Spring Pairings with Loire Valley Wine Finds

Spring Pairings with Loire Valley Wine Finds

Rare Seared Tuna over Braised White Bean Puree
Paired with:
Marquis de Goulaine Rose d’Anjou 2009

Rare Seared Tuna is also good with Rose.

Ingredients:
8 ounces Fresh Ahi Tuna
2 teaspoons Olive oil
2 teaspoons Salt
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
5 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
3 tablespoons sea salt
1 French Baguette, sliced into ¼ inch rounds, toasted lightly

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in a small, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sweet until translucent, about 4 minutes.
  2. Reduce heat to medium low and add beans and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and Let cool to room temperature. Stir in parsley and salt. Season with additional freshly ground black pepper as desired.
  4. Remove from the liquid and puree the beans until smooth using some of the liquid to get it to the consistency of apple sauce.
  5. Heat a heavy bottom Skillet or Sauté pan until smoking. Season the Tuna with Salt and rub with Olive oil. Sear the tuna on both sides for about 1 Minute each. Remove from the pan.
  6. Slice tuna thin into 1 inch by 1 inch pieces about ¼ inch thick.
  7. To assemble, spoon about ½ tablespoon of the puree on to the bread and top with a slice of tuna. Garnish each piece with a few crystals of salt. I prefer to use Black Lava Salt if available.

Beef Carpaccio with Arugula and Parmigiano Reggiano
Paired with:
Langlois Cremant de Loire Brut Sparkling Wine

Ingredients:
7 ounce center-cut beef tenderloin

Beef Carpaccio with Arugula and Parmesan Reggiano

3 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley
½ Tablespoon each Chopped Thyme and Rosemary
Salt and Pepper to Taste
2 oz. arugula
Fine sea salt and black pepper
½ lemon
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 oz. Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved into thin slices
Celtic Sea Salt or Black Salt, Course

Directions:

  1. Trim the beef of all fat and silver skin. Heat a heavy bottom skillet over high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Roll the round side of the beef in the chopped herbs mixed together.
  2. When the pan is smoking hot, pour in about 1 tablespoon of oil. Sear the herb crusted side of the beef as quick as possible rolling it in the pan. This is done very quickly as to not cook the beef to much.
  3. Now roll the seared beef in a piece of aluminum foil tightly to make it perfectly round. Put this in the freezer for at least 2 hours.
  4. After the beef is completely frozen, slice the beef on a mandolin or as thin as you can with a sharp knife.
  5. Dress the arugula with the juice of half of lemon, salt, pepper and the olive oil. Put a sliver of Parmesan and a few arugula leaves on each piece of beef and roll into a cylinder.
  6. Serve this on a toast point or even on a fancy fork drizzle with a drop or two of olive oil and a few crystals of the Celtic sea salt.

Lobster Fennel Agro Dolce
Paired with:
Domaine des Baumard Clos du Papillon Savennieres 2005

Ingredients:
1 Lobster about 1 ½ pounds, poached and removed from the shell
1 Bulb of Fennel
¼ cup Sherry Vinegar
¼ cup Cream Sherry
2 Tablespoons Honey or 1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar
¼ cup Lobster or Chicken Stock

Lobster Fennel Agro Dolce with Savennieres–delicious!

Directions:

  1. Remove the Lobster from its shell.
  2. Cut the Fennel into 1 inch Julienne or match sticks.
  3. Sweat the fennel in a small sauté pan with a little olive oil.
  4. Add the Sherry, Vinegar and Honey and reduce till it is the consistency of syrup. Add the stock and reduce by half.
  5. Chop the Lobster into bite size pieces and toss with the fennel.
  6. To serve, on a toasted slice of baguette, put a few strips of the fennel and a piece of Lobster. Top with a small or chopped fennel leaf.