Part of the pairing menu from Copa Jerez 2015 Russian participants Timur Abuzyarov and Ksenia Karpenko.
Our main course pairing is Valdespino Oloroso Solera 1842 from the memorable year when it was first made and duck breast, barley quinoa, chanterelles and cherry condiment.
This pairing was born our of a conflict, out of a challenge. This magnificent Oloroso is so rich in the profile of flavours that it was quite hard to find an ideal partner to marry it with. In this dish we wanted to highlight the heart and soul of our beautiful country of Russia by the ingredients used. Slightly smoked duck breast is served with traditional Russian barley porridge quinoa, which by difference of textures lightens the barley.
We also use seasonal ingredient: chanterelles of two kinds - the traditional yellow ones black ones which only can be found in the forests of Russia.
The great legacy of Jerez - the solera system gives this Oloroso extraordinary complexity. The smoky character of this dish is obtained via duck breast being smoked on alder scobs, tobacco notes well integrated in Oloroso and the candied young strobiles laying out a terroir of Russian forest on your palate.