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

Shape, Sept, 2005 by Mitchell Davis

Nutrition score per serving: 233 calories, 29% fat (7.4 g; 1.8 g saturated), 28% carbs alcohol (8.2 g), 43% protein (25 g), 0.8 g fiber, 12 mg calcium, 1.7 mg iron, 634 mg sodium

Chardonnay Poached Salmon With Mustard Tarragon Sauce

A California chardonnay is a perfect match for the richness of salmon. California excels at production of this delicious dry white wine.

Serves 4

Prep time: 8 minutes

Cook time: 12 minutes

    1 750-ml bottle chardonnay
    3 cups water
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pinch salt
1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
    1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil
    1 shallot, minced
    1 tablespoon grainy Pommery-style or Dijon mustard
  2/3 cup plain lowfat yogurt
  1-2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon

In a deep frying pan or wide saucepan combine chardonnay, water, lemon juice and salt. Carefully place salmon fillets in pan, skin side down, making sure they are covered with liquid. (If not, add more water.) Cover pan, set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Then turn down to a simmer and cook 4 or 5 minutes, until salmon turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Remove pan from heat.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan or saute pan, heat the butter or olive oil on medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the poaching liquid. Stir in mustard, yogurt and tarragon and reduce heat to a simmer.

With a slotted spatula, carefully lift salmon from poaching liquid onto serving plates. Spoon 1/4 of the sauce over each fillet and serve.

Nutrition score per serving (1 salmon fillet with sauce): 401 calories, 49% fat (22 g; 5.9 g saturated), 14% carbs alcohol (4.7 g), 37% protein (37 g), 0 g fiber, 105 mg calcium, 0.8 mg iron, 222 mg sodium

Mitchell Davis is a cookbook author based in New York City.

Photography by Beatriz Da Costa

RELATED ARTICLE: alcohol (and calories): into thin air?

Despite popular belief, all of the alcohol in wine--or any spirit, for that matter--does not evaporate during brief cooking. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture research reported by the Mayo Clinic, after 15 minutes of simmering, 40 percent of the alcohol still remains. About 2 1/2 hours of simmering is necessary to evaporate 95 percent of the alcohol. Here's the good news: Whatever alcohol does evaporate takes its calories with it!

RELATED ARTICLE: the perfect match

Not sure which wine to choose? Here are some suggestions:

White wine

Chardonnay -- California-style (full-bodied, aged in oak). Try Beringer (USA), Fetzer (USA), Silver Ridge (USA), or Woodbridge (USA).

* Add to a marinade for grilled or roasted salmon.

* Deglaze the pan from a roast turkey with it to make the gravy.

* Use in a salad dressing to cut the acidity of vinegar.

* Add to a fresh tomato sauce.

Red wine

Pinot Noir -- French-style (light-bodied, rich fruit flavors.) Try Bouchard Pere & Fils (France), De Loach (USA), Drouhin (France and USA), Louis Jadot (France).

* Add to a risotto with beets or radicchio to produce a beautiful crimson color.

* Combine with water, whole peppercorns and sugar for a spicy poaching liquid for pears.