Pan-Seared Sturgeon with Thai Red Curry

Name: Pan-Seared Sturgeon with Thai Red Curry
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1/2 small yellow onion, minced; 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 1/2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste; 1 cup chicken stock (page 190); 3-inch piece of fresh lemongrass, halved lengthwise and smacked with the side of a chef’s knife; 1 kaffir lime leaf, thawed if frozen, torn in half; 1 cup canned coconut milk (shake can well before opening); 1 teaspoon Asian fish sauce; 1/2 teaspoon sugar; 4 (5-ounce) skinless sturgeon or halibut fillets; Kosher salt; Freshly ground white pepper; 1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and diced tomato; 2 tablespoons minced Thai basil

December 22, 2011

One of the benefits of working with so many chefs at the Workshop is that the experience sometimes takes us out of our comfort zone. We tend to shy away from spicy foods at the winery, but with this dish, Honolulu chef Alan Wong, who participated in the 1990 Workshop, reminded us that we don’t need to be so cautious. Our wine can happily accompany a dish with Thai flavors if the heat is balanced with a touch of sweetness and citrus and mellowed with coconut milk. We were pleased—and admittedly surprised—at how seamlessly our Anderson Valley Pinot Noir married with Alan’s red-curry sturgeon. Accompany the fish with stir-fried bok choy or spinach and steamed rice to soak up the luscious sauce.

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