"Bringin’ Some Sole with my Rosé’ – Wine and Dine with Charles Smith Blog Series Part Three

THE WINE:
2009 Charles and Charles Rosé

Syrah Grape

Washington State

THE AROMA:
Full on strawberries and raspberries from the get-go!
Sweet berry aroma with a slight basil quality.
Smells like summer to this “winegirl!”

THE MOUTH:
Even though this wine is PINK, it is by no means, a
weak wine… It’s totally Rock’n’Roll in my book!
Full of fruit and acidity yet not full of sugar and
and flabbiness. Strong and stable, perfect for many
meals. Sweet berries and herbaceousness. Lovely.

THE FOOD:
Crab Stuffed Filet of Sole Over Tropical Salsa

THE PAIRING:
When asked what wine I could drink everyday for the
rest of my life, I have two straight answers – good sparkling
and good rosé wine! They both sound like spring and
summer choices at first but the deeper you get, the more
you appreciate their places in the world. (*Please note: I
reserve the right to change my answer to this question at
any place and time.*) Finding a good rosé always feels like
an accomplishment… there are many attempts, many full
of too much sugar, but then again, there are many that
exceed expectations while slight subtly fruity, they
remain dry and layered. ALWAYS LOOKING FOR LAYERS!

So, I decided fish… couldn’t decide between shellfish and
regular fish, so I went with both. Let’s be honest, crab is a
great addition to just about anything and sole is a mild,
flaky fish that works well in bringing out the flavors of
sauces, beverages, etc. I also wanted to use something
with fruit and spice. I naturally leaned toward salsa. What
a perfect blend. Embracing the arrival of spring and summer,
I hope you find the balance and enhancement of fruit, spice
brightness and complexity that I have in this pairing.

THE RECIPE:

For crab stuffing and fish:
4 oz jumbo lump crab meat (1 cup)
1 1/2 tablespoons reduced-fat (not low-fat) mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely diced yellow bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 (4-oz) sole fillets

For garlic bread crumbs:
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fine fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a baguette)
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

Prepare stuffing and fish:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Mix crab, mayonnaise, bell pepper,

and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Lay sole fillets

flat with darker side up and season with salt and pepper.

Divide stuffing among fillets, mounding on thicker half of each.

Fold thinner half of fillet over stuffing, tucking end under to

form a packet.Arrange stuffed fillets in a lightly oiled 9-inch

pie plate. Cover with a round of parchment paper, then cover

pie plate tightly with foil.

Bake in upper third of oven until just cooked, about 20 minutes.

Make bread crumbs while sole is baking: Cook garlic in oil in a
small skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant,
about 30 seconds. Stir in bread crumbs and cook, stirring,
until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat,
then stir in zest and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer sole to plates and pour pan juices into a small bowl.

Tropical Salsa:
1 cup finely diced peeled firm-ripe papaya
1/2 cup finely diced peeled firm-ripe mango
1/3 cup finely chopped white onion

1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
3 tbl chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbl fresh orange juice
1 tbl fresh lime juice
1/2 to 1 tsp minced fresh jalapeño chile, including seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir together all ingredients.

Place stuffed fish atop tropical salsa and serve. Spoon some

of juices over fish and sprinkle with bread crumbs and parsley.

"On the Eve of Scallops" – Wine and Dine with Charles Smith Blog Series Part Two

THE WINE:
2007 Eve Chardonnay
Washington State

THE AROMA:
Sweet apples and pears,
I pick up a little floral quality,
followed by a slight touch of oak.
Close enough to “un-oaked”
without being so…

THE MOUTH:
Perfect balance of round and crisp. Forward fruit of
tart apples and sweet pears then an essence of floral
bouquets. Finishes with stone fruit qualities of apricots.
Luscious and clean. Washington Chardonnay done right.

THE FOOD:
Seared Scallops over Creamy Pasta

THE PAIRING:
I am not a big Chardonnay drinker. I enjoy it. With the
right food, at the right time. But it’s mass appeal is one
to appreciate. This grape has been shown to create light,
crisp, clean wines AND full, buttery, fruity wines.
Versatility is key. Sometimes we get too used to the
“same-old, same-old” styles and we forget that
there ARE other ways to produce Chardonnay….
even in the New World 🙂

When pairing food and wine, one is looking to either
complement or contrast flavor profiles or textures.
Chardonnay often poses the question for me – which do
I want to do? While I do like using a fuller bodied Chardonnay
with lighter dishes, I think I much prefer to match a richer,
creamer, slightly heavy style dish. This particular
Chardonnay has a touch of fullness and hint of sweetness
so I decided to replicate that in my dish.

