Recipe courtesy of Riverview Cellars General Manager Michael Pillitteri and his social cadre of foodies, "Food for Dudes". Gewurztraminer is a wine that favours the exotic. Distinctly perfumed aromas usually make exceptional pairings with pungent or seasoned foods. Enter: the japanese noodle soup.
Consider the texture (noodles), saltiness (stock, salt, soy), spiciness (thai sauce, ginger) and earthiness (mushrooms, basil, green onion). Gewurztraminer will give you a supple mouthfeel (texture), some degree of spice, and on occasion an underlying bitterness (earth).
Gewurztraminer made in a drier style will best suit the components of this dish, but if you add more hot-spicy sauce, sweeter Gewurztraminer could cut against the heat. Consider modifying the recipe with small pieces of dark chicken meat for added weight.
Ingredients:
900mL Chicken stock + 500mL water 1 Tbs. ginger (minced) 1 clove garlic (minced) Chopped green onions (for garnish) Thai basil and flower (garnish) 1/2 bag vermicelli noodles Panko bread crumbs (garnish) 2 Tbs. salt 1 Tbs. soy sauce 1 Tbs. hoisin sauce 3 Tbs. red pepper and garlic thai sauce 250 grams fresh oyster and shiitake mushrooms
Instructions:
1. Chop mushrooms and combine with stock, garlic, salt, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and red pepper/garlic thai sauce in pot. Stir thoroughly.
2. After allowing some warming, mince ginger and add into soup. Bring to boil on high heat.
3. Once boiling, lower heat to simmer and add noodles to pot. Watch out! They'll cook fast!
4. Pour into individual bowls and garnish with green onions, thai basil and flower, and panko breadcrumbs.