Simple Elegance: Beurre Noisette-Braised Radishes + Sips from Languedoc for #WinePW #sponsor

Wine Pairing Weekend - #winePW - happens on the second Saturday of the month. And this month - November - David of Cooking Chat is hosting. He asked us to share creative Thanksgiving pairings. Click to read his invitation: here.

In addition, a few of us received wines from Languedoc to inspire us. A couple of months ago, when the French Winophiles group with which I also blog focused on the Languedoc region, I paired a Gerard Bertrand Tautavel '08 with Anchoïade. I was thrilled to try a few more wines from the area.

Wine Pairing Weekend Bloggers

Be sure to check out what my fellow bloggers have come up with for our creative Thanksgiving feast.

• Culinary Adventures with Camilla will share Simple Elegance: Beurre Noisette-Braised Radishes + Sips from Languedoc 
• Rockin' Red Blog will Celebrate Thanksgiving Lodi Style 
• Cooking Chat will share Garrigue Roasted Turkey Breast with Wine from Languedoc #winePW 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm will pair Turkey Tetrazzini with a Michigan Wine 
• Curious Cuisiniere will share French Herb Roasted Turkey with Languedoc Wine 
• Pull That Cork will post #winePW Thanksgiving for Two: Storm Pinot Noir and Seared Duck Breast 
• Tasting Pour will Pick Picpoul, Choose Corbieres: Languedoc Wines and Thanksgiving 
• ENOFYLZ Wine Blog will share Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Paired With An Aussie Sticky 
• Grape Experiences will post Wine and Dine: Chateau Paul Mas Belluguette and Mediterranean Fish Stew 
• Dracaena Wines will discuss How to Be Creative with Your Thanksgiving Table

In My Glass

I received two bottles of Languedoc wine from the Benson Marketing Group. One red and one white. Merci Beaucoup!

The red - Chateau Puech Haut Coteaux du Languedoc 2013 La Closerie du Pic - was a blend of equal parts Syrah and Grenache. It was a big, beautiful wine that felt silky smooth. On the nose, I detected violets while the palate was distinctly fennel and ripe plum. What a wine! I will definitely be tracking down another bottle.

Montmassot 2014 Picpoul de Pinet was the white wine I received. Picpoul is a completely new-to-me varietal and, apparently, it's referred to as the 'Muscadet of the South.' Muscadet? That's another new one to me. I, quite clearly, am not well-versed in French wines. I'm working on remedying that.

The first word that came to mind when I tasted this wine: zippy. The refreshing citrus was sweetened by summer stone fruit, mainly apricot, and softed by a muted floral note. I liked the definitive minerality of the wine. While I gravitate towards red wines, this was enjoyable and paired nicely with my dish.

Things I read about Picpoul pointed to oysters. Sadly, I developed an allergy after too many oysters one night in New Orleans. Never. Again.

In the Middle of the Plate... 

While I considered two different courses for the same meal - the white with an appetizer and the red with our entree - I decided to create a side-by-side comparison of a single dish with the two different wines. With the Picpoul de Pinet, I served my tried and true favorite. With the La Closerie du Pic, I browned the butter, making a Beurre Noisette.

We love butter-braised radishes. Braising radishes in butter is one of my favorite ways to prepare them. The process softens the piquant bite of raw radishes. But I have never braised them in brown butter. I decided to give it a try and I was met with resounding delight and requests for seconds. "Ummm...I don't have any more. Sorry." Next time I'll make more.

Beurre Noisette-Braised Radishes

Beurre Noisette [bur nwah-zet] noun, French Cookery. Literally 'butter the color of a hazelnut.'

Brown butter is one of those magical ingredients that transforms the flavor of just about anything be it sweet or savory. Its nutty taste and aroma are out of this world. And it can add a creative twist to any recipe that includes butter.

Ingredients

• 3 T beurre noisette*
• 1 bunch radishes, cleaned and greens removed (I reserve mine for plating sometimes)
• freshly ground black pepper
• freshly ground sea salt
• 1 T honey (I used a local pine honey)
• 1/2 C water
• 1 T fresh herbs, thinly sliced (I used fresh mint and fresh parsley)
• olive oil 

Procedure

*To make beurre noisette: place butter in a pan over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally to be sure the butter is cooking evenly. As the butter melts, it will foam and begin to darken. The color will progress from a pale lemon yellow to golden straw hue and, finally, to a hazelnut brown. Once you achieve the color and aroma you want, pour the beurre noisette into a glass container. The milk solids will continue to brown - and eventually burn - if you leave it in the pan.

Use a pan large enough to hold the radishes without crowding. Pour your beurre noisette into the pan. Add the radishes, honey, and water. Stir to combine. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes or so. Uncover, increase the heat to high and bring back to a boil. Cook for another few minutes, until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Toss with chopped herbs, a splash of olive oil, and a bit more salt and pepper if you wish.

Join the #winePW conversation: 

Follow the #winePW conversation on Twitter throughout the weekend and beyond. If you're reading this early enough, you can join us for a live Twitter chat on our theme on Saturday, November 14th, from 11 a.m. to noon Eastern Time. Just tune into the hashtag #winePW. This will be a great chance to ask your Thanksgiving wine pairing questions, and share what you know!

If you’ve come to us after November 14, consider joining us for #winePW on December 12, focused on “Sparkling Wine and Festive Holiday Dishes”, hosted by Cindy at Grape Experiences. You can get a full listing of past and upcoming Wine Pairing Weekend events here.

And that's a Wrap...

...on our November #winePW event. My Beurre Noisette-Braised Radishes + Sips from Languedoc were delicious! I'll pin this recipe and other posts on my #winePW pinterest board. If you try this pairing - or just the wine - I would love to hear what you think. Comment below or tweet to me at @Culinary_Cam.