Saturday Supper: Pork Saltimbocca

Posted by Andrew Chapman in Food and Wine, 1:22pm 26/01/2008. Leave a comment

Tonight's wine and food matching quest - what to drink with Saltimbocca?

Alison's cooking (Saltimbocca was the first meal she cooked for me!) and usually prefers Pork tenderloins to the more traditional veal. I think it is as much to do with food ethics, which has been featured a lot (and rightly so) in recent weeks on British TV, as flavour. Actually, I think I prefer the flavour of the Pork to the Veal. For those of you who fancy having a go and don't have a recipe, here's a good one from Delia (the pic is from her web site too).

Whichever meat you go for, the tricky bits of this food and wine combination are a) the Marsala used in the cooking an b) do you drink white or red wine with Pork. Taking the points in reverse order, I've never been one for 'wine conventions' - I've drunk red wine successfully with oily fish, and had a big white wine with lamb and it worked well. So, it is just a question of flavours really. The main ones in this dish are Marsala, Sage and the prosciutto.

Later today I'll post what we decided on to drink. Meanwhile, if you have any suggestions...

9.30pm, update on wines...

Seghesio Arneis 2006: Originally, when thinking of wines that would go with this dish I thought of a big, full-flavoured Italian white - maybe even a Tuscan Chardonnay. Felsina Chardonnay or Isole e Olena Chardonnay would have been great - if only we hadn't temporarily sold in the sale! So, in the end, I settled for Italian grape variety Arneis, but grown in the warmer climate of California. Arneis is one of Italy's oldest and most distinctive varietals, and this is Californian version is made by Seghesio in the Russian River Valley. Not a cheap wine @ £15.79 (although has 10% off in our current sale), but is certainly flavour packed. Reminds me somewhat of a Viognier - peachy, stone-fruit flavours, ripe and juicy. Worked very nicely with the sweetness in the marsala.

De Morgenzon Chenin Blanc 2005: Made by Sultan of Chenin, Mr. Teddy Hall, this is a wine that certainly swings! Produced from 35 year old low-yielding bush vines a mere 10 kms from the sea, this is wine with richness, but balanced by the Chenin's natural freshness and acidity. Touches of spice on the nose from the French oak, and a complex honeyed finish. Teddy Hall says it is the best wine he has ever made - high praise indeed. How did it go with the Saltimbocca? Pretty well actually? There was a lovely marriage of flavours between the Sage and prosciutto and the honeyed character of the wine. The touch of spice from the oak worked well with the Marsala - all in all a big wine that didn't overwhelm the food, but complemented it it pretty nicely. Of the two white wines it was a clear winner.

However, in the end, I decided to spoil us (well, it is Saturday night!)... in the interests of fair play, a red wine should have a chance too...

Martinborough 'Te Tera' Pinot Noir 2006: Having something of a New Zealand Pinot 'thing' at Surf4Wine at the moment - I will blog about the new wines in next few days - there are quite a few :) Anyway, I couldn't resist trying my favourite foodie red grape out with this dish. 'Te Tera' is young vines too young to go into the Marinborough Pinot Noir. Boy, what a lovely combo of smoky, slightly fleshy Pinot ripe red fruits (cassis?). Worked fabulously with `Sage, and the ripe fruit worked pretty well with the sauce too.

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