Spiny lobsters are impressive creatures. The warm water cousin to Maine lobsters, the spiny lobster does not have any large claws but do have extremely long antennae. They are delicious grilled and easy to prepare. Feel free to substitute Maine lobsters if you are not lucky enough to obtain the spiny lobsters.
Softshell crabs are a very special treat when they are in season and the very fresh crabs, still filled with salty water from the river, need little else but a simple dredging of flour before they are fried very quickly in a cast iron skillet. Only a squeeze of lemon juice is needed to highlight the “star of the plate.”
This installation of Perfect Pairings was born out of my love of wine from the Bordeaux region of France. If I had to pick one wine to drink for the rest of my life, it would be red Bordeaux. I grew up near the region and developed my palate on Bordeaux. Aldo Sohm, the wine director at Le Bernardin knows this about me so we decided to put the Bordeaux up against four completely different foods—raw oysters, Camembert cheese, lobster salad and pecan pie. Watch as we test my theory that “Bordeaux Goes with Everything” with these diverse flavors.
A general rule of thumb has always been to move toward a sweeter wine when serving spicy food. However, not all spice or heat in a recipe comes from the same source and of course what the spice is mixed with should be considered. Scallops have a sweetness of their own and are quite a rich ingredient so it is interesting to see what he thinks is the perfect pairing for the spicy scallop recipe.
Codfish is a delicious, sturdy, white-fleshed fish. So many people only know salted cod, but codfish is very versatile and can stand up to hearty sauces and strong cooking techniques. Inspired by the Cacciucco I ate in Italy, and also by the memory of the sauces of the Basque country, where I spent some time as a child, I developed this dish using a sauce with a tomato base and red wine sauce.
I really love cooking whole fish because not only is it a good way to buy a fish (you can check the quality on a whole fish easier than on cut up fish) you can impart lots of great flavor by stuffing the cavity with herbs and lemons. This dish incorporates flavors inspired by the food of Southeast Asia.
This recipe was developed after I visited the oyster beds at Hog Island Oyster Company in Marshall, California. Bright green “sea lettuce,” a type of seaweed, was growing on top of the oyster cages. It was delicious so I took some back to shore and made a salad using the oyster meats and a Caesar style dressing.
