Food and Wine: John Elkhay’s Grilled Fluke and Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Restaurateur and chef John Elkhay is known for hosting friends at his Great Island home perched between Galilee's Great Salt Pond and the ocean, and all summer long he takes full advantage of the fresh seafood at his doorstep. To kick off the summer season this weekend, he shares a light, mouthwatering grilled fluke and vegetables. For a wine match, ViniCode's Erik Aslaksen picks an Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc based on his innovative wine coding system. Together, it's a perfect summer meal.
The Meal: Grilled Fluke with Early Summer Vegetables
Being a Great Island resident we fish for fluke in the summer. With our fish just hours old, we prepare a hardwood grill and grill it for a crispy, delicate and lighter version of fish and chips.
For 4 guests
1 1/2 pounds fluke filet, 4-6 oz each
4 oz extra virgin olive oil
2c plain bread crumbs
1 t sea salt
1/2 t fresh ground black pepper
Prepare a hardwood charcoal grill and add cherry or apple wood for a more pronounced flavor (stronger woods like mesquite and hickory will overpower). When you have achieved a white ash over the charcoal and the wood flames have subsided, dip each fish filet into the olive oil. Let excessive oil drop off from fish. Place in breadcrumbs seasoned with salt and pepper, flip and coat evenly. When all filets are covered, place on grill with the length of the filet across the grill. Grill for about 3 minutes per side depending on heat of grill and how far grill is away from heat source. Flip when medium golden brown. Serve with lemon, remoulade sauce and grilled potatoes or vegetables.
Remoulade Sauce
1c Hellman's Mayonnaise
3T cornichons
2T sweet relish
juice of 1/2 lemon
3T chopped fresh tomatoes
1T fresh chopped terragon or chervil
2T chopped pickled jalapeno
2T capers
8 drops Tabasco
Blend ingredients and keep chilled until ready to serve.
The Wine: Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc
"I recommend pairing Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2009, with John's amazing grilled fish," Aslaksen says. "Let's look at the ViniCode profile of this wine and see why they complement each other." For more on how ViniCode works, go here.
This wine is dry, a 3 on the ViniCode scale. A dry wine has very little residual sugar, making it not only less sweet but lighter in body as well. The wine has a bite of acidity, a 6 on the ViniCode, enough
acidity to match the expression of the lemon and to cut through the oils present in the fish.
New Zealand sauvignon blancs are unoaked so you will not find any oak or toast overtones in this wine. The Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc has a nice complexity, with the intense fruit flavors of lime, grapefruit and Granny Smith apples registering an 8 on the fruit scale. New Zealand sauvignon blancs are known for their distinctive earth qualities of asparagus and grass, and this wine does not disappoint with a number 7 on the scale.
A good way to pair food and wine is to match the weight of the dish to that of the complementing wine. This beautifully prepared fish is light and fresh with no heavy sauces and the grilling adds flavor and texture. A number 4 on the ViniCode, a medium-light bodied wine, is a perfect fit. The Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc is a refreshing wine that should be served and drunk cold.
