Spanish Fiesta y Cata de Vinos

Wine class with Sommelier Mary Horn is always an adventure, serious in purpose and big fun in the moment. Five of us who are WSET Advanced or Diploma (but who do not work full-time in the industry) gather regularly for a rigorous blind tasting tutorial with Mary. That usually involves at least eight different wines, plus a “mystery wine” to start the class with Mary calibrating the assessment process. We then hunker down quietly for about 30 minutes, moaning occasionally because it is so difficult to discern the provenance and character of each wine in only four minutes!!

Our January class featured Spanish wines. A selection of Spanish cheeses — Manchego, Mahon, Drunken Goat — fueled discussion of the wines. How did we do? Not so great. This was a particularly challenging class, with only the most powerful Garnachas and classic Tempranillos winning correct assessments.

The line-up of wines, before and after, are featured at the top of this post. As a belated “cheers” to the new year, we enjoyed a Spanish meal of Paella, Fiesta Salad (recipe from Deborah Birckhead), and Crema de Esponja (aka Flan de Valencia). Recipes (adapted to my personal taste) follow. Enjoy!!

Paella (6-10 servings depending on portion size)
Traditional Paella has either seafood or meat, but not both. I really like the combination, so I have adapted a recipe from Rachel Ray she calls “Perfect Paella.” If you don’t already have a Paella pan, there are many options available online. (Note: I am allergic to mussels, so I don’t use them in my Paella. But if you love them, Rachel Ray’s recipe calls for 18 green lipped mussels, cleaned.)

Ingredients
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more or less depending on how hot you like your food)
2 cups enriched white rice (the classic rice is bomba, but if you can’t find that type, use either small- or medium-grain rice; do not use long-grain rice)
1/4 t. saffron threads (I typically use a wee bit more)
1 bay leaf
4-6 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 quart broth or stock (I use either all chicken stock or a combination of chicken and fresh fish stock from my local fishmonger)
1 14-ounce can of chopped tomatoes with green chiles
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (optional)
1 cup (or more) frozen peas
2 lemons, zested
Seafood options: 1 pound of medium shrimp and/or lobster chunks, plus one can of baby clams, drained
Meat options: 2+ pounds of any combination of white/dark meat chicken (cubed) and any type of mild to spicy sausage (sliced). I have also added roast pork or lardons to pop up the flavor.

Instructions:
It is much easier to make this dish doing advance prep, especially with guests present!  I always cook the meat ingredients ahead of time, refrigerate, and then bring to room temperature before starting to assemble the Paella. Use only olive oil, salt and pepper — no additional spices. I make sure the seafood is cleaned, shelled, chopped (for lobster), etc., and ready to be added to the Paella at the end for just a few minutes of cook time.

Preheat the Paella pan, then add 2 T. olive oil, crushed garlic, and red pepper flakes. Sautée rice 2-3 minutes. Add saffron threads, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and broth. Bring liquid to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer.

After about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, add the can of tomatoes, optional can of baby clams, peas, and lemon zest. Stir. In 2-3 minutes, add the meat which will absorb some of the juice. When the juice is nearly absorbed, add the seafood for about 3 minutes until it is fully cooked. (Don’t be afraid to add a little more broth toward the end with the seafood if you think the dish is getting too dry.)

Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Serve with lemon wedges and warm, crusty bread.

Fiesta Salad with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette (6-8 servings)

Vinaigrette
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. minced garlic
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Salad
3 cups thinly sliced red leaf lettuce
3 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
one avocado, diced
1/3 cup cooked corn
1/4 cup pepitas or pine nuts
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion (optional)
1/2 cup crumbled queso anejo or feta cheese (about 2 ounces)

Combine all ingredients except cheese. Toss with vinaigrette to coat. Top with cheese.

Crema de Esponja (or Flan de Valencia)
Enjoy these recipes!