Mushrooms & Wine
Wild mushrooms can be quite demanding in their choice of culinary partners and prefer wines with subtle and mild flavours. While a delicate potpourri of mixed mushrooms requires a full-bodied wine, flavours should not be too overwhelming.
Facts
-
2019
The chanterelle was the mushroom of the year
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The fourth
Saturday in September is celebrated annually as European Mushroom Day.
-
About 2kg
mushrooms are consumed per capita in Germany every year
Delicious pairings - Wild mushrooms and wine
Take porcini, for instance: These most exquisite of all edible mushrooms form a perfect symbiotic relationship with a Pinot Blanc that is full-bodied yet delicately fruity. Even rather mature wines are great companions, since the subtle flavours of the mushrooms make them appear youthful and fresh. A mild acidity retains the harmony of this delicate, melt-in-the-mouth dish.
More expressive dishes, such as porcini or other mushrooms that have been fried to crispy perfection in butter, harmonize well with heartier wines with a fresh, fruity acidity, such as Riesling – a delectable alliance.
Wild mushrooms play a pleasant supporting role alongside a roast. In this case, the roast takes precedence in selecting the wine companion. However, wines such as a smooth Pinot Noir from the Ahr region or a subtle Meunier (Schwarzriesling) from Württemberg take care that the delicate mushroom flavours don’t get lost in this expressive mélange.
Mushrooms as a main dish, with a rich creamy sauce and dumplings, require a subtly fruity fresh Riesling that counters the exquisite opulence of the dish with its vivacity.
Autumn creations - wine harmony guaranteed
Whether you require a companion for delicately flavoured wild mushrooms or pumpkins: In the cellars of the German winemakers, a parade of fantastic wines is ready to give a brilliant performance on your table. And Wines of Germany has a few simple guidelines for you to follow – to avoid even the slightest hints of disharmony creeping into these alliances.
Wild mushrooms such as porcini, bay boletes and chanterelles
Braised, wild mushrooms tend to display extremely delicate flavours and acquire a melt-in-the-mouth touch. Most often, they are lightly sautéed in a frying pan with onions, only seasoned slightly and rounded off with a dash of lemon, in order to preserve their subtle nutty taste. Suitable wine companions should also help to retain the delicate mushroom flavours. A gentle Pinot Blanc or a Silvaner from Rheinhessen does a great job.
Crisp-fried in butter, porcini develop very distinct nuances. Their typical flavours form a delicious alliance with the delicate roast aromas. A smooth Riesling with a moderate fruity acidity is a welcome companion. It showcases the spicy nuances of the mushrooms. As far as red wines are concerned, a more distinctly fruity Pinot Noir or Portugieser fits the bill.
In a creamy sauce, mushroom dishes are not exactly light fare. A full-bodied Riesling or classic Pinot Gris makes for a happy combination. The wine’s balanced acidity, subtle richness and maybe even a hint of residual sugar are excellent counterparts for the potpourri of flavours created by braised mushrooms, cream and fresh herbs.
Mushrooms play an expressive supporting role alongside a roast. In this kind of menu, the roast takes precedence in selecting the wine companion. However, it’s a good idea to also pay attention to a harmonious relationship between wine and mushrooms. Smooth red wines with balanced tannins such as Pinot Noir from Baden or the Ahr region are commendable. Hearty red wines rich in tannins would take center stage here – and drown out the delicate mushroom aromas.
Can wines themselves develop a mushroom or champignon aroma?
Yes! This aroma manifests itself in earthy, spicy tones such as forest floor or foliage, but in extreme form it can also develop into an off-flavor. This strong mushroom note is caused, among other things, by the substance geosmin, which in turn can be caused by botrytis infestation.
Varietals
White asparagus with pancake strips Asparagus with "Kratzete"
White asparagus with pancake strips and champagne butter sauce.
- 1kg Weißer Spargel
- 200g Mehl
- 4 Eier
- 150ml Milch
- 1TL Butterschmalz zum Braten
- 2EL Butter
- 1 Zitrone
- 1 Prise Zucker
- 1-3 Schnittlauchröllchen zum Garnieren
- 1 Für die Soße:
- 150g Butter
- 50ml Sahne
- 50ml Sekt
- etwas Salz und Pfeffer
Mix the flour with the eggs, milk and a pinch of salt to make a smooth pancake batter. Leave to soak for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, peel the asparagus and cook in salted water with 2 tbsp butter and a pinch of sugar until al dente. Drain well and keep warm.
<p
<p>Pour the pancake batter in batches into hot clarified butter
.
pour into hot clarified butter. When the underside is browned, use a fork to scrape into pieces. Finish frying until the pieces are golden yellow.
