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For: Immediate Release August 20, 2000
Contacts: Davida Breier (410) 366-8343
Jeanne McStay (410) 366-VEGE
COOKING VEGETARIAN WITH
WINE-BASED FRENCH SAUCES
The method of food preparation is very important to decide on before selecting a wine. For example, ingredients that will be poached call for a fragile white wine, while a simmering sauce calls for hearty red wine.
Medium and full red wines (such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, Medoc, and Cabarnet Sauvignon) can be used for sautéing, pan-frying, roasting, and grilling tofu, seitan, and tempeh and is appropriate for flavoring hearty pasta dishes, barbecued tempeh, and veggies.
A full white wine (such as Tokay or Sauterne) can be used for baking and pastry-making and is appropriate for flavoring soy cheeses, smoked tofu, and portobello mushrooms as well as for fruits and desserts.
Chef Nancy Berkoff, R.D. has created a four-page guide to Cooking With Wine. Included are sections on Picking and Choosing Wines, Cooking Wines, Calories and Alcohol, nine basic sauces, and recipes for mushroom stock and vegetable stock.
To order the four page handout, send a self addressed envelope with two first class stamps to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.
BASIC SAUCES
VELOUTE: To create 1 quart of veloute, beat 4 ounces of roux (2 ounces
of flour and 2 ounces of fat, such as margarine or vegetable oil, worked
into a paste) into 1 quart and 1 cup of hot vegetable or mushroom stock.
Simmer for at least 45 minutes, skimming if necessary.
WHITE WINE SAUCE: Reduce 5 ounces of dry white wine by half, add 1 quart of veloute, and simmer for 10 minutes. Beat in 3 ounces of soymilk (not fat reduced) and 1 ounce of lemon juice and beat until well combined.
DEMIGLAZE: To make 1 quart of demiglaze, combine 1 quart of mushroom stock and 1 quart of mushroom sauce (mushroom stock flavored with carrots, onions, celery, tomato puree, bay leaf, and thyme and thickened with roux) and allow to simmer until it is reduced by half.
Commercial wines are not all vegetarian. Usually all the ingredients are vegan, but during the filtration process, filters may contain animal products, such as isinglass (fish bladder). For a complete article on vegan wines, go online to www.vrg.org and see FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions About Food Ingredients. When inquiring at your favorite winery about the vegetarian status of their wine selections, asked detailed questions about the filtration process.
ARTICHOKE TRIVIA: Most wine experts will tell you that there is a wine for every cuisine and for every ingredient. According to Chef Nancy Berkoff, “That’s almost true.” The one ingredient that defies wine pairing is that thorny thistle the artichoke.
Nancy states that artichokes contain cynarin, an acid that tricks your taste buds into tasting flavors that just aren’t there. For 80 percent of the world, cynarin creates a sweet taste, even for water. So, a lightly fruit wine will become cloying and overly sweet in the presence of cynarin, and even a tart, dry wine will taste slightly sweet, unpleasantly so.
Please note that Alcoholics Anonymous suggests that foods that are prepared with any type of alcohol, even alcohol-“free” wine or beer pose an issue for recovering alcoholics. Be sure to discuss this with your guests or family members if this might be a concern for them.
The Vegetarian Resource Group is a non-profit organization which educates the public about vegetarianism. Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or fowl. Vegans are vegetarians who also do not use other animal products such as dairy or eggs. For more information on vegetarianism, visit www.vrg.org. Or send a self addressed stamped envelope to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.
Nancy Berkoff is author of Vegan in Volume – Vegan Quantity Recipes for Every Occasion (ISBN 0-931411-21-1; 272 pages). Vegan in Volume helps you with catered events, weddings, birthday celebrations, college food service, quality hospital food, dinner parties, holiday recipes, and more. Servings are for 25. To order, send $20 to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203. Or call (410) 366-8343 Monday to Friday 9 AM to 5 PM EST.
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| Last Updated August 23, 2000 |
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| The contents of this web site, as with all The Vegetarian Resource Group publications, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. Any pages on this site may be reproduced for non-commercial use if left intact and with credit given to The Vegetarian Resource Group. Web site questions or comments? Please email [email protected]. |
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