By Michael Austin
Chicago Tribune
There’s not much that’s easier to whip up at home on a cold winter’s day than a stir-fry.
Tribune food and features writer Bill Daley has provided a recipe rich with pork and vegetables.
Match this one to a variety of wines; below, we have options both white and red. Each plays up different qualities of the dish — do you love mushrooms? In it for the pork? Want to tone down the heat? Choose accordingly, and enjoy.
Pork and peppers stir-fry
2 tablespoons oil
3 green onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon chili sauce
½ pound boneless pork loin, cut into strips
1 each yellow and red bell peppers, sliced in narrow strips
½ pound sliced mushrooms
¼ pound pea pods
Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add chopped green onions, minced garlic and ginger and chili sauce. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add strips of pork loin; stir-fry until fully cooked, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Stir-fry sliced bell peppers and mushrooms, 2 minutes. Add pea pods; stir-fry until all is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Return pork mixture to skillet; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until warmed through. Serve over brown or white rice. Makes 4 servings.
Drink this
Pairings by sommelier Aaron McManus of Oriole, as told to Michael Austin:
2012 Albert Boxler Pinot Gris Reserve, Alsace, France: The touch of residual sugar in this off-dry wine will help tone down the heat in the stir-fry. This pinot gris smells of baked apple, yellow peach, honeysuckle, ginger, almond and mushrooms. The wine is full-bodied and rich, which will match the fattiness of the pork. Also, the spice of the peppers will complement the wine’s ginger flavors.
2013 Patton Valley Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon: With aromas of ripe cherry, fresh berries, violets, cola, oak, spice, wet leaves and vanilla, this wine is fruit-forward but not sweet, which will pair well with the spiciness of the dish. Also, the wet leaves and earthier qualities in the wine will be a nice match for the mushrooms in the dish.
2011 Olga Raffault Les Picasses Chinon, Loire Valley, France: This cabernet franc smells of raspberries and cranberries, herbs, green peppers, tobacco, roses and a little spice. The wine’s herb flavors will go nicely with the green onion, and the wine’s green peppers will match the bell peppers while also enhancing the pea pods in the dish.
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