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Wine Pairing: Seared Sole over Arugula with Rosemary Potatoes With Unionville Home Chardonnay

January 29, 2015

Writing tasting notes is a team activity at Unionville. Whoever is at the winery, minion or guest, gets a glass and a pour. Everyone swirls, sniffs, and sips and we take turns sharing what our senses pick up. We popped open a bottle of the 2013 Unionville Home Single Vineyard Chardonnay and set to work. Lemon, orange blossom, and peach were unanimously agreed upon. Someone even suggested creamsicle due to the bright flavor yet subtle creaminess. While we were tasting, Cameron described a mouthwatering dish that pairs well with our new wine. Sauteed grey sole coated in lemon zest and white pepper panko crumbs, served on a bed of wilted arugula. A light refreshing dinner and a nice break from the endless stews I seem to be eating.

Roasted potatoes with herbs, paired with Unionville Chardonnay

I stopped at my local market on my way home and cooked up an early dinner. I couldn't help myself, the recipe sounded too good. The baby arugula has a light spiciness, which balances the wine's creaminess. The rosemary adds an earthy element that pairs well with the citrus of both the wine and the fillet. The pairing of wine and food may be, as Sid Goldstein of The Wine Lover's Cookbook says, a complex and highly inexact science, but I've found much success breaking down why these pairings work and much satisfaction testing and tasting.

Roasted potatoes with herbs, paired with New Jersey Chardonnay

My fish market had very thin fillets. I opted to serve two per person. Depending on the thickness, adjust serving size and cooking time accordingly.

Seared Sole over Arugula with Rosemary Potatoes

ingredients

total time: 45 min yields: 2 servings

4 sole fillets
2 tablespoons of lemon zest - about two lemons
1 lemon quartered for serving
1 ½ cups of buttermilk
1 cup of white pepper panko breadcrumbs
A handful of arugula to cover each plate
1-2 lbs of red skinned potatoes quartered
1 sprigs of rosemary chopped
2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil separated
salt and pepper to taste

directions

preheat oven to 400F
place a covered sauce pot over high heat - salt generously
while the water is coming to a boil, combine lemon zest, bread crumbs, salt and to taste - mix well
dredge sole in buttermilk and set aside
once the water is boiling, add potatoes and parboil for 5 minutes. When finished your fork will just barely break the outside of the potato but not go all the way through. Think al dente pasta.
when the potatoes are finished drain and place in a bowl. add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and chopped rosemary - toss to evenly coat potatoes
place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes - about halfway through shake the pan
remove the sole from the buttermilk and place in the bowl with the breadcrumbs - take care to cover the entire fillet.
heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. once the pan is hot, place two fillets in the pan and cook on each side for about 2-3 minutes depending on the fillet’s thickness. flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. cook fillets in batches of 2.
serve the sole with a wedge of lemon over a bed of baby arugula and a side of roasted rosemary potatoes
pour a glass of 2013 Unionville Home Chardonnay. cheers!

Sauteed sole with potatoes and arugula, paired with New Jersey Chardonnay

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