Chef’s Challenge
The Chefs Creations
In each exciting episode, co-hosts sommelier Liora Levi and food enthusiast Yolanda Añó search for three wines that reflect the character of each region, and then challenge a chef to prepare dishes to match the wines.
Episode 1 – Mosel Valley
Michelin-chef Harald Rüssel from restaurant Rüssels Landhaus Urban in Naurath (Wald), Germany
Chef Harald uses regional products of the highest quality in his cuisine. He is famous from television in Germany and a celebrated chef since many years. Will the chef succeed in cooking three meals that match the qualities of each wine?
Dish 1
First out is a fish dish made from pikeperch or zander, a typical fish from the Mosel River. Chef Harald Rüssel combines the fish with oyster and tapioca. For acidity a squeeze of orange, and for freshness he uses apples. To complete the dish, Harald introduces the mild licorice flavor of cooked fennel and smoked ham.
Dish 2
The name of the vineyard Ürtziger Würzgarten reminds the Germans of the word for spice garden “Gewürzgarten”. So, for the next dish Chef Harald has chosen to combine wild edible herbs from the gewürzgarten with another favorite fish namely the char. The char’s characteristic red meat is flaméed on the surface to keep the juiciness inside, and then placed on top of a potato and celery salad, dressed with veal stock, vinegar, olive oil and lots of edible wild herbs from the region.
Dish 3
The ingredient for the last dish is venison, and when most would pair the rich wild game with red wine, Chef Harald Rüssel will not. And to make it even more daring Chef Harald serves the tender and tasty venison meat with a spicy couscous. Will the strong flavored food match the chosen wine?
Episode 2 – Rheingau
Chef Josef Laufer at restaurant Zum Krug in Eltville, Germany
Chef Josef known for both regional and international cuisine with seasonal influences. Will the food chosen by our chef match the wines picked by our hosts?
Dish 1
Chef Josef Laufer uses the traditional hand formed cheese “Handkäse” in his first dish. This is the very tasty regional sour milk cheese. Usually served with finely cut onion, cumin, rye bread and apple cider, or Apfelwine as the Germans call their cider. Chef Josef serves the crispy cheese tart with lightly salted, dried and smoked shaved beef in a brussel sprout salad. And for a touch of sweetness a homemade cherry chutney spiced with mustard seed and some slices of stewed pear on the side.
Dish 2
Next on the menu is a vegetarian dish with homemade rolled pappardelle style pasta filled with parmesan. The dish is served with caramelized endives (chicory) to achieve that slightly bitter note in the dish and to complement, the sweetness of the pumpkin puree and the earthiness of the bold celery leaf sauce and fried champignon mushrooms.
Dish 3
For Chef Josef’s last dish, it is time to bring out the grill for the cooking. What do you say about slow smoked duck? The duck has a rich, fatty and moist meat that packs a lot of flavors, and it is perfect for this way of preparing food. Chef Josef serves the tender and crispy duck on a bed of parsnip, plums on the side for acidity, and a chantarelle mushrooms sauce to round off this elegant meal.
Episode 3 – Styria & Burgenland
Chef Harald Irka at restaurant Saziani Stub’n in Straden, Austria
Award winning chef Harald is up for the cooking challenge. He is well known for his ultra modern Austrian cuisine.
Dish 1
Chef Harald Irka’s first dish is a vibrant ceviche made from fresh local char, and as with all ceviche the combination of ingredients is up to the chef’s palate and cooking skills. For best result Chef Harald combines the sliced fish with the acidity from unripe gooseberry juice, and a dash of sweet oil made from blackcurrant leaf, thinly sliced onion, fish roe, lots of herbs and flower petals.
Dish 2
As for the second dish, Chef Harald turns a modest egg into a luxurious starter by poaching it. It can be as simple as this to create a real treat. A perfect poached egg placed on a layer of crispy corn, and a touch of crackle sauce made with fried chicken skin. To complete the flavors and aroma he introduces a generous amount grated truffles on top.
Dish 3
The grill is lit for the last dish on the menu, and Chef Harald has chosen a dry-aged beef from an old dairy cow, which has been sealed in beeswax. This is an old technique used to preserve cured meat, and it makes the beef develop further and enhances its flavor. It is grilled into perfection and served with sweet corn kernels. For some balance and acidity, fresh blackberries are heated up in the pan with a tasty homemade blackberry vinegar.
Episode 4 – Vienna & Lower Austria
Chef Thomas Dorfer at restaurant Landhaus Bacher in Mautern, Austria
Chef Thomas is an award-winning chef and one of Austria’s greatest culinary visionaries, and he is ready to cook for the winemakers and our lovely hosts.
Dish 1
Chef Thomas Dorfer starts off with a vegetarian dish, using a variety of locally grown carrots from the region. Thomas adds lemon chili for spiciness and Kriecherl plum, a local Austrian cherry plum – for a fruity taste in the dish. Underneath it all, a tapenade of peanuts with white miso. The dressing is made from Lemon Verbena.
Dish 2
Chef Thomas makes a dish with a rather surprising combination: apricot and fish! The local marielle apricot goes so well with riesling; you can find reminiscences of this fruit in the complex riesling wine of this region, which is also added to the sauce for acidity. The apricot is made into a chutney, adding sweetness to the dish. On top, he adds stone- and porcini mushrooms.
Dish 3
Chef Thomas wants to pay hommage to the old Austrian Hungarian Empire with a dish that brings together the Austrian, Hungarian and the Italian cuisine. His own interpretation of the classic Hungarian Szegediner Gulasch together with pork - which Austrians love - stuffed into an Italian ravioli. The preparation is pointedly flavored with the chosen ingredient - the marjoram - the local herb with its citrusy flavor.
Episode 5 – Hardanger
Chef Steinar Rinaldo from restaurant Gløyp Spiseri in Kinsarvik - Hardanger, Norway
Chef Steinar is known for both his Nordic and French cuisine, and for pairing wine with food. He is ready for the chef’s challenge.
Dish 1
In the first dish Chef Steinar has chosen to combine tomato with smoked mackerel. This is a very common sandwich spread in Norway, but for presentation and as a proper dish he treats it slightly different. The acidity from the tomato goes very well with the mackerel. For freshness some apple cider and thyme oil, and to give the dish that little extra, elderflower syrup is introduced. This gives the dish some special aromas, more than flavor.
Dish 2
The ingredient for the next dish is chantarelle mushroom. Chef Steinar has decided to roast a steak of lamb and to prepare a stew from the chantarelle mushrooms with mustard seeds, for acidity and for that mustardy flavor. A perfect combination to the Norwegian steak of lamb. The dish is served with a spicy Mexican mole sauce, which gives the meal some smokiness and sweet earthy notes.
Dish 3
For the last dish, Chef Steinar Rinaldo treats local Hardanger plums with a kitchen torch. This brings out the sweetness in the fruit. For a hint of acidity, the chef includes rhubarb jam and some fresh strawberries. Sprinkled with delicate white chocolate to give the dish some light vanilla and floral notes.