Food and Wine Pairing: Bouchons Au Thon and Corbières Domaine de Fontsainte Gris de Gris 2010
Yes, I know. Lots of French stuff, no?
But you’ll be happy to know this recipe and wine match is not in any way challenging or inaccessible.
Personally, I’ve always had a predisposition to rule out French recipes as too difficult and time consuming, until I learned how simple many of them can be.
What lead me to this epiphany? I recently bought Molly Wizenberg’s “A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table,” where this recipe is from. If you love witty, engaging writing, especially the kind that inspires you to cook, then I suggest you get this book. I’ve dog-eared about half a dozen recipes from it so far that I plan to try, and I’m just part way through it. A good sign.
If you don’t know who Molly Wizenberg is, she writes the fantastic blog Orangette, which is how I first heard of her. You will want to check that out as well.
This recipe is very simple and comes together quickly. It would be terrific served with a green salad or roasted potatoes, as Wizenburg suggests. I simply ate the bouchons au thon (or “tuna corks”) on their own as a light meal for dinner. They paired perfectly with the Corbières Domaine de Fontsainte Gris de Gris.
I made a batch of eight, and had three of them about 20 minutes out of the oven, still warm, for a light meal the night I made them. I then enjoyed two the next day from the fridge and warmed up to room temperature with a green salad for lunch.
Wine Notes
I chose the Corbières Domaine de Fontsainte Gris de Gris Rosé, specifically to pair with this recipe. I wanted something light and refreshing, dry and fruity, and this wine was the ticket. It was the perfect compliment to the bouchons au thon.
Blend of 70% Grenache Gris and Grenache Noir; 10% Mourvèdre; 10% Carignan; and 10% Cinsault. Notes of strawberry and watermelon; fresh and vibrant with a nice, racy acidity; very well-balanced. The color is a very light salmon hue. Good minerality and long finish. Delicate and nuanced, which is what made it so lovely with this recipe.
For more information on the wine, go to my Corbières Domaine de Fontsainte Gris de Gris blog post here.
RECIPE: BOUCHONS AU THON (from Molly Wizenberg’s book, see info above)
INGREDIENTS
• One 6-ounce can tuna packed in water, drained well (you can use solid white or chunk light tuna)
• 1 cup lightly packed finely shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1/3 cup crème fraiche
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
• ¼ teaspoon salt
PREPARATION
• Set an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease 8 cups of a standard-size muffin tin, and set aside.
• Put the tuna in a medium bowl, and using a fork, mash and poke to break it up into small pieces. There should be no chunks larger than a dime.
• Add the remaining ingredients and stir well with the fork, mashing a little as you go, until the mixture is thoroughly combined. It will be a soft orange-pink color.
• Divide the mixture evenly among the 8 prepared muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the bouchons look set on top and around the edges.
• Transfer the tin to a rack, and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Run a small, thin knife around the edge of each bouchon to make sure it isn’t stuck, then carefully remove them from the muffin tin. They will collapse a bit as they cool.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: 8 bouchons, enough for 4 light eaters
Bon Appétit!
I am starving now after reading this recipe. I imagine that you must be the best cook on top of your also being a wine goddess.
This does indeed look like a doable recipe even if I cannot pronounce it.
Hi Stephanie, thanks for your comment!
I don’t rule out recipes I can’t pronounce, or I’d never cook anything! And I do not have the faintest clue how to pronounce this one. ; ) This recipe is super easy, and these “bouchons” make an easy light dinner or a great snack. I was surprised at how well it turned out.