Four Cousins’ Blog

Cooking with wine began with the Greeks and Romans. This popular trend has continued to grace the pages of cookbooks of all cultures. But how familiar are we with the components associated with such a given?

Cooking with wine is an easy way to add a nuanced, sophisticated flavour that cannot be acquired with herbs. It is also a great way to add depth that makes even the simplest dish seem more complex.

The first and most important rule: Use only wine that you would drink. This does not imply that you must use your ultra expensive wines for cooking. But it certainly indicate that you will not add to the taste of the dish if you add inferior “spirits” or wine that is off.

The use of wine as an ingredient is controlled by several factors. For example, Sauvignon Blanc is known for its herbaceous quality and would be a perfect choice for fish accompanied with an herb sauce. A buttery Chardonnay is a natural pairing with butter based beurre blanc sauces.
The more you learn about the characteristics of the different types of grapes and the process of wine making, the more creative one will be at highlighting ingredients with particular “pairings.”

Wine has three main uses in the kitchen: as a marinade, as cooking liquids and as flavouring enhancements. The function of the wine is to fortify the essence of the dish. The alcohol in wine evaporates at 80 °C. Water boils at 100 °C . So if you deglaze a hot pan with wine, initially more alcohol will evaporate than water.

Wine needs time to impart its “fruits.” It should simmer with the food for approximately 10 minutes. For ultimate results, wine should be reduced slowly over low heat. This method takes more time and effort, but will achieve a superior sauce because the compounds in the wine are better preserved and able to permeate the dish in stages.

All wines contain acid and this issue needs to be addressed when cooking with wine.
Different wines have different acidity levels, which can affect the taste of food. For instance, if one is making a red wine sauce that includes tomatoes, you should use a wine with a strong acid content, in order to counteract the acidity of the tomatoes. Otherwise the wine will be overpowered by the tomatoes and the purpose intended is for naught.

If one decides to use wine in a marinade, be careful of your options. The wine will not have the opportunity to evaporate under the influence of heat. Choose a wine that will complement and not overpower the meat.

For more on cooking with wine, visit: oceancitytoday.net