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Just follow the simple steps below to prepare this beef fillet filled with kale, almonds, Feta and Parmesan: a classy recipe perfect for a special occasion.
A step-by-step recipe to make a Gorgonzola and salmon Lasagna, prepared with tomato and asparagus: a not-to-miss dish if you like Italian food!So often, you don’t need anything fancy to make restaurant-quality food. This is one of those times. “If the fish is amazing and fennel’s of a good quality and you have a great citrus, there’s no real way to mess this dish up,” promises Chris Flint, executive chef of the NoMad Los Angeles hotel and restaurant, a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winner for its wine list.
So how do you turn these basic ingredients into something special? Well, it does take a small measure of technique.
This citrusy, herbaceous dish, which appears on Flint’s winter menu, is a great example of the culinary approach on display at the NoMad’s L.A., New York and just-opened Las Vegas locations: Anchor each dish in a few key ingredients, then prepare each of those ingredients in a couple different ways, creating related yet distinct shades of flavor and texture.
In this case, fennel wedges are simmered in a bath of white wine, fennel seeds, star anise and lemon zest. Wonderfully aromatic, this stewed fennel provides a textural contrast with the crisp, fresh fennel fronds and shavings that garnish the dish.
In addition to the lemon zest in the cooking liquid, citrus segments are served fresh on the plate. The recipe calls for a mix of mandarin oranges, blood oranges and pomelos, but “just pick the best citrus that you love and put that on the dish,” Flint advises. “You’re looking for some acidity and sweetness, but then you can also just play with colors.” He suggests at least two, possibly three varieties for a bit of contrast.
Flint goes for as crispy a skin as possible on the fish. To achieve that, he gently seasons the skin side with kosher salt about 15 minutes before it’s time to cook. This draws water out of the skin—just be sure you blot it off before the fish meets the pan. “Oil and water don’t mix,” Flint cautions; too much water in the pan could cause a flare-up. As long as you dry off your salted fish before cooking it, however, “It forms almost a pellicle, so that when you do add it to the pan, there’s less curling and there’s less sticking.” This means the fish is more likely to cook evenly and quickly for that perfect golden-brown crust.
Next, heat the pan, then heat the oil to the point where you’re just beginning to see wisps of smoke. This is the Goldilocks zone of heat for fillets of lean, flaky white fish: It tells you the oil is hot enough that the fish won’t stick to the pan, but not so hot it’ll burn. Add the fish, skin-side down, and leave it alone for a couple minutes. Then, carefully slide a fish spatula or offset spatula underneath to check the skin’s color. If it’s a light golden-brown, turn the heat down a little. If it’s still very light, dial up the heat a bit. Once it’s light-golden, ease down the heat to continue cooking the rest of the fish.
“You’re basically cooking the fish 80 percent from the skin-side up,” Flint explains. When just the top 20 percent or so is still translucent, carefully flip the fish and cook it until it’s just shy of done; it’ll continue cooking a bit after you’ve removed it from the heat.
Flint does most of his seasoning with salt and acid rather than the conventional salt and pepper, for a lighter, brighter end result. But after this dish has absorbed the lactic, citric and wine-based acids that go into it, he finishes it with a hit of Espelette pepper. “We like the Espelette because it does provide heat, but there’s also a floral quality to it,” he says. If you can’t find Espelette, “Aleppo would work, or another chile pepper that is not overly spicy but does still have a floral quality.” And he prefers the fineness of ground pepper to larger, harder-to-control pepper flakes.
Although cayenne is a pantry staple you’ll likely have on hand, he warns that it is more aggressively hot and should be used sparingly if at all. “If you’re out of options and you have some cayenne, just use a very, very small amount.” It’s one of the clarion calls of wise cooks everywhere: “You can always add. You can’t subtract.”
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For more tips on how to approach pairing this dish with wine, recommended bottlings and notes on chef Chris Flint’s inspiration, read the companion article, “Branzino With Champagne,” in the Dec. 31, 2018, issue, via our online archives or by ordering a digital edition (Zinio or Google Play) or a back issue of the print magazine. For even more wine pairing options, WineSpectator.com members can find other recently rated sparkling wines in our Wine Ratings Search.
1. In a small bowl, combine crème fraîche, Greek yogurt and whole-milk yogurt. Season with salt to taste. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator.
2. In a small pot, combine wine, star anise, lemon zest and fennel seeds over medium heat. Reduce by half, 10 to 15 minutes. Add fennel wedges and 1/3 cup olive oil. Simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Cool in liquid and add 3/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste.
3. Season the skin side of the fillets with salt and let sit for about 15 minutes.
4. Coat a large, nonreactive saucepan with olive oil and heat over medium-high. Pat the fish fillets with paper towels to absorb any accumulated moisture. Place two fillets skin-side down and cook for approximately 3 minutes, until skin is crispy. Flip and cook for approximately 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add more oil if needed, and repeat with the remaining two fillets.
