"Wines that Pair with the Fabulous Flavors of Summer" & Recipe for Porcini Dusted Hogfish from Chef Chris Miracolo!

Chef Chris Miracolo

"Summertime, and the livin' is easy"... not to mention really hot! In keeping with the season, this month's installment of our "Savor the Summer" series at Max's Harvest featured "Wines that Pair with the Fabulous Flavors of Summer."

Summer in Florida (and most other parts of the country recently) isn't really the ideal time of year for those tannic Cabernet Sauvignons or oaky Chardonnays - especially if you are a fan of the light, refreshing flavors of Summer cuisine. In keeping with the evening's theme, we traveled around the globe sampling wines from a variety of countries perfect for enjoying during the sultry Summer months.

Our vinous lineup was once again paired with the phenomenal cuisine of Chef Chris Miracolo. Chef tailored each Summer-inspired dish to suit the nuances of each of our featured wines to create this truly mouth-watering menu: 

   

Reception

Stuffed Pluots with Goat Cheese, Candied Pistachio and 

Sherry-Black Pepper Bacon Marmalade

Poema, Cava Brut NV

1st Course

Bluepoint Oysters, Pickled Ramp, Grapefruit-Pink Peppercorn Mignonette

Pfaffl Grüner Veltliner "Austrian Pepper" 2009

2nd Course

Rock Shrimp & Boursin en Croute, Tarragon Butter & Micro Herb Salad

Michel Redde Sancerre "Les Tuilieres" 2012

3rd Course

Porcini Dusted Hogfish, Celery Root Puree, Blueberry-Champagne Sauce

Louis Jadot Chateau des Jacques Morgon 2009

4th Course

Chipotle-Pomegranate Palmetto Creek Farms Pork Shoulder Roast with 

Braised Collards & Creamed Corn Bread

Robert Oatley Shiraz Mudgee 2009

Dessert

Mango Upside Down Cake with Key Lime Ice Cream & Strawberry Chips

Michele Chiarlo Moscato d'Asti "Nivole" 2010

Following dinner, guests voted for their favorite dish of the night and Chef Chris kindly agreed to share the recipe with The Glamorous Gourmet readers. The winning dish was the delightfully creative Porcini Dusted Hogfish with Celery Root Puree & Blueberry-Champagne Sauce. Everyone was blown away by the unexpected yet delicious flavor combination and how perfectly the dish paired with the Louis Jadot Chateau des Jacques Morgon, a light-bodied red with lovely flavor and structure. So without further ado, I'm happy to share Chef Chris's recipe with you:

The Winning Recipe: Porcini Dusted Hogfish with Blueberry-Champagne Sauce!

Porcini Dusted Hogfish with Celery Root Puree & Blueberry-Champagne Sauce

Courtesy of Chef Chris Miracolo, Max's Harvest

Fish

4-7 oz Hogfish Fillets, skin on scaled (may substitute halibut or other light white fish)

1 oz dried porcini mushrooms

1 tbl fresh chopped thyme

Kosher Salt to taste

Freshly ground Black pepper

2 fl oz grapeseed oil

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Celery Root Puree

1 celery root, peeled and cut into 1” cubes

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1 tsp ground white pepper

Salt to taste

2 oz unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Blueberry-Champagne Sauce

6 ounces blueberries, rinsed and stems removed

½ cup Dry Champagne

1 Tablespoon Champagne Vinegar

Watercress for the plate

Heat oven to 325°F. Place porcini mushrooms on a baking sheet and toast in oven for 10 minutes until fragrant. Cool to room temperature and place in a coffee/spice grinder and mill until a fine powder. With a small knife score skin in a criss-cross pattern ½ apart from each other being careful not to cut too deeply into flesh. Dust fish fillets with salt, pepper, thyme and porcini powder. Set aside.

Place celery root in a large pot of salted water and boil until soft (Approx 30 minutes). Strain and place in food processor. Puree until smooth while adding nutmeg, pepper and butter through hole on top. Set aside.

Place blueberries, vinegar and champagne in a sauce pot over medium heat and simmer  for 10 minutes. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over low-medium heat with oil and butter until butter just begins to turn brown. Place fillets in pan skin side down one at a time. Adjust heat to ensure you do not burn mushroom powder. After a few minutes turn fish over and sauté on other side. Remove fish from pan. Pour blueberry sauce into pan to deglaze.

Place 4-5 watercress sprigs on each plate, place celery root puree atop watercress, Place fish skin side up atop puree and spoon pan sauce over fish and around plate. Serves 4.

I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe and a big thanks to Chef Chris for sharing it with us! Please check out the video above for even more fun photos from the evening. We hope you can join us for the final dinner of our "Savor the Summer" series on Wednesday, August 1st featuring the exquisite Provencal rosés of Chateau d'Esclans. For more information or to make a reservation, please call 561-381-9970. Hope to see you there!

Cheers,

Kick off Memorial Day Weekend with these Sultry Summer Sippers!

With the temperatures heating up outside (and boy are they!), it's time for some wines that are guaranteed to take the edge off a sizzling Summer Day. 

