Clean Cuisine

Like most Americans, I was only dimly aware of verjuice. Then, several years ago, I was experimenting in a friend’s kitchen and came upon some. I vaguely knew it was made from grapes and was related to both wine and vinegar, so I splashed some into a baked chicken dish and was pleased with the extra burst of flavor it provided.

Adding flavor is what verjuice does best. And it does so without some of the drawbacks of cooking with wine or vinegar. Because verjuice is produced from unripe grapes and never fermented, there’s no alcohol to convert to acetic acid, and it never develops the sour finish of vinegar, nor its sharp, pungent acidity. Instead, verjuice contributes clean, fruity flavors and a hint of sweetness to practically any dish.

For these reasons, verjuice is becoming a favorite with a handful of local chefs, both French and French-trained. Josiah Citrin, owner of Melisse and Lemon Moon, says, “I first discovered it in France and I love the taste.” He has employed it in dishes as diverse as foie gras, fish and venison. For home cooks, he suggests heating verjuice with chicken stock, butter and parsley to make a sauce to accompany chicken.

You can also find it occasionally on menus at Lucques, where Suzanne Goin offers grilled pancetta-wrapped trout with verjuice and crushed grapes, and at Saddle Peak Lodge, where Warren Schwartz sautes John Dory with verjus nage.

Unlike vinegar, verjuice never overpowers but seems to blend in, almost disappearing in the mix. You can sip it straight from the bottle, and it tastes like gourmet grape juice. Try that with most vinegars.

Serving wine with dinner? Verjuice can improve the taste of whatever you pour, says Tim Hanni, Master of Wine and founder of the marketing company WineQuest Solutions. “Verjuice has a generally beneficial effect on wine, softening the acidity and usually softening bitterness and tannin.”

The latest bottle in my kitchen, Verjus From Perigord, comes from the Cheese Store of Silver Lake, where owner Chris Pollan stocks an 11-ounce bottle. At nearby Say Cheese, Glenn Harrell carries the same brand, but in a larger size. Harrell often uses verjuice for a basting sauce for barbecued or grilled fish, pan-frying mushrooms or tomatoes, or in a simple vinaigrette, which is included here.

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Grilled Halibut Salad With Verjuice Vinaigrette

(Adapted from a recipe by Glenn Harrell, Say Cheese, Silver Lake.)

Serves 2

2 6-ounce halibut fillets, deboned

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon verjuice

1 tablespoon minced shallots

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon fresh dill, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

4 cups mixed greens with edible flowers

Preheat grill pan or barbecue grill. Lightly salt and pepper the halibut. Brush grill pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grill halibut until center turns translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from grill and set aside.

To make 1/4 cup vinaigrette, mix together 3 tablespoons olive oil, verjuice, shallots, garlic, dill and kosher salt. Toss with mixed greens. Divide onto two plates and place one fillet on each plate.