If you read the AJC Food section, you probably know my friend and colleague, Gil Kulers, the wise and witty sommelier and Certified Wine Educator who writes the Kulers Uncorked column.
You also might know that I write the Beer Town column. And that sometimes Gil and I spar over beer versus wine in our version of professional wrestling.
For several years running, we even had an annual cage match, pairing cheese and chocolate and other stuff before a live audience at Taste of Atlanta, where I would pretend to hate wine and Gil would pretend to hate beer.
In truth, Gil loves beer and I love wine and we’ve both enjoyed learning what works well with food, whether it’s a snappy pilsner or a sweet Sauternes.
But a funny thing happened when Gil took a job as the somm at the Piedmont Driving Club — he started doing beer dinners with executive chef Jay Yarbrough and the help of several local breweries.
Recently, leading up to a dinner featuring beers from Three Taverns Brewery, I asked the duo of Kulers and Yarbrough to talk about creating beer and wine pairings.
First, I wanted to know how Kulers approached pairing in general, whether he was working with beer or wine.
“Inevitably it’s balance,” he said. “You don’t want the beer or the wine to overshadow the food. Sometimes they are equal, which is fine. But often I find that the beer or the wine can make the food a more brilliant experience. When you have something that’s too contrasting in flavor, it can be much less than the two components. When you get it right, it’s one plus one equals three.”
I also wanted to know what he’d been learning about beer pairing, especially in terms of its strengths and weaknesses versus wine.
“I haven’t used sour beers much, so far, but generally wine has more acidity by nature, which is useful in pairing,” Kulers said. “I don’t think so much about what beer doesn’t have. I think about what it has. It often has an earthy quality. Certainly, IPA has a distinct bitter quality. And, of course, there’s the bubbles, which like champagne, really refreshes the palate.”
What may be surprising is that chef Yarbrough designs his tasting menus by working with the beverages first, then essentially reverse engineers the dishes to fit the pairing.
“Usually Gil will send a list of wines or beers that he’s interested in, with profiles, thoughts and tasting notes, then we’ll talk about ideas for things that might work,” Yarbrough said.
For the Three Taverns dinner, Yarbrough decided the brewery’s White Hops, which is a Belgian-style spiced White IPA, would work well for the fish course, and he came up with a classic paupiette of Dover sole, plated with carrot ginger puree and charred lemon beurre blanc. “There’s a flavor of ginger in the beer so I decided that incorporating that in a fish course would be nice,” Yarbrough said.
Asked for a wine pairing, Kulers said, “I like white Burgundies with Dover sole, but since this one is poached, thus making it more delicate, my safe choice is a Chablis. Let’s say the Brocard ‘Montée de Tonnerre,’ if you want to hold me to a selection.”
For the main course, Yarbrough created a combo of mustard-glazed duck leg and wood-grilled duck sausage to match up with a pair of Three Taverns IPAs, one brewed with Belgian ale yeast, and the other with American ale yeast.
“We were working with hoppy IPAs, so I used duck, which is rich but something of a lighter meat,” Yarbrough said. “I added some more flavor and spice with a South Carolina mustard barbecue sauce, which brought it all together.”
Kulers’ choice for a wine pairing is a German riesling, which he said, “makes short work of the fatty duck sausage, so you can better enjoy the smoky duck flavors.” And back to sparring a bit, he added, “No disrespect to the beers here, but the 2014 Selbach-Oster Kabinett Riesling would be one of those pairings that might bring a tear of joy to your eye.”
Recipes
These recipes from Piedmont Driving Club executive chef Jay Yarbrough feature a few professional techniques and several sub recipes that may seem daunting at first. But broken down into sections, they are easy to master, and yield a variety of great dishes that can be used in many combinations. Beer and wine pairings by sommelier Gil Kulers are featured with the recipes.
Braised Duck With Grilled Duck Sausage and Green Cabbage With Apples and Yellow Mustard Jus
This braised duck dish with fall ingredients is cooked in the fashion of the early German immigrants to northern Georgia and South Carolina. With the combination of wild game, sausage-making and the traditional use of mustard in the sauce, dishes like this are where the Southern tradition of barbecue got its start. Substitute chicken, game hen or other poultry for the duck, if you like. The sausage can be made ahead of time and holds for at least a week in the refrigerator. If you don’t have a meat grinder or stand mixer attachment, ask your butcher to grind the poultry for you.
