Chablis

Food and wine pairings

A white wine of outstanding quality, Chablis is made exclusively from Chardonnay, and covers four appellations: Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru.

A rich history, a specific soil, a perfectly suited climate and wine growers who are passionate about their profession; these are the key elements which shape this unique and noble wine.

Discover the world of Chablis wines.

Cappuccino of Tomatoes and mozzarella

With Mediterranean notes, this appetizer combines fresh and subtle flavors. The mineral taste of a Chablis Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre 2007 will be enhanced by the fresh tomatoes and creamy mozzarella. The zest of lemon combined with the crunchy parmesan tuile will contrast perfectly with this Chablis wine, a wonderful match for this dish.

Ingredients – for 2 people
- 4 sundrenched tomatoes
- Ciabatta bread
- A ball of mozzarella (di bufala)
- A glass of milk or single cream
- 2 tablespoons of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
- Lemon zest
- Basil leaves
- Clove of garlic
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Chablis wine

Steps
1. Toast the ciabatta bread and then cut it into thin slices.
2. Peel the tomatoes and then blend them with the garlic clove, some salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
3. Pour the tomato purée in a glass.
4. Dice the mozzarella and blend it with the milk or single cream. If you can't get enough froth whisk it a bit. Add the lemon zest at this stage.
5. Set your oven to 400 degrees and drop two separate tablespoons full of grated parmigiano reggiano on a non stick baking tray.
6. Wait till they have melted and start to brown a bit, then take them out in time for them to have a crunchy texture.
7. Plunge the bread sticks into the tomato purée, cover with the mozzarella froth and add a bit of pepper and basil. Don't forget your parmigiano reggiano tuile.

Wine pairing :
Chablis Premier Cru
Montée de Tonnerre

Mussels with Chablis

Easy to make, this is the perfect dish for a dinner with friends. A subtle taste, this meal is a perfect match for Chablis wines. The mineral flavors of Chablis add to the salty mussels and the spicy ingredients. The natural Chablis 2007 is the best company for this dish.

Ingredients – for 4 people
- Fresh mussels (usually 1 liter/person)
- 1 onion
- 4 shallots
- 1 green and 1 red pepper
- A bunch of parsley
- A bunch of coriander
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Chablis wine (50 cl for 4 liters of mussels)

Preparation
1. Wash and clean the mussels.
2. Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a deep pan and brown the onions and shallots without caramelizing them.
3. Add the mussels and mix.
4. Add the thinly sliced peppers and mix.
5. Add the Chablis wine.
6. Place the lid onto the pan, the steam will cook the mussels.
7. Stir a couple of times to even the cooking.
8. Once the mussels are open they are cooked (please don't try to open the closed ones, if they remain closed throw them away).
9. Pour the mussels in a large dish and serve.

It is recommended that you drink the same wine as the one used to cook the mussels.

Wine pairing:
Chablis 2007

Prawns with lemongrass, ginger and Chablis marinade

The sun is shining, what better time to have a picnic? Chablis Wines suggests a spicy and lemony recipe for fresh and intense sensations : marinated prawns in ginger and lemon.

Ingredients – for 4 people
- 16 fresh tiger prawns
- 1 clove of fresh garlic
- 1 small bud of fresh ginger
- 1 stem of fresh lemongrass
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Petit Chablis
- Re-sealable bag
- Wooden skewers (soaked in water)

Preparation
1. Finely chop the garlic, ginger and lemongrass and mix together in a bowl.
2. Place the mixture in a re-sealable bag with two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a teaspoon of Petit Chablis.
3. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Peel and clean the prawns.
5. Place the prawns into the bag with the marinade and leave in the fridge for two hours.
6. Skewer the prawns.
7. Place on the barbeque and cook, basting continuously, until the prawns turn pink and are cooked through.

Wine pairing:
Petit Chablis 2007

Summer Salmon Rolls

Refreshing and original, this recipe is a delightful touch to any picnic. The soft cheese and the fresh salmon will enhance the crunchy peppers.

