Domaine Tinel-Blondelet Pouilly Fumé 2012
By Nicholas Harary
When I moved San Diego in 1996, one of the many cultural shockers was that everyone ate fish tacos. Fish tacos? What the hell were those?
For an East Coast guy who had never been that far from home, tacos meant crispy shells, salty chopped beef and processed cheddar cheese. The soft corn tortilla, fried fish and white sauce? Strange stuff. But, the fish taco was everywhere in San Diego and eventually I broke down and gave them a try.
Turns out, it’s one of Southern California’s best contributions to the culinary world. Although my first stop was to an In-n-Out Burger on my last trip to Santa Barbara County, my second, third and fourth lunch stops all centered on fish tacos.
Very few wines will be better with fish tacos on your deck than Domaine Tinel-Blondelet Pouilly Fumé. This is high-toned sauvignon blanc, racy and elegant with just terrific fruit. Vibrant enough to cut through the fat of the fried fish, juicy enough to stand up to the jalapeno, fish tacos on the deck never met a better match. And, if you were like me circa 1996 and fish tacos just aren’t your thing, don’t worry, Tinel-Blondelet Pouilly Fumé has plenty of options; it’s one of the more food-friendly wines we’ve offered in a long while. Drink all summer long with grilled poultry, pork or sausages.
The Wine
Six generations of Blondelets have naturally tended vines on the mineral soils of Pouilly Fumé. The soil type, called Kimmeridgian marl, is actually tiny fossilized oyster shells, remnants of an ancient ocean. This mineral soil lends incredible aromatic complexity, tension and vibrancy to the Tinel-Blondelet Sauvignon Blancs. The 2012 vintage is a classic, showcasing aromas and flavors of white flowers and flint-laced passion fruit Clean, crisp, and incredibly food-friendly, pair this wine with flaky fishes, roasted poultry, tomato sauces, and goat cheeses.
Nicholas’ Personal Fish Taco Recipe
I don’t miss San Diego very much but I do miss those tacos. Good ones on the East Coast are few and far between so I had to come up with my recipe. Give it a try; it’s a great summertime treat.
Yield 12 tacos
Beer Batter
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups pale beer
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
Mix together all ingredients and mix until smooth.
Set aside.
Sauce
3 cups sour cream
2 teaspoons lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt to taste
Whisk together all ingredients.
Fish
1.5 pounds fresh cod cut into finger sized strips
Tortillas
24 white corn tortilla (don’t go for the flour tortilla; it’s just not the same)
Wrap in foil and heat in a 350-degree oven until soft and moist.
Garnish
1 head green cabbage cored and finely julienned
2 ripe tomatoes concassed
2 jalapenos finely julienned (seeds removed)
fresh chopped cilantro
Pre-heat fryer to 350 degrees.
Dip each piece of fish in batter and carefully place in fryer. Don’t overload the fryer. Do this in multiple batches. When the fish is golden brown, remove fish and place on a sheet pan with paper towels. Season with salt.
Assembly
Double layer two tortillas per taco.
Spread a tablespoon of sauce on the tortilla, then a handful of cabbage. Place two pieces of cooked cod on top of cabbage.
Garnish with tomato, chopped cilantro and jalapeno.
Nicholas Harary is the owner/executive chef of Restaurant Nicholas, located in Red Bank. It is New Jersey’s highest-rated Zagat restaurant. Nicholas Wines is an online retail wine shop that commits to storing wine at 56 degrees and ships nationwide.
