Tom Kitchin: ‘Cooking with Champagne can add understated elegance to a dish’

Published on Tuesday 14 February 2012 00:00

I HAVE to hold my hands up and admit that I’m a typical male when it comes to Valentine’s day.

My wife Michaela and I have both been in the hospitality industry for years and our roles have been defined by long and often unsociable hours, so opportunities to enjoy romantic dinners don’t occur as regularly as we might like.

However, I know for many people that Valentine’s day is an opportunity to enjoy dinner à deux – whether that’s at home or in a special restaurant. What I am passionate about, on any day of the year, is creating food memories that people can cherish. With a little planning, it can be easier than you think to create an outstanding, memorable meal. Some simple touches can add luxury to your dinner, and champagne never fails to impress.

The term champagne is used to refer to wine produced exclusively within the Champagne region of France. If you look back at its history, it is steeped in celebration and royalty – the perfect drink or ingredient for any special occasion. Champagne first became renowned because of its association with the anointment of French kings. Royalty from throughout Europe spread the message of the unique sparkling wine from Champagne and its association with luxury and power in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

Today, there are a number of leading champagne vineyards, and most champagnes are produced using a blend of up to three grape varieties. Most is non-vintage, which means it is a blended product of grapes from multiple vintages. What makes champagne unique, and therefore makes any dish containing it that little bit special, is the burst of effervescence you get from the bubbles.

Champagne has a timeless link with passion and indulgence, and for me it tastes of celebration. At the Kitchin, Philipponnat is our house champagne, which comes from a small, family-run house. The most exclusive cuvée is Clos des Goisses, which some consider to be one of the best champagnes there is and so it is a popular choice for diners celebrating a special occasion.

There’s something really exceptional about enjoying the perfect glass of champagne, which tends to be thought of as an aperitif, or a base for an aperitif, to whet the appetite before a meal. However, it can also be enjoyed throughout a meal if matched correctly and, in the same way as ordinary wine, makes an exciting and versatile ingredient in cooking.

Whatever the occasion, the first step will be opening the bottle – it’s important to remember that it’s best opened with care. The most effective way to open the champagne bottle is to hold it at a 45-degree angle, then grasp the cork firmly between your thumb and forefinger and gently twist the bottle slowly with your other hand. Let the pressure help push out the cork and this will ensure that you don’t loose a drop.

Cooking with champagne can add understated elegance to a dish, but as with any ingredient, it’s important to think about natural flavour matches. If you want to add a splash of bubbly to a dish, make sure you plan ahead and get advice on which is the best match to the food you’re cooking or eating. You need to make sure that the champagne doesn’t overpower your other ingredients.

You can use champagne in the early stages of a recipe and allow it to bubble up. In this case, most of the alcohol will be eliminated and what you will get is an incredible depth of flavour that will be integral to the dish. In addition, champagne can be added at the end of the cooking process, to give a fresh and delicate flavour. For example, you can stir a little into a fresh risotto just before serving to make a really sublime dish.

Many seafood dishes lend themselves well to a splash of champagne as the bubbly sweetness combines well with the salty freshness of seafood and shellfish. This poached seafood ragout is a great recipe to try and an example of the fantastic flavour champagne can add to a dish when matched with the natural juices from the shellfish.

Champagne can also make a beautiful end to a meal. Equally, you can use it to add subtle depth to fruit-based desserts. Many sweet, fizzy varieties can really bring out the flavour of subtly sweet fruits, pastries and soufflés. We often see guests at the restaurant enjoying a glass of champagne after their meal as an alternative to a digestif.

When it comes to choosing champagne, it’s best to seek out expert advice. In a restaurant, your sommelier will be able to recommend the best champagne to enjoy or match with your food choices. At The Kitchin, we serve more than 20 champagnes, including rosé, which is always a popular choice for our Valentine diners. The champagne list is created with the seasons in mind, offering a selection that will appeal to all tastes.

If you’re enjoying champagne at home or in a home-cooked dish, you can get some great advice from local wine shops – staff there will be able to offer tips on storing, serving and matching champagne with food. Talk them through your plans and they can advise on the best champagne for you.

Poached seafood ragout

Serves two

1 carrot, thinly sliced

½ leek, thinly sliced

1 courgette, thinly sliced

4 oysters

25ml white wine

1 shallot, finely chopped

200ml whipping cream

20 mussels, washed and cleaned

4 large langoustines

2 hand-dived scallops

10g butter

1 tbsp chopped mixed herbs (chives, dill, chervil)

½ glass of champagne

To cook the vegetables

Heat a non-stick frying pan and add splash of oil.

Add the carrot and leek to the pan, then sweat gently for one or two minutes.

Add the courgette and let it sweat for a further couple of minutes. Season with salt and, once cooked, set aside.

To make the sauce

Open the oysters, placing the juice from the shellfish into a saucepan, and then set the oysters aside.

Add the white wine to the oyster juices, then add the finely chopped shallots. Cook on a medium heat to reduce the liquid.

Once reduced, add the whipping cream and bring to the boil.

Add the mussels (washed and cleaned) and gently cook until they open.

Add the langoustines and poach gently for a minute.

Add the scallops and poach for a further two minutes.

Add the butter and the cooked vegetables, then add the oysters and gently warm through.

Finally, add the chopped herbs and half a glass of champagne to the pan.

Serve in a bowl.

Poached rhubarb with champagne sabayon

Serves two

For the rhubarb

4-6 stalks pink rhubarb

100g sugar

2 tbsp water

zest and juice of 1 orange

For the sabayon

3 eggs

3½ eggshells of champagne (if you’re making this recipe for more than two people, add half an eggshell of champagne for every yolk)

50g sugar

To make the rhubarb:

Chop the rhubarb into 1cm pieces. Place in a pan and cover with the sugar, water and the orange zest and juice. Bring to the boil and simmer for eight to ten minutes.

Set aside and leave to cool in the cooking liquor.

To make the sabayon

Separate your eggs and place the yolks in a bowl, keeping the shells and whites aside.

Fill half of each eggshell with champagne and pour into the bowl with the sugar.

Boil a large pan of water and then turn it down to a simmer.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, champagne and sugar until they become frothy.

Place the bowl on top of your pan of boiling water and start to whisk – try to whisk in a figure of eight if possible. The egg will begin to thicken – when it starts to leave a trail, you know the yolk is cooked. If it gets too hot, the eggs will begin to scramble so be careful not to overcook. Once cooked, remove and set aside.

To serve

Warm the rhubarb in its own syrup, then put it in a bowl and cover with the sabayon. Lightly place the bowl under the grill to gratinate, then serve.

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