Food and wine matching by Roving Sommelier
Seeing as today’s a Friday, I thought I would give you something ‘fishy’! Here is a simple, quick recipe, which makes for a tasty snack, lunch or supper dish. It is also a wonderful way to use store cupboard ingredients, especially if you’re a fan of Thai cuisine, fish and aromatic spices. I have paired this dish with an aromatic New Zealand white wine. There are more stories, anecdotes, recipes and food and wine matching experiences featured in my book “An Epicurean Odyssey: A Road Trip Around New Zealand“.
Thai fish cakes
1 red capsicum, deseeded
3 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoon shrimp powder (dried shrimp blitzed in a coffee grinder)
3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
4 tablespoons coconut cream
1 egg white
1 small handful fresh white breadcrumbs
generous handful of fresh coriander & stalks
juice of 2 limes
1kg fresh boneless and skinless white fish fillets, chopped
plain oil for cooking
Blend all ingredients, except the fish, in a food processor to a coarse paste. Remove from the processor and set aside.
In two batches, briefly pulse the fish in the processor until it becomes the texture of very coarse mince. Combine the fish with the other ingredients briefly in the processor or by hand in a bowl. Fry a little bit of the mixture then taste and check the seasoning.
Form the remaining mixture into patties about 1cm thick and store, covered, between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap in the fridge until ready to cook.
When ready to cook, heat 1cm oil in a frying pan over medium heat then fry the patties, in batches, for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Serve immediately. A little side salad and a dollop of refreshing, creamy yoghurt raita (with cucumber and herbs) would be the perfect accompaniment.
Wine suggestion: 2009 Little Beauty Gewurztraminer – an exuberantly fresh, crisp and dry white wine made by the talented Eveline Fraser in the Southern Valleys sub-region of Marlborough, New Zealand. The wine is packed with citrus oil, heady aromas of bergamot and spicy flavours and packs a serious punch, even though it is relatively delicate. The lovely floral notes in the wine will play nicely with the Thai spices and cope with the chilli heat and saltiness in the fish cakes. What I really like the most about this wine is its texture and mouthfeel on the palate, especially when drunk with food. It has a wonderful, persistent and perfectly-balanced finish. A delicious combination and a great food and wine pairing.
The roving sommelier is the facilitator of liquid enjoyment and by sharing my knowledge, passion and experiences, I will be your friendly tour guide on this gastronomic jaunt. Essentially “An Epicurean Odyssey – A Road Trip Around New Zealand” is a personalised journey through food and wine, embellished with many mouth-watering anecdotes and more than 80 recipes and wine pairings. It will be your essential guide to New Zealand and a must-read for real foodies, wine lovers and enthusiastic travellers – all packed into less than 300 pages.
Please note: the eBook version is now available at the Kindle Store too!
A portion of my book sales will be donated towards the New Zealand Earthquake Appeal Fund.
I’m looking forward to hearing about your own food and wine stories and comments. For further details about Little Beauty wines, please click on their website.
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The epicurean odyssey continues…
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