When I write about wine, invariably, I end up craving food that goes well with the subject matter. So as I was wrapping up last week’s article on Rhône Valley white wines, memories of a cooking class I attended in Avignon came flooding back.

Avignon marks the southern end of the Rhône Valley wine region, and it is one of France’s most charming cities, with its ancient center a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The class was held inside Les Halles d’Avignon, an indoor food market with about 40 stalls of fresh regional food items, including artisanal bread, cheese, charcuterie, meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables.

Centr’Halles, an open kitchen within this expansive market, is owned by Jonathan Chiri, an American expat and accomplished chef with a wealth of professional cooking experience spanning the globe.

Our class, consisting of a small group of wine writers, commenced at 9:00 AM with a foray out into the market to discover fresh ingredients, followed by Chef Chiri's patient guidance during the preparation of the lunch, which we happily devoured a couple of hours later paired with locally sourced wines.

**Chef Chiri’s kitchen.** *Photo: Lisa Denning*

In addition to the classes, Chiri operates a full-service restaurant called Cuisine Centr’Halles, open for lunch Tuesdays through Sundays.

Give the following five recipes, crafted by Chef Chiri, a go in your own kitchen. And be sure to pair them with my recommended Rhône white wines.

Green Olive and Almond Tapenade

Green Olive Tapenade checks all the right boxes: great texture, amazing flavor, and easy to prepare. Spread it on sliced and toasted baguette rounds or serve with crackers and crudité—along with a glass of Rhône Valley white wine, of course!

Ingredients

2 cups pitted green Picholine olives (Castelvetranos are a good substitute)

1 cup raw almonds with skins

3 cloves garlic, chopped

½ cup fresh basil leaves

½ cup fresh parsley leaves

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Purée all ingredients together in a food processor or blender, starting without oil. Add oil as necessary to reach a creamy, fairly smooth consistency, keeping a bit of the almond texture.

Pumpkin Cream Soup with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Crispy Parma Ham

As the days become shorter and cooler, this soup is a staple autumn dish, combining the warm, earthy flavors of pumpkin and mushrooms with the comforting richness of creamy soup.

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the mushrooms:

2 cups chanterelle mushrooms

1 teaspoon butter

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

8-10 chives, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces

salt and pepper to taste

For the Prosciutto:

1 thin slice of Prosciutto di Parma

A large splash of clear oil (grapeseed, avocado, sunflower, etc.)

For the pumpkin:

1 small pumpkin (Kuri, Kabocha, or butternut squash can be substituted)

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

Salt and pepper to taste

4 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

4 ¼ cups chicken or vegetable stock or water

Instructions

For the Chanterelles:

1) Clean the chanterelles well with damp paper towels and cut or tear into roughly equal-sized pieces.

2) In a large pan, brown butter and olive oil. Add chanterelles, and wait to hear them searing before stirring. Once they are just cooked, add garlic and chives. Cook for a minute and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. (Alternatively, you can roast all ingredients in a hot oven on a lightly oiled roasting pan for about 10 minutes).

For the Ham:

1) Slice Prosciutto di Parma into thin strips or dice. Place into the pot that you plan to cook the soup in (or separately if keeping the soup vegetarian) and barely cover with the clear oil.

2) Sauté on medium-high heat until the ham brightens and smells toasted. Immediately strain through a sieve, reserving the oil. Place the ham on a paper towel and leave at room temperature until ready to serve.

For the soup:

1) Cut the pumpkin in half crosswise. Remove the seeds, and roast in the oven at 450 °F until the skin is lightly caramelized (10-15 minutes). When cooled down, cut the pumpkin skin off and cut pumpkin flesh into 2-inch pieces.

2) In the meantime, sweat onions and garlic in butter and olive oil for about 6 minutes. Add the pumpkin, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Add stock or water to cover pumpkin mixture by 1 inch and cook for 10 minutes.

3) Add cream and reduce by 1/4 until the pumpkin is well cooked. Remove bay leaf.

4) Purée and add water to the mixture to thin if necessary. Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with chanterelles, prosciutto, and chives and serve.

Red wine reduction

Simmering red wine reduces its volume and concentrates its flavors, creating a rich, glossy sauce that is a classic accompaniment for sautéed, roasted, and grilled meats, including beef, lamb, venison, duck, pork, and chicken. Chef Chiri paired the sauce with lavender and rosemary-rubbed duck breasts. For a dish featuring this sauce, consider opting for a red Rhône Valley wine.

Ingredients

½ 750-ml bottle red wine

½ bottle Port wine

1 tsp of whole peppercorns

1 piece dried star anise

½ tsp sugar

Instructions

1) Add all ingredients to a heavy-bottomed saucepot. Place on stove over medium heat and reduce by ⅔, until glossy and viscous, about 30 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning, and check to see if it is done, as the cooking time can vary considerably depending on the size of the pan and how high the stove’s flame is.

Oven Roasted Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a healthy dish packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Roasting the vegetables in the oven allows their natural sugars to caramelize, resulting in rich, concentrated flavors.

Ratatouille is perfect as a side dish, over pasta, with crusty bread, or as a topping for proteins like chicken or fish.

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 Eggplant

2 green zucchinis

1 yellow zucchini

1 red onion

1 red bell pepper

salt and pepper to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon thyme, chopped

1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper

Instructions

1) Cut eggplant, green zucchini, yellow zucchini, onion, and red bell pepper into small dice, reserving each in separate small bowls. Mix each with a coating of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

2) Place eggplant on oiled baking sheet. Roast in a hot oven (425 °F) until the eggplant begins to brown. Add green and yellow zucchini. Stir well, lightly season, and return to oven until just beginning to show signs of being cooked. Add onions and peppers and continue in the same manner.

3) Add garlic and herbs and continue to cook 5- 10 minutes until all vegetables are cooked through yet retain their vibrant colors.

White Wine Poached Pears

Pears are typically in season during the fall and winter months and make a great seasonal dessert. The white wine infuses the pears with delicate, fruity flavors.

Poached pears can be served on their own with a drizzle of the poaching liquid or with chocolate or caramel sauce. You can also pair it with pound cake and either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream with a sprinkle of toasted nuts.

Serves 6

Ingredients

¾ cup sugar

Spices: whole black pepper, allspice, cinnamon stick, cloves, vanilla bean, etc.

1 lemon, zested and juiced

6 just barely ripened pears (Bartlett, Bosc, and Anjou work well. They should be quite firm but sweet)

1/2 bottle of Rhône Valley white wine

Instructions

For the Pears:

1) Bring the sugar to a boil with 4 cups water, spices, and lemon zest.

2) Meanwhile, peel and core the pears, holding them in water with lemon juice.

3) When water is boiling, add white wine. Set the pears into the cooking liquid and bring to a simmer. Continue poaching the pears at a low simmer until almost cooked, usually 1-3 minutes depending on their ripeness.

4)Let cool to room temperature in their liquid and serve with Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, a sweet, fortified wine made in the southern Rhône Valley.

Many thanks to Inter Rhône, the professional association representing Rhône Valley’s wine growers and wine merchants, for sponsoring my incredible trip to the Rhône Valley and Avignon.