It’s fine to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner on Phase 2, but what about also including wine as an ingredient in some of your dishes? A flavorful source of heart-healthy antioxidants (including resveratrol, found mainly in the skins of red grape varieties), wine is not only a lovely accompaniment to a meal, it’s also ideal for cooking. You’ll be happy to learn that wine is allowed as an ingredient on all Phases of the South Beach Diet and Gluten Solution Program because most of the alcohol evaporates during cooking. Both red and white wine are especially good in marinades (the wine helps tenderize the poultry or meat and allows you to cut back on the oil), for deglazing pans to make sauces, and for sautéing when it’s used with a little extra-virgin olive oil.
Buying Wine
As a general rule, you should cook only with wines you enjoy drinking. So-called
"cooking wines" are not recommended because they tend to have high sodium
content (for extending shelf life). You don’t have to break the bank to find a
good wine to cook with; any decent bottle of red or white will bring out the
natural flavors of the food you’re preparing. Sauvignon blanc is a particularly
good choice for dishes that lend themselves to white wine, since its structure
and flavor hold up well under heat. Good cooking reds include cabernet
sauvignon and merlot.
A Bottle of Red, a Bottle of White…
White wine is traditionally used in fish, shellfish, and poultry dishes. And
it’s ideal for making sauces that have subtle flavors. Use red wine when you prepare
lean beef and pork, duck breast, and game meats, as well as the richer sauces that
complement them.
Making a wine-based sauce is easier than you think. First, “deglaze” the pan you’ve used for sautéing or roasting. To do this, add wine to the pan and scrape up any brown bits and seasonings clinging to the bottom. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until the wine is reduced by half. For extra flavor, add a little lower-sodium chicken, vegetable, or beef broth and continue to cook until the sauce has reached the desired consistency.
Storing Wine
When you open a bottle of wine, the oxidation process begins once it comes into
contact with oxygen — which can ruin the wine’s flavor if it is
stored too long in the open state. If you have leftover wine, refrigerate the
bottle, recorked or stoppered, and use it within a few days. Or pour the
remaining wine into a smaller bottle, cork it, and store it in the refrigerator.
Keep in mind that red wine oxidizes faster than white. Some people like to save
leftover wine to make wine vinegar.