For the duck sausage
12 ounces boneless trimmed duck, or other poultry, cut in small pieces
4 ounces fatback, available from the butcher
1 teaspoon granulated salt
1 teaspoon toasted whole fennel seed
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ cup white wine
Dice the fatback. Combine salt, fennel seeds, garlic, pepper and paprika. Mix with white wine. Grind the duck meat and fatback through the medium die of a meat grinder into a chilled mixing bowl. Add the wine and spice mixture to the ground meat and run through the grinder a second time. Place in the bowl of a 4-quart mixer. Using a paddle, mix on medium speed for 60 seconds or until it becomes tacky to the touch. Spoon the sausage onto plastic wrap and roll tightly into cylinders 1 inch in diameter and about 4 inches long. Twist the ends of the plastic and tie a knot in one end. Then hold the other end and roll the cylinder on the cutting board to tighten it. Tie a knot in the other end and pull it tight. Bring water to a simmer in a medium stockpot. Poach the rolled sausages in simmering water for 15 minutes and remove from the water. Allow to cool to room temperature and place in the refrigerator. When cooled, remove the plastic wrap.
Serves 4
Per serving: 309 calories (percent of calories from fat, 71), 6 grams protein, 1 gram carbohydrates, no fiber, 30 grams fat (12 grams saturated), 49 milligrams cholesterol, 656 milligrams sodium.
For the braised duck legs
2 quarts chicken stock
½ cup yellow mustard
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup ketchup
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon granulated salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
4 duck legs and thighs with skin on
Preheat oven to 325. Mix all ingredients except duck legs together in a medium ovenproof sauce pan and bring to a simmer on the stove. Sear the duck legs over high heat in a separate pan until golden brown and add the legs to the braising liquid. Remove from heat and cut a piece of parchment paper roughly the size of the top of the pan. Cover the liquid with the paper and place in the center of the preheated oven. Leave the duck legs in the oven for about 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure the liquid has not reduced below the top of the legs. Remove the duck from the oven and place on a plate or bowl to cool. Place the braising liquid back on the stove over medium heat and simmer until it is reduced to a sauce consistency. Skim the fat off the top and strain through a fine wire mesh sieve. Reserve 1 cup for serving and cool the rest for later use. When the duck has cooled, pick the meat off the bones and hold for serving.
Serves 4
Per serving: 187 calories (percent of calories from fat, 48), 5 grams protein, 19 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 10 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 16 milligrams cholesterol,1,390 milligrams sodium.
For the braised cabbage
1 small head of white cabbage, about 2 pounds
1 quart chicken stock
1 quart water
1 large carrot
1 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoons caraway seed
1 tablespoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 Granny Smith apple
Clean the leathery leaves from the outside of the cabbage. Cut in quarters and cut out the core. Cut the wedges into julienne by turning sideways and cutting across the leaves. Place in a sauce pot on the stove and add the chicken stock and 2 cups of the water. Turn on medium heat and bring to a simmer. Peel and cut the carrot in a small dice and add to the cabbage. Add apple juice, brown sugar, vinegar, caraway seed, salt and pepper and continue to simmer. Combine the remaining 2 cups of water with the lemon juice. Peel and core the apple. Cut in a small dice and place in the container with the water and lemon juice. When the carrots and cabbage are tender, strain off the water from the apples and add them to the cabbage. Continue to simmer an additional 10 minutes and turn off heat. This will give you about double the amount of cabbage you need for 4 plates so you can either cut the recipe in half or use the rest for another meal.
Serves 8
Per serving: 77 calories (percent of calories from fat, 6), 2 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 1 gram fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 1,899 milligrams sodium.
To finish and serve
4 duck sausages
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 braised duck legs and thighs
3 cups braised cabbage with apples
1 cup yellow mustard jus
½ cup micro herbs or sunflower sprouts
Light the grill and get it to a good low cooking temperature. If you have wood chips for smoking, add them. Lightly coat duck sausages with oil and place them on the grill. Roll them every minute or two to heat evenly for 5 to 8 minutes. You may want to cut one open and make sure it is hot throughout. Reheat the pulled duck in a sauté pan with a little bit of the sauce. Make sure your cabbage and remaining sauce is also hot. Lay out 4 warm entrée plates and use tongs to lay the cabbage across the middle of the plate. Spoon the pulled duck over the cabbage and lay the grilled sausage alongside the duck. Drizzle sauce over the duck and around the plate. Place a few herb sprouts on the top and serve immediately.
