Rainbow Root Vegetable Gratin and Baked Rainbow Trout Recipes
I guess we are on a rainbow theme here!
These dishes were for our pairing menu, to go with 2 Pinot Noirs we received as samples from Youngberg Hill.
We did the main course of Baked Rainbow trout. This is a fish that is a little meatier and fattier to stand up to the Pinot. For our side, this rainbow root vegetable gratin, that brings in earthier notes to pair with the Pinot Noir. I know, fish and cheese? It might be a little out of the box, but it worked.
This “Rainbow” was made with beets in red and yellow, sweet potato, and parsnip.
The baked rainbow trout with its distinctive flavor and fat stood up to both of the wines, even the brooding Natasha. The rainbow root vegetable gratin really worked well, much credit should be given to the Gruyere topper for pulling the pairing together. With the blend of 4 vegetables, I found I preferred the parsnips with the Cuvée and the beets with the Natasha. Overall, a very satisfying pairing.
Scroll to the bottom for the recipe cards.
Youngberg Hill
I have a connection with this winery. Years ago, Michael and I ventured to Oregon on our first trip to explore the Willamette Valley. An old friend of mine, Adam, met us and made sure we visited Youngberg Hill, where he and his wife had recently been married. We had a lovely day and I have great memories from visiting the winery.
2016 Youngberg Hill Natasha Pinot Noir
Our notes
This wine had a very integrated nose. It was heavier than the Cuvée with more brambles and bramble fruit. It was lively in my mouth with tartness, like tart blackberry and good acid. Notes of red currant, with bits of smoky vanilla, popped up as I paired it. The finish was lengthy and mouth and gum warming.
This wine is a bit more brooding and earthier than the Cuvée.
2017 Youngberg Hill Cuvée Pinot Noir
Our notes
The nose was full of red fruit with a waft of dustiness then brambles and spice. Baked strawberry came to mind. It was bright in my mouth with med/high acid and light drifty tannins that evaporate. A medium finish that brought up bits of cola.
Rainbow Root Vegetable Gratin and Baked Rainbow Trout
Rainbow Root Vegetable Gratin
We adapted this recipe for my vegetable with our Pinot Noir pairing. I went earthier choosing a root vegetable gratin, in a rainbow of colors, with red beet, sweet potato, golden beet, and parsnip.
Ingredients
- 2 red beets
- 2 golden beets
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 parsnip
- 1 cup of cream
- 4 oz of grated parmesan
- 1 tbs+ fresh thyme
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1 oz of shredded gruyere
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F
- Grease a baking dish (2-quart size)
- Peel and slice the vegetables thinly into rounds and place them in separate bowls. (How perfect and fancy you want to get depends
on your style. I hand cut these and was not concerned about having them all look the same size, but you could use a cutter to make all of your circles uniform if you chose) - To each bowl add bits of the cream (4 tablespoons each to the beets, 2 tablespoons each to the potato and parsnip you should end
up with about ¼ cup left) - Divide your parmesan in ½ and then divide that into 4 parts and sprinkle this on each of your 4 bowls.
- Divide the thyme 4 ways over the 4 bowls.
- Stir up each bowl seasoning with salt and pepper and make sure all the slices of vegetables are coated.
- In the base of your buttered baking or gratin dish, pour the rest of the cream, add the minced garlic, and ½ of the remaining parmesan.
- Now, layer your gratin, start with a bunch of the parsnip (5 or 6 slices) followed by the yellow beet, followed by the sweet potato, and finally the red beet, standing them on edge making rows. Continue until your dish is full. (Feel free to play with your patterns and colors artistically as you see fit).
- Top this with a bit of S & P and the rest of the Parm.
- Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.
- Uncover and top with the gruyere
- Bake another 20 minutes. (Cheese should be melted and lightly brown)
- Sprinkle with a bit more thyme and serve)
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 419Total Fat 32gSaturated Fat 19gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 99mgSodium 705mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 3gSugar 9gProtein 14g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
Baked Rainbow Trout
Salmon & Pinot are so traditional, we stepped just a bit outside the box. The key to red wine with fish is choosing a fatty fish and so we chose rainbow trout. The trout with its distinctive flavor and fat stood up to both of the wines, even the brooding Natasha Pinot Noir from Youngberg Hill.
Ingredients
- 2 trout (scaled and gutted)
- 1 lemon
- Dill
- Green onions (chopped)
- Olive oil
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 F
- Rinse the fish and pat dry
- Sprinkle the inside with salt and pepper
- Add half the dill and green onions inside
- Drizzle with Olive oil
- Do the same to the other fish
- Cut 3 shallow diagonal cuts in the top of each fish
- Drizzle olive oil on top of each fish
- Stick a ½ lemon slice in each of the cuts.
- One last sprinkle of salt and pepper and pop them in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Pop them back under the broiler for a couple of minutes to crisp up the skin and serve.
Nutrition Information
Yield
2Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 193Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 46mgSodium 192mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 17g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
Read the whole piece on our pairing dinner for more details on the wines and this winery
Youngberg Hill – Reminiscing and Making New Memories with 2 Youngberg Hill Pinot Noirs
How to find Youngberg Hill?
The Willamette Valley is a beautiful place to visit and has so much wonderful wine!
You can find Youngberg Hill at 10660 SW Youngberg Hill Road, McMinnville, OR 97128
Tastings are appointment only 10-4 daily, call them at 503-472-2727 or drop them an email at info@youngberghill.com
Or check out some of these pieces right here on Crushed Grape Chronicles
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
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