July 4th Food and Wine Pairing Ideas

 It’s Fourth of July and you know what that means…Fireworks, grilling and enjoying the time off.  Having friends and family over to celebrate?  Want to impress with your impeccably matched grilled food and wine?  Here are three food and wine pairings that are sure to get everyone’s taste buds rocking for the Fourth:

Food and Wine Pairing Idea 1:

Wine: Jean-Luc Columbo, Viognier La Violette

Why it’s good: This wine has intense violet aromas and is enhanced with flavors of flowers, fruits and nuances of licorice.  It’s a rich and complex wine with an elegant finish.  

Would be paired well with:

Grilled Chicken with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

 Ingredients:

• 1 6 ounce carton plain low-fat yogurt
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 2 teaspoons snipped fresh mint
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup chopped, seeded cucumber
• 4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 to 1-1/4 pounds total)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, green onions, mint, cumin, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Transfer half of the yogurt mixture to a small bowl; set aside. For cucumber-yogurt sauce: Stir cucumber into remaining yogurt mixture.

2. Sprinkle chicken breasts with 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

3. Place chicken on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F), turning once halfway through grilling and brushing with reserved yogurt mixture for the last half of grilling. Discard any remaining yogurt mixture.

4. Serve chicken with the cucumber-yogurt sauce

*Recipe courtesy of http://www.bhg.com/recipe/chicken/grilled-chicken-with-cucumber-yogurt-s...

Food and Wine Pairing Idea 2:

Wine Salentein-Cabernet Sauvignon

Why it’s good: This wine has a nose of red cherry jam and dried mushroom with hints of coconut and vanilla.

Would be paired well with:

 Steak with Herb Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup packed basil leaves
1 cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tbsp. packed fresh oregano leaves
1 tbsp. packed fresh rosemary leaves
1 tbsp. packed fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp. packed fresh tarragon leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (24 oz.) 2"–3"-thick rib-eye, strip, or porterhouse steak  

Directions:

1. Put the herbs and garlic on a cutting board and finely chop together with a large knife. Transfer herb mixture to a small bowl and stir in 3/4 cup oil. Season herb sauce with salt and pepper, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld. Meanwhile, put steak on a plate; season generously with salt and pepper and rub with the remaining oil.

2. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to medium-high. (Alternatively, heat an oiled grill pan over medium-high heat.) Cook steak, flipping once, until browned and cooked to desired doneness, 8–10 minutes for medium rare. Transfer steak to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice steak against the grain and spoon some reserved sauce over top.

*Recipe courtesy of: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Steak-with-Herb-Sauce-Bistecca-Con...

Food and Wine Pairing Idea 3:

Wine: Lois (Gruner Veltiner)

Why it’s good: This is a fabulous summer white!  It has a dry, aromatic and fruity flavor with notes of almond, apples, minerals and white pepper. 

Would be paired well with:

 Easy Maple-Glazed Grilled Summer Salmon

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh wild salmon filets (cut into individual servings)
• 1/4 cup organic maple syrup
• 1/4 stick of unsalted butter
• 1 TBSP wasabi paste (optional)
• 5-6 TBSP organic soy or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (optional)
• Sea salt

Directions:

1.  In a saucepan on low, gently heat maple syrup and butter until just melted.

2.  Preheat a cleaned grill to high. When hot, carefully spray grill with cooking spray to create a non-stick surface.

3.  Place salmon on the grill. Season with sea salt and pepper then baste with maple/butter. Grill for 3-5 minutes (depending on thickness) and turn when the fish is lightly charred with grill marks. Season the other side with salt pepper and baste with maple/butter. Grill for another 3-5 minutes. Watch the fish carefully and check for doneness.

4.  Remove when you see light and clear juices on the fish just before the meat begins to flake. If it looks too flaky it may end up being over done. It’s better for the fish to be a little rare than dry and overdone. Allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving.

5.  Combine wasabi and soy or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos in a dish. Lightly drizzle maple butter on fish then another drizzle of soy/wasabi combination for a little fragrant spice.  *Recipe courtesy of: http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2012/06/07/maple-glazed-grilled-s...

Happy Fourth of July, enjoy!