Hot foods and hot wines don’t cut it on hot nights, but summer is no time to quit entertaining. Just shift gears — and flavors — to perk up torpid taste buds with the freshest ingredients and boldest tastes. Then pair it all with crisp, refreshing wines.
On the centerspread, we offer plans for two wine dinner menus, one casual and one high-end, but the same sort of wine will work for each: lively, acidic, fruit-forward.
“Stay away from the heavy and ponderous,” said Belinda Chang, corporate director of wine and spirits for Cenitare Restaurant Group in Buffalo Grove. “Choose a pinot noir over an Australian shiraz, a sauvignon blanc over an oaked chardonnay.”
Chang said to look for wines — white, red and pink — that offer plenty of acidity balanced with residual sugar or “gobs” of fruit, she said. Now, the very words “residual sugar” prompt most wine drinkers to recoil in horror. (Nevermind that they’ll happily guzzle berry-flavored vodkas and sugary daiquiris, pina coladas and mai tais.)
But “residual sugar is best at combating acidity and heat in dishes,” said Chang, who recently taught a class called “Build a Better Dinner Party: How to Impress for Less” for The Chopping Block Cooking School.
Whites to consider include dry riesling, gewurztraminer, viognier, roussanne, kerner, pinot blanc, vinho verde and chenin blanc. As for reds, go with lighter, softer wines like Beaujolais, pinot noir, Rioja.
When planning a dinner party, try to formulate the menu in terms of courses so you can offer a variety of food and wine pairings using the varietals listed above. A four-course meal works well: appetizer, entree, cheese/salad, dessert. Just make sure you don’t repeat similar ingredients, flavors or textures. You wouldn’t want a creamy appetizer, then a cheese-topped entree and then a cheese course followed by ice cream.
When you have the menu, make sure the wines chosen will fit the food, your mood and your guests.
While the same style of wine can work with a menu high-brow or low, drinking a Chateau Lafite Rothschild with franks and beans is as out of place as serving white zinfandel with filet mignon. If the menu is ambitious or sophisticated, make sure the wines are too. Ditto if the meal is casual and robust. If your guests don’t like dry reds, for example, don’t serve them. Your wine merchant can help you with selections. And don’t be shy about discussing your budget.
Whichever wines you choose, Chang offered these tips to making the right pairings for your summer dinner party:
– Throw out the vintage and rating charts. Spending hundreds of dollars for 100-point wines that don’t work well with the food won’t impress guests.
– Look for what grows together. If you’re having a Tuscan menu, look for wines from the region.
– Search out more affordable wines from your favorite winemakers. Second and third labels can offer a lot of quality for a much lower price.
– Be a storyteller. “Everyone loves a great story with a bottle of wine,” said Chang. “People care about the wines you care about and the recipes you care about. Don’t just tell them you bought it at White Hen for five bucks.”
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HOW-TO GUIDES FOR EASY ENTERTAINING
Need more help? Consider these useful party guides:
– Denise Vivaldo’s “Do It for Less!: Parties” (Terrace Publishing, $19.95) delivers salvation to the clueless host and a practical refresher for experienced party-givers. You get measurement tables, meat charts, advice on substituting ingredients and more.
– Pam Anderson is author of “Perfect Recipes for Having People Over” (Houghton Mifflin, $35). Her menu suggestions are practical and much can be made ahead.
– “Perfect Party Food” (Harvard Common Press, $24.95), by Diane Phillips, the “diva of do-ahead,” is a detailed how-to on nearly every entertaining subject you can think of.
— Bill Daley
THE WINE
How much do you need? If the dinner will be long with multiple courses (which is a great way to try new wine-food pairings), count on a bottle per one or two guests. Sounds excessive, but you don’t want to run out. Standard bottles hold enough for five to six glasses. If you’re serving four courses with a glass of wine for each course you come close to draining those babies over the course of an evening. Make sure to have soft drinks, water and juices for motorists and those who don’t care to drink alcohol.
