I have been selling cookbooks and wine books for over two decades. There are many, MANY great wine books out there and of course, a gazillion good cookbooks. You might call me a little jaded – and to be honest, I often don’t peruse my samples too intently. Once in a while though, a book comes along that gets my attention to the point that I cannot put it down.
One such book just landed on my doorstep a few weeks ago. Daring Pairings is the second book by Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein. His first book, Perfect Pairings is definitely one of those standards that every wine geek (and many food geeks) have on their bookshelf. Daring Pairings is one of those books that I will be referring to constantly, most likely for the rest of my life. It is just a great read, and a great reference for many lesser-known varietals, and what to eat (and not eat) with them. The varietals range from the more widely-known (Gruner Veltliner, Petite Sirah) to fairly obscure (Assyrtiko, Touriga Nacional.) There is no Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay in Daring Pairings.

The book is organized by grape varietal and offers well-written information on the history and growing locations of each varietal, with alternative names, styles of wine that the grapes are made into, what the particular varietal is blended with, the “flavor lexicon” of each, and what other varietals it could be compared to. Evan Goldstein sums each varietal up in a few pages – but after reading, you may think you have taken a three hour course on each. He then goes on to explain what foods (and cheeses) go well with each varietal, and which don’t. The book is easy to read, addicting even: Evan Goldstein has a way of writing that makes it all seem very easy, and it is clear he is very comfortable with his subject.
A recipe by a well-known chef is at the end of every entry – one that is perfect, of course, with the varietal being described.
Since Kim and I are going to be leading wine and food tours to the northwest Spain, I was very happy to see a chapter on Mencia, the red grape of Galicia, in addition to the more well-known white Albarino grape from the same region. More and more Mencia wines from Ribeira Sacra are becoming available here in the U.S. every day but a more widely available Mencia comes from the region of Bierzo. According to Evan Goldstein, Mencia is a great food wine (and I couldn’t agree more.) Lots of acidity, moderate alcohol, and low tannins make these wines good with roasted and braised meats, vegetable dishes, and marinades and sauces including herbs. Interestingly, Goldstein doesn’t think pizza is good with Mencia, but I do; then again, I pretty much love pizza with anything.
Good cheese pairings include chevre, brie, gouda, and mimolette; also the local tetilla, among others.
Amy Cleary from UC Press, the publisher of Daring Pairings, kindly gave me permission to reproduce the accompanying recipe for Mencia from the book.
Seared Tuna with Braised Cabbage and Roasted Mushrooms
Chef Douglas Keane, Cyrus and Healdsburg Bar and Grill in Healdsburg, CA
SPICE MIX
2 t. black peppercorns
2 t. fennel seeds
1 t. brown mustard seeds
1 t. juniper berries
1 t. caraway seeds
3 allspice berries
3 bay leaves
1 head red cabbage, about 1 ½ pounds, cored, halved and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 t. sugar
2 T. unsalted butter
½ c. finely diced bacon (about ¼ pound)
2 shallots, finely minced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
¼ c.peeled, finely minced green apple
1 c. Mencia (Ribeira Sacra, Bierzo)
½ c. red wine vinegar
1 T. unsalted butter
¾ lb. cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered (about 2 cups)
2 t. canola oil
2 pounds ahi tuna fillets, trimmed of any blood lines and sinew
To make the spice mix: in a small dry skillet, combine the peppercorns, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, juniper berries, caraway seeds, allspice, and bay leaves over low heat and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant (3 to 5 minutes.) Pour onto a plate and let cool, then grind in a spice grinder to a fine powder. Measure out 1 tablespoon for seasoning the cabbage. Transfer the remainder to an airtight container and store in a cool cupboard for up to other several weeks for use in other recipes.
(I suppose you could also cut this in half, if you don’t think you will use it too often – S.E.)
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, 1 T. salt, and the sugar, mixing well. Set aside.
In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven, melt 1 T. of the butter over low heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until it renders some of its fat, about 3 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, and apple and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots and apple are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the 1 T. spice mix, stir well, and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. In batches, lift the cabbage with your hands, squeeze to remove any excess moisture, and add to the pan. Stir in the wine and vinegar, mixing well.
Cover the pan, transfer to the oven, and braise until the cabbage is soft to the bite and all the excess liquid is evaporated, about 1 hour.
About 10 minutes before the cabbage is ready, in a sauté pan, melt the remaining 1 T. butter over medium high heat and heat till lightly browned, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and place in the oven until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.
When the cabbage is ready, transfer to a warmed serving dish large enough to accommodate the fish, and placed the cooked mushrooms on top. Cover to keep warm while you cook the fish.
Just before serving, in a large, heavy skillet, heat the canola oil over high heat until very hot. Season the tuna on both sides with salt and pepper, add to the hot pan, and cook, turning once, until seared on both sides and still rare in the center, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into slices across the grain.
Arrange the tuna slices on top of the cabbage and mushrooms and serve at once.
Note: The cabbage can be cooked up to several hours in advance and reheated in a 350 F oven for about 15 minutes before serving.
Daring Pairings is available in bookstores, and of course, from amazon.com.
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