Classic Pairings for the Veggie Soul: Pairing Two

Our resident herbivore Ellen Clifford is back, but instead of discovering the perfect shower wine (each to their own), she searches for the perfect veggie alternative to popular meat and fish focused food and wine pairings. Throughout this series, Ellen breaks down the components of classic dishes and offers vegetarian alternatives that echo the flavors, textures and acidity that make them pair so well with certain wines. Enjoy Ellen's veggie twists on classic pairings! In Part 1 , Ellen notes that no culinary combination can come close to surpassing French fries and rosé, but nevertheless offers the first of her wine orientated vegetarian recipes, a simple egg based appetizer inspired by oysters and paired with Muscadet . Read on for her second recipe in the series, which is inspired by fois gras with Sauternes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ CLASSIC PAIRING INFLUENCE #2: SAUTERNES AND FOIE GRAS I wanted silky yet rich. And not totally dessert but sweet. I’d seen a lot of foie gras dishes with some sort of sweet fruit sauce, even when being served with savory components, so I settled on a cream biscuit, lathered with butter and topped with cherry preserves to toe the line between savory (biscuit and butter) and sweet. And if you have leftovers in the morning, well you have not just a swell pairing but one hell of a way to breakfast. Veggie solution: Cream Biscuits and Toppings adapted from “Baking Illustrated” by the Editors of Cook’s Illustrated • 2 cups (10 oz.) unbleached all-purpose flour • 2 tsp. sugar • 2 tsp. baking powder • ½ tsp. salt • 1 ½ cups heavy cream • assorted toppings but most importantly cherry preserves. Butter and peanut butter are also great options Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with the rack in the upper middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Add 1 ¼ cups of the cream and stir with a wooden spoon until dough forms, about 30 seconds. Transfer the dough to a countertop leaving floury bits in the bowl. Tablespoon by tablespoon, add cream to the dry bits in the bowl until moistened. You may not need all the cream. Add the moistened bits to the dough you already turned out and knead them in just until the dough is smooth. Don’t go overboard, this dough gets overworked easily. Pat the dough out into a ¾ inch think circle and cut in wedges. Place on parchment-lined pan and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve with the toppings and Sauternes. Revel.