Pairings

A Vouvray for a beautiful, fresh seasonal salad

Let’s get cooking! So what should we have today with a mushroom salad? This recipe combines seasonal mushrooms with a wine from the Loire Valley – Vouvray, but beware this is dry Vouvray! Often drunk in its sparkling version, the Vouvray appellation also offers still wines that are a treat for the taste buds.

Summer is working overtime and our stomachs need to make the most of it. So we suggest you prepare a recipe offering freshness on the plate, but also in the glass. To accompany this mushroom salad with almonds and herbs, enjoy a clean, fresh Vouvray with white flower aromas, a touch of honey and a mineral background. This will leave an aromatic, fresh touch on the palate enabling you to make the most of your food and wine pairing.

 

The ingredients for this recipe

- 250 g of "Les P'tits Apéro LOU" mushrooms

- 50g of whole almonds, blanched

- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds or pine nuts

- 2 spring onions with stems

- 6 sprigs of fresh coriander

- 2 sprigs of fresh mint

- 2 tbsp. lemon juice

- 3 tablespoons olive oil

- Fleur de sel

- Espelette chilli pepper


Method

  1. Step 1: Mix together the olive oil and lemon juice and season with fleur de sel and Espelette chilli pepper. Set aside.
  2. Step 2: Finely chop the base (white part) of the spring onion and cut the green parts into small pieces.
  3. Step 3: Remove the leaves from the coriander and mint.
  4. Step 4: Lightly grill the almonds in a fat-free pan.
  5. Step 5: Cut the mushrooms in half and place them in a large bowl.
  6. Step 6: Add the fresh herbs, toasted almonds and pumpkin seeds.
  7. Step 7: Douse with the vinaigrette dressing. Coat the mushrooms well and then divide them into serving bowls. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

 

  • Useful tip for the food: To bring out the flavour of the fresh almonds, soak them for 2 to 3 hours in cold water. Also, garnish the salad with diced feta cheese for an even more delicious flavour!
  • Useful tip for the wine: Keep your Vouvray chilled for a few hours before enjoying the pairing. Don't wait until the last minute to take the wine out of the fridge because otherwise it will be too cold and will lose its flavour. Remember to take the Vouvray out about 30 minutes before serving your dish so that it can warm up slightly and thus deliver its full aromatic potential. 

Everything is now set for you to enjoy this recipe with a glass of Vouvray. After you’ve tasted it, you will never have to say to yourself again, "What can I drink with a mushroom salad?” Oh, and bon appétit!  

 

Recipe by Christelle Gauget (Cricri les petites douceurs)

Recipe and photo credit: Christelle Gauget