The WA Wine + Food Show: Ep 1. feat. Brook & Bull + Canvasback

Welcome to Episode 1 of The WA Wine + Food Show.

Hosted by Chef Andrae Bopp, Episode 1 brings together Ashley Trout of Brook & Bull and Brian Rudin of Canvasback for a day of food prepping and wine pairing. What’s on the menu for Episode 1? Thai BBQ Smoked Chicken Sandwich with slaw, paired with Brook & Bull 2019 Malbec, and a Lobster Mac & Cheese paired with Canvasback 2019 Riesling. Text your taste buds, because it’s time for a beautiful feast. And if you get a little hungry, we got you: the recipe with ingredients, directions, and tips from Chef Andrae are below.

Let’s chop it up.

We might be a bit biased, but Washington Wine goes great with everything, especially street-style food. And if there’s one thing this series says, it’s that wine is a human experience. In that spirit, we have the recipes below, so you can make them alongside us, and pair them with the featured wine or something of your own choosing. You’ll also see some tips and tricks from Chef Andrae below, and words from our winemakers about the pairings.

Recipes

Thai BBQ Smoked chicken sandwich with slaw paired with Brook & Bull 2019 Malbec

Asian Brine

• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1 gal water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1-2 diced Thai chiles
• 1 stalk lemongrass, coarsely chopped
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 4 star anise
• Bring water to a boil, stir in all ingredients, when salt is dissolved, remove from heat and cool completely before using

Thai BBQ Sauce

• 4 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 thumb-size piece ginger (grated)
• 1 thai chili pepper minced
• In a mixing bowl add all ingredients and whisk together. Set aside

Method:

Place 6 Boneless Chicken Thighs in the cooled brine and refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight. Remove thighs from brine and pat dry. At this point the thighs can be grilled or oven roasted. During either method, remove some of the BBQ sauce to a bowl and brush the thighs occasionally while you are cooking it. The chicken is done when it reaches 165 degrees. Remove to a plate and brush with some of the reserved BBQ sauce. Serve by itself or as a sandwich with some tangy slaw and your favorite bun. Wash down with a glass of 2019 Brook and Bull Malbec. Enjoy!!

Chef Tip: If you have them time, these thighs can be smoked. The brine will make sure they stay moist. Still smoke the thighs until you reach temperature of 160-165 degrees.

Lobster Mac & Cheese paired with Canvasback 2019 Riesling

Cheese Sauce

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp AP flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp Dijon
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 3+ cups shredded Fontina Cheese

In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the butter and flour. Continue whisking for 3-4 minutes. Add the stock and continue whisking until no lumps are visible and it is nearly smooth. Add the milk and whisk together making sure you have a smooth consistency. Whisk in the mustard, and spices. Whisk in the cheese about 1 cup at a time, whisk until the cheese is melted then add another cup, repeat. You may need to add a bit more cheese. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Keep warm. Makes about 2-3 cups cheese sauce.

Finishing Method:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook off some of your favorite noodles, drain and set aside. Add the desired amount of noodles to your cheese sauce, the more you add the less saucy. For that decadent finish add as much as your budget can afford of chopped Lobster knuckle and claw meat. A final season with salt and white pepper and serve. A bowl of this mac and cheese and a glass of 2019 Canvasback Riesling, and you have yourself a decadent little comfort food meal.

Chef Tip(s): If you have the time and budget replacing the chicken stock with lobster stock can be a game changer. Buying whole lobsters, cleaning, and saving the shells to make the stock is a baller move. Also lets you show off a little to your guests. Also subbing Dungeness crab meat works great as well.

Words from the Winemaker, Brian Rudin: We used to just drink beer with our street food.  But now, with this genre making a long-due migration from the street to the table, we can have a little more fun with it and explore fresh wine pairings that challenge the senses.  Cab with steak and chard with lobster are a little old-hat.  We reached for our Royal Slope Riesling to pair to Andrae’s Lobster Mac and Cheese, to pit the wine’s racy acids, exotic tropical fruit and spicebox flavors against the weight and creaminess of the dish.  The richness of the lobster and the liveliness of the wine make great dance partners.

It’s our hope here to show you just how simple it can be to make some of the most delicious memories with local wines and street-style dishes. We can’t wait for you to get to know #WAwine on a whole new, and next, level.