5. Over low heat, warm the fennel mixture in its cooking liquid. Place 1 fillet and 4 warm fennel wedges on each dinner plate. Scatter about 12 fennel shavings over each fillet. Arrange fennel fronds and citrus segments on or around the fish. Drizzle with yogurt sauce (you’ll use about 1/4 cup total) and a few drops of oil, and finish with freshly ground Espelette pepper. Serves 4.
The world of wine is more diverse than ever, but some people still insist on drinking like it’s 1855, turning up their noses at anything but the fanciest names from Europe’s marquee regions.
Which leaves a whole world of fine wine for the rest of us! Still, if you’re a dedicated Bordeaux-phile or Chambertin-atic, you might be excited to find wines to your taste from unexpected places—and your wallet might thank you, too. We asked eight somms from Wine Spectator Restaurant Award–winning eateries which wines they’d pour to impress the most die-hard Old World palates—from California, Oregon, Washington, Australia, Chile or beyond.
Wine Spectator: What New World wine(s) would you recommend to adamant Old World (especially Bordeaux and Burgundy) partisans?
Caleb Ganzer, partner and wine director at Best of Award of Excellence winner La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels in New York
Old California Cabernet is just as pleasurable as Bordeaux with age. Diamond Creek or Dunn, specifically from the ’70s and ’80s. Wow!
For a Burgundy lover, there are some tremendous whole-cluster Pinot Noirs coming out of the New World that rival some of the greats—By Farr from Victoria, Australia, and Domaine de la Côte from Santa Barbara are the first that come to mind that match the aromatic complexity and finesse often afforded by the best Burgundies.
Brian Phillips, national wine director for Orlando-based Darden Restaurants, which holds Restaurant Awards for 55 locations of the Capital Grille, 15 of Eddie V’s and 40 of Seasons 52
Just as there are great and also less-than-great wines in the Old World, so there are in the New World. I find Chilean Cabernets from the top well-respected producers compete with some classic Bordeaux, often at much better prices. For those fully committed to Pinot Noir from Burgundy being their go-to region, consider Mornington Peninsula, Tasmania or all of Victoria, Australia, for some top-notch and comparably high-toned versions as well. In fact, many Burgundian winemakers spend time on the south side, as they can work two vintages in one year’s time.
Andy Myers, wine director for José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup, including nationwide locations of Jaleo and other José Andrés restaurants
I’d send the Burgundy folks to Claude Koeberle and his stunning Soliste range of [Sonoma] Pinot Noirs. Pound for pound, these are some of the best Pinot Noirs in the world. I don’t like tossing “Burgundian” around when talking about New World wines, so I will just say that these show a magnificent marriage between form and function.
For the Bordeaux crowd, they should absolutely try to get their hands on Lost Mountain or Rendezvous from [Virginia’s] RdV Vineyards. It is one of the great American wines; do not let its AVA fool you, this is simply great wine that happens to live spiritually and physically between Bordeaux and California.
Sabrina Schatz, sommelier at Best of Award of Excellence winner Bobby Flay Steak at the Borgata in Atlantic City, N.J.
When a Bordeaux wine lover dines at the restaurant and asks me for a Napa Cabernet, I usually give them a Philip Togni, Mayacamas, Staglin or Larkmead. As a Burgundy wine lover, Santa Barbara Pinot Noirs, especially from Melville, Williams Selyem in Sonoma, and Big Table Farm Pinots from Oregon are my go-tos. For white Burgundy, Ramey, Peay and Hanzell in Sonoma are really good. I just got back from Santa Lucia Highlands in California, and some of the wines I tasted from Roar and Morgan had that Old World feel.
Jenni Guizio, wine director at Union Square Hospitality Group’s Best of Award of Excellence winner Maialino and Award of Excellence winner Marta in New York
If you enjoy drinking older Bordeaux, there are incredible experiences to be had with old Heitz, Ridge and Diamond Creek. And I have seen these wines favored in blind tastings over first-growths.
Alex LaPratt, owner and wine director at Best of Award of Excellence winners Beasts & Bottles and Atrium Dumbo in Brooklyn, N.Y.
There’s so many. There’s like a bajillion. Like, Dunn Howell Mountain—any vintage. If I blind-tasted you on Dunn Howell Mountain and Left Bank Bordeaux, like Pauillac, and a similar vintage, it’d be very difficult to tell the difference.
Josh MacGregor, sommelier at Best of Award of Excellence winner DB Bistro Moderne in New York
For the Bordeaux lover, the instinct may be to seek out the wines of Napa. In this case however, it is an estate from the Walla Walla Valley in Washington called L’Ecole No. 41. [They] produce exceptional single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons, savory Merlots and arguably the most exciting Sémillon in the country. If one had to be picked for the proper introduction to their wines, it would be the Walla Walla Valley AVA Cabernet Sauvignon 2014.
If Burgundy is your first love, then it would be a shame not to discover the Maysara Winery’s Momtazi Vineyard wines in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. The savory and mineral aspects transcend all limitations of a New World wine, displaying a sense of place and terroir like few others in the state of Oregon.
