Michael Austin – Page 18

Shrimp rolls with rich avocado and crispy cabbage.

Go rich or go crisp with wine for a shrimp roll

June 8, 2018 at 4:34 p.m.

A lobster roll is a coveted thing, but if you can't get your hands on lobster, or you're put off by the price, turn to another crustacean. Shrimp rolls are...

One of the best ways to store leftover wine, and certainly the simplest, is to pour it into a smaller container that holds the liquid without leaving an air pocket.

How to protect leftover wine from its enemy: Oxygen

June 8, 2018 at 7:03 p.m.

You've drained a slew of bottles — you and your good-time crew — and if tonight were a movie, the credits would be rolling right about now. Time to sleep...

Black bean soup is a great dish. But what if you add chorizo meatballs and sauteed poblanos? Top it off with cilantro and avocado, and you really have something.

Bold soup? Bold wine. 3 that stand up to the spicy heat

June 8, 2018 at 7:38 p.m.

The bold flavor of Mexican chorizo, a fresh pork sausage packed with chilies, makes this black bean soup stand out from other variations. The chorizo is rolled into little meatballs...

Six wild Burgundian snails are the star of the wood-grilled escargot ($12) at Le Sud. The Roscoe Village restaurant's version of this dish is not hiding in a pool of garlic butter or served in a scalding hot dish. Presented on a skewer, the mollusks are brushed with olive oil infused with herbs de provence before they're grilled, absorbing a delicate smoky flavor that lingers in your mouth. Tender and buttery, the snails are served with a few generous pats of herb butter that melt, adding another layer of fragrance and lusciousness. A side of green salad dressed with olive oil, lemon and salt provides a bright contrast to the skewer and a hearty country bread serves as a foundation for assembling a makeshift toast point. The portion is small, so make your dining companions order their own. $12. 2301 W. Roscoe St., 773-857-1985, <a href="https://lesudchicago.com/">lesudchicago.com</a> — Grace Wong

Black wine is back. Here are 5 bottles to try

May 2, 2019 at 2:11 p.m.

You know about red, white and pink wine. You (probably) know about green wine, and orange wine too. Now let's expand the color palette to include the black wine of...

An expert advises what wines to pair with this pork-and-apples dish.

Cozy up to triple-apple pork chops and a bottle of wine

June 8, 2018 at 10:21 p.m.

This recipe for pork chops with apple slices, apple cider and applejack is perfect for cold weather, especially when paired with one of these three wines. It's time to start...

Chili you can make on the fly, enjoyed with sparkling or red wine

May 2, 2019 at 2:11 p.m.

You need a strong wine to stand up to a smoky dish. The three bottles recommended to pair with this easy weeknight white-bean chili are each fierce in a different...

Wine lovers: Don’t ignore Virginia

May 2, 2019 at 2:11 p.m.

If asked about American wine today, Virginia would not be the first, second or even third place that most of us think of. But the roots of America's wine industry...

3 wines to pair with an easy Thanksgiving leftovers hash

May 2, 2019 at 2:11 p.m.

When a dish has a lot going on, sometimes it affords you a similar range in choosing a wine match. Here, a simple dish, hash, has layered flavors left over...

19th-century Viennese chef Franz Sacher would be pleased, I think, by the version of his eponymous chocolate cake served at Café Selmarie in Lincoln Square. First, the top of each slice of Sacher torte is decorated with his name, elegantly written in chocolate script. Second, the cake is a real looker: Layers of chocolate cake are mortared with raspberry preserve and chocolate buttercream; the whole thing is then frosted with more buttercream and wrapped in a smooth sheet of bittersweet chocolate — firm enough to be eaten on its own, if you like, with a fork. Third, every bite is delicious. The devil's food cake is firm and pleasant, while the raspberry offers a deep berry counterpoint to all the chocolate. $4.20. 4729 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-989-5595, <a href="http://cafeselmarie.com/" target="_blank">www.cafeselmarie.com</a>. — Bill Daley

Giving thanks for the harvest that puts wine on Thanksgiving table

June 9, 2018 at 4:04 a.m.

The harvest seems so romantic. For those of us who love food and wine, and the natural cycles of the earth, images of the harvest grab our attention. Workers walking...

14 wines for your Thanksgiving table, from $12 to $40

May 2, 2019 at 2:11 p.m.

The beautiful mishmash is near, and I can't wait to mix my food together. I always felt bad for the kid who, with extreme vigilance, made sure that no group...

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