The weather in Chicago seems to be cracking and the sun is shining so our minds turn to Spring and lighter dishes. This week Chef Boris is offering a salt-crusted whole red snapper. The salt and the egg whites form a sort of plaster, keeping air out and sealing in the flavor and tenderness of the fish.

Take a look at the “reveal” after the fish is roasted and then check out the recipe below. Or join us for dinner and let Chef Boris do all the work!

Salt Crusted Whole Red Snapper

3 egg whites
2 cups sea salt
2 cups flour
3 tbl spoons parsley
1 tbl spoon blackening spice
1/2 cup water

Mix these ingredients to create a plaster and chill for 10 minutes.

Take a cleaned, whole 2 pound snapper and rub with salt, pepper, garlic , thyme and olive oil. Place 3 lemon circles on the fish, wrap with parchment paper.

Seal the fish with the salt crust and bake at 375 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

I learned about wine from my mother, a high-end server by trade with a love of fine wines. Family and holiday dinners always centered around her personal wine selections and as I got older she imparted a basic knowledge and a deep love for the stuff. She taught me that white wines paired better with fish, and that lighter dishes and red wines better compliment red meats and heavier dishes.

When I was older I had the opportunity to travel and sample the wines of the world in Italy, France and Napa. Once I got out on my own and did some further research and gained my own experiences I learned that wine pairing is an intricate and can be very creative part of the meal. Increasing my knowledge of wines and food enabled me to get creative: I learned that a Pinot Noir could go with pan seared scallops or a finely seared pork chop and big, that fruit-forward reds that are high in acidity can cut through richer dishes like a heavily marbled ribeye steak. Learning not only about the characteristics of the grapes but also how each vineyard and even each vintage treats them differently allows you to find the perfect accompaniment for any dish at any budget.

Brandon in our Wine Room, available for private parties up to 35 people

The way I approached our beverage program at The Saloon was with a base of traditional California Cabs that always make a fantastic pairing with our famous cuts from Buedel Fine Meats, while adding in some more exotic and lesser known varietals that pair with our entrees (like the Monkfish Saltimbocca) which allows us to give our guests a new experience and educate them about more obscure wines. In addition to our captain’s list (wines by the bottle), we have been working to offer more options and varieties of wines by the glass. My current favorite is a Chilean wine: the Santa Rita Carmenere ($13 glass). It’s one of our January featured wines. It’s rich, earthy and pairs with hearty winter dishes like Beef Stroganoff, available this week on our lunch specials. Get it (and these wines) while you can!

What are your favorite winter wine and meal pairings? Let us know in the comments!

Brining pork or chicken will make them more tender and allows you to infuse flavor into the meat with juniper, brown sugar, smoked wood chips or other seasonings. Historically, brining would be used to help prevent spoilage of the meat by killing bacteria. I learned a lot about my brining from my grandma Sara, a holocaust survivor. In Ukraine all pigs were free range and grass fed and she slaughtered her own pork on her farm near Kiev. She taught me how to brine, how to butcher, how to cook all different parts of the pork.

Come enjoy our bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin with a sweet potato-andouille hash and brown sugar glaze for two weeks starting today.

-Chef Boris