Ingredients - for 2 people
- Thinly sliced smoked salmon (pieces should be 2 millimeters thick and approximately 6 centimeters by 8 centimeters)
- 150 g cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh coriander
- 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh chives
- 3 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds
- ½ yellow pepper (de-seeded)
- ½ green pepper (de-seeded)

For the Marinade
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 drops of sesame oil
- Zest of half a lemon
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of Petit Chablis

Preparation
1. Mix the extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, lemon zest, a pinch of salt, freshly ground black pepper and Petit Chablis in a bowl.
2. Place the salmon in the marinade and leave for one hour in the fridge.
3. Mix the cream cheese with a pinch of salt, pepper and the fresh herbs.
4. Slice the peppers into long strips.
5. Place a layer of cling film on a sushi or maki mat so that it covers the entire mat.
6. Sprinkle an even layer of toasted sesame seeds onto the cling film.
7. Lay the slices of marinated smoked salmon on top of the layer of sesame seeds, with each slice slightly overlapping the next.
8. Spread the herb cream cheese evenly over the salmon.
9. Place all the pepper strips in a long line approximately 2 centimeters away from the edge of the mat which is closest to you.
10. Carefully start to roll the mat, starting with the side closest to you, making sure you don't catch the cling film between the layers.
11. Place this long roll into the fridge for at least an hour, as this will make it easier to cut.
12. Cut into four rolls with a very sharp knife and remove the cling film.

Wine pairing:
Petit Chablis 2007

Scallop pairing with Chablis

Ingredients :
- 8 scallops
- Celeriac
- Milk (enough to soak the celeriac)
- Curry powder
- Lemon zest
- Lime zest
- Salt
- Pepper
- Capers (2 soup spoons)
- Olive oil
- Chablis wine

Preparation
1. Use fresh scallops if possible. Remove the coral and then cut them both sideways. This will make them easier to cook while keeping their original shape.
2. Dice the celeriac into small cubes and add them to the pan to cook them in the milk. Then blend this mixture to get a paste that you can season according to your tastes.
3. Put the scallops to one side with a little salt and sprinkle them with a little curry powder.
4. Remove the zest from the lemon and lime and chop them together to get a mixture of the two colors.
5. Before beginning to cook the scallops, prepare a plate with some of the celeriac paste and the chopped capers.
6. In a pan heated with some olive oil, cook the scallops according to your taste. I recommend that the centre should still be a pearly color and not white but it depends on your tastes.
7. Place the scallops on the plate and sprinkle them with the zest.
8. It’s ready, enjoy!

Wine pairing :
Chablis Premier Cru Mont de Milieu

Bresse Chicken with Creamed Morel Mushrooms

Ingredients:
For the chicken:
• 1 Bresse chicken
• 1 whole bulb of garlic
• Salt

For the stock
• 300ml water
• 1 stock cube
• 2 large carrots
• 5 sticks of celery
• 1 leek
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 5 cloves
• a few bay leaves
• a few pepper corns

For the creamed morel mushrooms
• 1 shallot
• 1 clove of garlic
• salt
• pepper
• thyme
• 100g dried morel mushrooms
• 150ml Chablis wine
• 300ml chicken stock
• 150ml liquid creme fraîche

• Begin by removing the chicken wings and legs (keep the legs for another recipe). Place a bulb of garlic in the chicken and season the inside.
• Prepare a stock with the carrots, leeks, celery sticks, peppercorns, cloves, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to the boil.
• Poach the chicken for 12 minutes over a medium heat
• Meanwhile, prepare the creamed morel mushrooms
• To do so, brown a shallot, a clove of garlic in its skin, some thyme and the dried morel mushrooms in a little olive oil.
• Moisten and deglaze with a Chablis Wine, reduce by half over a medium heat, then add the chicken stock.
• Reduce once again then stir in the liquid creme fraîche.
• Pass through a chinois sieve and your sauce is ready.
• Remove the Bresse Chicken breasts leaving the skin on.
• Brown the breasts in a frying pan with a little olive oil, until the side with the skin is very crispy.
• Arrange on your plate and enjoy.

For such flavours, a fairly mature Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume or Beauroy is de rigueur. This will maintain the typical freshness of Chablis wines which will sharpen your taste buds and enrich the sensations of the creamy sauce but its more earthy, almost foresty second nose will be a perfect match for the morel mushrooms. A moment of pure delight.

Savoury shrimp Tiramisu

Ingredients:
• 2 ripe avocado pears
• Around 20 cooked shelled shrimps
• 1 pink grapefruit
• 1 pinch of ground ginger
• Roasted sesame seeds
• Lemon and lime juice
• Salt
• Pepper
• Chablis wine

Method:
• Remove the grapefruit segments from their membranes, taking care to keep as much juice as possible.
• Puree the avocados using a fork or food processor and season with a drizzle of lemon and grapefruit juice. Add salt and pepper and a pinch of ginger.
• Place the mixture in a verrine glass with alternate layers of rings of shrimps, grapefruit segments and avocado puree, topped with two shrimps.
• Sprinkle with a few grains of roasted sesame seeds.