For the Museum of Art Ft. Lauderdale's "Art of Wine & Food" Series event last night, I selected wines that are light, lovely and perfect for sipping by the pool or pairing with lighter, warm weather fare. While the seminar was titled "Spring Fling: Wines that Pair with the Fresh Flavors of Spring!" it was more like "Spring into Summer" since the unofficial start of the season is Memorial Day weekend which begins today. Our three wines for the evening were accompanied by the delicious cuisine of Chef Marci Boland of L'Hermitage Catering. It's always a pleasure working with Marci and I think our guests would agree, we enjoyed some pretty spectacular pairings!
 

Wine #1: Poema Cava Brut NV 

Cava is a Spain's sparkling wine, produced primarily in the Penedès region in the northeastern part of the country. Crisp and fruity, Cava is currently growing in popularity in the United States.

For a wine to qualify for the Cava designation it must adhere to certain criteria including grape varieties used, method of production and length of aging. The three main grape varieties used to make Cava are Parellada, Macabeo, and Xarel-lo although other grapes including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are also permitted. Like Champagne, Cava must be produced using the méthode traditionelle or méthode champenoise which requires that the wine’s secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle from which it is later served. The wines must also be cellared and aged on their lees for a minimum of nine months. The final wine is classified by its sugar content and length of aging. Ranging from driest to sweetest, Cava is classified as: Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, Dry, Semi-Dry, and Sweet. 

The delightful Poema Brut Cava NV offers delicate aromas of citrus and peach with a hint of spice. The palate is dry with a crisp acidity and light fruit flavors that make it an excellent pairing with dishes such as smoked salmon, goat cheese salads and lighter fare - although it's perfectly enjoyable on its own! Cava is also an excellent value and a fabulous choice for sparkling wine based cocktails such as Mimosas or Bellinis. This wine synergized beautifully with Chef Marci's delicious Fettuccine with Lemon, Parmesan Cream and Cracked Pepper. MSRP: $12

Wine #2: 2007 Helfrich Pinot Gris Alsace 

Alsace is a much disputed geographical region located on the eastern border of France known for producing almost exclusively white, varietal wines. For much of its existence, it was known as the western German region “Elsass” and has been the subject of many territorial disputes between France and Germany. Separated from Germany by the Rhine River and from France by the Vosges mountains, the language and culture of Alsace owe much to both regions, but is also unique in many respects.

The Helfrich family has been crafting wines in Alsace for six generations. They are leading the Alsatian Renaissance with grapes from centuries old vineyards and employ modern wine making methods with a minimalist touch to allow the terroir to show through.

The fruit for this 100% Pinot Gris comes from the Couronne d'Or (Golden Crown), an association of local vineyards that runs through the center of Alsace. The soil is mostly calcareous and the vines are dry farmed and trained upwards for maximum sun exposure. This wine has a yellow-gold hue and aromas of ripe apricot, pear and minerals. It has a rich, round mouthfeel and flavors of peach and apple with a well-balanced, fresh finish. This Pinot Gris is delicious paired with shellfish such as crab and mussels as well as dishes with some spice, like Indian or Thai cuisine. Guests swooned over this dish paired with Grilled Chicken in Indian Spices with Mango Salsa. MSRP: $14

Wine #3: 2009 Louis Jadot Moulin-à-Vent Château des Jacques

Maison Louis Jadot was founded in 1859 by Louis Henry Denis Jadot whose family settled in Beaune near the turn of the century. Maison Louis Jadot's principles of vinification balance tradition and technology and focus on the purest expression of "terroir" through the medium of the vine. 

Purchased by Maison Louis Jadot in 1996, the Château des Jacques is situated in the village of Moulin-à-Vent (which translates as 'windmill' in English), between Fleurie and Chenas. The Moulin-à-Vent wine is referred to as the “King of Beaujolais,” and widely considered to be the most Burgundian “Cru” of Beajolais. The other nine Crus are St. Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Regnié, Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly.

Like all Beaujolais reds, the '09 Louis Jadot Moulin-à-Vent Château des Jacques is produced from 100% Gamay grapes. The wine is vinified in closed vats, and then aged in oak barrels for six months. While generally known for its light, fruity flavors, this is a full, robust Beaujolais with a rich texture and greater longevity than any other Cru of the Beaujolais. While perfect for drinking now, this wine could also age for another 5-7 years. Serve this wine slightly chilled and paired with charcuterie, grilled red meats or game. It harmonized deliciously with the flavorful Stuffed Tomatoes Provencal with Ham, Herbs & Garlic. MSRP: $22

If you're interested in purchasing any of these wines, please contact me at everydaywinegirl@aol.com. A big thank you to everyone who joined us last night and to Republic National Distributing Company for their support of the "Art of Food & Wine." Please join us next month on Thursday, June 28th as we celebrate our two year anniversary of the series. Our theme will be "Alternative Grapes: Take a Walk on the Wild Side with Wines Made from Obscure Grape Varieties!" - hope to see you there!

Cheers to a festive & fabulous Memorial Day Weekend,