Pinot Noir Food Pairing

"A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine." ~ Anthelme Brillat Savarin

So rightly said! Food and wine pairing has been an old custom which is considered healthy even today. In earlier days, red wine was consumed with red meat and white wine was consumed with fish and chicken. But with a wide range of lip smacking cuisines emerging everyday, people have started pairing food with wine, based on their own choice.

Wine is often a condiment for food. It is said that both of them should be served in such a way that each of them carries its own flavor without overpowering the other. Pinot Noir wine is one such famous and regal high quality red wine of France used to pair with food. This French wine, which is one of the finest wine types, is made from the Pinot Noir grapes (the red wine grapes variety).

With moderate levels of tannin, Pinot Noir carries a cocktail of flavors ranging from that of grapes, cherries, tomatoes, red berries and plums. Pinot Noir flavor blends well with sweet spices and herbed creams. Usually wine and cheese pairings are popular. Pinot Noir tastes great with fattening dishes made of fish, chicken, lamb, beef and pork. Some of the classic food pairings with Pinot Noir wine are:

• Meats of chicken, turkey, fish or a well drained duck sautéed in cheese and sausage meats
• Wild stuffed mushrooms, peppercorns, truffles and horseradish
• Vegetables like potatoes, onions, carrots, beet, turnips, tomatoes and bell peppers
• Fruits like figs, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry and dried cherries

Scented green herbs such as tarragon, thyme, mint, basil, rosemary and oregano and aromatic spices like cinnamon, cloves and nutmegs are best for seasoning the food paired with Pinot Noir wine. Cheese like Cheddar and Camembert are used to make delicious creamy sauces for Pinot Noir paired food recipes. Before savoring the main course, Pinot Noir food pairing appetizers are one irresistible delight! These may include grilled vegetables, stuffed mushrooms, salmon based appetizers, creamy vegetable pasta, spicy vegetarian chili and smoked bacon. Even salads that contain mozzarella cheese can be savored as appetizer.

Foods Paired with Pinot Noir Wine

Salmon Appetizers

What you need:

• Smoked salmon (8 oz)
• Cream cheese (1 larfe packet)
• Sweet onion (1)
• Garlic powder (1/4 tsp)
• Onion powder (1/2 tsp)

How to prepare:

1. Chop the onion into fine pieces and add 4-5 sections of cheese to it.
2. Add onion and garlic powder to the contents and blend the mixture well in a food processor.
3. Cut the smoked salmon into strips. Spread the onion cheese mixture inside a club cracker and place the strips as in covering the cheese spread.
4. Serve this appetizer with the pinot noir wine!

Lamb Stew With Root Vegetables

What you need:

• Freshly ground flour (1/2 cup)
• Freshly ground pepper
• Chicken stock (4 cups)
• Cubed ham steak (1 pound)
• Boneless lamb cut into 2-inch cubes (4 pounds)
• Olive oil (½ cup)
• Dry red wine (2 cups)
• Sherry vinegar (2 Tbsp)
• Chicken stock (4 cups)
• Chopped tarragon (2 Tbsp)
• Peeled baby carrots (1 Pound)
• Peeled baby parsnips (1 pound)
• Fingerling potatoes (1 pound)
• Halved baby turnips (1/2 pound )
• Chopped and trimmed baby fennel bulbs (8)
• Minced shallot (1)
• Chopped parsley (2 Tbsp)

How to prepare:

1. Preheat the oven to a temperature of 350º F.
2. Now put the flour in a bowl and mix it with salt and pepper. Add the lamb chops to the flour and coat it well.
3. Take a large cast iron casserole and add 2 Tbsp of oil. Heat till oil simmers.
4. Add the flour coated lamb cubes and toss them well in the oil. Cook over a moderate flame for about 6 minutes till you see the lamb turn light brown. Once done, transfer the roasted lambs to a plate. Reduce the heat of the casserole.
5. Now add the contents back to the casserole after some time and add vinegar and boil the contents. Later add some wine too.
6. Add the stock and tarragon also to the boiling mixture. At the same time, season with requisite salt and pepper.
7. Cover the casserole and cook the stew in oven for an hour until the meat is tenderly cooked.
8. Now remove the casserole from oven and add vegetables like potatoes, turnips, carrots, parsnips, fennel and shallot to the lamb stew and put it back in oven for an hour more.
9. Remove the casserole from oven and season the contents with salt, pepper, parsley and fennel fronds
10. Serve hot with pinot noir wine.

"Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost; united and well matched they are as body and soul, living partners." ~ Andre Simon

It just said it all. You feel on the top of this world when there is a good wine to match good food and also a good friend to enjoy both.