Wines mesh well with mushrooms

Fall weather triggers a change in the colors of the landscape, our diet and the wines that complements our meals. For me, that means mushrooms and wines that enhance the apricot and nut flavors of chanterelles, the delicate lobster mushroom and everything that falls in between.

The changing weather also signals harvest and crush for wineries, new wine releases and the opportunity to forage for mushrooms. My aunt used to say that the velvet earthiness of mushrooms paired with a great wine was “like the anticipation of a culinary kiss.”

This is the time of year when restaurants will feature entrees with a prominent mushroom theme. If you don’t see it on restaurant specials, ask for it. There are plenty of mushroom pickers in the region who cater to local restaurants — the more of us who ask, the higher the chances of getting a tasty meal featuring regional fungi.

Early signs indicate that this will be a bountiful year for Northwest mushrooms. With the summer’s heat behind us and recent rains, mushrooms are popping up all over the place. Don’t eat them unless you know how to identify them — trust your local grocery store or restaurant. Even if you purchase your portobello, dried morels, fresh or dried porcinis or white and brown mushrooms from the grocery store it’s still a good time to experiment.

There is something heavenly about combining the simple flavors of chanterelles, porcini and portobello mushrooms with terroir-driven red wines such as pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon, and the oyster and metallic flavors of shaggy mane or oyster mushrooms with a sauvignon blanc. Matsutake mushrooms have a spicy, clean taste that work well with an Alsacean white wine because it can handle the exotic, spicy (not peppery) flavors of that mushroom, and local mushroom hunters say the Matsutake should be more plentiful this year (although much more expensive than your regular mushrooms — but a little goes a long way).

The key to pairing mushrooms with wine is considering how the fungi are cooked and what spices and sauces are used. Keep it simple so you can taste the mushroom flavors. Hearty stews and soups, red meats and lots of spices generally will call for a heavier red wine. Light cream sauces, simple sautés with just a whiff or splash of seasonings work well with white wines. Sautéing mushrooms in a little butter and olive oil with light seasonings and served over pasta is one of the best ways to enjoy the flavors of seasonal mushrooms.

With the more delicate varieties, such as lobster, enokis, and oyster, stick to wines that do not overpower the flavor — white wines, such as sauvignon blanc, semillon, riesling or a lighter chardonnay. Light, fruity reds, such as beaujolais would also work.

Arbor Crest Winery has a lovely sauvignon blanc that complements the more delicate mushrooms. L’Ecole Winery in Walla Walla has three beautiful semillon wines with vibrant acidity that brings out the flavors of delicate mushrooms. Columbia Crest and Columbia also make good (and easy-on-the-wallet) semillons. I recently tasted a new release of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s sauvignon blanc and it worked very well with the lobster mushroom salad (see recipe below). It was just a beautiful complement to the light seasoning of the orange and ginger dressing.

The heavier textured mushrooms — portobello, porcini, morels and chanterelles can stand up to red wines, such as cabernet sauvignon, syrah, merlot and the more interesting varietals, including sangiovese, cabernet franc and clarets (a blend of Bordeaux varieties such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, malbec and syrah).

The 2001 cabernet sauvignon from Washington’s Hightower Cellars is exceptionally good with grilled portobello mushrooms — a medium bodied wine with lush berry and plum that harmonized with the meaty portobello. Robert Karl’s claret compliments lightly sautéed chanterelles with garlic, a tiny bit of onion, butter and olive oil. Put those wonderful ‘shrooms on top of a rare steak or lamb chops and you will experience culinary heaven. Or, try any Chahalem pinot noir with morel mushrooms — since the fresh ones are out of season, purchase dried morels (again, a little goes a long way) and create a wonderful sauce with lamb chops (see recipe below).

The window for opportunity on fresh regional mushrooms will not linger into November, so now is the time to hunt for, ask about, purchase and cook these delectable morsels. Or, try them at your favorite restaurant. To make the experience even better, go for the culinary kiss and pair with a regional wine. It should make you want more.

Recent Tastings

Covey Run 2002 Chardonnay: I recently tasted this wine when I heard that Covey Run, a winery specializing in inexpensive wines, was releasing a reserved line. This wine has good acidity for food, ripe fruit that leaves a crisp lemon zest taste in the mouth. I had this with giant scallops with a lime butter sauce on jasmine rice and it was terrific. Around $20.

Hightower Cellars 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon: I thought this was a beautifully structured wine with plum and black cherries in the mouth and a long finish. The grapes come from Red Mountain, and I always get a dusty, brambly cassis flavor from Red Mountain wines. Served with grilled portobello mushrooms. Around $30.

