The tender greens of spring match rich sausage in this simple dish that tumbles the elements together in one bowl. Though easy to make, the flavors are diverse, meaning you’ll want a wine that can tie them together. Here are three from France that do so handily.
Make this: Kale with Grilled Sausages
Grill 4 Italian sausages over medium heat, 5-8 minutes. Slice sausages into 1/2-inch rounds. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 white onion, chopped, and 2 cloves garlic, minced; season with salt. Cook until beginning to soften. Stir in 8 cups baby kale and 1/2 cup white wine; season with salt. Cook, stirring until kale wilts, 6 minutes. (You may need to add water.) Stir in 1 can (14 ounces) white beans, drained, rinsed, 1/2 cup thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes and the sausage; cook until heated through, 5 minutes. Makes: 4 servings
Recipe by Joe Gray
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Pairings by sommelier Ryan Arnold, divisional wine director for Lettuce Entertain You restaurants, as told to Michael Austin:
2014 Albert Boxler Grand Cru Sommerberg Riesling, Alsace, France: Italian sausage can have mild heat and some spice, both of which can be tempered by a dry riesling like this one, rich and medium-bodied with racing acidity, a floral component, ripe fruit and stony minerality. This wine comes from a vineyard made up of granite and schist soils, and the minerality imparted by that site gives the wine a zippy finish.
2014 Laurent Tribut Chablis, Burgundy, France: This wine, a product of Chablis winemaking royalty, shows citrus in the form of lemon zest and ripe pear notes, which will match the weight the beans lend to the dish. Raw greens can be a difficult ingredient to pair, but when they are sauteed they really meld into the Italian sausage and the white beans. The chardonnay will complement it all quite well.
2013 Domaine Berthet-Bondet Trio Cotes du Jura, Jura, France: When pairing sausages with red wine you want higher acidity and lower tannins. This wine is made of 40 percent trousseau, 40 percent poulsard and 20 percent pinot noir from 19-year-old vines. Light-bodied, it has a bright bouquet of red fruits and earthiness. The sausage in this dish is grilled, which sheds some of its fat, calling for a leaner wine such as this one.
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