Remembrances of menus past—Red Wine with Fish dinner with David Rosengarten
From the chapter: Menus—through the past
June 1993
1—The Salt Solution:
Rare Ponzu ‘Ahi Tuna with Sticky Mountain Potato Relish and Olive Soy Vinaigrette
Gunderloch, Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling Kabinett 1991
2—The Acid Test:
Shellfish Donut Salad with Crispy Potatoes and Hazelnut Caviar Vinaigrette
Savennières, Château d’Épire Cuvée Spéciale 1991
Jurançon Sec, Clos Girouilh 1991
3—That Red Wine with Fish Thang:
Grilled Shutome (Hawaiian Swordfish) with Puna Chèvre Crêpinette and Bandol Sauce
Bandol, Domaine Tempier Cuvée Spéciale 1988
Au Bon Climat, Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir 1991
4—The Real Red Hot Chili Peppers:
Grilled Wild Boar in Korean Style Sauce
Roy’s Anniversary Cuvée 1989 (Sparkling Wine by Iron Horse, Green Valley)
5—Some Like It Hot… and Sweet:
Bistro Style Nectarine Tatin
Vouvray "Moelleux” Champalou 1989
It was a thrill for us to have the respected food and wine writer—and major influence—David Rosengarten entertain our guests; so we decided to entertain him in turn with some culinary points from his own classic treatise, Red Wine with Fish (composed with Joshua Wesson).
Admittedly, in the first course, the slippery, sticky taste of a Japanese mountain potato (or satoimo—more of a taro, and quite possibly the hairiest in the world) is an acquired one, but it added a textural dimension to the onslaught of interacting sensations (re the penetrating citrus of ponzu, the fatty red flesh of raw Hawaiian tuna, and the saltiness of soy) we wanted the Gunderloch Riesling’s pointedly sweet/tart/stony character to play with. An unmitigated success.
Savennières (from the northerly Loire) and Jurançon (the French South-West) come from opposites sides of France, but are two of the most acidic white wines in the world (and therefore an acquired taste); but a circle of barely seared scallops and shrimp drizzled in a vinaigrette touched up with steely black roe reduced the wines’ perception of sharpness, allowing subtle fruit qualities to mingle, and mineral sensations to emerge like an epiphany (ah, that's what the French mean by terroir!).
Hawaiian shutome is more tender and meatier than the usual type of swordfish; but by putting it in the context of red meat flavors (pungent, herbed chèvre and minced meat wrapped in caul fat, and veal stock reduced with Bandol), we could knock that “red-wine-with-fish thang” right out of the park. At least Mr. Rosengarten seemed to think so.
I’ve always thought the best way to freshen the palate between doses of, say, hot, garlicky Korean spices is with a dry, effervescent sparkling wine such as that memorable ’89 “Anniversary Cuvée” which I had personally blended (at Iron Horse Vineyards with Forrest Tancer) as an aggressively yeasty, crisp yet silken textured, faintly pink tinged Pinot noir based blend. It was also, as it was, a handy way of showing that the acidity and froth of fine and unique sparklers need never be relegated to the role of apéritif.
Whenever I see the iconic winemaker Larry Brooks, who I first met in 1982 at Acacia Winery (Brooks worked for the group for 19 years, from 1979 to 1998), he still speaks wistfully of Champalou's '89 Vouvray "Mouelleux" like a long lost love. It was ethereal. Back in 1993 we knew better than to perturb the wine's honeyed magic with anything out of the ordinary; in this case, a tarte Tatin made with caramelized nectarines of suitably restrained sugar content. “Easy” can be unforgettable.
Love that poster!