By Bill St John,Special to The Denver Post
We receive scant advice from the countries of Asia on pairing wine with their spicier foods because they cannot offer much; they commonly drink other beverages at table. But those same beverages – water, light tea, broth, sometimes beer – give us clues which wines might pair best with the fire in their foods. Itap easy to say which won’t: heavy, high alcohol, tannic reds. But light-bodied, low alcohol, refreshing white and pink wines, sometimes sparkling, are delicious with spicy Asian dishes. They temper chili heat; cleanse and reboot the palate; and demur to the more forceful flavors already bounding from the kitchen.
HERE’S THE DISH …
Mussels with Lemongrass, Chile and Holy Basil
From “Where Flavor was Born” by Andreas Vierstad
Rinse3 pounds unblemished mussels, scrubbed of their beards. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or wide pot. Add 3 finely chopped shallots and 1-5 small Thai or other hot chiles, finely chopped; saute for 2 minutes. Add 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and finely chopped; 1 tablespoon bruised coriander seeds; 1/3 cup seafood, vegetable or chicken stock; and the mussels. Cover and steam 3 minutes. Turn shells, re-cover and cook 3-5 more minutes, until almost all themusselshave opened. Transfer to deep plates, garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped Thai or “holy” basil, and serve immediately with sweet chile sauce for dipping.
AND PAIR IT WITH …
In truth, the world’s vineyards turn out more low- or moderate-alcohol, medium-bodied, zesty and tangy wines — of all colors and persuasions — than they do those that win medals and acclaim because they’re blockbusters and merely call attention to themselves. For this dish, think about rieslings, dry or whisperingly sweet; sauvignon blancs that haven’t seen a toothpick of wood aging; the huge raft of dry pink wines so currently fashionable; sparkling wines that won’t seize up the wallet (from Limoux, Penedes, the Loire, Tasmania, southern England); and most anything from Greece, Croatia, northern Portugal or southern Canada. Yep, southern Canada, eh.
Contact Bill St John at bsjpost@gmail.com
