Wine and Dine - Grilled Salmon and Pinot Noir Marinade a Crowd Pleaser

As published in The Naperville Sun - September 3,fatty nature of salmon, so it is a great choice.
2008On the white wine side, a light, crisp and refreshing
By Bill and Karen Garlough Special to The Sunwine is ideal. Italian whites are a great choice for
From the columnist: Given the joy my wife Karen andKaren's menu, but the acidity of the balsamic
I have for entertaining our friends and family and ourvinaigrette dressing must be taken into account.
love of good food and wine, this column will beWhile pinot grigio is Italy's best known white and
co-authored by both of us. Karen will focus onenjoys universal appeal, it is not the best match
recipes, and may sneak in some entertaining tips,because of its acidity. A solution is to find a blended
while I will pair wines with whatever Karen hasstyle wine of pinot grigio and another varietal that
cooking.offers less acidity, resulting in better match for a
Most summers, my wife Karen and I try and take invinegar-based dressing. One of my recommendations
a couple of concerts somewhere; local venues,is Masi Winery's blend of both pinot grigio and
Ravinia and downtown Chicago. It is always fun to goverduzzo, a pleasant wine with a fruity style. Another
with several other couples and, although we usuallyItalian varietal that would pair well is trebbiano. It is a
dine near the concert venue, we also gather beforelight and refreshing summer wine that pairs well with
the concert and grill a simple meal at home. This ispicnic fare.
comfortable, affordable and allows members of theSo, to please a group and complement this particular
group (who are not driving) to share some nice winemenu, I would recommend you offer both a white
with a healthy meal.and red wine, in this case a pinot noir and a pinot
On a recent weekend, we went to Ravinia. Insteadgrigio blend or a trebbiano white wine.
of the traditional picnic on the lawn, the group optedFood pairings
for dinner at our home, then the trek to HighlandQuick, easy and healthy - these are three perfect
Park. Karen asked me to select some wines for thewords we love to hear when thinking about dinner.
occasion. We started out with a variety of fingerThis marinade calls for pinot noir, the perfect pairing
foods - shrimp crostini, caprese skewers and a simplewith salmon. So, open the bottle of pinot a little early
platter with Brie, sliced apples, clusters of red grapesand steal a cup for this delicious marinade. The recipe
and a sliced French baguette.is adapted from Harvest restaurant where they pan
The dinner menu included grilled salmon with a pinotfry the fish (rather than grill) and serve it on a bed of
noir marinade, medley of white and wild rice, driedmashed potatoes.
cherries and sliced toasted almonds and grilledGrilled salmon with pinot noir marinade
asparagus with crumbled blue cheese and balsamic2 salmon fillets, rinsed and patted dry
vinaigrette.1 cup pinot noir
Wine basics2 shallots, peeled and sliced
When entertaining a group, it is generally best to2 springs fresh thyme, chopped
offer both a red and white wine. Summer picnic1 tablespoon sugar
wines should be light, refreshing and easy to drink.1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
They should also be able to be served slightly chilled.Serves two.
Karen's menu was easy to pair on the red wine side,Combine marinade ingredients in a large zip-lock bag
as pinot noir wine is included in the marinade, pairsor non-reactive covered dish. Add salmon and turn to
well with salmon and can be served slightly chilledcoat. Refrigerate, turning several more times, at least
with great results. I am a big fan of pinot noir30 minutes but not more than an hour. Place salmon
because it is a versatile wine that works well with ain hinged grill basket. Grill for approximately 5 to 7
variety of foods. Its acidity helps balance the rich,minutes per side or until fish flakes.