FEBRUARY WINE AND FOOD PAIRINGS

Moules Mariniere

February Menu & Wine Pairings

Chablis is an unoaked or lightly oaked French wine with a tart, citrus and green apple minerality that pairs exceptionally well with clean, fresh seafood dishes. Oysters, clams, mussels, grilled fish and sushi all pair extremely well and one cannot go wrong choosing a chablis. It is a fairly fruity, dry, medium to light bodied wine with hints of quince, apple and citrus and an alcohol content between 11.5% and 13.5%.

As there are four different chablis, namely Petit Chablis, Chablis AOP, Chablis Premier Cru AOP and Chablis Grand Cru, there is certain to be one that will pair well with your moules. As mentioned in our February magazine article, I chose a young chablis from the house of Louis Jadot, 1er Cru Fourchaumes 2018 to go with my oysters and this is also perfect for moules.

Ingredients

1.75kg mussels 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 2 shallots, finely chopped 15g French butter a bouquet garni of parsley, thyme and bay leaves 100ml French dry white wine or cider 120ml cream handful of parsley leaves, coarsley chopped

crusty baguette, to serve Wash the mussels under plenty of cold, running water. Discard any open ones that won’t close when lightly squeezed.

Pull out the tough, fibrous beards protruding from between the tightly closed shells and then knock off any barnacles with a large knife. Give the mussels another quick rinse to remove any little pieces of shell. Soften the garlic and shallots in the butter with the bouquet garni, in a large pan big enough to take all the mussels - it should only be half full.

Add the mussels and wine or cider, turn up the heat, then cover and steam them open in their own juices for 3-4 minutes. Give the pan a good shake every now and then.

Remove the bouquet garni, add the cream and chopped parsley and remove from the heat. Spoon into four large warmed bowls and serve with lots of crusty bread.

COQ AU VIN

This classic, rustic French dish is traditionally served with a red burgundy (Pinot Noir). Any good quality pinot noir or another light to medium-bodied red wine would be perfect for cooking this dish. An earthy burgundy, Côté du Rhône, Chateauneuf-du-Pape or a Pinot Noir are all perfect to serve with your Coq au Vin. A sterling choice is a bold and very agreeable red wine from Chateauneuf-du-Pape which pairs extremely well with game meats, ossobuco, venison and rustic stews. Its fruity flavours of cherries, blackberries and raspberries are enhanced with notes of herbs, black pepper, tar and licorice will pair very well indeed. Being a fairly full-bodied and high alcohol wine from the Rhône Valley, it is primarily from the Grenache grape, blended with other varieties such as Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault and it is generally a premium priced wine. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 2018, Domaine du Pegau, alcohol content of 14.5%, is a wonderful wine and my choice for the Coq au Vin.

Ingredients 1½ tbsp olive oil 3 rashers (100g) dry-cured, smoked back bacon, fat trimmed, chopped 12 small shallots, peeled 2 free-range chicken legs (460g), skin removed 4 free-range chicken thighs with bone and skin (650g), skin removed 2 free-range, skinless, boneless chicken breasts (280g) 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 tbsp brandy or Cognac 600ml red wine 150ml good-quality chicken stock 2 tsp tomato purée 3 thyme sprigs, 2 rosemary sprigs and 2 bay leaves, to make a bouquet garni small handful chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

For the mushrooms 1½ tbsp olive oil 250g chestnut mushrooms, halved if large

For the thickener 2 tbsp plain flour 1½ tsp olive oil 1 tsp softened butter

STEP 1 Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, heavybased saucepan or flameproof dish. Tip in 3 trimmed and chopped smoked back bacon rashers and fry until crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. STEP 2 Add 12 peeled shallots to the pan and fry, stirring or shaking the pan often, for 5-8 mins until well browned all over. Remove and set aside with the bacon. STEP 3 Take 2 chicken legs, 4 chicken thighs and 2 boneless chicken breasts, all with skin removed and pat dry with kitchen paper.

STEP 4 Pour ½ tbsp olive oil into the pan, then fry half the chicken pieces, turning regularly, for 5-8 mins until well browned. Remove, then repeat with the remaining chicken. Remove and set aside.

STEP 5 Scatter in 3 finely chopped garlic cloves and fry briefly, then, with the heat medium-high, pour in 3 tbsp brandy or Cognac, stirring the bottom of the pan to deglaze. The alcohol should sizzle and start to evaporate so there is not much left.

STEP 6 Return the chicken legs and thighs to the pan along with any juices, then pour in a little of 600ml red wine, stirring the bottom of the pan again.

STEP 7 Stir in the rest of the wine, 150ml good-quality chicken stock and 2 tsp tomato purée. Drop in 3 thyme sprigs, 2 rosemary sprigs and 2 bay leaves to make a bouquet garni, season with pepper and a pinch of salt, then return the bacon and shallots to the pan.

STEP 8 Cover, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, add the chicken breasts and cook for 50 mins - 1hr. STEP 9 Just before ready to serve, heat 1 ½ tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add 250g chestnut mushrooms, halved if large, and fry over a high heat for a few mins until golden. Remove and keep warm.

STEP 10 Lift the chicken, shallots and bacon from the pan and transfer to a warmed serving dish. Remove the bouquet garni.

STEP 11 To make the thickener, mix 2 tbsp plain flour, 1 ½ tsp olive oil and 1 tsp softened butter in a small bowl using the back of a teaspoon.

STEP 12 Bring the wine mixture to a gentle boil, then gradually drop in small pieces of the thickener, whisking each piece in using a wire whisk. Simmer for 1-2 mins.

STEP 13 Scatter the mushrooms over the chicken, then pour over the wine sauce. Garnish with a handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley

MOUSSE AU CHOCOLAT

Wine and chocolate have a special relationship and a few similarities. Both are packed with flavanols and both are considered aphrodisiacs.

Personally, I would opt for a Banyuls AOC from Languedoc-Roussillon area. This is made from Grenache and Syrah and is a fortified wine which means fermentation is stopped, and the sugar preserved by adding alcohol. Its leans on the sweet side and should be served at room temperature although my personal preference is to have it slightly chilled. I’ve chosen L’Etoile Banyuls Rimage 2017 which pairs well with berry tarts and sweet dishes. It has ripe fruits, plums, cherry and cocoa on the nose and is a wonderful garnet red colour. Perfect for Mousse au Chocolat. This wine is 100%

Grenache and a heavy 16% alcohol content.

Bon appetit

Ingredients

200g bar best bitter dark chocolate (we used Green and Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate) 2 tbsp brandy 3 large free-range eggs , just the whites 50g golden caster sugar 100ml whipping cream

To serve

icing sugar , for dusting crisp biscuits

STEP 1

Grate 50g/2oz of the chocolate and reserve. Break the rest into small, even-sized pieces and melt in a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water. Take the pan off the heat but keep the bowl over the hot water and stir in the brandy. Don’t worry if the mixture thickens – it will smooth out again later.

STEP 2

Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until they’re standing in stiff peaks. Spoon in half the sugar, whisk again, then add the rest of the sugar and whisk until it looks glossy like meringue. Whip the cream in a separate bowl. Take the melted chocolate off the pan and fold in a heaped metal serving spoon of meringue to loosen the consistency, then tip the chocolate into the meringue and fold in lightly but thoroughly. Now fold in the whipped cream, then two thirds of the grated chocolate.

STEP 3

Spoon the chocolate mixture into six (glasses or you could use espresso cups or small teacups) and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight if this is more convenient. Sprinkle with the remaining grated chocolate, then dust with icing sugar. Serve the cups on saucers with some crisp biscuits tucked alongside.