WHY did the morel mushroom go to the party? Because he was a fun guy. I love Ally’s recipe with chicken legs, but I’m excited also to try it soon with the rabbit element. I’ll focus on the wine with the chicken version this week, but bear in mind a good full-flavoured white Burgundy would also work with the rabbit, or you could hop on down to Beaujolais and pick a Fleurie or a Julienas if you fancied a red instead.
I tend to use wine a lot when cooking (sometimes I even add it to the dish), but it’s important to use a decent wine in the pot as well as in your glass. After all, it’s an ingredient in the same way as the chicken legs and it would be a shame to spend the time and money finding organic, free-range, top-quality grub, only to spoil it with a cheap wine. And never, ever use a corked or tainted bottle when cooking as you’ll only intensify the corky flavours in the bottle which could then overpower the delicate nuances of the dish. If you have a corked bottle of wine, return it to the shop where you made the purchase, and get a replacement. If the staff are funny or off with you, don’t shop there again. Simple.
So, what to try this weekend? A current favourite of mine is the Terre di Chieti Pecorino IGT Vellodoro (The Golden Fleece) Umani Ronchi 2016 (Inverarity One to One, £13.49). This bottle is not only an incredibly tasty and food-friendly wine, but also an excellent score in Scrabble. Pecorino, or "the grape of the sheep" (named for the unusual triangular shape of the bunches on the vine representing a sheep’s head), is a peculiar variety found in a few Italian regions including Marche, Abruzzo, Liguria and Lazio.
If you’d rather spend less than a tenner, try the Contesa Pecorino IGT Colline Pescaresi 2016 (Majestic, £9.99). This is a light and accessible wine bolstered by a touch of oak ageing. As well as matching Ally’s chicken pie, this Pecorino also suits smoky cheeses and peppers stuffed with halloumi and fired gently on the barbecue. After all, the summer is coming. Cheers.
Pete Stewart is Glasgow director of Inverarity One to One, 185a Bath Street www.inveraritymorton.com
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