– Purchase the wine as far in advance as possible. You’ll have too much to do the day of the dinner to worry about shopping for wine.
– Choose glassware with the occasion in mind. An intimate dinner for four? Haul out the Riedel. A potluck for 20? Use the cheapest, sturdiest glasses you have. OK, use plastic if you must. Don’t have enough glasses? Consider renting them from a party supply store. If you have space, buying a case of glasses at a restaurant supply store or big-box discounter is a good idea. Choose a plain, clear tulip-shaped glass; a 10- or 12-ounce glass works in most situations. Keep the box for storage.
– Try to have more than one corkscrew out at a big party; folks have a habit of wandering off with them. And keep one in your pocket, if you can, just in case.
– Keep red wine on the coolish side, in the low 60s. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or so before serving, if necessary. Keep the whites and roses cold — on ice if displayed at a big party or in the fridge or a wine cooler if the affair is smaller.
– Try each of the wines you are going to serve before the dinner. It saves you the embarrassment of serving corked wine. You also can get a valuable read on the wines (especially if you haven’t had that specific vintage or maker before) and make last-minute adjustments to your beverage menu if necessary.
— B.D.
Chilled cucumber and avocado soup with spicy squid and radishes
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Chilling time: 2 hours
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
– This recipe is from Kendal Duque, chef of the soon-to-open Sepia restaurant in Chicago. Christopher Pappas, the restaurant’s general manager, recommends a non-vintage sparkling rose from France, the $17 Domaine Renardat-Fache Cerdon du Bugey. This wine, available at Binny’s Beverage Depot stores, among other places, is semi-dry, berry-scented and delicate, he said.You may have squid and radish garnish left over; serve as a light salad or appetizer the next day.
Soup:
3 English cucumbers, seeded, chopped
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons sour cream
Juice of 2 limes
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup each: olive oil, chopped cilantro, chopped chives
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup ice water
Garnish:
2 cups white wine
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 pound squid, cleaned, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces, or 1 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined
6 radishes, thinly sliced
2 jalapenos, seeded, thinly sliced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped chives
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. For the soup, combine the cucumbers, avocados, sour cream, lime and lemon juice, olive oil, cilantro, chives and salt in a large bowl. Transfer half of the mixture to a blender or food processor; blend until ingredients combine. Add half of the ice water; blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining soup ingredients and water. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours.
2. Meanwhile, for the garnish, combine the wine and onion in a large saucepan. Heat to a boil over medium heat; cook until the wine is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 18 minutes. Add the squid; cook, stirring, until the squid is barely cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes. Stir in radishes, jalapenos, avocado, lemon juice, olive oil, chives, salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate, covered, at least 30 minutes.
3. Pour soup into chilled serving bowls; spoon some of the squid mixture on top of each soup to garnish.
Nutrition information per serving:
585 calories, 70% of calories from fat, 46 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 267 mg cholesterol, 26 g carbohydrates, 23 g protein, 511 mg sodium, 12 g fiber
Grilled salmon with braised greens and bacon vinaigrette
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Standing time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 42 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
– Fresh seasonal salmon is the star of this recipe by chef Kendal Duque of Sepia restaurant. Chris Pappas, the restaurant’s general manager, recommends a viognier-roussanne wine blend because the white wine works well with the spiciness of the vinaigrette. One of his favorites is 2004 Garretson Windy City Cuvee White from California’s Central Coast. The $12 wine’s name is a tribute to Chicago by the winemaker, native son Mat Garretson. It’s at Sam’s Wines & Spirits.