Pend d’ Oreille 2002 Syrah, Columbia Valley: I like this wine, despite the fact that it is young in the bottle still and has a little too much heat (alcohol) at the moment. But it is a robust Rhone-style wine with deep blackberry and cola nut flavors. This paired very well with flank steak. Better yet, hold on to it for a few months — it has flavors that will linger for quite some time. Around $25. For something a little more economical, try the Northern Idaho winery’s 2002 Bistro Rouge, which is a cabernet sauvignon, merlot and shiraz blend. A fun wine for only $11-$12.

Columbia Crest 2002 Two Vines Shiraz: This winery consistently produces value wines packed with flavor for the price. In a blind tasting, this wine outscored wines that cost twice as much. The wine is styled like New World shiraz, with ripe, jammy fruit. I would drink this young and make it your house wine for only $8 per bottle.

Yakima Cellars 2002 Downtown Red: This is a funky wine, but fun to drink. It’s a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, a splash of cabernet franc and lemberger. In the nose you can sense toasted vanilla, dark cherry and Kirsch liqueur and the mouth is full of cherry fruit. For the price, $10, this is fun to try.

Here are some of my favorite mushroom recipes to help you enjoy the season:

This originally came from “Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America,” by Alan Bessette, but I have changed it over the years to suit my tastes.

Lobster Mushroom Spinach Salad

1 cup, more or less to taste, slivered lobster mushrooms (see note)

For the marinade:

2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons of white wine, vermouth or sparkling wine (whatever is on hand)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon of dried dill

For the Orange-Ginger Dressing:

1 cup of orange juice

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup of olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon grated ginger root

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 tablespoon of honey.

Fresh spinach, (enough for four) washed and patted dry

Steam or slightly cook mushrooms. I prefer the mushrooms slightly cooked in a small amount of olive oil and butter — just enough to be semi-soft. It will take a couple of minutes if you sauté the mushrooms and five minutes if steaming. Mix together marinade ingredients. Add mushrooms and stir to coat.

Mix together the Orange Ginger Dressing ingredients. Remove mushrooms from marinade mix and distribute on spinach in a colorful salad bowl. Toss the spinach mixture with the orange ginger dressing. Serve with sauvignon blanc, semillon or viognier wine.

Note: You can substitute oyster mushrooms if lobster mushrooms are not available.

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 196 calories, 14 grams fat (1.8 grams saturated, 60 percent fat calories), 2.8 grams protein, 16 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 1.6 grams dietary fiber, 860 milligrams sodium.

I eyeball ingredients and cook by taste, so this next recipe is close as I can get. Also, if you are counting calories and carbs, this is not the recipe for you. It is not for the faint-of-heart, but embraces total decadence and food flavors.

Pan Roasted Lamb Chops with a Ragout of Morel (or Chanterelle) Mushrooms

6 to 8 loin lamb chops (ribs will work too), about 1 1/2-inches thick

1/2 cup olive oil

2 to 4 tablespoons of freshly minced garlic

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

Liberal sprinkling of Montreal steak seasoning (sold at Costco and many grocery stores)

1/3 cup pinot noir or other red wine to be served with dinner

For the ragout:

2 cups morel or chanterelle mushrooms (see note)

1/2 cup shallots or green onions

1 cup red wine

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

Black pepper, to taste

For the demiglace:

1/3 pound of finely chopped bacon

1/2 medium chopped white or Walla Walla onion

3 small carrots, finely chopped

1/4 cup of flour

Butter, to taste (2 to 3 teaspoons)

Red wine, to taste

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 bay leaf, crumbled

Thyme to taste

2 (14-ounce) cans of beef stock

2 tablespoons red and yellow bell pepper

To make the lamb chops: Mix the olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, seasoning and pinot noir thoroughly and marinate lamb for several hours before cooking.

Sear the lamb chops on both sides over high heat, and then cook for another three to five minutes. I prefer them medium rare. Remove from pan; keep warm.

To make the ragout: Sauté mushrooms with shallots or green onions. (Add more mushrooms to your taste. The more mushrooms, the better, I think). Deglaze the pan with red wine and balsamic vinegar. Add sugar and black pepper to taste. Allow it to reduce by half.

To make the demiglace: Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots, stirring for about five minutes or until soft. Sprinkle with flour and continue cooking for about 10 minutes. If sauce is too thick, add butter and a little wine.

Add tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme and beef stock. Simmer over medium heat until sauce is reduced by about half. (Ordinarily, you should strain the demiglace and end up with just the liquid. I like to keep it all together. You can do either with great flavor.)

Add demiglace to the ragout mixture. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add two tablespoons of red and yellow bell pepper for color. To serve, spoon the sauce onto each plate, then place lamb chops on the top. Add more sauce to cover the chops.

Note: Use fresh mushrooms if they are in season. Or, substitute an equal amount of reconstituted dried mushrooms.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 6: 435 calories, 26 grams fat (5.8 grams saturated, 54 percent fat calories), 17 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrate, 44.8 milligrams cholesterol, 3.75 grams dietary fiber, 621 milligrams sodium.