Try These Burgundy Recipes and Wine Pairings From Ellie's Cookbook

The name Elden Selections is synonymous with great Burgundy wines from BurgundyWine.com and superb food and activities on offer at Domaine de Cromey, Elden's home in Burgundy. But did you know where the name ‘Elden’ actually comes from? In fact, it’s a portmanteau of the names Eleanor (Garvin) and Dennis (Sherman). Dennis is the powerhouse of local wine knowledge, whilst Ellie is an expert in Burgundy food and wine. A professional cook, she left the US in 1983 to learn French cuisine. 

But despite her reputation as a Burgundy food expert, Ellie’s love affair with haute cuisine cooking doesn’t just cover French cooking. She has had a long-standing passion for Italy, and it was her Italian heritage that first allowed her to gain a deep knowledge of local produce, traditions and cooking techniques. The Italian soul is known for its passion, its dedication and demonstrative love for food, friends and family (preferably taken together…) and her understanding of the importance of culinary traditions is as strong today as it has ever been.  

This article is a whistlestop tour of Ellie’s life seen through the lens of food, as she takes us through a typical dinner party from “soup to nuts,” via some of her favorite Burgundy recipes. There are gems from her mouth-watering canape recipes, potager-inspired vegetable dishes, ideas for those tricky fish and wine pairings, sumptuous meat dishes, superb sweets and, of course – a masterclass in how to pair Burgundy cheeses and wines.  

Ellie’s Italian Flare 

Before the Domaine de Cromey – Elden’s baronial manor house nestling amongst the vines in Burgundy and available to hire out for group stays – came Papillon tours. For a decade in the 1990s, Dennis and Ellie owned a luxury hotel-barge called Le Papillon. The popularity they gained during these years eventually saw them expand into land-based vacations, and from the early 90’s until 2014 they took Papillon Select Tours to villas located in regions that prioritised their food and wine culture.

As they moved destination every couple of years, they often found themselves in Italy for as many as 12 weeks a year, allowing them to soak up the culture and cuisine. They learned Italian, studied the food and wine with those who knew how to do it well, and developed a deep understanding and appreciation of Italian produce. That has stayed with them to the present day, and they are always on the lookout for quality Italian ingredients to incorporate into the cuisine they serve at Domaine de Cromey, and introduce it to their lucky guests. For example, the excellent olive oil from Lucca (the birthplace of the composer Puccini and home to some of the world’s best olive oil) can always be found on the table at Cromey, and is sold by us in the US too. And in the Cromey potager (vegetable garden) you’ll find some of the best Italian-inspired greens, like succulent Zucchini, and peas used in her Venetian Pea Risotto. And so, a story that started thirty years ago on France’s waterways, has come home to Cromey. Ellie's cookbook is named after this period in her life, too: At Home in Burgundy – the Papillon Recipes.

Canapes and Starters – How to Begin a Great Burgundy Dinner

Every great meal starts with great amuse bouche – delectable morsels to whet the appetite, and Ellie has a few firm favourites you should try. Her Burgundian Cheese Puffs (Gougère) are some of the best examples of French pastry you’ll find and go great with white wine and a dash of crème de cassis. Then there’s traditional Onion and Anchovy Tart, known as Pissaladiere with small Niçoise olives and slow cooked onion and herb base – great with Rose wine on a summer’s afternoon. And of course, as a nod to Italy, Zucchini Flowers Stuffed with Salt Cod. Wherever Dennis and Ellie went in Europe, they always ate baccala (salted cod) and it was amongst the first things they introduced when they moved to Burgundy, along with the Zucchini (courgette) flowers that abound in their garden. 

Pottering in the Potager: Favorite Burgundy Recipes Using Vegetables

You can hardly fail to impress and delight with a good French onion soup – especially when the onions are grown organically in the warm Burgundy sun. Ellie recommends a good Aligoté wine to go with it, such as this one from Bouzeron by Julien Cruchendeau. Another soup with a slightly sweet, bitter character is the Warm Vine Peach Soup with Irancy Wine. 

The Venetian Pea Risotto we mentioned earlier comes in this category too – just be sure to use high quality wine for both the cooking of the rice and to drink with it! (One great suggestion from Ellie is the Domaine Borgeot Santenay 1er Cru 'Gravieres' (white Santenay – vivacious, light and edgy, it’s a fine choice for melty dishes like risotto).  

The Fish Course: The Secret to Pairing Wine with Fish 

Ever tried Smoked Trout Croissants? Ellie has a great Burgundy recipe for them. Any good Chardonnay would make a great pairing, or you can try a mixed case like the one offered here to experiment with different wines. For a rich summer dish to savor outdoors, we recommend trying the Roasted Turbot, served with a Warm Seasonal Salad and Split Capers. At Domaine de Cromey, this dish is paired with a Domaine du Château de Vergisson Pouilly-Fuissé 'Sur la Roche' as the Pouilly-Fuissé wine has a hint of minerality that matches well with noble ingredients like turbot, crustaceans such as king prawns, lobster, and crayfish.  

When it comes to oily fish, consider her recipe for Smoked Mackerel Rillettes. We recommend pairing it with the white wines of Auxey-Duresses, such as the Agnes Paquet Auxey-Duresses Blanc 'Patience No 10'. Its fruit is juicy and lively, and it has a long finish that retains fullness. This wine goes well not only with mackerel but also with shrimp or fish in spicy sauces.