I love scallops. I mean, really, I LOVE scallops. They are
heavy yet delicate, sweet yet supple. Marinating them in
apple juice helps to enhance the sweetness and give a
complementing flavor in the wine. A nice butter-seared
crust on them also plays well into the light creamy
quality of the Eve.

On to the pasta. Weight plays the most important role here.
Egg noodles are neither light nor overly heavy – just like the
wine. Same with the sauce. We want a hint of richness but
not “alfredo” rich. The aspect of crispness also helps to cut
through the cream in the sauce. Again, a delicate balance.

Together, the dish and the wine fill your palate with a creamy
sweetness that melts in your mouth with fruit and texture. I
hope you love this dish as much as you love the wine. But, more
importantly, I hope you love them TOGETHER!

THE RECIPE:
8 ounces medium egg noodles
12 large sea scallops
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup dry white wine (feel free to use the Eve wine!)
2 tablespoons water
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Marinate scallops overnight in apple juice (I add
a splash of orange juice too.) and sprinkly with
your favorite seafood seasoning.

Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water,
uncovered, until al dente, about 8 minutes,
Drain in a colander, then transfer to a platter and
keep warm, loosely covered with foil.

While noodles cook, pat scallops dry and sprinkle
with salt and pepper (you can add more seafood
seasoning here to if you like). Heat butter in a 12-inch
heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides,
then add scallops. Increase heat to high and sear scallops,
turning over once, until golden brown and just cooked through,
2 minutes total. Transfer to platter with noodles, keep covered.

Add wine to skillet and deglaze by boiling, stirring and
scraping up any brown bits, 1 minute. Stir in water and cream
and boil until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Season with
salt & pepper. Stir in chives, pour sauce over scallops & noodles.

Who is Charles Smith?

2009 Winemaker of the Year – Food & Wine

“It’s just booze, drink it”

~-~

I wanted to give you all a brief insight into

the magical world that is Charles Smith and his wines.

He is a much respected winemaker, all the while

maintaining a laid-back, rock ‘n’ roll image and mentality.

His wines are reasonable priced and highly rated.

I chose to start with Charles Smith in my blog series

because I am enamored with his drive, his lifestyle,

his wine, his philosophy, and, most of all, his courage.

If only we all could go in the direction of our passion as he has.

~-~

I found a nice article on him at http://www.winecountryminute.com/

that I share with you below…

“Eleven years of living on a shoestring in Copenhagen

and traveling the back roads of Spain and Bulgaria

imbued Charles Smith with a remarkable passion for wine,

a prodigious capacity to consume it and an enduring love

for the good times of the European table.
But the wine world knew little about this California free spirit

until he met another adventurer in a Walla Walla wine bar;

the rest is history. After getting to know Christophe Baron,

the first Frenchman to establish an estate domaine

in Washington (Cayuse), Smith concluded

‘I want to change my life and I want to do it with wine.’

A master of the fine art of living well while poor,

Smith offered a $5,000 down payment (that he didn’t have)

to buy a wine store in Seattle. There he learned all aspects

of the trade, incognito, never revealing his plan to start a winery.

Talking to Smith on the lime green Adirondack chairs

on the front porch of his 19th Century farmhouse, one is taken

by the sensibility of the man. His passion comes from a

life-long love affair with wine as an enjoyer, not a vintner.

He regales us with stories of his first winters there,

sleeping on a futon, cold as a block of ice.

‘Not enough money for both barrels and beds’ he recalls.

This self-taught, foot-stomping winemaker has reached

the pinnacle of his profession with grit and determination,

while living on the edge. He produces wine under three labels,

K Vintners, Charles Smith Wines and Magnificent Wines

and is evaluating wine ventures around the world.

You can taste the passion in wines

that dazzle critics and feel the vibe in his descriptions:

‘It’s just booze – drink it.'”

Charles Smith Wines/Magnificent Wines/K Vintners

820 Mill Creek Road

Walla Walla, WA 99362

Phone: 509 526-5230

http://www.charlessmithwines.com/

http://www.kvintners.com/

http://www.magnificentwine.com/

LET’S GET STARTED!