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Pretty in Pink: Raclette de Savoie Polenta, Salmon, & Le Cocagne Gris Rosé #Winophiles #Sponsored

This is a sponsored post written by me in conjunction with the June #Winophiles event.
Wine samples were provided for this post and this page may contain affiliate links.

This month, Martin of ENOFYLZ Wine Blog is hosting us as we explore French wine and cheese pairings. You can read his invitation here. But, thematically, it was pretty wide open. French wine plus French cheese. That's it.


You know me - caseophile here! So, I was in, immediately. And to sweeten the deal, some of the group is sponsored by VinConnexion this month; we received sample wines from Chateau de Sales in Pomerol and Cave du Vendômois in the Loire Valley. Here's the line-up...



We’ll be chatting about French Wine and Cheese on Saturday, June 11th at 8a PT/11a ET.  We love visitors and this promises to be a yummy chat.  Just follow the #winophiles hashtag on Twitter to join the conversation! À votre santé! 

In My Glass

I opted to shine the spotlight on the bottle of  2018 Le Cocagne Gris Rosé 2018* that I received from the Les Vignerons du Vendômois, Cave Coopérative du Vendômois.


This wine was made from a single varietal of which I had never ever heard: Pineau d’Aunis. So, I started reading.

Pineau d'Aunis is a dark-skinned grape varietal whose story dates back to the Medieval times. And, despite enjoying popularity with both the English and French royals, it's now increasingly rare. Though it can be used to produce a distinctive, interesting red, it is primarily used to make Rosés in the area.


The Pineau d'Aunis lends Rosé  a pale pink-hued wine. It's bright and lively with a fresh acidity. but red fruit flavors - think currants - mellow the wine with a softer finish.

In My Bowl

The first thing I did when I received the wines for this event was take a field trip to my local cheese shop. I told the cheesemonger about the wines and he set about trying to pair them for me. Then I told them it needed to be French cheese, not just any cheese, and he said, "Challenge accepted!" Thanks, Kyle.


I ended up with six different cheeses for the pairings. The one in the center isn't from France, but it's called 'Camilla.' I really couldn't pass it up. In addition to the name, I was intrigued by the cheese itself. From Caseificio La Via Lattea, Camilla is a raw goat's milk cheese whose thin rind is coated with dried chamomile. The flowers imparts a subtle flavor that doesn't overpower the tanginess of the goats' milk.

I will have another post about the Chateau de Sales in Pomerol with cheese pairings but this post will be about the Le Cocagne Gris Rosé that I paired with Raclette de Savoie Polenta and Poached Salmon. I wanted something pink - salmon! - to go with my pink wine.

Ingredients

Polenta

  • 2 C polenta
  • 6 C warm water
  • 2 T olive oil
  • freshly ground sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 1 C cheese (I used shredded Raclette de Savoie)
  • splash of olive oil


Olive Oil-Poached Salmon
  • salmon fillets (serving sizes vary, but for a main dish I usually go with 1/3 of a pound per person)
  • olive oil as needed
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 3 to 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • freshly ground salt
  • freshly ground pepper

Serving

  • compound butter (I had some with dulse, a red seaweed)
  • freshly ground salt, as needed
  • freshly ground pepper, as needed

Procedure

Polenta
Butter a baking dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Then spoon everything into the baking dish. Bake for an hour, but stir it every twenty minutes. When it's finished, add 1 C shredded cheese and a splash of olive oil. Stir that together until the cheese is completely incorporated.

Olive Oil-Poached Salmon
Select a large enough pot that the salmon fillets can sit flat without touching each other.

Pour olive oil into the pot so that it’s about ½” deep. Add garlic and rosemay. Bring the olive oil to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Lower the salmon fillets – skin-side down – into the warm oil. Poach for 10 to 12 minutes. Flip the fillets and poach for another 5 to 6 minutes. If using immediately, serve warm.

Serving
Spoon the polenta out onto a bowl and top it with a little bit more salt and pepper to taste. Remember: whatever you don't eat for dinner, spoon into a clean, buttered pan. It can be sliced and lightly pan-fried in the morning to go under eggs. Che squisito!

Place the poached salmon on top of the polenta and add a pat of compound butter on the top. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, as needed.


Until next time...the French Winophiles will be focusing on the Loire, specifically the Anjou-Saumur. I'm hosting. So stay tuned for my invitation. Cheers!

*Disclosure: I received sample wines for recipe development, pairing, and generating social media traction. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the organizer and sponsors of this event.

Comments

  1. Oh your dish looks amazing Cam. I've never had oil poached salmon. I have to try! Love your post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's one of my favorite ways to prepare salmon. Thanks for hosting!

      Delete
  2. Loving the olive oil poached Salmon......deliciousness on a plate.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The cheese guy at my cheese shop was very helpful too. I swapped for a stronger goat cheese after he cut the cheese. He didnt complain about it. Glad you also got a friendly and really knowledgeable cheesemonger.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! They definitely know what they are doing there.

      Delete
  4. Everything sounds and looks delicious -- including your local cheeseshop!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. Whenever I go, though, I spend way too much money.

      Delete
  5. My goodness, that is one heck of a salmon dish! It is getting so much love from the butter, olive oil, and raclette - one of my faves. I hadn't thought to pair rose with salmon, but the pink combination makes a lot of sense. Nice pairing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just love the pink and pink together. And, as a pairing, it's divine.

      Delete
  6. Absolutely love your pairing with this rosé. I am curious though, I've not poached anything in olive oil but know it's popular. Salmon is a rich fish that depending on where from, can be fattier. Any tips on poaching like this? How was the pairing?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Lynn. I have really only ever poached salmon in olive oil...not sure why. So I don't have any tips for any other fish. The pairing was fantastic.

      Delete
  7. I love that you found a cheese called Camilla! I hope you tucked into that just a bit too with this wine! The goat cheese would pair beautifully!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love your pairings and that olive oil poached salmon looks divine!! I've never poached salmon in olive oil... I usually end up making cured salmon when it's in season. But I'll try it with the olive oil next time!

    ReplyDelete

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