Sheesh...when it comes to wine, there's no such thing as a little knowledge. My goal here is to provide the bare minimum of information that one needs in order to adequately swim in the culinary world. But with wine, the bare minimum requires a great deal of reading and writing. I can't get by with simply two posts and then on to the recipes.
Even something as simple as cooking with wine requires different pieces of knowledge. Steaming with wine requires a different mindset than braising with wine or marinating with wine. For me to write a singular post stating "This is what you need to know how to cook with wine" would be doing a disservice to you, your food and the wine. Okay, that sounds a little too serious, but I think it sounds true. Yes, yes, there are some general rules of thumb that can work with different cooking techniques. But I'm going to repeat them when appropriate. So, where to start? Well, last night Tara and I did some mussel steaming with wine, so that's as good of a place to start as any. Tips for Steaming with wine: - The better the wine, the better the taste of the food. Conversely, the worse the wine, the worse your food will taste. Choose your cooking wine accordingly - Use freshly opened wine. Wines opened two weeks or later should be looked upon with suspicion, as it probably has oxidized to the point of affecting the wine taste. - Steaming is a delicate cooking process, where the aromatic of a wine affects the taste of the food. The better the bouquet, the more it will affect the taste of the food. - Steaming is typically done to what can best be described as "Delicate" foods. These are foods that have subtle tastes (like some types of seafood, vegetables or even chicken). It's best to avoid robust and hearty wines. The tastes of the aromatics should support the subtle flavors of the food, rather than overpower it. - When steaming, ensure that the pot has a tightly fitted lid as to prevent the steam and aromatics from escaping in great amounts. - Use a pot that is large in size, to allow a good circulation of steam around the food in order to cook it evenly. - Preferred wines for steaming? Sauvignon, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewurztraminer. I think this is a good of a start as any. More later to be sure.
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Wow. Who knew that you could so so much when cooking with wine. We've covered sauces and steaming rules of thumb. Today? We get to Poaching and Simmering. We consider soups as part of the simmering process as well.
Here's a side note: Poaching eggs with wine is fantastic, especially over a toasted baguette. Give it a try. - The better the wine, the better the taste of the food. Conversely, the lower quality of the wine, the better the chance your food will taste pretty strange. Choose your cooking wine accordingly (Sound familiar?). - Use freshly opened wine. Wines opened two weeks or later should be looked upon with suspicion, as it probably has oxidized to the point of affecting the wine taste(Again...does this sound familiar?). - Simmering is NOT boiling. The wine should only be brought up to about 185 degrees F. - Dry Reds (Merlot, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Cabernets) add tartness to food. Thick of these flavors as a partner to the dish, a flavor that can stand on its own, but works with the food. - Fruity white wines (Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio) are more subtle, adding delicate flavors. Think of them as a detail to the dish. The dish may work without a white wine flavor, but is enhanced with them. - Poaching is also NOT boiling. When poaching, simmer liquid at 185 degrees F. - For soups, burn off the alcohol first before adding to the stock. Wine 201 - Cooking with Wine: Sauces The particulars for sauces could easily lead to a blog of its own as it's so comprehensive. But generally speaking, any sauces you make should complement other ingredients rather than overwhelm them. Whether it's the amount of sauce or the flavor within the sauce, one should try to not have any sauce be the one thing that people remember about the recipe. That reminds me of a famous composer (whose name escapes me at the moment) for Hollywood movies who once said "If the person notes how wonderful the soundtrack is while watching the movie, someone hasn't done their job". Same basic premise with sauces. Rules of thumb for using wines in sauces (remember, there are always exceptions):
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