Matching sweet wine and Sichuanese food

Can Tokaji – the great dessert wine of Hungary, and one of the sweetest wines in the world – go with Chinese food, asks Margaret Rand? And if it can, would you want it to?

Christian Seely’s answer to both these questions is ‘yes’. He runs the wine division of AXA Millsimes, which owns such properties as Château Suduiraut in Sauternes and Disznk in Tokaj, and one of his big interests is pairing these wines with Asian cuisines.

He’s been hosting occasional dinners of this sort for several years – in London he’s done Suduiraut with Chinese food and Disznk with Indian – and the latest occasion was in Tokaj, where a brace of Chinese chefs, flown out for the occasion, cooked Sichuan dishes to match Disznoko of various vintages and levels of sweetness.

The chefs were Tommy and Andy Shan of Au Bonheur du Palais in Bordeaux. To Seely’s mind this is the best restaurant in Bordeaux and as good as any Chinese restaurant in the world – quite a recommendation. Andy Shan does the cooking; Tommy is front-of-house: gregarious, multilingual and the leader in the pair’s intensive researches into food and wine matching.

He describes their food as Sichuan, with some Cantonese influences. But it’s the strong flavours of Sichuan cooking that make it a possible match for Tokaji. Ask him which other wines he might serve in the restaurant (by the glass, to go with particular dishes rather than all the way through the meal) and he mentions Château de Beaucastel white from the Rhone; white Bandol from Provence; Banyuls; Pouilly-Fumé, especially from the late Didier Dageneau; Loire Chenin Blanc; dry and sweet Alsace from such names as Domaine Weinbach, Ostertag, Marcel Deiss and Hugel; and from outside France, Inniskillen Icewine.

Not all these wines are sweet, but some are very sweet indeed. The sugar is the attraction: it neutralizes the chilli in the food, and he plays with the balance of the two until he reaches a point of harmony.

This is anathema to the old British idea of choosing a wine to cut through the richness of a dish. Why, asks Tommy rhetorically, would you want to do that? What you want is complementarity, he says: it’s a response to the global experience of flavours. Red Bordeaux, he reckons, can be good with Cantonese cooking, with its low levels of spice and simple ingredients, but Sichuan flavours are complex and spicy and need something more challenging.

The dishes for this dinner are all classic ones. The Shans have adjusted the levels of chilli, but that’s all; otherwise the recipes are unchanged. And drinking Tokaji with them does at first seem rather odd.

There are two appetizers, beef straw potatoes with sesame seeds, and shrimps with ‘daily’ Jia-chang flavours. Neither seems particularly successful with the Late Harvest 2007, which seems to swamp them with its sweetness; and for the first course we move on to Asz 4 puttonyos 2004; a light year, but one, paradoxically, with a lot of botrytis: the wine is relatively light, with truffley, creamy notes and good acidity.

For us, drinking this Tokaji with beef tongue, and with Pang-Pang chicken with sesame creamed sauce, the sweetness is the dominant factor. For the Shans the sweetness is only part of the picture. Texture is just as vital, and the finely-sliced tongue has a silky firmness that chimes with the wine.

Yes, the sweetness stands out, but it sort of works, in an unexpected way. The chicken is delicate, though, and while the earthy note of the sesame is interesting with the wine the flavours don’t quite meet. The chilli needs to build up in the mouth a bit more; as it does, the wine begins to make more sense.Two sweeter wines follow: 5 puttonyos 2000 and 2001. With these are paired crispy, spicy sweet-and-sour Yuxiang chicken; King prawns fried in the ‘Halook’ wok; and leg of pork braised Dong-Po style (caramelized version). The two wines are totally different, the 2000 full of apricot and pineapple flavours, fresh, clean and focused, the 2001 leaner, smokier and more pungent. One might have backed the 2001 to match the food better, but in fact it’s the 2000 that is superb with the pork.

Texturally the slow-cooked pork is soft and richly fatty; the flavours are complex, with star anise to the fore. It’s a hit. The chicken is also pretty good with the 2000; perhaps it’s the higher acidity of the 2001 that gets in the way? But the dense flavour of the prawns works better with the 2001.

Then even sweeter wines, the 2000 and 1999 6 puttonyos. These are to go with veal with Chinese anise and tangerine peel, and Tsasui caramelized roast pork. The 2000 is pungent, creamy and approachable, the 1999 more linear, with higher acidity; and the veal is dark and caramelized, with a note of star anise. Neither is perfect, but the complexity of the 1999 is quite successful both with the veal and with the hot, pungent pork, and a faint tingle on the tongue from Sichuan pepper helps them to come together.

