Wine is essential in the kitchen for deglazing pans, cutting fat, adding flavor

If I’ve heard TV chef Scott Conant critique a “Chopped” contestant one time for not adding enough acid in his dish, I’ve heard him say it 100 times. Novice cooks may ask how one adds acid and why it’s so important to cooking. The short answer is balanced sauces.

Beef bourguignon, made and served the traditional way. | Photo courtesy of Laurent Leveque, professor at Walnut Hill College

“Acid brings balance to a dish by adding sweetness and flavor, and cutting the fat,” said Christian Varalli, chef and owner of owner of Scannicchio’s Italian Restaurant in South Philadelphia. There are several acidic ingredients used across cuisines like citrus fruits and tomatoes, but wine is the go-to ingredient in numerous classic recipes. Without it, we wouldn’t have the pleasure of knowing chicken Marsala, coq au vin, or beef bourguignon.

“Wine helps deglaze a pan when cooking proteins and creates flavorful pan juices,” said Laurent Leveque, executive chef and professor of restaurant management at the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia. “There are a few classic desserts made with wine too, like zabaglione.”

Both chefs agree that nearly all the sauces they prepare require acid, and most often wine. My next and obvious question was, aside from Marsala, what wines are essential to have on hand in the kitchen? Leveque let me in on a little secret: most restaurants use boxed wines to keep costs down and they render dishes just as tasty as those made with more expensive burgundies and chardonnays. Varalli suggests having a $10 Pinot Grigio available in your kitchen for preparing most recipes calling for white wine.

Marc Varalli presents guest Maryann Chilkatowsky with Chicken Saltimbocca at Scannicchio’s Italian Restaurant in Philadelphia.

Home cooks in my family have been adding wine to dishes for as long as I can remember. I can still visualize my late Aunt Mary Calamaro, a fabulous home cook with a restaurant-style knack, at her stovetop pouring a juice glass of “dago red” over her simmering veal scallopine. No doubt she instinctively knew the precise level of flavor it added to the dish though she would not likely have referred to that as adding balance or acid.

According to the “Ultimate Guide to Cooking with Wine 101: Tips, Recipes & Comparison” on AdvancedMixology.com, wine plays three main roles in cooking: as an ingredient in marinades with tenderizing qualities, a cooking liquid, and a flavor additive.

I don’t know about you but I enjoy getting a little lightly sauced myself while at my stove preparing sauces, preferably with a French red perfect for killing two birds with one stone as they say. And I found validation through a TasteofHome.com article by Tamara Gane who quotes the executive chef at Sonoma’s J Vineyards and Winery, Shelton Carl: “It’s a good idea to cook with a wine similar to what you’re drinking because it connects the wine in your glass to the food on your plate.” I’m sold!

One of Leveque’s favorite dinners to whip up at home on wintry nights is braised short ribs with Bourguignon mushrooms, a dish naturally birthed in the Burgandy region of France. Sounds a bit more enticing than grandma’s meatloaf, eh? Varalli and Leveque concur that cooking with a better wine can enhance certain recipes like Bourguignon sauce. Leveque suggested using a nice Chardonnay for cream sauces that accompany fish. Then he told me a funny story, being a Frenchman: 

It is said that Napoleon used his bayonet to sabrage (or crack open) a bottle of Champagne after each winning battle.

Back in South Philly, Varalli shared an easy variation of his Chicken Marsala recipe for making it at home: There are endless ways to incorporate wine into homemade meals that cooks like my Aunt Mary made. I guarantee TV chefs would be proud of her ability to balance a sauce with acid.

If you’re interested in learning more about cooking with wine, Walnut Hill College offers seasonal courses through its Community Education Program at www.walnuthillcollege.edu. But if time is short and you’re looking for the CliffNotes, www.advancedmixology.com is a good resource.