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Culinary Selections from the Kitchen at Amalie Robert Estate
Stuffed Pasta and Fennel with Alfredo Sauce
Food pairing with Viognier is a challenge at best. This very aromatic white wine also provides a very rich and full palate. The finish is as lingering and intense as many red wines. Our style is dry, stainless steel fermented without malo-lactic conversion. Viognier also has a little licorice in the back palate and the finish. We think this is due to the phenolic nature of the skins. After much trial and some learning opportunities, we offer a fall food pairing for this very aromatic and hefty white wine. The food pairings in this dish combine many rules. We are pairing shell fish and a cream sauce with a stainless steel fermented white wine. We are matching the full and rich texture of whole wheat pasta with a full bodied wine. Lastly, we combine the bitterness of fennel and capers with the underlying hint of licorice in the finish of Viognier. For The Sauce: 2 cloves garlic sliced about the thickness of a dime ˝ small fennel bulb diced and 6 inches of stalk chopped thin 1-2 Tbsp olive oil 12 (21-30 count) fresh or thawed shrimp – peeled, tail-on 16 ounces of your favorite Alfredo cream sauce For The Pasta: 12 -16 ounces of fresh whole wheat stuffed pasta During the fall, try and find fresh whole wheat pasta stuffed with squash. Cheese or vegetable fillings are also a good match. For The Garnish: Freshly grated Parmesan Regiano or Manchego cheese Capers Fresh sprigs of fennel Smoked Hungarian paprika Prepare Sauce: In a deep 3 quart sauce pan sauté the sliced garlic, diced fennel bulb and chopped fennel stalk with olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and continue to sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Add Alfredo sauce, cover and reduce heat to low simmer. Prepare Pasta: Review boiling instructions for required time. Allow about 15 minutes for sauce preparation. Plate up! In a large, deep plate, arrange pasta, shrimp and sauce. Top with freshly grated cheese, 10-12 capers, 2 fresh sprigs of fennel and dust with smoked paprika. Wine Service: We recommend serving Viognier around 50 to 55 degrees. You can place the wine in the refrigerator for about 30-45 minutes prior to serving. |
