Wines are great when appreciated in a glass, but they are also a great addition when used as an ingredient to spruce up a dish. Salads, main course, desserts, adding wine to a dish adds a pizzazz to it.

These basic ground rules will come in handy next time you cook with wine: 

• Don’t use faulty wines; you’re not doing your dish any favors.
• Choose a wine with complimentary flavor profile to the dish; you would not want a harsh tannic wine standing out like a sore thumb in your dessert.  White wines are suited perfectly for lighter dishes like, fish, vegetables. Any dish that has a lemons or vinegar can also use a un-oaked white wine as an addition; just readjust the quantities of your base acids. Red wines go well with meat based dishes which are rich; the tannins work well with the meat. They are also great substitutes for moistening impacts of butter, oils and fats. Similarly, fortified wines have the most dominant flavor profile which work well with rich, spice heavy dishes.
• Allow alcohol to evaporate unless you want to intoxicate your dinner guests with the meal. Some researches show that you can never completely eliminate alcohol by coking it, still let’s be safe.
• Some wines are meant to be enjoyed in a glass and not in the pan, don’t waste a fresh $30 + bottle in cooking, gift it to someone who would enjoy it.

We also got some of Mumbai’s talented chefs to share recipes, especially for Indian Wine List,  using wines which you can replicate at home and put all that wine to good use. Never let good wine go waste, we say!

 

Truffle Risotto
Ranveer Brar, Senior Executive Chef, Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach & Host on Khana Khazana

Serves 4

Ingredients:
150 gm Butter
100 gm Onion
500 gm Arborio Rice (Short Grain)
1000 ml Chicken Stock
15 gm Salt
100 gm Grated Parmessan Cheese
2 gm Bay Leaf
1 pc White truffle
5 ml Truffle oil
100 ml White wine (Chardonnay)

Method:
1. Melt the butter in the saucepan. Add the chopped onion.
2. Cook gently without color for 3 minutes. Add the rice.
3. Stir until grains are coated with butter. Add wine and reduce to one-third.
4. Add the chicken stock, season lightly and allow to simmer until rice absorbs liquid.
5. Stir frequently and if necessary add more stock until the rice is cooked.
6. Mix in the cheese, correct the seasoning and serve with a garnish of truffle shavings and truffle oil.

 

Coq Au Vin
Himanshu Taneja, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Mumbai

Serves 4

Ingredients:
30 gm Pancetta
2 kg Baby chicken
250 gm Carrot
200 gm Shallots
3 cloves of Garlic
¼ cup Cognac
500 ml Burgundy wine
1 cup Chicken stock
2 tablespoon Unsalted butter
200 gm Button mushrooms
100 ml Olive oil
Sea Salt to taste
Peppercorn crushed to taste
5 sprigs Thyme

Procedure:
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut the chicken 1/8 pieces with skin.
3. In a container add wine, chicken, button mushrooms, carrot, thyme and shallots and leaves it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Before cooking, strain the wine and keep it aside
4. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan, add the pancetta diced add cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minute until lightly browned, remove the pancetta to a plate with a slotted spoon.
5. Meanwhile, let the chicken out on a paper towel and pat dry, sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken both side.
6. When pancetta is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon and continue to brown until all the chicken is done and set aside.
7. Add carrot, onion, salt and pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes. Stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned add garlic and cook for another minute.
8. Add cognac and place the pancetta and chicken back in the pan.
9. Add wine, chicken stock and thyme and bring to a simmer.
10. Cover the pot with fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
11. Remove from the oven and place aside.

For sauce
1. Take 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew.
2. Cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10minutes, until browned. Add to the stew.
3. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes.

 

Berry Sangria Praline
Sanjana Patel, Executive Chef & Partner, La Folie

Makes 20 pieces

Ingredients:

Blueberry Preparation:
200gm Fondant paste
200 gm Blueberries (frozen will do)
4 tsp Kirsch liquor:

Red wine ganache:
80g Red wine (a good Italian or French wine with fruity notes will be ideal)
40g Raspberry puree
24g Glucose syrup
200g Milk chocolate
30g Unsalted butter

Chocolate spheres:
500gms: Dark chocolate 70% for tempering and molding

Procedure:
1. Warm the fondant paste with Kirsch liquor. Roll the blueberries individually in the fondant paste and keep it covered in an airtight container.
2. Melt the milk chocolate and keep aside.
3. Heat the raspberry puree with glucose and wine to simmering stage.
4. Incorporate the same in the chocolate and mix with the hand blender to get a smooth consistency ganache.
5. Mold dark chocolate coated sphere shell. Fill in the rolled fondant blueberry in the mould; cover it with the red wine ganache.
6. Cover the filling with the remaining tempered chocolate and let it cool in the fridge for 20-25 minutes before unmolding the chocolate for serving.

Tip: you can hand paint the chocolate mold with cocoa butter colors to create some lovely textures on the chocolate.
(Berry Sangria Praline is not available at La Folie outlet.)

Featured Image: Mushroom Risotto by Ranveer Brar