And finally, the biggest surprise of all: 1993 6 puttonyos with what is described as smoked salmon in red pepper oil. Well, it’s not smoked salmon in the Scottish sense; it is a cube of salmon that has been smoked and caramelised on one side. The texture is soft and melting; and the match is sensationally good. It’s the star of the evening: adventurous, imaginative and spot-on.

All of which raises the question: how do the Shans arrive at these matches? The answer is, via the 23 families into which they divide spices. They taste a wine, and they’re able, pretty easily now, to pinpoint the particular family of spices with which it will go. After that it’s a question of texture and heat.

And it works. I wouldn’t want to drink Tokaji all through a Chinese meal, even one as good as this; but that is not the intention of the Shans, or of Christian Seely. It’s a glass with a particular course that is the idea.

It might be a bit of a problem then switching to something drier – or even something red – for the course that follows, but it would certainly keep one on one’s toes. And it makes Chinese food freshly exotic, so that one can discover it anew – which is rather fun.

Image credit: Leacky Chen from Pixabay

Matching cold cuts, cheese and chutney

A couple of years ago I went to a chutney-making demonstration and tasting. No, not at the WI - it was held by the family owned company Tracklements at leading London cheesemonger La Fromagerie which has recently expanded its empire into the neighbouring shop and now has a fancy new tasting room.

Guy Tullberg of Tracklements gave a fascinating account of how pickles differed from chutneys and relishes (in essence you cook the former and simply boil boiling liquid over the latter. Pickles are veg-based, chutneys can include fruit) but the highlight of the event was a tasting of different styles of relish with cold meats and cheeses.

It was an interesting reminder of the important role these traditional preserves play in livening up a simple meal but also forcibly reminded me of the problem that pickles and chutneys pose for wine - I could only think of a couple of pairings where I’d wouldn’t have preferred a beer or a cider.

Here were the combinations and my suggested pairings:

Classic English Pork Pie and Piccalilli
English pork pies, for those of you who are not familiar with them are classic pub fare with a hot water crust and faintly peppery filling. The sharp mustardy piccalilli which contains tumeric and other spices cut perfectly through the heavy pastry and fattiness of the meat.
Suggested match: a strong English ale such as Timothy Taylor Landlord

Cold ham and Farmhouse pickle
A sweet, fruity Branston-style pickle made with carrot, courgette, turnip and onion with dark muscovado sugar, tamarind and dates which added a nice edge to some smoky, thick-cut ham.
Suggested match: Maybe because of the smoky note in the ham but I liked the idea of a porter with this.

Curried fruit chutney and chicken
A spicy but not overly hot chutney based on tomatoes, apples and dates spiced with fenugreek, coriander, cumin and cardamom. Sweet and rich. Slightly overwhelmed the accompanying chicken but apparently makes a great Coronation Chicken.
Suggested drink match: With these spices I’d enjoy an Indian Pale Ale. Also quite good with the Breton farmhouse cider that was laid on.

Apricot and ginger chutney with farmhouse Cheshire
A mild crumbly cheese with a mellow, sweet chutney. The chutney enlivens what would otherwise be a slightly bland taste experience
Suggested drink match: one of the only chutneys that wouldn’t have overwhelmed an accompanying wine. A Spanish tempranillo or garnacha, I thought

Apple and Cider Brandy chutney with Camembert
I didn’t think this combination worked. The chutney with its spicy mince-pie like flavours was too powerful for the cheese. It would have been better with a strong cheddar and I’d have preferred the Camembert with some kind of berry compote.
Suggested drink match: The accompanying cider was stripped of flavour by the chutney. You really needed something like an apple aperitif or digestif such as Somerset Pomona or Pommeau

Fig Relish and Goats Cheese
Guy Tullberg said that this combination was well received by people who didn’t like goats cheese. I can see why - with its powerful cinnamon, clove and allspice notes it cancels out the taste. I think it might work in a hot tartlet though using fig relish as a base and a slice of goats cheese on top. Apparently this is their most successful product.
Suggested drink match: Guy suggested Pedro Ximenez but for me that’s too powerful for goats’ cheese. A sweet oloroso maybe.

Montgomery’s cheddar with organic plum chutney
This combination of award-winning artisanal cheese and a sharp, zesty plum chutney with a touch of orange was perfect - but lethal to wine!
Suggested drink match: A strong British ale such as Adnams Broadside

Sausage roll and onion marmalade
Sausages and caramelised onions are a match made in heaven. This was an unusually sweet, concentrated version that would go as well with hot sausages as cold.
Suggested drink match: an English bitter or could possibly take a gutsy southern French red such as a Cotes du Rhone Villages

Wholemeal bread and butter with cucumber pickle
A very mild sweet cucumber pickle - like an old-fashioned sandwich spread. Nice but not spectacular with the bread and butter. Would be better with a burger - it makes a fantastic barbecue relish
Suggested drink match: Again not too powerful to accompany wine - I’d suggested a ripe soft red like a Merlot or, possibly even better, a fruity New World rosé. Cider would be good too.