Erik Segelbaum, wine director for Philadelphia-based Starr Restaurants, including Best of Award of Excellence winners Upland, the Clocktower and Le Coucou in New York; Barclay Prime and Butcher & Singer in Philadelphia; Upland in Miami Beach and Steak 954 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; and Le Diplomate in Washington, D.C.
The first wine I’d recommend is a big old bottle of get over yourself! At the end of the day, the very same thing that drew you to Bordeaux or Burgundy can draw you in other directions, and there was a point in your life where you had never tasted Bordeaux and you had never tasted Burgundy. So why limit yourself? Your next favorite wine region just might be out there.
I often describe Washington state wines as the perfect balance of Old World earth and New World fruit. Let’s use Bordeaux as a model. If you like that graphite, No. 2 pencil flavor that comes out of the terroir of most of Bordeaux, and that earthiness, you get a little bit of that especially from Red Mountain and Walla Walla. But if you also want to explore the New World without straying too far, you’re not as likely to get a giant, massively extracted fruit bomb as compared to perhaps the more classic styles of California. Likewise, Oregon is my go-to for if you like Old World earth, Old World fruit flavors and structures, but a little bit more ripeness without going all the way to something like Carneros or Central Coast. Basically what I’m saying is the Pacific Northwest is a really great amalgam of Old World and New World expressiveness.
I will also say that a little bit more credit needs to be given to Australia, at least what they’re doing now. I’ve had some Margaret River Chardonnays of late that can definitely rival some of Burgundy’s better producers in warmer vintages. Both Victoria and Tasmania have incredible Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. They are cool climates. You don’t think about Australian winemakers struggling to ripen their fruit, but that’s the reality with Victoria and Tasmania.
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Get ready to watch a true foodies adventures as the previous S.Pellegrino Young Chef winners head to Japan for a trip of tasty discovery.
The 2018 S.Pellegrino Young Chef winner Yasuhiro Fujio, invited previous winners Mark Moriarty (2015) and Mitch Lienhard (2016) for a culinary trip of…
The 2018 S.Pellegrino Young Chef winner Yasuhiro Fujio, invited previous winners Mark Moriarty (2015) and Mitch Lienhard (2016) for a culinary trip of…
The 2018 S.Pellegrino Young Chef winner Yasuhiro Fujio, invited previous winners Mark Moriarty (2015) and Mitch Lienhard (2016) for a culinary trip of…
Join this dream team of chefs in New York’s Gotham Hall for a one off dinner to remember on 5 December 2018 in “Once upon a kitchen.”.Marvin R. Shanken, founder and chairman of M. Shanken Communications and editor and publisher of Wine Spectator, has been named the 2019 recipient of the Association of Magazine Media’s Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing individuals who have made longstanding contributions to the magazine media industry and society. Jonathan Newhouse, chairman of Condé Nast International, will present the award to Shanken at the American Magazine Media Conference on Feb. 5 in New York City.
Steve Lacy, Meredith Corporation executive chairman and MPA chairman, said, “I have known Marvin for many years and have had the honor of working alongside him on industry initiatives. He is the embodiment of the old adage, ‘Love what you do and you’ll never work a day in your life.’ His story is unique, his success is remarkable, and his contributions to the magazine media world deserve our highest honor.”
“To be able to devote your life to subjects you are passionate about makes me lucky indeed,” said Shanken. “Being able to give back to worthwhile charities is a rich reward. It is an honor and a privilege to receive this recognition from my peers.”
Shanken began his career in publishing in 1972 when he bought Impact, a little-known wine and spirits industry newsletter. Today, Impact is read in more than 200 countries. In 1979, Shanken purchased Wine Spectator. He grew the publication from a small free newspaper to the world’s leading authority on wine, delivering expert reviews of 16,000 wines annually and reaching more than 3 million readers worldwide. In 1992, Shanken launched Cigar Aficionado, a magazine and accompanying website focused on luxury lifestyle topics, reaching more than 1.6 million readers. Shanken also owns Whisky Advocate, the leading whisky magazine in the U.S., and hosts multi-city WhiskyFest™ events. M. Shanken Communications also publishes Market Watch and Shanken News Daily.
M. Shanken Communications charitable events have raised more than $50 million over the past 40 years. They include the New York Wine Experience, which has raised over $25 million and funded more than 800 scholarships for students in wine and culinary programs; Cigar Aficionado‘s Night to Remember, which has raised over $20 million for prostate cancer research; and the Els for Autism Pro-Am, which has raised more than $10 million and helped fund the creation of a school for 260 children with autism on a 26-acre campus in Jupiter, Fla.
For more on how Shanken began his career in publishing 46 years ago, and how he built Wine Spectator from a small newspaper to the world’s leading authority on wine, check out this exclusive interview. And for more on the Association of Magazine Media’s Lifetime Achievement Award, visit their announcement.
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