Our wine of the week, Pedroncelli, 2021 Signature Select Rosé, Dry Creek Valley ($22), is a tender beauty. The first aromas, evocative of rose petals, may elicit a sigh of contentment. Next come suggestions of ripe strawberries and watermelon, an aroma that follows through to express itself in the wine’s flavors, too. At the core, you’ll notice bright watermelon rind, the kind that’s often pickled.
Subtle spice notes poke through the fruit flavors now and then, with pretty little bursts that fade as quickly as they appear. Refreshing acidity defines the wine from first sip to last.
The wine is outstanding with tuna, from fresh poke and tartare to grilled tuna and pan bagnat, that fabulous French sandwich that seems made precisely for rosé. The wine is excellent with salmon, too, which is the inspiration for today’s dish.
You can enjoy this wine with grilled or pan-roasted salmon, but when you want a change of pace or have a lot of salmon trimmings left over, this dish is ideal.
Wild Pacific King Salmon with Roasted Sweet Peppers, Green Onions and Bread Crumbs
Makes 4 servings
2 sweet red peppers, seared, peeled, stemmed and seeded
Kosher salt
10 ounces wild salmon fillet, bones and skin removed, thinly sliced crosswise
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons chopped minced Italian parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 12 ounces fresh linguine or similar strand pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and cut into thin diagonal slices
½ cup lightly toasted breadcrumbs (see Note)
Cut the peppers into medium julienne and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Put the salmon, shallot and parsley into a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the teaspoon of kosher salt and toss gently. Add the lemon juice and half the olive oil, toss again and set aside.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large saute pan set over medium-low heat, add the scallions and saute until limp, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat briefly.
Cook the pasta until it is just done, about 2 to 3 minutes for fresh pasta; do not overcook it. Drain the pasta but do not rinse it; put it in a wide shallow serving bowl, add the roasted peppers, toss gently and cover with a tea towel to keep hot.
Working quickly, return the saute pan with the scallions to high heat, add the salmon mixture and cook, tossing gently, until the salmon just turns opaque, about 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully spoon over the pasta, and toss very gently. Scatter the breadcrumbs on top and enjoy right away.
Note: To make fresh breadcrumbs, cut two- or three-day old country-style bread into cubes (or tear it into pieces), place a large handful of cubes into the work bowl of a food processor and pulse until the cubes are reduced to medium-size crumbs. Put the crumbs into a medium bowl, toss them with a tablespoon of good olive oil and toast in a dry pan over medium heat until golden brown.
Michele Anna Jordan is the author of 24 books to date, including “San Francisco Seafood.” Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com.
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