Serving tip:
• Enjoy with one spoon for two

Accompanying wine
a 2005 or 2006 Chablis

Sunday morning lovers' brunch

Basil-Marinated Salmon
You can start by preparing the marinated salmon 24 to 48 hours in advance. The idea is to have a salmon filet sit in a mixture of salt and sugar for 12 to 18 hours, depending on its thickness and size.

Ingredients
- Salmon filet
- Cooking salt
- Sugar
- Olive oil
- Bunch of basil
- Pepper

Preparation
1. Start by mixing even quantities of sugar and cooking salt and add a bunch of shredded basil leaves to it.
2. Take your boneless salmon filet (with the skin) and wash under tap water, then dry it with a tea towel.
3. Take another handful of basil leaves and crush them with a bit of cooking salt and olive oil to get a basil purée.
4. Put a thin layer of the salt and sugar mix at the bottom of a dish and place the salmon onto it skin first.
5. Spread the fleshy part with the basil purée and cover with the remaining salt and sugar mix. Wrap a cling film around it and leave in the refrigerator for 12 to 18 hours.
6. Uncover the salmon -- it should now have a deep orange-y color.
7. Again, pass it under tap water to make sure all the salt and purée are gone.
8. Pour a bit of olive oil in a clean dish, place the salmon skin down and grind some pepper over and cover with a thin layer of olive oil. Put a cling film back on, and you can now hide it in the fridge till brunch day.
9. On brunch day, you just have to cut some bite-sized slices of salmon (depending on the size or chunkiness you and your loved one like), add some chopped basil and you are done.

Morel Scrambled Eggs
You don't really have to use morels, they just happen to be one Arnaud’s favorite mushrooms.

Ingredients
- Morels or any mushroom that takes your fancy
- Eggs
- Pepper
- Olive oil

Preparation
1. When using mushrooms, make sure there is no sand or earth left. Dice them and throw them into some olive oil, adding a bit of pepper and leaving to cook on a high heat for 2 minutes while tossing them around.
2. Lower the heat as much as you can and break the egg right into the pan. Stay close and mix the white, the yolk and the mushroom together. You can, of course, add a bit of cream, some cheese or anything that takes your liking, too. Cook it for as much or as little as you want depending if you like your scrambled eggs firm or runny.

Three Tomatoes Refresher
This dish is based on freshness, acidity and sweetness association. Try using fresh cherry tomatoes and chopped sun dried tomatoes. The first ones will bring a fresh watery taste and the latter sweetness and rounder flavors. The two mixed with some finely chopped basil will perfectly complement both the salmon and the scrambled eggs.

Ingredients
- Cherry tomatoes
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Basil

Add on the side toasted multi-grain bread. Appreciate the complementary flavors of this creamy and crunchy dish.

Wine pairing :
Chablis 2005 or 2006

You can also add a glass Chablis to drink along with the brunch; it will perfectly match those dishes. Its freshness, minerality and citruss-y personality will find a very nice partner with the salmon, where its rounder flinty side will serve the mushroomy scrambled eggs well.

Scandinavian Brunch

Ingredients:

9 slices of wholemeal bread
6 slices of white bread
200g cooked shelled shrimps
6 slices of cold roast beef
3 large slices of smoked salmon
3 eggs
12 slices of Emmental cheese (or "Jarslberg", Norwegian gruyère)
12 slivers of Brie
a lettuce
a red or yellow pepper
20cl creme fraîche
a small jar of mayonnaise
a kiwi fruit
a lemon
a bunch of parsley
salt and pepper

Method:

1/ Cut the slices of bread diagonally to form triangles.
Cut the pepper into short, thin slivers. Wash and dry the lettuce. Peel the satsuma and separate the segments. Peel the kiwi fruit and cut it into thin slices.
Cut the lemon into thin slices, then each slice into halves or quarters.

2/ Salmon smorrebrod: prepare scrambled eggs using the 3 eggs and creme fraîche, season with salt and pepper. On a slice of wholemeal bread, place a spoonful of scrambled eggs, followed by a half slice of smoked salmon. Garnish with a slice of lemon.

3/ Shrimp smorrebrod: spread a generous spoonful of mayonnaise on a slice of white bread. Add shrimps on top. Garnish with a sliver of pepper.