Burgundy Meat Dishes and Which Wines to Drink With Them 

If you're a fan of chicken, then you might want to try the Slow Roasted Bresse Chicken. The chicken is brined and then slow-roasted to retain maximum flavor. To complement the dish, you could pair it with a Monthélie wine from the Domaine Potinet-Ampeau, which is another wine producer recommended by Elden. The reds of Monthélie are firm but velvety, with tannins that go well with roasted meats with a ‘crunchiness’. The 1er Cru 'Champs Fulliots' is an excellent match for this dish.  

There are also lamb dishes in the cookbook, and one of the most unique Burgundy recipes is the Phyllo Wrapped Lamb Noisettes with Goat Cheese. It's an earthy yet light dish, so it needs a wine that matches its profile. A Chateau Cary Potet Bourgogne Rouge, a Pinot from the fringes, would fit the bill here. Alternatively, try a Santenay wine, which has a rustic edge, or a village Nuits-St. Georges, with a slightly ‘animal’ character - gutsy, but fruity.  

But it wouldn't be a complete list of Burgundy recipes without the quintessential classic dish - Beef Bourguignon. "Bourguignon" is a name that was given to different dishes prepared with wine or a mushroom and onion garnish during the mid-nineteenth century. It's a tribute to the locally prized Charolais cattle. Drink any wine you like with this if it makes you happy – as long as it’s from Burgundy, naturally! 

Just Desserts: Burgundy Sweets and What to Drink With Them 

When it comes to pairing wines and desserts, people tend to be less sure compared to pairing with savory dishes. However, there are many wines that go well with Burgundy recipes for sweet dishes - and not just dessert wines. For instance, an oaked, creamy Chardonnay accompanies cakes with citrus or summer fruit flavors really well (a sort of variation on strawberries and cream!), and chocolate desserts will also go well with a bottle of Pinot Noir.  

Other sweet recipes that have made it into Ellie’s cookbook include Brioche French Toast with Roasted Forced Rhubarb - a delicious dish that you can prepare by growing rhubarb in the dark, under an old garbage can or bucket. This method results in pale, tender pink stalks which have a more delicate flavor than you get with regular rhubarb. Pairing this dish with wines can be tricky due to the unique flavor of rhubarb, but try Agnes Paquet’s Auxey-Duresses Blanc 'Patience' wine which has a juicy and lively fruit that retains fullness through a long finish. Its zippy mineral notes match the rhubarb perfectly. Agnes also makes a Bourgogne Chardonnay which works equally well. This wine is among the most adaptable and food-friendly wines you can find.  

For those who love baking, there is a unique recipe for Fresh Apricot and Pistachio Cake that is sure to be a winner with all guests. The recipe involves coarsely chopping pistachios to line the baking pan and create a crunchy texture for the top of the cake. When baked, the apricots melt into the cake batter, staying deliciously juicy. To complement the cake, try a wine from Chablis – they have the complexity and adaptability you need, along with bucketfuls of flavors like lemon, and a great minerality.  

A Match Made in Heaven: Burgundy Cheese and Wine Pairings 

The cheeses of Burgundy come in three main varieties: cows milk cheeses (like Cîteaux and Reblochon), goats milk cheeses (such as Bouton de Culotte and Crottin de Morvan), and washed cheeses (with rinds and crusts on, for instance Époisses and Ami du Chambertin). Ellie loves them all and has included some of the finest in her recipe book, paired with her pick of Burgundy wines, which complement them perfectly.  

There’s a recipe for Époisses which is combined with leeks and shallots into a delicious tart (it’s a cheese that doesn’t travel that well, so if you can sample it 'in situ' in Burgundy then you’ll taste it at its best). You may be thinking that only red wine and cheese go together usually, but this sort of creamy cheese actually goes best with white wine – try the Domaine Borgeot Bourgogne Blanc 'Clos de la Carbonade' for a great example.  

One other goat’s cheese recipe you might want to try to impress your friends is the Goats Cheese Espuma – add any salad ingredients you have around you to accompany it, and look for a wine from Rully to go with this one.  

We should also mention Cîteaux, one of the most popular cheeses from Burgundy. This cheese is ideal for preparing a delicious Warm Cîteaux Salad with a Walnut and Verjus Vinaigrette. (Verjus is an ingredient found in 'real' Dijon mustard, which is made from the juice of unripe grapes, not vinegar as some cheaper varieties use). Certain cheeses complement wines perfectly, and Cîteaux is one of them. Regardless of whether you prefer red or white wine, mineral or oaked, gutsy or more delicate, all Burgundy wines pair well with Cîteaux, and vice versa. 

Click this link to get a free copy of Ellie’s fabulous cookbook 

Remember that Elden Selection's Burgundy Wine Club offers its members the opportunity to explore and learn more about the exquisite wines of Burgundy. As a member, you'll receive four shipments per year, along with exclusive invitations to virtual events that are only available to members in the U.S. Additionally, you will receive two specially selected wine glasses, tasting notes, and the chance to win a stay at our luxurious Burgundy manor house, Domaine de Cromey. To discover more about the producers, appellations, and terroir of the Burgundy Wine Region, we invite you to visit our Burgundywine.com blog.