| When the California Turkey Board (no jokes, please) asked several United States wineries what wine went best with traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner, the suggestions went on and on. Pinot noir, said one winery; it’s rich and full like the meal itself. Chardonnay, said another; it matches the dinner’s complexity. The final tote stood at nine different wines: four whites, two dry pinks, three reds — and one turkey. Perhaps the best choice is not one wine but many. Why not try an assortment of wines for your upcoming Thanksgiving Day dinner? And the same holds for drinking with the leftovers that remain after the big day itself. |
HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED: • 1/2 small shallot, peeled and minced • 4 leaves fresh sage, chopped • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1/2 cup dry white wine • 1/2 cup cream • 1 and 1/2 cup leftover mashed sweet potato • 1 egg • Salt and pepper to taste • 2 tablespoons Farmhouse Hand-Rolled Butter (on special this month next door at our neighbors, Marczyk Fine Foods) • Leftover turkey breast, sliced and warmed HERE’S WHAT YOU DO: Make a sage cream: In a saucepan, sauté the shallot and sage in the olive oil. When fragrant, add the white wine and reduce by half; add the cream and simmer 3-4 minutes on medium low heat; set aside. Mix together the leftover mashed sweet potato, and the egg, salt and pepper until creamy. Melt the butter in a nonstick pan and fry potato pancake over medium to medium-high heat for about 3 minutes on each side. Put pancake on a plate, top with the turkey breast, top with some sage cream, and serve. |
AND THE WINE PAIRINGS… this week from Bob Blair. This recipe is decadently rich, so bright acidity will help balance the flavors and will not leave you feeling like you are sinking into your chair. I do not want a wine that matches the richness and complexity; rather I want a wine that will help cut through the sage cream and sweet potato. My first choice is an Alsatian white: Jean Biecher Pinot Gris, $14.99. Red would work here too. I still want bright acidity to balance, and it doesn’t get much brighter that Nebbiolo. Luigi Giordano Langhe Rosso ($19.99) is a beautifully earthy Nebbiolo blend from Piedmont — it’s even a touch gamey, which will bring the sage cream forward. |
Leftover Sweet Potato Pancake with Sage Cream
About the Author: Bill St. John
Marczyk Fine Wines has Bill St John and other wine lovers to thank for our blog. Wine and food facts and falsehoods, delicious recipes, Denver liquor history, and "the best wines you never heard of" explained, all in one nifty place. This is the Denver wine store you're looking for. Bill is a Denver native and for 40 years, a teacher and writer on food and food & wine, including The Denver Post; Rocky Mountain News; Chicago Tribune; Wine & Spirits magazine; KCNC-TV Channel 4; and others. Check out Bill's food blog, with recipes, historical food knowledge and tips on eating and food shopping in Denver. Great guy and a bottomless well of food and drink knowledge.
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