The Best Burgundy Fish Dishes & Wine Pairings
Discover Some Of The Burgundy Fish Dishes Being Served at Domaine de Cromey
There’s a quote we’ve mentioned before in these blogs, that really captures Burgundy's reputation for fine foods and wines: "If Paris is France’s head, and Champagne her soul, then Burgundy is her stomach." With such a wide variety to choose from, you might feel a bit overwhelmed, and be unsure where to start. Fortunately, there are some fantastic recipes from the region, many of which are found in Ellie’s cookbook and commonly prepared at the Domaine de Cromey, our home in Burgundy. Whether you're a fan of meat, seafood, vegetarian, or sweet dishes, you'll find inspiration for almost any appetite within the cookbook. In addition to French dishes, the cookbook features flavors from Italy and Asia, all thoughtfully paired with wines from producers known personally to burgundywine.com by Elden Selections for years.
In this article we look at Burgundy fish dishes, because even though Burgundy is inland, you might still crave flavors from the sea from time to time, and we have the recipes to satisfy those cravings. We know that it’s not always easy to know how to match wine with fish dishes, especially when those wines can have big characters, and are stand-alone experiences in themselves, even without great food. Then there’s the age-old question of whether to simply choose white wines, or to go for red ones too and risk raised eyebrows from folks who may not have taken that leap of faith yet... But it can be done simply and effectively if you follow the advice and examples set out below, because we’ve done it time after time with our family, friends and guests.
Let’s look at some examples of how Ellie and Dennis pair wines with the Burgundy fish dishes they have in their cookbook.
Our Favourite Burgundy Fish Dishes and Wine Pairings
Sauté of Cuttlefish with Black Rice & Parsley Vinaigrette showcases Ellie’s Italian heritage, and it uses a type of rice from the Piedmont area of Italy, called black riso venere. This is what’s known as a ‘hybrid’ rice, which is a mix of asiatic rices which are grassy and pungent. You want to aim for whole grain (labelled ‘integrale’) which takes around three quarters of an hour to cook. We think you’ll agree once you’ve tasted it that this is time well spent! Sure, you can get the par-boiled version which only takes about 18 minutes, but that sacrifices a lot of the flavor and quality of the dish. You’ll need one small, cleaned cuttlefish for this recipe (or squid if preferred) and it will serve 6. For the full recipe and directions, see the link here. We would serve this with a wine from Jean Claude Rateau: his Hautes Cotes de Beaune Blanc. Why? Because this wine has a wonderful flowery freshness typical of wines from this region. It is both exciting and well-balanced. You get lemon and almond flavors, which are always a great match with fish, and a sweet sort of spiced pear and apple. (Incidentally, we have an article here about the wines of the Hautes Cote de Beaune which are really coming into their own as the climate warms – they grow on higher slopes and therefore retain their quality in the heat).
Monkfish with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes & Green Olive Tapenade - This dish incorporates popular Provencal flavors and offers a visually stunning presentation. We prepare it at our home in Burgundy when the garden tomatoes are ripe and flavorful. Despite the long list of ingredients, the recipe isn’t complicated. The presentation of this dish is as impressive as the flavor – layered, or sometimes called ‘Napoleon’ style: we like to put a tablespoon of the cream in the middle, then build a structure of tomato slice, fish, tomato slice and then fish and a final slice of tomato, all drizzled with the vinaigrette and garnished with the mint.
For a delicious summer dish to enjoy outdoors, you can try the Roasted Turbot with Warm Seasonal Salad and Split Capers. Keeping the fish on the bone means it retains as much flavor as possible. At Domaine de Cromey, we pair this dish with a Domaine du Château de Vergisson Pouilly-Fuissé 'Sur la Roche'. This wine has a characteristic hint of minerality that complements noble ingredients like turbot and crustaceans (such as king prawns, lobster, and crayfish). We think the secret twist to this dish is our rather unique caper garnish... And this is one dish that you should feel free to experiment with – if you can’t get any ingredients locally, then simply replace them with ones you can and see what works for you.
Pike-Perch with Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Artichoke Sauce
This is arguably the finest of the freshwater fishes. It is called 'zander' in English because it resembles a perch and hunts like a pike. It has the white-blue flesh that is so typical of the perch and the flavor of the pike but without the hassle of the small bones. If you can't find the 'pike-perch', you can substitute it with a delicate white-fleshed freshwater fish such as perch or walleye pike. The 'trumpets of death' (as translated from French) are dark brown to almost black ‘craterellus’ mushrooms, which are plentiful, fairly inexpensive, and incredibly tasty.
This dish pairs well with a dry, steely white wine or a light, fruity red wine. Chablis is a great choice, and a light Pinot also complements these flaky freshwater fish. You can even try both wines as an experiment. It's amazing how much a wine can enhance your enjoyment of a dish. We recommend either a wine from Chablis or Jean-Jacques Girard’s Bourgogne Rouge as a beautiful companion to this dish.
These are all fine white wine accompaniments to the dishes, but you may well be wondering – what about red wine? Can they ever be drunk with Burgundy fish dishes? To which we answer – most certainly yes!
How To Match Red Burgundy Wines with Fish Dishes
Pairing red wine with Burgundy fish dishes may seem unusual, but it can lead to a whole new world of taste experiences. While the common belief is that only white wine should be served with fish, there are actually many red wines that complement fish dishes very well.
When pairing red wine with fish, it's important to start by considering the type of fish you are cooking: its texture, its oiliness, its flavor, how it's most often cooked, and what the other ingredients in the dish are.
For oily fish like salmon, sardines, trout, and mackerel, light, juicy, delicate reds like Burgundian Pinot Noir are a great match, especially when the fish is prepared simply. The fat in oily fish complements the tannins in red wine, making them an excellent pairing, especially if you chill the red wine slightly.
Meaty fish like tuna can be paired with Burgundian Pinot Noir as well, and the iron content in tuna can enhance the fruitier notes in the wine. Meaty fish also pairs well with wines from Beaujolais, such as a Cru Gamay, and slightly heavier Pinot Noirs from the Cote de Nuits. If you're going to grill or barbecue your fish, red wines with smoky/tobacco or dried herb flavors can make a winning combination.
For light, flaky fish such as pike and perch (see above recipe), a Jean-Jacques Girard Bourgogne or a light Beaujolais can be great red wine options to pair with the dish, especially if you prefer red to white wine. Additionally, serving fresh-water fish with a meurette red wine sauce, which requires fruit and acidity, pairs well with reasonably priced Pinot Noir or light Beaujolais. (Just avoid adding lemon to the fish as it may clash with the tannins in red wine).
Experience this sort of Burgundy gastronomy in the hands of Dennis and Ellie when you come to stay with us at Domaine de Cromey! Click here to start your adventure now. Don’t forget to check out our Burgundywine.com blog here, and also our Cromey blog here. And last but by no means least, why not join our Burgundy Wine Club?
