With two equally appealing Rodney Strongs beckoning me from the wine rack, I felt compelled to bring them to the table together and flaunt them in the same meal. And being two very different varietals – chardonnay and pinot noir – I knew there was a challenge ahead. But what Swirl Girl doesn’t love a challenge built around our beloved grapes?

I found my solution in corn.

Dear, sweet polenta, how I love your simplicity, both in the kitchen and on the palate. It is with you I could create a foundation for my meal, and upon you I could ladle the riches of sauce to coax nuance from the wines.

And so it was, as I let breathe the open bottles of 2010 Rodney Strong Estate Vineyards Chardonnay, from Chalk Hill, and 2010 Estate Vineyards Pinot Noir, from Russian River Valley (both $14.99 Total Wine, $16.99 Crown), I deftly managed dueling skillets. One of which had caramelized onion and white bean sauce, while the other simmered with wild mushroom sauce.

The chardonnay, while aged in oak and with its lees regularly stirred, was not overly oaked nor too rich with butter flavors. It had aromas of lemon, tropical fruit nuances, and just a little bit of butter. It tasted of sweet citrus (not too tart), apple, vanilla and oak in a medium-to-full body with a creamy texture. It had a long finish ending with mineral notes. Although I’m still not a big fan of oaked chardonnays, I did appreciate and like the complexity in this bottle.

The white sauce I paired with the chardonnay was of my own creation, inspired by recipes in “Perfect Pairings,” by Evan Goldstein. Slowly sauteeing onions, which caramelize into a sweet, decadent richness, and then adding cannellini beans and a small dollop of crème frâiche, I crafted a dish that both complemented and elevated the rich, creamy character of the chardonnay and its vanilla component. The texture of the polenta against the creaminess of the onions was delectable and the beans provided some “meat” for the body and acidity of the wine.

The pinot noir had a beautiful ruby-cherry color, so enviable that I wanted to fuse it into stone and wear it as a pendant on my neck. It had an alluring aroma, with an abundance of cherry, candied fruit, wood and spice. The palate had generous fruit, vanilla, and soft herb and floral notes. Although the winery web site said it’s ready to drink now, I thought it was too young in its carnival-like fruit and a wee bit tight, and could develop more depth after another year or two in the bottle.

But it did find a proper playmate in the wild mushroom sauce and polenta. The dish’s earthy mushrooms, tomato paste and wine-based acidity matched up to the wine’s acidity and brought forth the juicy, fruity goodness from the wine, as well. Even the fresh herbs enhanced a like character in the wine.

It might have been a quiet, solitary Sunday evening for me, but it certainly wasn’t bland or lonely with a dinner partner like Rodney.

Recipes

Caramelized onion and white bean sauce over polenta (Serves 4)

1 cup coarse cornmeal

4 cups cold water

2 tablespoons butter

2 onions

1/2 cup canned white beans (I used cannellini), with some of its packed water

1/8 cup crème frâiche

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For polenta: In saucepan, combine the cornmeal and water. Bring to boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low, and cook the polenta, stirring often, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into oiled baking pan or sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Melt butter in skillet over low-medium heat, add onions and sautee, stirring regularly for about 20 minutes.

Add beans, crème frâiche and salt and pepper. Stir until heated through, about 5 more minutes.

To serve, cut polenta into individual portions and grill, broil, or heat in a 350 degree oven until warm. Spoon sauce over heated polenta.

— from “Earthy” Jennifer

Wild mushroom sauce (Serves 6)

1/2 to 1 1/2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms

2 cups hot water

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half

1 pound fresh mushrooms (any mix), quartered

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons minced onion or shallot

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon minced rosemary

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar, or to taste

Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

In medium bowl, cover the dried mushrooms with hot water and set aside to soak, at least 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the oil with the cloves of garlic and cook over medium-high heat about 4-5 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms and salt, stirring for about 10 minutes.

While the fresh mushrooms cook, lift the dried mushrooms from water with your hands, reserving the soaking liquid. Squeeze them dry, draining liquid back in to bowl. Chop mushrooms coursely and add to cooked fresh mushrooms. Decant the soaking liquid through a strainer and into a measuring cup. You should have 1 1/2 to 2 cups.

Add the onion and increase the heat to high, cooking for 3-5 minutes. Add the white wine and cook another 5 minutes.

Reduce temperature to medium and stir in tomato paste. Cook, stirring for about 3 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of the strained soaking liquid and gently simmer over medium-low heat until juices are thickened and creamy, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the rosemary and parsley. Taste and add just enough red wine vinegar to give the sauce depth.

Spoon about 1/3 cup mushrooms over heated polenta serving and sprinkle grated cheese on top.

— from Palm Beach Post files