We devoured apricot sundaes, apricot mousse, apricot sorbet, and apricot cakes! Our travels through Germany, Austria, and Slovenia, the mountainous Alps, in ways reminded us of our beloved Northern Utah landscape. Not coincidentally, luscious stone fruit trees dotted their hillsides as well. We love apricots in sweet applications, but equally (if not more) in savory dishes, such as in salads or on top of pizzas. When contemplating the perfect pairing for this week’s Grüner Veltliner, apricots came immediately to mind for their balanced acidity and perfect amount of sweetness to compliment the wine. Butterkase, a young, creamy cheese from the region, was our inspiration for the match with the apricots, but since Austrian cheeses are a bit obscure here, we chose a young manchego as a substitute. The vibrant, pickled red onions add a welcome crunch and play off the acidity in the fruit, and the smoked trout reminds us of the delicious lake fish we enjoyed on our travels.
- 12 slices of bread from a good quality baguette
- 2 medium apricots cut into thin wedges
- 1 red onion sliced
- ½ cup cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 slices of young manchego cheese
- 2 oz roughly of smoked trout
- Honey for finishing
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Start by making the pickled red onions. In a glass jar or bowl big enough to hold the sliced onions, mix the cider vinegar, sugar and salt. Add the onions and make sure they are submerged in the liquid. Let sit at room temperature for about an hour.*
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Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and top with a slice of cheese. Place under a broiler and toast until the cheese is just melted. Remove and place on a serving platter. Top with a piece of trout, a few sliced apricots, a little pickled onion, and plenty of cracked black pepper. Drizzle lightly with honey and serve.
* This makes a lot more pickled onions than you need for these toasts, but keeps in the fridge for at least two weeks. You can use leftover pickled onions for tacos, burgers, salads, or anything you can think of!
Try with Laurenz V. Gruner Veltliner ’17.
