Showing posts with label meursault. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meursault. Show all posts

July 20, 2012

Spot Prawns: The Bisquening

It was not so long ago that we devoured the first spot prawns of the season.

Aya has become very good at re-purposing the left-overs into magical, delicious prawn bisque.

Here is how she does it:

Sauté the basics.

Then fry up the heads, shells, legs and any other good bits left over from the spot prawn feast. Crush the shells as they turn brown and brittle.

Simmer them in a large soup pot with a little water, tomato paste and brandy. This takes a long, long time. Skim off the foam when it gathers. Brush off the building manager when he complains about smell in the hallway.

The liquid will reduce and darken.

Rich, murky and pungent. Bisque is an amazing concentration of the best, deep seafood flavours.

We also use some of the bisque for making risotto, here served with garlic and saffron mayonnaise.

What goes well with bisque and bisque risotto?

If, like us, you don't have a Merusault tucked away somewhere, you need to have a chat with your cellar master. We don't have a cellar master, either.

But we do have access to something almost as good. Seriously.

Here is what we wrote about this Chilean Wild Ferment Chardonnay from Errazuriz back in February of 2012:

And it's such a good Chardonnay. It has a little toasted oak influence but it is gentle and rounded by the malolactic fermentation. There is a classic, lemony backbone all the way through with some lovely, delicate flavours developed by the ambient yeasts. Restrained and complex, this one unfolds leisurely over a long finish.

At only $22 here in BC, it's a great way to experience a risky and rewarding style of wine-making.

December 17, 2011

Sakura Dinner and Wine

We were treated to an astounding meal at Sakura, a fine French restaurant at the New Otani hotel in Osaka.

A little cone of ikkura (roe) and a slab of foie gras sandwiched between two dark chocolate biscuits.

Scallops and octopus in a sea-water jelly.

This Meursault was fantastic; lemony and lightly oaked and a perfect pairing for the seafood.

Uni (sea urchin) roe with caviar and consommé.

Grilled lobster with bisque sauce.

Bacon on creamy pasta. Those are thick slices of fresh white truffle.

To refresh the palate, a little champagne sorbet.

There was a mind-boggling choice of Bordeaux to open with the main course  We went with the one on the right.

An unmistakeable colour.

Slow-roast lamb.
Breast of guinea-fowl and a huge piece of foie gras. Gamey, tender and incredibly delicious.

A selection of cheeses. The two wedges in the middle are Stilton, chosen specifically to go with the dessert wine.

The dessert wine was... well, it's actually very difficult to put into words. Let's just say that it wholeheartedly deserved its outstanding reputation.

Wow.
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