Cooking with wine; Diet strategy: add flavor and richness to fall dishes with this versatile no-fat ingredient

Shape, Sept, 2005 by Mitchell Davis

Want to add flavor to your meals without a lot of calories or any fat? The secret is cooking with wine. This indispensable ingredient has a unique ability to pull together a dish's different elements. It's a caloric bargain to boot, since much of its energy is burned off in cooking. See "Alcohol (and Calories): Into Thin Air?" on page 188.

When choosing a wine to cook with, be sure it's one you're also willing to drink. It doesn't have to be rare or expensive, just palatable. Don't be fooled into thinking you can hide a wine that's gone "bad" in tomorrow's dinner--instead of masking an unpleasant taste, cooking can actually intensify it.

One easy tip: Match the flavor and body of the wine with the flavor and body of your dish. Big, bold wines, like California cabernet sauvignons and chardonnays, go well with beef and salmon, respectively. Similarly, lighter wines, like French pinot noirs and sauvignon blancs, are better paired with chicken and scallops.

The more you use wine in the kitchen, the more you will notice its subtle but significant contribution to your cooking. Here we've created three easy-to-make entrees seasoned with wine. For more cooking ideas and wine suggestions, see "The Perfect Match" on page 190.

Spaghetti in Red Wine

This unusual dish has its roots in Tuscany. The spaghetti is cooked in red wine, which gives the pasta a beautiful color and a subtle, earthy flavor. Use any imported Chianti or Chianti Classico.

Serves 4

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

  1 750-ml bottle Chianti or Chianti Classico
  1 tablespoon kosher salt
3/4 pound (12 ounces) thin spaghetti or spaghettini, broken in half
  2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  2 cloves garlic, minced
  3 very thin slices (1 1/2 ounces) prosciutto or other ham, visible fat
    removed, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  2 cups (about 3 ounces) fresh baby spinach
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Add Chianti, salt and enough water to fill a large pot and bring to a boil. Add spaghetti and stir. Cook until al dente, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, in a large frying pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. (If it starts to brown, lower heat.) Add prosciutto or other ham and cook for another minute or 2, until meat begins to sizzle. Add pepper flakes and cook a minute more. Toss in baby spinach and cook until totally wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with black pepper.

When spaghetti is done, remove about 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid from the pot and reserve. Drain pasta but do not rinse. Add spaghetti directly to frying pan along with 1/2 cup or so of the reserved cooking liquid, enough to make a sauce. Add chopped parsley. Toss pasta in pan to distribute ingredients and simmer a minute or 2 until cooking liquid has almost all evaporated. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and serve immediately.

Nutrition score per serving: 415 calories (1/4 of recipe), 22% fat (10.2 g; 2 g saturated), 63% carbs alcohol (64.8 g), 15% protein (15.2 g), 2.5 g fiber, 62 mg calcium, 4 mg iron, 262 mg sodium.

Pork Tenderloin With Marsala and Wild Mushroom Sauce

Using an assortment of mushrooms gives this classic sauce a deep, woodsy flavor. Choose an authentic, dry white Marsala from Sicily, such as Lombardo.

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

  1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
  1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  1 shallot, minced
1/2 pound (8 ounces) assorted mushrooms, such as chanterelles, black
    trumpets, portobellos, cremini or white button mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup Marsala (or substitute dry fino sherry)
  1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 425[degrees]F. Rub pork tenderloin with flour and season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a nonstick frying pan, heat oil over high heat. Swirl pan to distribute oil evenly. When hot, add the tenderloin. Cook until nicely browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer tenderloin to a rack in a roasting pan and set in oven to finish cooking an additional 5 minutes while you prepare the sauce.

Add the shallot to the same frying pan used to brown the meat and cook for 1 minute on medium high. Add mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add vegetable broth. Using a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, scrape off any mushroom bits that have stuck. When mushrooms have softened and cooked (about 3-4 minutes), add Marsala and thyme. Turn heat to high and cook, stirring for 2 or 3 minutes, until about half of the liquid has evaporated and sauce has begun to thicken. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the pork from the oven. (When done, an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat should register 165[degrees] F.) Slice meat into 8 medallions and transfer to a serving platter. Top with mushroom sauce and serve immediately.