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A food-wine pairing for the ages

by Nicholas Harary

Long before there was a sushi place on every corner and the voracious global appetite for Bluefin tuna exploded, Dover Sole was the most prized fish in the sea. It used to be on every high-end restaurant menu, and certainly was on ours when we opened Restaurant Nicholas 16 years ago. Food lovers and chefs seek out Solea solea (its name coming from the English port that landed most of it in the 19th century) for its mild, buttery, sweet flavor and versatility (never mind ease of filleting). Over the last decade or so, however, it almost completely disappeared from American menus. The rise of salmon and tuna are certainly factors in the demise, but I think it was more about the general weakness of the dollar. Always an expensive European fish, when the buck went south a few years ago, it became untouchable for us. But it has always been one of my favorites, and while a newly-strong dollar made Nicholas Wines offers a lot more interesting, I think I am most happy about it providing an opportunity to put Dover Sole back on the menu for a short while.

Like most of the great ingredients of the world, this fish works best when simply prepared, so we decided to stay classic: pan roasted with capers and brown butter sauce, roasted fingerling potatoes, and garlic butter. Trust me when I say it’s worth the trip.

Pair with Etienne Daulny Sancerre 2014 Choosing the right wine with our sole is even easier than my uncluttered recipe.

You’ll find Etienne Daulny in the beautiful village of Verdigny. He’s the latest in a ridiculously long line of Daulnys to grow Sauvignon Blanc in Sancerre. It’s not so easy to grow grapes here; it’s cold, the soil is poor, hail is always a risk, and though you can make great wine, you can’t make a ton of it, so the calling becomes more a labor of love than a great business plan. Tasting Etienne’s racy, electric Sancerre makes it obvious that there is a higher purpose to his labor. It’s a terrific white—so fine aromatically, with a crisp and fresh grapefruit and white peach finish. Lovely with all the fish in the sea, but just as good with roasted poultry, goat cheese, or simply by itself. (A glass while cooking or while waiting to eat is also a beautiful thing, mind you.)

Restaurant Nicholas
160 Rt. 35, Red Bank / 732.345.9977
restaurantnicholas.com
nicholaswines.com

Northwell B22 SPREAD