Serves 4
Per serving: 573 calories (percent of calories from fat, 64), 13 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 41 grams fat (16 grams saturated), 55 milligrams cholesterol, 2,845 milligrams sodium.
Beer Pairing: Three Taverns A Night on Ponce American IPA or Three Taverns A Night in Brussels Belgian-style IPA
Wine pairing: 2012 Brocard Chablis, Premier Cru, Montée de Tonnerre or 2014 Selbach-Oster Kabinett Riesling
Chocolate Pots de Crème With Vanilla Cherry Preserves and Spice Cookies
For this recipe you will need an instant-read or candy thermometer which is available at most stores, a hand-held stick blender, and small 3- to 5-ounce ceramic ramequins. You will have more cherry preserves than you need but there are plenty of ways to can use the extra.
For the chocolate custard
¾ cup whole milk
¼ cup heavy cream
½ vanilla bean, split
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ cup Callabeaut dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine milk, cream and split vanilla bean in a medium sauce pot over high heat and bring just to a boil, stirring frequently. Mix egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl with a whisk until just combined and smooth. Do not over whip. Gradually whisk in the hot milk mixture and cook to 185 degrees as measured on your thermometer. Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Pour the milk and egg mixture over the chocolate and stir until all the chocolate has melted. Emulsify the mixture with a hand-held stick blender and strain through a wire mesh sieve. Pour the mixture into ramequins. Place the ramequins in a deep sheet pan and add water until it reaches half-way up the ramequins. Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the top feels elastic and set, about 30 minutes. Remove ramequins from the water bath and place in the refrigerator to cool.
Serves 4
Per serving: 248 calories (percent of calories from fat, 55), 4 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 16 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 133 milligrams cholesterol, 34 milligrams sodium.
For the cherry preserves
1½ pounds pitted fresh cherries
1½ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ teaspoon unsalted butter
1½ tablespoons powdered pectin
1 vanilla bean
2 teaspoons dark balsamic vinegar
In a large sauce pot combine cherries, half of the sugar, lemon juice and butter. Mix the powdered pectin with the other half of the sugar and add to the pot. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and add to the mixture. Cook over high heat until the dry ingredients are well mixed and the sugar starts to melt. Bring to a rolling boil and allow to boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid boiling over. Remove from the heat and skim foam with a spoon. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean. Fill sanitized jars with preserves and tightly seal with caps. Flip the jars upside down for 5 minutes and turn right side up. Allow to cool.
Yield approximately 4 each 8 ounce jars
Per 2-ounce (1/4-cup) serving: 98 calories (percent of calories from fat, 2), trace protein, 25 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 4 milligrams sodium.
For the spice cookies
4 ounces unsalted butter
2½ tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Beat together butter, sugar, dark brown sugar, baking soda, salt and spices until mixture is smooth and a uniform color. Scrape the bowl and add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until the egg has been absorbed. Scrape the ball and add the flour. Mix just until all the flour has been absorbed. Roll the dough about 1/8 of an inch thick and chill. Cut into desired shapes. Bake on a pan lined with a baking mat or parchment paper until browned and firm, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Cookies will continue to crisp as they cool.
Yields approximately 36 cookies
Per cookie: 67 calories (percent of calories from fat, 40), 1 gram protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 3 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 13 milligrams cholesterol, 38 milligrams sodium.
To finish and serve
4 chocolate pots de crème ramequins
1 cup cherry vanilla preserve
4 spice cookies
Put the ramequins on plates off to one side. Place a small pile of the cherry preserves in the center of each plate and balance the cookie in the cherry preserve.
Serves 4
Per serving, entire recipe: 398 calories (percent of calories from fat, 41), 6 grams protein, 56 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 19 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 146 milligrams cholesterol, 75 milligrams sodium.
Beer pairing: Three Taverns Theophan the Recluse Belgian-style Russian Imperial Stout
Wine pairing: 2009 Gérard Bertrand Banyuls from southwestern France