The important point to bear in mind is that sharp pickles will make an accompanying drink taste sweeter and less bitter and a sweet one will make it sharper. It’s the combination of sweet and sour that’s the problem

Photo by Nicolas Postiglioni

Matching wine and saffron

Coincidentally I’ve received two recent requests for help with pairing main course fish dishes that include saffron, a tricky spice with a slightly medicinal, taste.

The first was a dish of seared red mullet with a coriander and saffron bouillabaisse (preceded by a carpaccio of Scotch beef fillet, horseradish parfait and sprouting peas)

My advice in this case was to reverse the normal ‘rules’ and serve white with the beef and red with the fish. With the mullet I suggested a softish medium-bodied red - nothing too muscular or tannic. The ideal hunting ground for such a wine would be the south of France - something like a decent Côtes du Rhône Villages or a Faugères with a couple of years bottle age.

An alternative - and a good one though people are still resistant to serving rosé for a dinner party - would be to drink a strong, dry rosé with both dishes. Not one of those magenta-coloured ones that taste of boiled sweets - given the provenance of the dish I’d go for a Bandol rosé.

The second, more recent request was for a wine to accompany a Spanish-style dish of monkfish. A subscriber wondered whether I thought it was a good idea to offer sherry as the dish (which came from the Moro cookbook) was cooked with fino. But looking at the ingredients it was clear that the saffron in the recipe (a large pinch of 50 strands) along with a generous amount (8 cloves) of garlic was likely to be the more important factor in the pairing. He also suspected his guests would want to drink red - no problem, obviously with monkfish - so again in keeping with the inspiration for the the dish I suggested a Rioja reserva. A dry rosé from Rioja or Navarra would have worked too .

White wine is obviously also a possiblitity with both these dishes. Again I’d be inclined to reach for something dry and unoaked or very subtly oaked - a white Cotes du Rhone, maybe or a new wave Languedoc blend of Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier. Even an oaked white Rioja in the case of the second dish.

Unblended Viognier has an affinity with saffron but given the other ingredients involved in these dishes, is slightly more of a risk. Could be sensational, could just miss the mark!

Image by Leopictures from Pixabay

A beginner's guide to juicing

If you’re planning a brunch it’s quite fun to lay on a DIY juice bar where your guests can run up their own fresh juices and smoothies. If you don’t already have a juicer you’ll probably have a couple of friends who have. Or you may feel that with the warmer weather coming up (though it’s hard to believe that today in the grey, drizzley UK) now’s a good moment to get into juicing.

Here are some basic tips on what to buy and how to get started - and just why juicing is so good for you:

To make the full gamut of juices you need a purpose made juicer which will tackle hard fruits and vegetables like carrots and apples.

Most juicers work by centrifugal action. You feed ingredients through a tube and a powerful motor spins them round. The juice is forced through a filter and the pulp is discarded. Machines tend to start at around 40 and go up to several hundred pounds for heavyweight American models that have the construction of a tank. But you don’t really need one of those unless and until you become a juice fanatic.

The big advantage of having your juice freshly made is that you don’t lose any of the nutrients. And compared to packaged or bottled fruit juice it gives you the most amazing lift. According to natural health expert Michael Van Straten, author of the best-selling Superjuice it’s because all the nutrients are digested immediately. “When you juice fresh produce you release all their ingredients in an easily absorbable form which goes straight through the stomach wall.”

“With sweet fruits you’re also getting a sugar explosion that gives you a burst of energy. It’s a bit like taking ten glucose tablets at once only much healthier. And because you get the pulp and fibre as well you get a secondary, slower release which boosts your energy over a longer period.”

As Van Straten points out that you couldn’t possible munch your way through the amount of solid fruit that you get in a glass. “A glass of carrot juice is equivalent to five or six carrots so you’re getting all that goodness in an instant hit”. And, he points out, raw fruits and vegetables offer significant protection against degenerative diseases like cancer and heart disease. “Citrus for example offers much more than vitamin C. There’s a substance called limonene which is a cancer and heart-protecting antioxidant which is very intensely concentrated in the pith which you get the benefit of if you juice whole segments rather than using a citrus juicer.”

It has to be admitted that there is a slightly anorakky tendency among hard core juicers who will pulverise almost anything including wheatgrass, a vile tasting, concoction which is enough to put anyone off juicing for life. It’s a personal view but with a few exceptions (notably carrots and tomatoes) I think most vegetables taste too bitter to be enjoyable though, as Michael Van Straten points out in his book, you can add them in very small quantities and still get a considerable health benefit.

