| Perfect Pairings - February 20, 2009 | | | | with a King cake or the classic Bananas Foster. |
| Bill & Karen Garlough | | | | There are two terms that you will find with Jambalaya |
| Trying to fight the winter blues? What this challenging | | | | – Cajun and Creole. Creole style Jambalaya is |
| winter calls for is some fun, and nothing is more fun in | | | | commonly called red jambalaya (because it contains |
| February than a Mardi Gras party. | | | | tomatoes) and is more typical of what you will find in a |
| Mardi Gras has French roots. The first known Mardi | | | | restaurant. Cajun Jambalaya is more prevalent in the |
| Gras was celebrated in Louisiana by early French | | | | southern parts of Louisiana and is a brown color |
| settlers in 1699. Throughout Louisiana’s history, | | | | because of the lack of tomatoes. Both versions of |
| political and social unrest and even war did not stop | | | | Jambalaya include the "trinity" of vegetables – green |
| Mardi Gras celebrations. It later became known as | | | | pepper, onions and celery and are simple, tasty and |
| Carnival and became a legal holiday in Louisiana in | | | | traditional. |
| 1875. | | | | Easy Cajun Jambalaya with Fried Okra Garnish |
| With Mardi Gras’s French heritage, we thought it | | | | 1 ½ lbs Chicken – boneless breasts or thighs |
| would be appropriate to pair this cuisine with French | | | | Creole Seasoning |
| wines. Let’s see what works. | | | | 1 Tbsp Olive Oil |
| Wine Basics | | | | 1 Cup Onion, diced |
| The classic Mardi Gras dish is Jambalaya. With this | | | | 1 Cup Green Pepper, diced |
| hearty and spicy dish in mind, I chose Vouvray and | | | | 1 Cup Celery, diced |
| Alsatian whites to pair with this dish. My concern was | | | | 1 lb Smoked or Andouille Sausage – sliced |
| to find French white wines with sufficient body and | | | | 2 cans French Onion Soup (10 ½ oz cans, undiluted) |
| fruitiness to stand up to this bold dish. Both work well | | | | 1 can Chicken Broth (14 ½ oz) |
| and are worth a try. | | | | 1 can Beef Broth (14 ½ oz) |
| Vouvray is an appellation or region of the Loire Valley | | | | ½ Tbsp Creole Seasoning |
| of France. It is located on the western side of the | | | | 1 ½ cups Long Grain White Rice - uncooked |
| country, between Paris to the north and Bordeaux to | | | | Hot Sauce – on the side |
| the south, and is along the Atlantic coast. Loire Valley | | | | Optional Garnish |
| is internationally famous for its whites made from | | | | ½ lb Fresh Okra – sliced in ¼" rounds |
| Chenin Blanc grapes. Chenin Blanc wine can be | | | | Cornmeal |
| complex, round and balanced, and offers wonderful | | | | Oil for frying |
| acidity. This acidity makes this a very food friendly | | | | Season raw chicken with Creole seasoning. In a Dutch |
| wine. This age-worthy wine is known for its pear, | | | | oven or large pot, sear chicken until golden brown but |
| melon and apple notes. | | | | not completely cooked through. Remove from pot and |
| In contrast, the Alsatian region of France is located in | | | | let cool. Add a little additional oil to the pot if necessary. |
| the northeast corner of the country on the border with | | | | Sauté the vegetables until onions are translucent but |
| Germany and makes, almost exclusively, white wines. | | | | not brown. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Add |
| The most important grapes are riesling, pinot gris, | | | | the chicken, sausage, all the liquid and the Creole |
| gewürztraminer and pinot blanc. Alsatian whites are | | | | seasoning to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a |
| famous for their acidity and bold fruit flavors, and are | | | | simmer and add the rice. Simmer uncovered for |
| generally fermented in stainless steel tanks (so the true | | | | approximately 40 minutes or until the rice is cooked. |
| fruit flavors come through). I prefer the complexity, | | | | For optional garnish, put okra in a large zip lock bag |
| aging potential and bold flavors of riesling and | | | | and add enough cornmeal to dust. Fry until crispy. |
| gewürztraminer wines Both food friendly whites | | | | Place fried okra on top of individual bowls of |
| have lean, mineral characteristics. Riesling is also | | | | jambalaya. |
| known for its peach and citrus notes while | | | | To add some finishing touches, find some beads, |
| gewürztraminer offers honeysuckle, litchi nuts and | | | | masks and decorations in green, purple and golden |
| gingerbread flavors. | | | | colors. Have fun and let the good times roll. |
| Food Pairing | | | | Bill’s Wine Picks (with suggested retail prices) |
| When developing your Mardi Gras menu, start with a | | | | Chateau Moncoutour Vouvray $14 |
| pot of jambalaya on the stove. We recommend that | | | | Domaine des Aubuigieres $15 |
| you do not over spice this dish, as your guests can | | | | (Bernard Fouquet’s Vouvray) |
| season to taste. Other dishes to consider include | | | | Trimbach Riesling $18 |
| steamed crawfish, red beans and rice, sweet potato | | | | Lorentz Gewurztraminer Reserve $19 |
| casserole, po’ boy sandwiches, a Mardi Gras | | | | Bill and Karen Garlough are owners of My Chef |
| tossed salad (for fun, add purple cabbage, shredded | | | | Catering in Naperville, the 2007 U.S. Chamber’s |
| carrots and golden raisins to green lettuce, for a salad | | | | Small Business of the Year. Bill is a Level 1 Master |
| with classic Mardi Gras colors) and top this menu off | | | | Sommelier. |