Cooking with wine comes easy for Executive Chef Patrick Gayler of Terrace, the onsite restaurant at Mission Hill Family Estate in West Kelowna, British Columbia. The Okanagan Valley winery proudly plates up seasonal, regionally inspired fare that is created to pair with — and sometimes cook with — Mission Hill’s wines.
“Embrace what we have when we have it,” Gayler says of the kitchen’s motto. “We grow outstanding produce here and we always aim to showcase it… Being part of a winery restaurant, I’ve always loved working with food and wine, and understanding how they interact.”
With the fall season getting closer, Gayler leans toward Pinot Noir-happy mushroom dishes, and spotlights the two in this recipe for wild mushrooms on rye toast. Centered on wild, local mushrooms and enhanced with a roasted garlic sabayon (egg yolk-based sauce), Gayler says he feels “fresh is best” in this case.
“This recipe allows us to rotate the best local wild mushrooms, the types of mushrooms could change two or three times a week depending on the time of year,” the chef says. “The sauce adds intense mushroom flavor and creaminess without being too heavy.”
Bringing aroma and acidity to the dish, Gayler cooks and pairs with the Prospectus Pinot Noir from Mission Hill Family Estate’s Legacy Collection, and says pairing with the same wine is a no-brainer.
“The earthiness in the Pinot Noir always pairs well with mushrooms,” he adds. “Wild mushrooms especially will add to the aroma and finish of the wine.”
Wild Mushrooms on Rye Toast with Garlic Sabayon
Serves 4
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup assorted wild and farmed mushroom, cleaned
¼ cup julienned leeks
¼ cup julienned fennel
½ cup Pinot Noir
1 teaspoon thyme, picked
1 teaspoon truffle paste
2 tablespoons shredded hard cheese
4-5 roasted garlic cloves
2 egg yolks
2 ounces water
1 tablespoon pickled onion
2 cups melted butter
Salt, to taste
4 pieces rye toast
Lightly brown the butter in medium sauté pan until foamy and nutty smelling. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden brown. Add the leek and fennel, season then continue to cook until vegetables are tender and translucent. Deglaze with the wine and remove the pan from the heat. Once off the heat, add thyme, cheese and truffle.
In a blender, combine the roasted garlic, egg yolks, water, pickled onion and water. Blend until smooth. Slowly pour in the melted butter then adjust seasoning with salt. Keep the garlic sabayon warm until ready to use.
To serve, spoon the mushrooms onto four buttered toast and dollop the sabayon on the side of the plate.
