves of crushed black garlic. Mix together well.
Tip: Double everything if you want a main meal.
NZ Wine regular, Vic Williams, has been writing and broadcasting about wine and food for more than 40 years. Beginning in the 1990s he compiled 10 editions of Penguin Good New Zealand Wine Guide. Featuring a food recommendation for every wine tasted. Vic’s contribution to the wine and food scenes in New Zealand has been rewarded with A Lifetime Achievement Award from the hospitality industry’s Lewisham Foundation and Sir George Fistonich medal as a ‘Legend of New Zealand Wine’ from the International Wine Show.
