Wines and Spirits

Spring Into Salads With These Wine Pairings

Perfect Pairings May 14, 2008 тЂ“ as published in the Beacon News and Naperville Sun By Bill Garlough Springtime signals a time of change. As the outside temperatures warm up, we shift our meals from heartier fare to lighter cuisine and our wine choices follow suit. Red wine selections move to lighter pinot noir, beaujolais and rosУ©. White wines are popular in warmer weather, as they offer a cool, lighter and more refreshing beverage choice. Another shift is the role of salads which can move from a starter course to the main entrУ©e. About dressings As our tastes become more adventurous, salads now can contain a variety of exotic greens and ingredients, like toasted nuts, unusual cheeses, fresh fruits, lettuces and herbs that create more flavorful experiences. The following are general salad guidelines. тЂў Creamy style dressings pair well with light to medium-bodied dry white wines, such as pinot grigio, soave classico and chardonnay with good acidity, which help balance the richness of creamy dressings. тЂў Traditional, acidic vinaigrettes overpower the acidity level of many wines, creating a less favorable pairing. The acidity of a homemade vinaigrette can be reduced by using a milder vinegar such as an Asian rice wine vinegar or a slightly sweet balsamic vinegar. Also, increasing the amount of oil in the dressing will reduce the acidity. тЂў Adding fruit puree (raspberry puree as an example) or fruit juice to a homemade vinaigrette in place of up to half of the vinegar helps soften and balance the flavors. Here are some classic combinations: raspberry, cherry тЂ“ pinot noir; citrus тЂ“ sauvignon blanc; apple, pear тЂ“ riesling. If you are using a bottled vinaigrette (not a creamy dressing), you can add a splash of the wine youтЂ™ll be drinking directly into the vinaigrette, to help connect the flavors. Food, wine pairings Here are some of my favorite main course summer salads: тЂў Cold pasta salad with grilled salmon, chopped sweet onion and fresh green peas mixed with a creamy dill dressing. Rieslings complement the flavors of both salmon and dill and its slightly sweet acidity provides a perfect balance with this dressing. тЂў Grilled chicken caesar salad pairs well with an acidic style of Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio as they can stand up to the bold flavors of garlic and anchovies. тЂў Caprese salad, a combination of sliced, fresh mozzarella and tomatoes, is a perfect way to enjoy our homegrown or farm stand-fresh tomatoes. The somewhat bland mozzarella helps offset the high acidity of the tomatoes, allowing for a balanced white, like pinot gris, to pair well. When basil leaves or pesto are added to this salad, a crisp sauvignon blanc is a nice choice, as its herbaceous nature pairs well with basil. тЂў Asian chicken salad is popular and offers distinctive flavors of rice wine vinegar and sesame oil (add red pepper flakes to turn up the heat). Kabinett rieslingтЂ™s crisp acidity and sweetness balance these Asian flavors and helps counter the spicy characteristics. Also, an Alsatian gewУјrztraminer is another good choice, with its spicy, sweet and lychee nut notes. Asian Sesame Dressing HereтЂ™s a dressing recipe that is easily made at home. This flavorful dressing created by My Chef Catering can be used on greens, cabbage or as a marinade for chicken or firm fish such as tuna. 4 cloves minced garlic 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger ТЅ cup olive oil 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil 1/3 cup rice vinegar (not sweet or seasoned) 1/4 cup soy sauce (can use low sodium if you prefer) 4 tablespoons honey Тј cup water Place all ingredients in a one quart glass jar (or at least 1 pint size). Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well until all ingredients are mixed. Remove the lid and place the jar in the microwave. Heat for one minute just to ensure the honey is dissolved. Place jar in refrigerator with lid off until completely cool. Place lid tightly on jar and shake well before serving. Store covered in the refrigerator. Serves 18. Т  Bill"s Picks Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio - Italy: $14 Chateau Ste. Michele Indian Wells Chardonnay тЂ“ Washington: $15 Kesseler Kabinett Riesling тЂ“ Germany: $16 Sterling Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc тЂ“ Napa Valley, Calif.: $14 Trimbach GewУјrztraminer тЂ“ Alsace, France: $18 Allegrini Soave тЂ“ Italy: $14 Т  For more from Bill Garlough"s Perfect Pairings visit My Chef.

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