From the Chef

Immediately upon lifting up a glass of the Uproot Sauvignon Blanc, you're hit with the intensity of the fruit scents and flavors in this wine. You smell passionfruit and tangerines and canary melon, which immediately makes you think of other tropical flavors. While it has a nice amount of dryness, it's not very acidic or mineral-y, which makes it a good pairing for spicy food. In other words, it's a perfect wine to drink with Thai dishes. The fruit and acidity of the wine mingle with and cut through the rich spices and coconut in this lightly spicy curry sauce. The balance of lightness and heft in the wine makes it a perfect partner for salmon as well.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound salmon fillet, skin removed
• 2/3 cups fruity white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc
• 1 1/2-inch thick slice of fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons lemongrass, chopped into chunks
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion, divided
• 2 tablespoons coconut or peanut oil
• 3 teaspoons Madras curry powder
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 14-oz can coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 whole Thai bird’s eye or jalapeno pepper, speared in several places with a knife
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (plus more to taste)
• 1 1/2 cup peas (fresh or frozen will work)
• Cooked rice or rice noodles for serving
• Chopped cilantro and mint for garnish

Method

1. In a deep stovetop pan that will snugly fit the salmon in 1 or 2 pieces, combine the wine with 1 cup water, the slice of ginger, chopped lemongrass, 2 tablespoons of chopped green onion, and a good pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a bare simmer. Slip in the salmon and cook until it is just barely cooked (it should be rare in the center). Remove the salmon from the poaching liquid and cut it into 1-inch chunks. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat the peanut or coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the remaining chopped green onion and stir in the curry powder. Cook, stirring, about 3 minutes.
3. Turn the heat down to medium, stir in the garlic, ginger, and brown sugar. Cook until the garlic is softened, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, lime juice, hot pepper(s), and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer the liquid for 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the salmon chunks into the liquid, gently breaking up a couple of them into smaller flakes. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 4 minutes. Uncover, and stir in the peas. Continue to simmer until the peas are just cooked through (3-4 minutes for frozen, 4-5 for fresh). Taste and add more fish sauce or salt to taste.
5. Serve the salmon and sauce over rice or rice noodles and sprinkle with chopped mint and cilantro to garnish.
6. Pour yourself a glass of Uproot and Enjoy!