Sometimes the Wine Comes First

That was the case tonight when we knew what wine was being opened before knew what we were drinking with it.

In this case it was a 2007 Leitz Einz Zwei Dry, a Riesling Trocken wine from the Rheingau that we've commented on previously.

I took an Italian recipe and transplanted it to southeast Asia and it worked out to be a nice dish. Dinner was fillets of Sablefish (Black Cod). The Italian version called for slicing Yukon Gold potatoes on a mandoline and layering them on a piece of parchment paper, sitting the fish on top and seasoning with oregano, garlic, and lemon. We skipped the garlic and oregano and instead topped the fish with a teaspoon of Sambal Oelek, a very spicy, Thai style, ground fresh chili paste and a lemon slice. I enclosed the fish in the parchment and baked it in a hot oven for 20 minutes.

The fish was spicy and good but the potatoes were outstanding, creamy but crisp on the bottom with just a touch of the heat. The entire thing went together quite well. The wine was cool, crisp and dry, but with the heat of the Sambal Oelek a slightly sweeter wine might have been a better choice. Perhaps a Kabinett or a Spatlese? Regardless, it was a nice improvisation.

The weather started at zero this morning but has worked its way up to 33 degrees. Snow is beginning so tomorrow promises to be a fun day.