All at Sea!

Emma (chef) and John (sommelier) take us out to sea with this fish feast awash with great white wines.

www.lescaulins.com

Salmon or Trout Gravadlax

(Serves 4)

85g Caster sugar

70g Flaky sea salt

2 tbs Schnapps, gin or vodka

2 tsp Freshly ground pepper

100g Fresh dill

500g Centre-cut salmon fillet, skin on, bones removed

To cure the salmon, blend together the sugar, salt, alcohol, white pepper and dill in a food processor to make a paste.

Place half of the mixture into a container that will accommodate the fish snugly (a plastic tub with a lid is ideal). Lay the salmon on top, flesh-side down, press it down, then cover with the other half of the mixture, smearing it well over the surface of the fish.

Secure with a lid or cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for 48 hours, turning the fish occasionally, until firm to the touch.

www.lescaulins.com

Seared Sesame Seed Tuna

(Serves 4)

1 tbs Honey

50g Light soy sauce

2 tbs Sesame oil

1 tbs Rice wine vinegar

4 Tuna steaks (150g – 180g each)

70g -100g Sesame seeds

1 tbs Olive oil

For the salad: Rocket leaves, Cherry tomatoes, 1 Can of chick peas, Mint

In a bowl, stir together the soy sauce, honey and sesame oil. Divide into two equal parts. Stir the rice vinegar into one part and set aside as a dressing for salad leaves or for use as a dipping sauce.

Spread the sesame seeds on a plate. Coat the tuna steaks with the remaining soy sauce mixture, then press into the sesame seeds to coat.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy frying pan over high heat until very hot. Place the steaks in the pan, and sear for about 30 seconds on each side. Slice the tuna and serve on a salad of Rocket, chick peas, cherry tomatoes and mint.

You can find more recipes and wine suggestions from Emma and John at www. thelocalbuzzmag.com/articles

Emma and John Gilchrist have been running their gîte and cookery school, Les Caulins, in Lot-et-Garonne since March 2016. Emma has worked with great chefs in some of the best restaurants around the world and John, a former UK Sommelier of the Year and winner of the Mondavi award for the best wine list in the world, is an enthusiast for the smaller wine producers. www.lescaulins.com

White wine in a sea of red

John finds delicious wines in the most unexpected places.

I am always searching for unusual wines and if people are turning right I usually go in the opposite direction. Most people are aware of the wine appellations of Saint Emilion and Pomerol. Sitting on the right bank of the Gironde river, they are famous for their red wines. There are nine other lesser known regions that are rarely visited, all concentrating on red and, very rarely, white. I am of the opinion that if you are going to stick your neck out and make white wines in a sea of red then you had better make a very good job of it. Here are three that do just that.

Château de la Rivière in Fronsac produces a 67 % Sauvignon Blanc and 33 % Sauvignon Gris, with 10% of the wine spending some time in oak. The result is a superb, elegant wine that is a wonderful blend of tropical fruit and grapefruit.

€12.00. www.chateau-de-la-riviere.com

Château Beynat in the Cotes de Castillon produces a splendid 100% Sauvignon Blanc that is clean and fresh with hints of jasmine and lychee, and a limey grip at the finish.

€8.00. www.chateaubeynat.com

The real discovery for me, whilst having lunch at the marvellous La Table de Catusseau in Pomerol, was the amazing Château la Perrière Blanc from Lussac. A blend of Sauvignon, Semillon and Muscadelle, the wine is minerally with a balanced flavour of apples, lime and honeysuckle, and is my top pick for a wine with fish and seafood.

€7.00. www.chateau-laroseperriere.com

GUEST CHEF

As chef and owner at Châteaux Cuisine, Alicia Watson is dedicated to providing an unforgettable private dining experience for any occasion. Offering a complete dining service in the comfort of a client’s home or holiday home, she also caters for BBQs, family style sharing, picnic lunches and more.

www.chateauxcuisine.com

Smoked Chicken Breast & Butternut Squash Risotto with Wild Mushroom Sauce

www.chateauxcuisine.com

SMOKED CHICKEN BREAST (Serves 4)

3-4 Bundles of rosemary

4 Chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

Soak rosemary in cold water for 30 mins. Light the BBQ and allow the coals to calm down. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Lay the damp rosemary directly onto the coals. Once the smoke has cleared a little place the chicken onto the grill and BBQ as usual.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO

900ml Warm chicken stock

3 tbs Extra virgin olive oil

3 Shallots, peeled and finely chopped

2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 Small butternut squash

200g Arborio rice

150ml White wine

60g Freshly grated parmesan

Small handful fresh sage, finely chopped

1 Pinch saffron

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Peel, deseed and dice the squash into 2cm cubes, coat them in half the oil, season and roast for 12-15 mins until tender and golden brown all over. Heat remaining oil and butter in a pan over medium low heat. Add the shallots and garlic and fry for 8-10 mins until softened. Add the rice, stirring constantly until coated in the oil (1-2 mins). Pour in the wine and turn up the heat to bring to the boil. Lower to a simmer and reduce the wine by 2/3rds. Stir frequently to stop the rice sticking to the base of the pan. Add a ladle of warm stock, bring back to the simmer and stir as the stock is absorbed into the rice. Add the saffron and another ladle of stock and repeat until most of the stock has been absorbed and the rice is ‘al dente’. Stir in the sage, cooked squash and parmesan. Turn off the heat and season to taste.

WILD MUSHROOM SAUCE

25g Butter

2 Shallots, peeled and diced

2 Cloves garlic, crushed

200g Fresh wild mushrooms (keep a few for decoration)

30g Dried wild mushrooms, soaked in 100ml hot water

100 ml Dry white wine

200 ml Chicken stock

100ml Handful chopped parsley

Add butter to a pan and fry the shallots and garlic for 2 mins. Add wine, reduce by half. Add both the fresh and soaked mushrooms with the liquid, stock and cream, and reduce by half. Stir in the chopped parsley and turn off the heat. To Assemble: Place the risotto into a pasta bowl using a metal ring. Spoon the mushroom sauce around the rice. Slice the chicken and carefully place on top of the rice. Decorate with mushrooms and chopped chives.

For a scrumptious dessert, try Alicia’s Dark Chocolate and Pistachio Tart which can be found online at www.thelocalbuzzmag. com/articles

www.chateauxcuisine.com

The Local Buzz is the only A4 glossy magazine and comprehensive website covering these departments. Lifestyle focused, the magazine is informative, fun and highlights what’s on in the region. Looking for a local business, more listings of what’s on, articles, blogs and local information? Then visit our website. By the way, if you can’t pick up a copy, every issue can be read online and postal subscriptions are available. You can find all the details at www.thelocalbuzzmag.com.