4/ Roast beef smorrebrod: on a slice of wholemeal bread, place a small lettuce leaf with a slice of roast beef on top. Garnish with a sprig of parsley.

5/ Cheese smorrebrod: on a slice of bread (wholemeal for Emmental, white for Brie), place a small lettuce leaf with 2 slivers of cheese on top.
Garnish with a satsuma segment or a small slice of kiwi fruit.

6/ Now let your imagination run wild… You can make smorrebrods with ham, sausage and other cheeses!

For a tasty addition: prepare a savoury dish of smoked fish (salmon, herring, etc.) and lumpfish roe on toasts or blinis. Offer white cheese, Swedish bread and Swedish waffles.
Accompanying wine: A 2005 or 2006 Chablis

Mediterranean brunch

Ingredients
- 4 tomatoes
- 200 g tuna
- Fresh goat cheese
- 1 lemon
- 4 spoonfuls of pignon nuts
- Basil, mint or chive
- Paprika
- Salt, pepper

Preparation
1. Cut the top of the tomatoes and empty them of their seeds and juice.
2. Drain the tuna. Mix in a bowl the tuna, goat cheese, pinion nuts, paprika, lemon and basil. Add salt and pepper as wished.
3. Fill the tomatoes with the mixture.
4. Keep in the fridge until ready to be served.

Wine pairing :
Chablis 2005 ou 2006

Scallops Carpaccio with Chablis

Ingredients
- 3-4 fresh scallops
- One lime
- Soy sauce
- A tablespoon of Chablis
- 2 Glasses of Chablis Premier Cru to enjoy with

Preparation
1. Start up with some fresh scallops, out of the shell will probably be best.
2. Slice them as thinly as possible
3. Take and shred the zest from a lime and sprinkle over the scallops
4. Put a bit of soy sauce in a small bowl
5. Add a tablespoon of Chablis on top so as to make a layer
6. You're done, no cooking, no marinade, just enjoy it the natural way.

Wine pairing :
Chablis Premier Cru

Chicken and Mushroom Rolls

Ingredients:
- Chicken Breast
- Diced mushrooms
- Green asparagus
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Chopped parsley
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper

Preparation
1. Start with a chicken breast; you'll have to flatten it between two sheets of cling film with a rolling pin.
2. Choose your favorite kind of mushroom and dice them into ½ inch cubes.
3. To bring these flavors of the forest to life, you'll need some garlic, shallots and parsley – chopped. If you like garlic go for more, if you like mushrooms a lot, make more. It won't fit into the chicken but it'll make a great side dish … remember food and cooking are about pleasure.
4. Put the mushrooms into a non-stick pan with a tiny bit of olive oil on a high heat and cook them for about two minutes, tossing regularly.
5. Then, lower the heat, add the parsley mix and cook for another two minutes.
6. Add this filling to your chicken breast and roll it into some cling film. Tighten it in the shape of a sausage and make sure it's somewhat airtight.
7. Steam this "sausage" for 15 to 20 minutes. Time is not really an issue; as your pocket should be airtight the chicken should remain juicy and soft.
8. While it's cooling, pour a bit of olive oil into a pan and throw some cut green asparagus inside, tossing them to make sure they get an even color.
9. Unwrap the chicken and put it in the pan with the asparagus making sure it gets colored all around.
10. Gently cut it the way you like and serve it with the grilled asparagus.

Wine pairing :
Chablis Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre

Tasty Sandwiches

Ingredients
- Chopped spring onions
- Chopped iceberg lettuce
- Cherry tomatoes
- Thinly sliced or grated carrots
- Thinly sliced zucchinis
- Sliced grilled peppers or chillies
- Whole wheat bread

You can also add some fruit. Grapes, apples, pears or oranges can mix quite interestingly with vegetables, meat and fish. And don't forget herbs and nuts, such as basil or almonds. You don't have to put all the ingredients in the sandwich; they can also make a very nice side salad.