For the champagne-butter sauce, bring the cream to the boil, reduce slightly and stir in the cold pieces of butter (walnut-sized). Add the sparkling wine and season to taste with salt and pepper.
<p
<p>Arrange the asparagus on pre-warmed plates. Add the kratzete, drizzle with the sauce and garnish with chives.
<p
<p>Wine recommendation:
A mild and dry Gutedel or a delicate Kabinett wine from Riesling or Pinot Blanc.
- Gutedel (trocken)
- Riesling (brut)
- Grauburgunder / Pinot Gris (brut nature)
in a bacon coating Lamb
in a bacon coating
- 4 Stück Lammlachse à 150 g
- 4 Scheiben Bacon
- 0,1 Liter Wein
- 0,3 Liter Gemüsebrühe
- 1 kleine Schalotte
- 20 Gramm Butter
- 4 EL Olivenöl
- je 2 Zweige Thymian, Rosmarin, Salbei
- nach Geschmack Salz & Pfeffer
Season the lamb salmon with pepper and massage 2 tbsp of olive oil into the meat. Finely chop the thyme, rosemary and sage and season the meat in the herbs. Marinate in the fridge for a few hours.
<p
<p>Wrap the meat with the bacon slices and sear on all sides in the remaining olive oil. Continue to cook for approx. 4 minutes on each side over a low heat (the cooking time depends on the thickness of the lamb loin - it is best to do a pressure test). Then wrap in aluminium foil and leave to rest in the oven at 80 °C – so they remain juicy and slightly pink on the inside.
This goes well with Bärlauch risotto.
- Dornfelder (trocken)
with bulgur Cabbage stew
with bulgur
- 200 Gramm Zwiebeln
- 1 ganze Knoblauchzehe
- 800 Gramm Spitzkohl
- 200 Gramm Möhren
- 400 Gramm festk. Kartoffeln
- 1 EL Kümmelsaat
- 1,5 Liter Gemüsefond
- 5 EL Olivenöl
- 2 EL Tomatenmark
- 2 EL edelsüßes Paprikapulver
- 3 TL Honig
- nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer
- 120 Gramm grobe Bulgur
- 1 Bund Petersilie
- 4 Stiele Minze
- 1 ganze Zitrone
- 2 ganze Äpfel
- 3 EL Obstessig
Finely dice the onions and garlic. Clean, wash and quarter the cabbage, remove the stalk and roughly chop the cabbage quarters. Peel the carrots, halve lengthways and cut into approx. 2 cm wide pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut into approx. 2.5 cm pieces. Fry the carrots in a pan without fat and set aside.
Heat the vegetable stock in a small pan. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large pan, sauté the cabbage in it for 10-15 minutes over a high heat until dark brown and remove from the pan.
Add the remaining oil to the pan. Fry the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the potatoes and muesli and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the tomato purée and paprika powder and fry while stirring. Add the cabbage, honey and caraway and pour in the hot vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the bulgur 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
Quarter the apples, remove the seeds, cut into approx. 1 cm cubes and add 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Pluck the herbs and chop medium-fine. Wash and dry the lemon, finely grate the zest and mix with the herbs. Flavour the stew with vinegar, salt and pepper and serve sprinkled with the herbs.
Tip: The pointed cabbage must be roasted really strongly and dark so that the aromas come out well.
- Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir (trocken)
- Trollinger (trocken)
with wild duck breast, porcini mushrooms and glazed chestnuts Herb salad
with wild duck breast, porcini mushrooms and glazed chestnuts
- 150 Gramm Wildkräuter
- 4 EL Olivenöl
- 2 EL Balsamessig
- 8 Stück Wildentenbrüste (a 100g)
- 2 EL Sonnenblumenöl
- 4 EL Honig
- 1 EL Thymian
- 200 Gramm Steinpilze
- 20 gekochte Maronen
- 100 ml Apfelsaft
- 2 El Zucker
- nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer
Clean, wash and pat dry the wild herbs. Marinate with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 220°C top and bottom heat. Season the wild duck breasts with salt and pepper, sear on the meat side in a pan with sunflower oil and cook in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes on the skin side. Remove the duck breast, brush the skin side with honey and thyme and roast for another 2 minutes on a high heat until crispy.
Clean the porcini mushrooms and cut into slices. Fry in a pan in oil on both sides, remove and keep warm. Caramelise the sugar in the pan, deglaze with the apple juice and simmer until the caramel has dissolved. Add the chestnuts and add a little more apple juice if necessary.
- Pinot Blanc (trocken)
- Gutedel (trocken)