Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Bistro Cooking and Pairing with First Vine


We had the best time filming our Bistro Cooking episode over the weekend.  We worked with First Vine to pair the perfect wines with the dishes.  We used the Delice wine in the soup.

Cave la Romaine Delice Cotes du Ventoux White:  a mix of White Grenache, Clairette, and Bourboulenc.  Most Southern Rhone white wines are blends because it’s difficult to get the right balance of fruit, acidity, and floral notes with just one grape.  The wine is made at the cooperative winery in Vaison la Romaine, which is the site of one of France’s best weekly food markets.  Cotes du Ventoux is part of the Cotes du Rhone region, it’s around the western and southern slopes of Mont Ventoux.  http://www.firstvine.com/product/92.

We paired the soup with the Vinsobres wine.

Cave la Vinsobraise Ambre:  70% Grenache, 30% Syrah, from the cooperative winery in Vinsobres, the newest cru village in the Cotes du Rhone region.  Vinsobres is at a higher elevation than most other villages in the region and so produces wines that are a little less fruit-forward, with more earthiness.  This is a nice everyday red for pizza and burgers as well as roast chicken and salmon.  http://www.firstvine.com/product/83.

French Onion Soup
Serves 4-6

6 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
Olive oil
4 cups water
2 cups beef or chicken stock
1 cup Cave la Romaine Delice Cotes du Ventoux White wine
1 Shenandoah Growers bay leaf
1 teaspoon of Shenandoah Growers fresh thyme
1 sprig of Italian parsley from Shenandoah Growers
Salt and pepper
French baguette, sliced
Swiss Cheese for the top

In a large stockpot, sauté the onions in the olive oil on medium high heat until browned, but not burned, to remove all of the water.  Reduce heat to medium and deglaze with the white wine.  Let the wine reduce for about 10 minutes.  Then add stock and water to cover the onions.  Cover partially and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Discard the bay leaf and parsley.
 
To serve use individual oven-proof soup bowls and ladle the soup into the bowls.  Cover with slices of baguette and top with cheese.  Put broiler on high and cook until the cheese bubbles and is slightly brown.  Serve immediately, but be careful of the hot bowls. 

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