This blog is about wine. Devoted to adventures in oenophilia and all great things grape. But every so often, a stunning ingredient steals the show; one that truly makes a meal exquisite. Such is the case today with the magnificent morel mushroom.
This funny-looking fungus is highly sought after this time of year. Imparting an extremely decadent yet delicate flavor, they are often the centerpiece of springtime culinary creations. Morels appear once a year, magically conjured by some complex formula of ground temperature, precipitation and earthen magic. On a recent hike, we were lucky enough to discover these little beauties just waiting to be plucked for a dish that would make them sing.
These savory specimens would become the inspiration for what some might call a death-row meal: sautéed asparagus, truffled fresh fettuccini, and filet with a morel mushroom cream sauce. A delightful palette of earthy, uninhibited flavors intermingling to provide what can only be described as a foodgasm.
Since morels are an ingredient to be celebrated, we thought we’d through off the reins and break the “rules” with the wine pairing. While most red meat recipes call for a structured, tannic red wine, we paired this spectacular meal with a dry Virginia Viognier. The nuanced flavors in the wine complimented the interplay of food flavors beautifully. Neither outshone or overpowered the other, leading to a gastronomically perfect meal. For this edition of Foodie Friday, I give you this morel mushroom cream sauce recipe (paired here with filet) and invite you to use it with, well, anything. Enjoy!
Cuvee Co 