Greetings Bonterra enthusiasts!
My name is Maria Clementi and I am excited to have the opportunity to partner with Bonterra this spring to share some simple recipes that pair well with my favorite wine. I love Bonterra because of their commitment to the environment as well as their delicious success, from years of experience, in creating quality wine for all types of events. With this Sauvignon Blanc food and wine pairing I hope to transport you to my region, the majestic northern California coast.
As a private and personal chef, organic and sustainable ingredients are a priority in my cooking and that’s one of the main reasons I favor wines from Bonterra. When I spend time and energy putting together a menu for my clients that spotlights organic ingredients at the peak of quality, Bonterra is my first choice for wine pairing.
Today I am sharing an easy salad of Wakame seaweed, collected a few miles from where I live on the Sonoma County coast, that can be put together no matter where you are welcoming spring.
Working for myself I have the satisfying opportunity to focus on a cuisine that gets me excited. I refer to my style as plant based, but in this case, that doesn’t mean no meat or dairy. Instead, it means simply that the diversity of vegetables of our Mediterranean-like climate are spotlighted throughout each season. Like Bonterra, the environment is a pillar for my business and foraging my own wild seaweed in the spring and summer is a part of that commitment. Multiple varieties of seaweed are collected by hand, when the tide is low enough to access more area, then rinsed in fresh water and sun dried. I only package my products in 100-percent compostable packaging.
The briny marine essence of our local Wakame is nicely complemented by the crisp mineral qualities of Bonterra’s Sauvignon Blanc. The wine’s subtle acidity provides a venue in which this savory, light dish can really shine.
This dish is ideal for those new to cooking with seaweed. This recipe will make 4 side salads or be made into a meal for 2 by adding fried eggs, grilled tofu or fresh crab.
Servings: 4 as a side dish
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz wakame seaweed whole (you can find wakame in some grocery stores, online (www.dooryarprovisions.com) or at your local Asian market)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 white or yellow onion, peeled and sliced into half moons
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 3 carrots, peeled and grated
- 1 bunch of green onions (green and white parts), sliced thin
- ¼ cup rice or white wine vinegar
- ¼ cup tamari, soy sauce or coconut amino
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped fine or grated
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped fine or grated 1 tablespoon spicy curry paste (optional)
Instructions
1. To soften the wakame, cover with cold or room temperature water and let sit until softened, about 10 minutes.
2. While the seaweed is soaking slice the onions into half-moons. Heat up a heavy bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid, add the extra virgin olive oil and slowly cook the onions. Stir often until soft, about 10 minutes.
3. While the onions are cooking drain the seaweed. Cut the seaweed the same you would basil, roll it or fold it to ‘chiffonade’ the blades, including the internal steam. This doesn’t have to be perfect, just cut it down from its original size.
4. Add the miso into the softened onions. Add the cut wakame to the onion miso mixture and stir to combine.
5. Add the shredded carrots, green onions, vinegar, tamari, garlic and ginger and stir to combine. Turn the flame down to low and cover for five minutes.
6. After 5 minutes remove the lid and serve hot, at room temperature or chilled.
