I was searching the web for a quick and easy way to learn about wine pairing before I leave for the International Food Blogger Conference.
Admittedly my wine pairing skills are nil, and there are many wine and food events planned for the IFBC this weekend.
I found Avec Eric on Facebook and saw the Perfect Pairings video series posted on the wall.
The series showcases recipes inspired by chef Eric Ripert’s Emmy-award winning TV show, Avec Eric.
The recipes are then paired with wines that were carefully selected by Aldo Sohm, wine director of Le Bernardin and “World’s Best Sommelier.”
Each two-to-three minute video debunks common wine myths and teaches what types of wine go best with what types of food.
I thought to myself “why not learn wine pairing from the very best?”
In the first video, Ripert and Sohm dispel the belief that fish should be paired with white wine only when, in his home kitchen, Ripert prepares a halibut casserole with morels that Sohm pairs with a red wine.
EPISODE 1 – Myth: White Wine Always Goes with Fish
Here is Halibut Casserole recipe from the video courtesy of Avec Eric…
The Halibut Casserole
2 tablespoons canola oil
12 ounces morel mushrooms
2 tablespoons garlic butter
1 ½ cups chicken stock
4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets
fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
8 pieces of tomato confit (see basics)
1 tablespoon chives
1. Heat the canola oil in a cast iron casserole over medium heat and add mushrooms and garlic butter. Season with salt and pepper and cook the morels until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock, and bring to a boil and reduce to 1 cup.
2. Generously season the halibut on all sides with salt and white pepper and add seasoned halibut to the casserole. Cover the casserole, lower the heat to medium low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until a metal skewer can be easily inserted into the fish and, when left in for 5 seconds, feels just warm when touched to the lip.
3. To serve: place the fish in the center of a bowl. Carefully spoon the mushrooms and sauce around the fish. Top the fish with chives and serve immediately.
In the second video, Ripert and Sohm discuss pairing wine with the stronger flavors Charcuterie, or cured meats…
Ripert says: “In this episode of Perfect Pairings, Aldo Sohm proves that, with the right choice of wines that are light, but with some acidity and delicate fruit, it is possible to pair something like charcuterie with great success”.
EPISODE 2 – Myth: Young Wines Can’t Hold Up to Strong Flavors
In the third video, Ripert and Sohm dispel the myth that “any wine goes with cheese” by exploring three distinct cheeses…
Ripert says: “The classic beverage to serve with cheese is definitely wine but because cheese comes in so many textures and flavors, and the same can be said for wine, it is not so easy to just pair any wine with every cheese…I learned a lot during this tasting and I hope you do some wine and cheese experimentation on your own.”
EPISODE 3 – Myth: Any Wine Goes With Cheese
In the fourth video Ripert and Sohm show why a wine with “fruit or floral notes” can be the best pairing with an acidic recipe like ceviche…
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Ripert says: “Extremely acidic food such as ceviche or raw oysters with mignonette or lemon can be tricky to pair with wine. Sometimes the thought is to put an acidic wine right beside the strong flavor so that it can stand up to the force of the recipe. But in this experiment, Aldo and I find that there are other options…”
EPISODE 4 – MYTH: Acidic Wines Compliment Acidic Food
The next episode of Avec Eric Perfect Pairings will be released on August 26th and it will debunk the myth that “Salads Don’t Like Wine”.
A big thank you to Eric Ripert and to Aldo Sohm for sharing their expertise and extensive knowledge about food & wine. I now feel more confident about wine pairing and I can’t wait to learn more from your videos.
Thank you for reading my blog.
Brad
