Pairings: Classic fish dish makes chardonnay shine

When you decrease or remove oak from chardonnay, the varietal blossoms into its full self. Our Wine of the Week, Bucher Vineyard 2017 Russian River Valley Unoaked Chardonnay ($30), is a lovely example of this blossoming.

Aromas offer a swirl of tropical pleasure, especially mangosteen, not-quite-ripe papaya and white pineapple. On the palate, flavors unfold in a cascade of delicate fruit, from pear and Asian pear to guava, Sarawak grapefruit and ripe apple. Steely suggestions weave in and out of the fruit, keeping it lively and refreshing through its long finish. The texture is soft and round, but not cloying.

The usual pairings - corn, pear, ginger, zucchini, shellfish, chicken breast, game hen and pork tenderloin - work beautifully with this wine, but you are not limited to these foods. Leaving the oak out of chardonnay opens up all manner of possible pairings. Without drying tannins, the wine can take a bit of heat and not turn bitter, which makes green papaya salad a lovely match. Other Southeast Asian dishes work well, too, including Vietnamese noodle salads (bün) and Thai curries, especially green ones.

Today’s recipe is inspired by a classic from the south of France, bourride. It is traditionally made with monkfish, which has been over-harvested and so is best avoided. Halibut is a good substitute. The soup is rich and luscious, with a lot of garlicky goodness. An oaked chardonnay couldn’t handle so much garlic but this one makes a magical match.

Before you begin cooking, read the recipe all the way through, as there are two sub-recipes, one for aioli, one for fish fumet, that you must have to complete the soup. Both can be made a day in advance. Serve the soup with a big green salad and ripe peaches for dessert.

Bourride of Halibut

Makes 2 to 3 servings

1 cup aioli, chilled

1 pound halibut fillet, cut into 2 or 3 equal pieces

- Kosher salt

- Black pepper in a mill

3 tablespoons olive oil or butter

6 garlic cloves, slivered

1 small leek, white part only, cut into thin rounds

1 small carrot, cut into small dice

9 very small new potatoes, quartered

1 very small zucchini, cut into small dice

1 very small yellow squash, cut into small dice

3 cups fish fumet, commercial or homemade

1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon

9-12 baguette slices, lightly toasted

To make aioli; This is best done a day or several hours in advance.

Season the halibut all over with salt and pepper and set aside briefly.

Heat the olive oil or butter in a deep skillet set over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the fillets and sear for 2 minutes; turn and sear 2 minutes more. Transfer the fillets to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the garlic, leek and carrots and sauté until they begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes, sauté for 2 minutes, add the zucchini and squash, toss and season with salt and pepper.

Add the fish fumet, increase the heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Taste the potatoes and if they are not tender, simmer 2 to 3 minutes more. Taste the broth and correct the seasoning. Use a ladle to transfer 1/2 cup of the broth to a small bowl.

Return the fish to the pot, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, set aside a generous 1/4 cup of aioli. Stir 2 tablespoons of the reserved broth into the remaining aioli until the mixture is smooth. Add 2 tablespoons more, mix again, and repeat, until all of the broth has been added.

Transfer the fish fillets into individual soup plates.

With the heat on very low, stir the tempered aioli and the fresh herbs into the broth and vegetables. Do not let the mixture simmer or boil. Remove from the heat. Slather the reserved aioli over the toasted baguettes.

Ladle broth and vegetables over each portion of fish, garnish with baguette slices and enjoy right away.

Michele Anna Jordan is the author of 24 books to date, including “San Francisco Seafood.” Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com