Perfect Pairings

��, Arches

Two recipes to complement your wine adventure

As one of the students participating in the inaugural year of Puget Sound’s study-abroad program in Dijon, France, I was dropped into a gastronomically rich region—the heart of Burgundy wine country—for a semester. Of course I valued the academic courses, and being there definitely helped hone my language skills. But those months of exploring the region and having so many meals that demonstrated the melding of food and wine in French culture had a big impact on my future career path as well. That experience helped encourage my return to France to attend cooking school a few years later. And it gave me great appreciation for the pairing of regional foods and wines that is also such a big part of the culinary culture here in the Pacific Northwest.

I’m sharing here a couple of Northwest-inspired recipes to consider for snacks to enjoy with wine. They come from one of my favorite cookbook projects—Salty Snacks—which grew out of my longtime love of all things salty-crunchy-snacky. The first, Smoked Salmon Rillettes, is a variation on the classic French rillettes de porc made with pork. It is ideal for a party when served in a single larger bowl, and it can also be a dinnertime first course served in individual dishes—perhaps with a small green salad alongside.

For ��é��پ�� hour, the Toasted Walnuts with Tart Cherries and Rosemary are a great option. This recipe was inspired by a wine-making friend in the Yakima Valley who has walnuts on her property; dried tart cherries are another product from the region.

I remain a food person who appreciates wine, with no expert advice to share about what to drink with these, aside from a suggestion to try them with some of your favorite wines and see what pairings you like best. Cheers!

Cynthia Nims ’86 is a lifelong Northwesterner who holds the Grand Diplome d’Etudes Culinaires from La Varenne cooking school in France, where she worked on numerous cookbooks with owner Anne Willan. She has authored or coauthored 18 cookbooks, including Oysters, ��Ǳ��’s, and the Northwest Homegrown Cookbook series.

Toasted Walnuts with Tart Cherries and Rosemary

2 1/2 c. walnut halves
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp. finely minced fresh rosemary
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. dried tart cherries

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the walnuts in a medium bowl and drizzle the butter over, tossing well to evenly coat the nuts. Add the rosemary, salt, and pepper and toss well to evenly mix. Spread the nuts out on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the nuts smell toasty and are just lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes, stirring a few times to ensure even cooking. Transfer the nuts to a bowl, add the dried cherries, and toss to mix. Let cool, then transfer to a serving bowl or store in an airtight container for up to five days. Makes about 3 cups.

Smoked Salmon Rillettes

1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 c. cream cheese, at room temperature
8 oz. hot-smoked salmon, skin removed
2 tbsp. dry vermouth or dry white wine, more if needed
Pinch of freshly grated or ground nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground white or black pepper
Crackers, baguette slices, and/or cucumber slices, for serving

Cream together the butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until well blended and smooth.

Finely flake the smoked salmon into the bowl, discarding any pin bones you come across. Add the vermouth and nutmeg, stirring well. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. The texture should be smooth and spreadable. If the mixture is quite stiff, stir in a bit more vermouth.

Spoon the rillettes into a single serving bowl or individual ramekins, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving, to allow the flavors to meld. The rillettes can be made a few days in advance.

About 30 minutes before serving, take the rillettes from the refrigerator to soften a bit. Serve with small knives for spreading onto the crackers, baguette slices, and/or cucumber slices. Makes 8 servings.

Both recipes are from Salty Snacks, Ten Speed Press © Cynthia Nims.

EXPLORE MORE STORIES