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Here's a dish that would taste nicely with most any wine, but for one disinclined to flatter its simplicity. (Bonnie Trafelet/Chicago Tribune) |
The only element in this recipe worth any wine worry is the fat you'll pick up in the ground turkey (how much depends on the cut), added to that of the nut oil in the pistachios. Fat carries flavor, but it also can be a barrier to other flavors getting through.
A little tannin in a red would help mollify any oily unctuousness, but it isn't necessary. Here's a dish that would taste nicely with most any wine, but for one disinclined to flatter its simplicity. Not for a blockbuster cabernet, this bit o' burger.
The food: Pistachio-encrusted turkey burgers
Form 1 pound ground turkey into 4 patties. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place 1 cup coarsely chopped pistachios on a plate. Coat patties with pistachios on all sides, pressing in gently. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties until nuts are slightly browned, 3-5 minutes. Flip, cook the other side. Transfer skillet with patties to a 325-degree oven; bake until interior of burgers reaches 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes. Makes: 4 servings
The wines
2011 Bodegas As Laxas Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain: This fresh and lively white combines the soft, plush character of chin-dripping juicy pear with the tang of citrus. $20-$25
2008 Quinta do Portal Mural Reserva, Douro, Portugal: Another exciting version of the new age of dry reds from this valley; elegance and perfume from tempranillo, heft and chew from two other red grapes; great price for all that's there. $15
Hope Family Wines Red Blend Troublemaker, Paso Robles, California: The wine's nickname should be the winemaker's, who eschews tried-and-true by blending years (2010 and 2011) and several grapes for a heady, delicious, smooth, long-lasting red with a super price tag. $20
— Bill St. John, special to Tribune Newspapers
A little tannin in a red would help mollify any oily unctuousness, but it isn't necessary. Here's a dish that would taste nicely with most any wine, but for one disinclined to flatter its simplicity. Not for a blockbuster cabernet, this bit o' burger.
The food: Pistachio-encrusted turkey burgers
Form 1 pound ground turkey into 4 patties. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place 1 cup coarsely chopped pistachios on a plate. Coat patties with pistachios on all sides, pressing in gently. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties until nuts are slightly browned, 3-5 minutes. Flip, cook the other side. Transfer skillet with patties to a 325-degree oven; bake until interior of burgers reaches 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes. Makes: 4 servings
The wines
2011 Bodegas As Laxas Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain: This fresh and lively white combines the soft, plush character of chin-dripping juicy pear with the tang of citrus. $20-$25
2008 Quinta do Portal Mural Reserva, Douro, Portugal: Another exciting version of the new age of dry reds from this valley; elegance and perfume from tempranillo, heft and chew from two other red grapes; great price for all that's there. $15
Hope Family Wines Red Blend Troublemaker, Paso Robles, California: The wine's nickname should be the winemaker's, who eschews tried-and-true by blending years (2010 and 2011) and several grapes for a heady, delicious, smooth, long-lasting red with a super price tag. $20
— Bill St. John, special to Tribune Newspapers
