Cornas is a small area by the Rhone river close to Valence. All wines are syrah per AOC rules. Cornas wines typically fill the mouth and feel substantial. They are good for cellaring and will develop scents of roasting or grilling meats and olives. The west coast has met a windy rainstorm this week, and it’s so very much like when the Mediterranean winds sweep up over the Rhone valley…
It’s not at all common to see fish served with red wine sauce or red wine, yet I was once served a fried trout with red wine sauce and its glass of wine, and it was surprisingly very good — truite au cornas it was called. The decision to make this today coincides with finding a leaking bottle of Okanagan syrah. The indication was a reflective stain on the foil. The winemaker probably isn’t excited about it, but this wine is going into a sauce. It’s been sitting on its side only for a few months, and the stuff is still drinkable and it will make a wonderful sauce.
| Truite à la syrah for two |
| – 2 trout
– flour – 1 shallot, thinly sliced – 500ml syrah – 500ml simple fish stock (fish parts, carrot, shallot, bay leaf) – parsley – butter – salt and pepper |
Dress the trout and set aside.
In a saucepan, sweat the shallots in the butter. Dump in the fish stock and reduce completely. Dump in the wine and continue to reduce.
Meanwhile lightly flour the trout and fry them in a large amount of olive oil. When they are done, keep warm.
The sauce should have reduced to 200ml or so, turn off and whisk in 50ml of butter or more to give it body and a beautiful texture. Season the sauce with pepper and salt.
Pour over a generous amount of sauce on the fish, and serve with a cocotte of glazed vegetables and some parsley.
Mushrooms and a coulis of tomato can be added to bring another personality to the sauce.
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