Uptown Wine & Food
By Ron James
I’m thinking about taking a little vacation in a few weeks. Regardless of where in the world my wife and I travel, great food and wine have to be a major part of the trip. That made me think of a very memorable vacation to a dude ranch a few years ago. Now great food and wine and dude ranches are normally an oxymoron, but this dude ranch proved to be a very different beastie — one that many of our wine-loving Uptown dudes and dudettes would thoroughly enjoy.
It was our first day at the dude ranch in the Rocky Mountains, near Steamboat Springs, Colo. The sky was clear and a cool breeze tamed the warmth of a bright sun. We had been riding most of the afternoon, winding up and down green hillsides and through meadows lush with wildflowers. My horse, Shooter, never seemed to mind carrying a man just a bit on the large side of his 6-foot frame. For that, I let him munch on wildflowers from time to time.
Back at the ranch, after a bit of rest and an opportunity to wash off the trail dust, we headed to the dining room. Aided by memories of old cowboy movies, I pictured simple but hearty fare served by a crotchety cook named Cookie.
My fantasy dissolved in the large dining room of the Home Ranch, a dude ranch with a difference. Although the room was log cabin rustic, the communal table settings were as beautifully sophisticated as those in trendy restaurants on either coast. This dinner was going to be more Daniel Boulud than Gabby Hayes — not beans and biscuits, but a six-course tasting menu matched with fine wines. This is a ranch for foodies as much as dudies, you might say.
Home Ranch guests are a well-heeled professional bunch, many with young’uns in tow. All relish the laid-back atmosphere of the ranch — and the daylong activities for children that made this a family vacation kids and parents could enjoy. Although the ranch provides the traditional hiking, riding, fly-fishing and river rafting, it is the food and hospitality that keep these dudes coming back year after year. (Over half the guests on our stay were returnees.) The Home Ranch is one of a handful of dude ranches that belong to the exclusive Relais & Chateaux association, whose high standards are based on the five Cs: “Courtesy, Charm, Character, Calm, Cuisine.”
Home Ranch has a professional kitchen staff worthy of the finest dining spots. It is led by Executive Chef Clyde Nelson, who has been serving guests at the ranch for more than 17 years. He has been featured in several magazines including Bon Appetit, Food & Wine and Gourmet. Nelson, who grew up in Vermont and holds a degree in wildlife management, feels he was destined for the Home Ranch.
“I love the outdoors, I love and actively participate in all of the activities here — except horseback riding,” he said with a laugh.
Nelson and his crew prepare three gourmet meals a day for their guests. They pride themselves on using only the freshest natural ingredients, most of which come from the area.
“You won’t find anything store-bought or prepackaged in our kitchens,” explained the chef. “All of our breads, pastries, desserts, soups and even ice cream are made from scratch daily.”
Lunch is served off the grill, poolside most of the time. During the week, most dinners are multi-course fine-dining experiences with some evenings featuring casual gourmet outdoor cookouts at a special place on the ranch.
As we took our seats for the wine pairing dinner, the Chef d’Cuisine, Philippe Shapiro, paraded out of the kitchen in his spotless whites to announce the feast.
“Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, we will start with elk and beef carpaccio with baby arugula salad, matched with a silky 2003 Belle Pente Estate Pinot Noir.”
He rolled through the following six courses like a master maitre d’, starting with grilled Copper River salmon with mango and grilled pineapple salsa, and ending with a decadent chocolate cake with homemade Turkish ice cream matched with a 2002 Andrake Reserve.
It was a meal to remember. I only wished that Shooter were there; I would have shared my baby arugula salad.
GRILLED COPPER RIVER SALMON WITH MANGO AND GRILLED PINEAPPLE SALSA
First a word about salmon:
Salmon is always a great fish to grill, but in this case the smoke and caramelized flavors of the grilled pineapple in the salsa take the flavor to a new level.
When it comes to salmon there are many, and sometimes confusing, choices for the consumer. There’s a lot of inexpensive farm-raised fish in our food markets. But, for a number of reasons, you might consider spending a few more bucks for wild salmon.
The average level of PCBs in farm-raised salmon is about 27 parts per billion. This is below the FDA’s limit of 2,000 parts per billion. But the EPA suggests that consumption of any fish containing levels between 24 and 48 parts per billion should be limited to 8 ounces per month. More importantly, wild-caught salmon has a firmer texture and richer taste than its farm-raised cousins.
Copper River salmon season is mid-May to mid-June, but very good flash-frozen salmon is available nearly year-round. Frozen fish can sometimes be better than fresh because of the time it takes to get the fish to market. The best frozen salmon is glazed with a thin coat of fresh-water ice and then vacuum packed before freezing. This keeps the air away from the fish, assuring “freshness” when you are ready to defrost and grill.
Recipe:
6 to 8 (6-ounce) Copper River salmon fillets (other salmon can be substituted)
Salmon marinade:
1 serrano chile
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon chimayo chile powder
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Yields 6 to 8 servings.
Have your butcher cut salmon fillets into 6-ounce portions, all bones removed.
Mix together marinade ingredients. Place salmon in non-reactive dish or plastic baggy and pour in marinade about 1 hour before grilling.
Grill salmon over hot charcoal on a hot grill that is clean and oiled, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Place on serving platter and top each portion with Mango and Grilled Pineapple Salsa (recipe follows). Pass additional salsa on the side.
MANGO AND GRILLED PINEAPPLE SALSA:
1/2 super-sweet pineapple, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 ripe yet firm mango, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/8 inch dice
1 scallion, sliced 1/8 inch (green part only)
1 tablespoon finely minced cilantro
1 tablespoon mint, finely minced
2 teaspoons chipotle chile and puree, finely minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon sugar in the raw
1 pinch Kosher salt
Yields about 4 cups.
Heat cast-iron skillet (or grill) until medium-hot. Place pineapple slices in skillet 1 layer at a time. Dry sauté (or grill) until caramelized dark brown on each side, approximately 5 minutes per side.
Remove core and dice into 1/4 inch pieces. In mixing bowl, place pineapple, mango and remainder of ingredients, stir together.
Serve at room temperature.
Much of this story first appeared in my nationally syndicated column – Ron James
Ron’s Pick
What better match for salmon and appropriate to our story than a wonderful white wine from Wild Horse Winery. The winery produces four varietals of very nice white wines, any of which would be a worthy pairing for this rich and spicy dish.
We’ve selected the Wild Horse 2007 Central Coast Viognier ($14). It has the fruity and floral characteristics to complement the salsa, with the crisp acidity to contrast with the rich fatty salmon.
The winery, founded by pioneer Ken Volk in 1984, is located in the historic central California coastal town of Templeton. It was named for the wild mustangs that roam the hills east of the vineyard estate. They are the descendants of the first Spanish horses brought to the state. Wild Horse’s viognier is a wonderful example of the varietal, with the fragrance of ripe apricots, peaches and nectarines, and hints of honeysuckle with just a touch of spice and lemon. It has good acidity to balance the fruit with a long fresh finish.
Ron James is a wine and food columnist and radio host whose columns and features have appeared in newspapers and magazines across the country.
