Popular wine festival started small
Spirits can be a friend in the kitchen as well as in a glass, adding depth of flavour to many dishes
The first Vancouver International Wine Festival, in 1979, was a modest affair. Robert Mondavi’s son Michael served as host, and the Robert Mondavi Winery was the only exhibitor. An educational tasting (fruit, acid, tannin) had 100 of us sipping out of tiny plastic glasses.
Forty years later, the 82,000 glasses will be Riedel crystal, the festival will feature 1,450 wines and there are more than 50 events. The crowds are expected to surpass 25,000, and a Margrit Mondavi Tribute Dinner will honour the late matriarch of the famous family. The Feb. 24-March 4 festival will feature 173 wineries, with Spain and Portugal in the spotlight.
Wine, of course, is a friend in the kitchen as well as the glass. Here are tips for cooking with it from Fiona Beckett’s recent book, Wine Lover’s Kitchen (Ryland Peters & Small):
■ Don’t use so-called cooking wines. They’re typically chock-full of added salt.
■ Cook with wine you’d be willing to drink, but don’t think it has to be expensive.
■ The most versatile wines for cooking are crisp, dry, unoaked whites such as Pinot Grigio, and medium-bodied but not overly tannic reds such as Merlot.
■ Fortified wines such as Sherry, Madeira and Marsala are great for cooking. A small quantity adds strength, depth and sweetness.
■ Unless you’re cooking the dish for three hours or more, there will be at least a residue of alcohol. Keep that in mind if you’re cooking for kids or non-drinkers.
Mushroom, Mustard and Madeira Soup
This luxurious soup that makes a good first course for a dinner party, especially with a glass of Alvear Amontillado or Sandeman ruby port. The recipe is adapted from Wine Lover’s Kitchen: Delicious recipes for cooking with wine by Fiona Beckett (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017). If you don’t have any Madeira or sherry on hand, Blandy’s Duke of Clarence Rich Madeira or González Byass Nutty Solera Oloroso Sherry are good choices.
Serves: 4-6
3 tbsp (45 mL) butter plus more for sautéing mushrooms
1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped 1 lb (454 g) brown (cremini) mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 tbsp (30 mL) Madeira or sherry 1 tsp (5 mL) dried porcini powder (optional)
4 cups (1 L) mushroom or chicken stock
1 medium potato, peeled and sliced
2 tsp (10 mL) whole-grain mustard Sea salt and freshly ground pepper Lemon juice, to taste Whipping cream, to serve
Melt butter in a large saucepan and add onion and garlic. Cook over low heat until soft. Reserve a good few mushroom slices for garnish and stir the rest into the pan. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the mushrooms are brown and the liquid has all but evaporated.
Stir in the wine and porcini powder. Add the stock, bring to the boil and add potato slices. Simmer until the potato is soft. Strain, reserving liquid, and purée solids in a blender or food processor. Gradually blend in the reserved liquid. Return the soup to the pan, stir in the mustard and reheat without boiling. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.
To serve, sauté the remaining slices (see Kitchen Hack) in a little butter. Ladle soup into warm bowls, top with a swirl of cream and scatter mushroom slices over the top.
Margrit Mondavi’s Cabernet Sauvignon Onion Marmalade
Margrit served this marmalade with grilled squab, but it’s also delicious with filet mignon, Cornish game hens, pork tenderloin, or on a turkey sandwich. The Robert Mondavi Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon is reasonably priced at $15.99, but any decent Cab is fine.
Makes: 1 cup
½ cup (125 mL) butter
2 leeks, including tender green parts, thinly sliced
1 red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 yellow onion, halved crosswise and thinly sliced
¾ cup (180 mL) Cabernet Sauvignon
¼ cup (60 mL) balsamic vinegar 1 tsp (5 mL) finely chopped fresh thyme
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add leeks and both onions and cook, stirring often, until very soft, about 15 minutes. Stir in wine and vinegar. Simmer over low heat, stirring often, until almost all liquid has evaporated, about 40 minutes. Increase heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes more, or until onions are almost caramelized. Stir in thyme, salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
■ Kitchen Hack: To sear mushrooms use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet for small batches so they sizzle without steaming. This builds a layer of toasty residue that, once deglazed, will enhance the flavour of your dish.