Here are a few suggestions you might want to try:
- Turkey, lettuce, cherry tomatoes and grapes with poppy seeds
- Ham, cheddar, caramelized onions with chives and lettuce
- Parma ham, cantaloupe or honeydew and basil with black pepper
- Water cress, chicken and spring onions with coriander and yogurt
- Chunky ham, parsley and garlic with sliced tomatoes and peppers
- Chicory or endive, ham, blue cheese, apple and walnuts
- Sun dried tomatoes, olives, arugula and anchovies with rosemary
- Baby spinach leaves, parmesan, Parma ham with a dash of balsamic vinegar and toasted pine nuts
- Brie, grapes and wafer thin ham

Wine pairing :
Petit Chablis

Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients
- 40 cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Salt
- Pepper
- Filo pastry (not sold by the sheet so take one pack) and some olive oil to brush them a bit
- A Glass of Chablis (for the Chef)

Preparation
1. Start by gently preheating the oven on a low temperature, the trick is not to cook the cherry tomatoes but kinda turn them into exploding balls of sweet summery scents and aromas. Gas mark 4 or anything between 110° and 120° c are ok.
2. Rinse your cherry tomatoes and dry them, then pour them into a salad bowl where you will add a splash of olive oil, a bit of salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.
3. Mix everything together making sure each tomato is well covered and that you don't come out with a purée, we’ll see about tomato coulis some other time.
4. Spread them on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 1 hour or until they start to have tiny wrinkles. Don’t let them get brown.
5. Once they are done, let them cool down a bit, if my fingers could speak they would tell you that tomatoes + olive oil +sugar = hot for a long time = easily burnt fingers.
6. This leaves you with the right amount of time to prepare your filo pastry which can be quite a challenge. The trick: being quick and using a damp cloth to keep them moist.
7. Take one filo pastry sheet at once and cut it in approximately 5 by 12 cm rectangles (depends on the tomatoes' sizes).
8. Quickly brush them with a bit of olive oil and roll around the cherry tomato to give it a sweet wrap shape.
9. Place them on the baking tray and straight to the oven on gas mark 6 or 7 (190° to 200 ° c) till they are golden and crispy.
10. They are now ready to be served with a bit of salsa, or tsaziki and of course a glass of Chablis.

Wine pairing :
Chablis

Crispy, lightly cooked foie gras with Chablis, dusted with acacia honey

What could be more traditional than foie gras at Christmas? This food really is an absolute must and it has become difficult to do without it. There are several solutions if you want to stand out from the crowd: the first is preparing it yourself, the second is to serve it with something totally unusual, the third is to serve it with a Chablis wine rather than something more mundane.

Ingredients:
Serves 8:
• 1 raw foie gras with the nerves removed (approx. 400g)
• 100g sugar
• 3 dessertspoons Acacia honey
• 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda
• Salt
• Pepper
• Chablis wine

Preparation
For the foie gras
• Buy a raw foie gras with the nerves removed (removing the nerves yourself is by no means impossible, but is sufficiently fastidious to be left to a professional). Season with salt and pepper: poivre mignonette adds an extra aesthetic touch.
• Prepare a strip of gauze (4m x 10cm), soaking it in Chablis wine then using it to wrap up your foie gras, taking care that none remains exposed.
• Place the foie gras in a dish on a layer of sea salt and cover it with plenty of salt. There is no cause for concern: this salt will not make the taste too salty but will help to cook the foie gras.
• Once it is covered, place it in the fridge for 2 hours for each 100g in weight - 8 hours for a 400g foie gras.
• After this time remove all the salt, remove the "bandage" and place the foie gras in a terrine to be placed back into the fridge for 48 hours. It is then ready.
For the crisp and acacia honey dusting:
• For this finishing touch with a difference, mix the sugar and honey in a non-stick frying pan with high sides over a gentle heat, stirring the pan rather than the sugar to avoid lumps.
• Once it is boiling, leave the mixture to brown slightly then add all the bicarbonate of soda at once, stirring. The "caramel" will become frothy and increase in volume (which is why a frying pan with high sides is required).
• Pour the mixture almost immediately onto a non-stick surface (marble, cooking sheet, etc.) and leave it to cool and harden.
• Next, break it into pieces to form crispy fragments and crush with a pestle to make the dusting.
• Garnish a slice of foie gras with a few crispy fragments on the side and a little powder (NB the powder very quickly absorbs any moisture: this does not change the taste but makes the texture less pleasant.

All that remains to be added is the third original touch: offering your guests a Chablis Grand Cru rather than a naturally sweet wine. Although sweet wines are traditionally served with foie gras, Chablis Wines add a lively touch thanks to their mineral quality, which refreshes the palate between each mouthful and provides even greater enjoyment of the delicacy as each subtlety is experienced. As with all Chablis Grand Crus, it is a good idea to wait a few years - in this case the lightest of grands crus, a ten-or-so-year-old Chablis Grand Cru Blanchots, could be a wonderful solution.

Accompanying wine
Chablis Grand Cru

Credits : bigyouth

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