If you’re a first time juicer though it’s better to concentrate on fruit juices which tend to have naturally sweet flavours. The trick is not to combine too many different kinds of fruit otherwise you can end up with a juice that doesn’t taste of anything in particular and which goes a strange muddy colour. (Remember mixing paints? Red and yellow is great. Red, yellow and green makes khaki) It’s hard for example to improve on the perfect pairing of carrot and apple or watermelon and strawberry, beautifully clean flavoured juices that enable you to really taste and enjoy the fruit at its best.

As you gain confidence you will undoubtedly want to invent your own concoctions though - not least to make use of the seasonal produce which is available. Here a few tips that may come in handy.Apples, pears and melons for example make useful bases because they produce a lot of juice. But because they don’t have a great deal of flavour of their own you need to add a lift with a more strongly flavoured fruit like strawberries or raspberries. If you need to add a touch of sweetness add a few grapes while a touch of of lemon or lime will add zest to a juice that is slightly bland. You can also add other ingredients for flavour like fresh ginger or mint and - though orthodox juicers might frown on it - even season them with a little sugar or, as I do with fresh tomato juice, salt, pepper and Tabasco.

You’ll undoubtedly get the best results (and save yourself money) if you use whatever produce is in season. For a start ripe fruit has more flavour. If you attempt to juice peaches or tomatoes right now in March they won’t taste nearly as good as a mixed citrus juice using ruby grapefruit or blood oranges. But vary your juices as much as possible to get the maximum health benefits.

Although you might think of juice as a natural breakfast time drink I drink it at any time of day - frequently as a meal replacement. If you’re working, a big glass of juice and a salad at lunchtime makes you feel much less sleepy than a carbo-heavy meal whereas if you’ve had a big boozy lunch with friends having juice instead of supper in the evening leaves you feeling bright-eyed the next morning.

And there’s no reason why you shouldn’t use your juices as the basis for some stunning cocktails or drinks when you’re entertaining. Fresh peach juice for example is sensational topped up with champagne - or any sparkling wine, tropical fruits like pineapple, papaya and mango are great with a dash of rum and a Bloody Mary made with fresh tomato juice is - well, like no other Bloody Mary you’ve ever tasted.

Top juicing tips and techniques

• Cut fruit and vegetables into chunks that will fit the feeder tube. Press down firmly but steadily. Don’t rush or you’ll force through too much peel.

• Most fruit - other than citrus - doesn’t have to be peeled but wash or scrub it thoroughly before you use it.

• Stone fruits like peaches, apricots and cherries

• Juice soft and harder fruits alternately. Harder fruits like apples and pears help to force softer fruits like strawberries or mango through the filter

• Very soft fruits like banana or ultra ripe peaches or mangos are better liquidised than juiced.

• Small hard fruits like grapes, cherries, cranberries and cherry tomatoes can come jumping back at you out of the feeder tube. Pack in a chunkier piece of fruit on top.

• Adjust the temperature of your juice to the time of year. If it’s winter serve them at room temperature. In hot weather add ice (though not too much or you’ll dilute that lovely intense fruit flavour)

• Don’t attempt to prepare your juice beforehand and store it. You should drink it immediately

• Don’t overload your machine or it won’t juice as efficiently. If you’re making a lot of juice do it in batches, emptying the filter in between.

• Clean your machine immediately after you use it. It’s much harder to remove bits of pulp once it’s dry.

Here are a couple of easy juices and a delicious smoothie to get you going. All make 2-3 glasses.

Carrot and apple juice

Carrot and apple is the juice everyone starts with and you can hardly better it. The exact balance will depend on what type of apples you use. Use organic produce for preference.
2 medium or 3 small flavoursome apples (Cox’s are ideal)
4 medium sized carrots
1/2 a lemon (optional)
Cut the apples into quarters or pieces that will fit the feeder tube. Scrub and top and tail the carrots and cut up as necessary. Peel the lemon removing as much of the pith as possible. Push through the feeder tube alternately.
Alternatives: you could add a stick of celery and replace the lemon with a small cube of fresh ginger.

Pineapple mango and lime juice

One of my all time favourite juices
1 small to medium pineapple
1 large ripe mango
1-2 limes
Peel the pineapple and remove the hard core. Peel and stone the mango. Peel and cut up the limes. Juice the pineapple and mango alternately then finish with the lime.

Strawberry and orange smoothie

This can be made in an ordinary blender.
1 ripe banana
100g ripe strawberries
The juice of one orange
150ml carton natural yoghurt
Peel and slice the banana. De-stalk and halve the strawberries. Place both in the liquidiser goblet with the juice of one orange and whizz until smooth. Add yoghurt and whizz again.

This article was originally published in Sainsbury's Magazine