Pairing food and wine has been around for centuries in European countries. Europeans grew up with food and wine as part of their daily lifestyle. Wine lovers in the United States are learning to determine what foods pair well with their favorite wines or dishes. This post should give you a good idea of how to find the dominant flavor to pair with. Once you have covered the basic guidelines of food pairing, such as alcohol, acidity, tannins, or sweetness, in wine, there is one more step to consider. That is identifying the dominant flavor in your dish.
The food’s dominant flavor can affect your impression and taste of the wine. Six flavors – bitter, sour, salt, spice, sweet, and any apparent oak flavors- can change the wine’s chemistry on your pallet. You will find that identifying the dominant character in the dish; is often the sauce, seasonings, or cooking method rather than the main ingredients. Seasonings and sauces generally overtake other ingredients when it comes to pairing.
When you are preparing your dish, choose the dominant ingredient. For example, salt is dominant when chicken breasts are seasoned with capers and olives. If a grilled swordfish fillet is topped with mango salsa, the primary element will be sweetness. Preparing a creamy mushroom sauce topped on pork tenderloin; the primary factor will be the earthiness of the mushrooms.
Grilled Swordfish & Mango Sauce
- Ingredients
- 4 Swordfish (4-6 ounces each)
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 1 ½ tablespoons Soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons Parsley (chopped)
- 2 teaspoons Thyme leaves (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- ¾ teaspoon garlic (minced)
- Place the olive oil, honey, soy sauce, lemon zest, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl or resealable bag. Whisk to thoroughly combine.
- Reserve 1 tablespoon of the marinade for later use. Add the garlic to the marinade and stir.
- Add the swordfish to the marinade.
- Cover the bowl or seal the bag, then marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
- Remove the swordfish from the marinade and scrape off any excess bits of herbs or garlic.
- Preheat an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the swordfish steaks and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until the swordfish is opaque throughout.
- Brush the reserved marinade over the fish, then serve immediately, with lemon wedges if desired.
Mango sauce
1. In a serving bowl, combine the prepared mango, bell pepper, onion, cilantro and jalapeño. Drizzle with the juice of one lime. Using a large spoon, stir the ingredients together. Season to taste with salt and stir again. For best flavor, let the salsa set for 1 hour.
This recipe would pair well with a California Chardonnay.
