Cauliflower and Chardonnay: A surprisingly successful combination

Over the last few years, as local farmers become the celebrities of restaurant dinner menus across the province, some unlikely ingredients are rising from secondary to star status.

Vegetables now take centre stage as chefs look as often to what’s growing in or under the ground for inspiration.

Even the lowly beet, once only to be found swimming in vinegar and pickling spices, has become an almost overused staple of fine-dining restaurants. Roast beet salad is as ubiquitous as grilled tenderloin on many fine-linen restaurant menus.

On a recent trip to the Valley, I visited Blomidon Estate Winery where I tasted a small sample of their Chardonnay program. A nervy unoaked 2013 Chardonnay with peaches and cream flavours balanced by edgy acidity and a richer barrel aged “Reserve” had me thinking about the best foods to pair with them.

As a sommelier, I have a mental Rolodex of food matches, and all too often I fall on classics, which in the case of Chardonnay includes lobster, roast chicken and just about anything in a cream sauce.

Maybe because Blomidon Estate’s winemaker Simon Rafuse is a vegetarian, I found myself thinking of vegetarian alternatives and the lowly cauliflower came to mind.

There are few vegetables that get less affection than cauliflower, a vegetable that spends most of its time playing the role of muse to broccoli.

While steamed cauliflower has a neutral flavour palate, when the vegetable is roasted or fried it acquires a subtle nutty note that is an appealing match to Chardonnay with a little oak influence.

Roasted Chicken & Cauliflower

Serves 4

1 head cauliflower, florets removed

4 chicken drumsticks

2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed

1 onion, roughly chopped

Pinch salt & pepper

2 lemons, zest, juice

3-4 tbsp olive oil

Method: Preheat oven to 400 °F. Place cauliflower florets, chicken drumsticks, thyme leaves and onion in a baking dish. Season with salt, pepper and lemon zest. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake in oven for 35 minutes. Pour lemon juice over chicken and return to oven for 5 minutes. Check chicken to make sure cooked completely. Pierce chicken with a skewer. The juices will run clear when fully cooked.

Roasted Garlic & Cauliflower Puree

1 head cauliflower

3 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil

Salt & pepper

2 cups chicken stock

3 cloves garlic

1/4 cup heavy cream

Method: Preheat oven to 400 °F. Place cauliflower florets in a baking dish. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the cauliflower with salt and pepper. Place garlic cloves on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with remaining olive oil. Close to make a pouch. Roast cauliflower and garlic for 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer cauliflower to a blender. Remove garlic from skin and add to blender. Add chicken stock and purée until smooth. Serve as an accompaniment to seared scallops and wilted greens.

Mark DeWolf is The Chronicle Herald’s resident Sommelier and Manager of Custom Content, Food and Wine as well as President of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers’ Atlantic Chapter.