Today we finally get to Alsace-A-Palooza part three. We started with a selection of wines from Alsace, then we moved on to appetizers, including flammekueche, and today it’s on to the main course!
When considering what main to make for this dinner party, I thought it only appropriate that I consult one of the many great chefs that hail from this part of France. The cuisine of the region is known for being quite hearty and delicious. Alsace also boasts more Michelin stars than anywhere else in France. Perhaps then, it’s not surprising that the region is also the birthplace to an impressive parade of star chefs. André Soltner, Hubert Keller, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten are just a few names the area has produced. I looked to them for inspiration.
I found what I was looking for in a recipe for Chicken with Riesling by Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Think of this as white wine version of coq au vin. I adapted a recipe I found on Food & Wine for a larger group by making use of the oven where I could more easily fit greater quantities of chicken in a roasting pan. Somewhere along the line, I also saw other recipes for chicken with Riesling that included a bit of nutmeg. I liked the idea and thought it would work with the hints of spice that tend to come with Alsace’s wine grapes.
I didn’t otherwise intend to change very much . . . however, I accidentally made one more switch. On the night of the dinner party I went into autopilot and used chicken stock, which I always have on hand, instead of cream in the sauce. A few days later, I made more sauce to eat with leftover chicken and stuck to the recipe. Both versions were delicious. The version with cream was richer and perhaps a touch more decadent. Both were really luscious, however, and if you prefer not to use dairy and/or you want to keep things a touch lighter, the stock version is a great alternative.
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| Chicken with Riesling made with chicken stock. Photo by Greg Hudson. |
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| Chicken with Riesling made with cream. Photo by Nicole Ruiz Hudson. |
To round things out I made sous vide carrots with a little bacon jam glaze and braised cabbage.
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| Photo by Greg Hudson. |
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| Photo by Greg Hudson. |
I tried many of the wines with the chicken and the sides, none of them clashed and all worked pretty well. Of course, a few stuck out as particularly good matches:
Hugel Grossi Laüe Riesling Alsace 2011 was my favorite wine of the night. It was delicious with the chicken and became pleasantly peppery with the white bean and asparagus salad.
Schoffit Riesling Alsace Grand Cru Rangen de Thann 2016 brought out the nutmeg in the chicken’s sauce in a really delightful way.
The Trimbach Riesling Alsace 2013 worked beautifully with the carrots and cabbage.
The Domaine Zind Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Turckheim Alsace 2014 was also delicious with the carrots.
Please see Alsace-A-Palooza Part 1: The Wines for detailed descriptions on these and the rest of the wines we tasted.