Salmon:
4 fillets wild king salmon, about 6 ounces each, skin on
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper
Greens:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 strip applewood-smoked bacon, chopped
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 pounds mustard greens, washed,
chopped into large pieces
2 cups white wine
1/4 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper
Vinaigrette:
6 strips applewood-smoked bacon, diced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly chopped, each: thyme, parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1. Rub the salmon fillets with the oil; season with salt and pepper. Set aside to let the fish absorb the seasonings, about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, for the greens, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion and bacon. Cook until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 3 minutes. Add the greens to the pot; cook, stirring occasionally, just until the greens are wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil and just enough water to barely cover; stir. Cover; lower heat to simmer. Cook until the greens are tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. For the vinaigrette, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until the bacon renders its fat, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic; cook until the bacon is crisp. Stir in the chili flakes; cook 1 minute. Turn off heat; carefully pour in the vinegar. Stir in the oil, fresh herbs and pepper; set aside.
4. Heat a grill or grill pan. Grill the salmon, flesh side-down over the hottest part of the grill, 2 minutes. Move each piece 90 degrees in one direction to create a cross-hatched grill pattern; cook 2 minutes. Turn salmon skin side down; cook until fish is no longer translucent, about 6 minutes, or to desired doneness. Lift the fish carefully from the grill with a spatula, leaving the skin behind if it sticks to the hot metal.
5. Divide the greens among four serving plates. Place the salmon on top; spoon the vinaigrette over and around the fish.
Nutrition information per serving:
638 calories, 58% of calories from fat, 41 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 120 mg cholesterol, 18 g carbohydrates, 49 g protein, 691 mg sodium, 8 g fiber
Heirloom tomato bruschetta
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
– Chef David DiGregorio of Osteria via Stato developed this recipe. Adam Seger, the restaurant’s beverage manager, recommends a 2006 Di Giovanna Rosato di Nerello Mascalese Gerbino. He calls this $14 rose, made from organically grown nerello mascalese grapes, “dry, adult Kool-Aid.” The wine, available at The Wine Cellar in Palatine, among other locations, has “voluptuous fruit without the vegetal edge” some roses can have, Seger said.
5 heirloom tomatoes, or enough to make 2 cups, cored, diced, drained
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 small diameter baguette, sliced, slices toasted
1 to 2 cloves garlic, halved
Fresh basil leaves, coarsely torn
1. Combine tomatoes, vinegar, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Rub toasted bread slices with garlic halves; top each slice with the tomatoes. Top with basil; lightly drizzle with remaining olive oil.
Nutrition information per serving:
236 calories, 47% of calories from fat, 13 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 28 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 494 mg sodium, 3 g fiber
Grilled chicken, white bean and herb chili
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
– This chili is from “Talk with Your Mouth Full,” the upcoming cookbook from Chicagoans Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, also known as the Hearty Boys. Designed for indoor cooking using a cast-iron grill pan, it also can be grilled outdoors. McDonagh recommends a Spanish tempranillo or Rioja; these wines are “spicy, but not as heavy as a California zin,” he said. Try a 2003 Lar de Paula Rioja Crianza, available at Sam’s Wines & Spirits at about $15.
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 Spanish onion, diced
1 small jalapeno, seeded, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (15 ounces each) great Northern beans with liquid
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano leaves
plus additional leaves for garnish
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon hot green pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sour cream, optional
1. Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the basil, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and freshly ground pepper to taste in a medium bowl, whisking to combine. Add the chicken; toss to coat. Transfer the chicken to the grill; cook, turning as needed, until chicken is golden on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate; cool 5 minutes. Cut into 1-inch chunks; set aside.
2. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a Dutch oven; heat over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeno; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the reserved chicken pieces, beans with liquid, 1/4 cup of the chopped oregano, cumin, green pepper sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons of the basil, cinnamon, the remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt and pepper to taste. Raise the heat to medium-high; heat to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors come together, about 20 minutes.
3. Serve in mugs or bowls; garnish with sour cream and oregano leaves.
Nutrition information per serving:
260 calories, 30% of calories from fat, 12 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 49 mg cholesterol, 34 g carbohydrates, 29 g protein, 635 mg sodium, 8 g fiber
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wdaley@tribune.com
