Wine With Lisa

Wine with Lisa Hosts A Saturday Evening Spanish Culinary and Wine Adventure for a Party of 6!

pa·el·la (pä-l, pä-lyä, -yä) A saffron-flavored Spanish dish made with varying combinations of rice, vegetables, meat, chicken and seafood;also referring to the large flat frying pan in which a paella is cooked.

For as long as I can remember,I have always had a fascination and passion for cooking Paella. Maybe it was the Cajun-Creole culinary influences growing up in Louisiana and eating all of the different versions of authentic Jambalaya-for Jambalaya IS Louisiana’s version of Paella,after all! (at least it is to me). Or,maybe it’s the thought of leisurely enjoying Paella and little bites of Tapas with a fantastic glass of Rioja while sitting in a little Tapas Bar in Madrid. I have never been to Spain although it’s on my bucket list! I bought my first Paella Pan about 15 years ago and have been perfecting my Paella recipe ever since. The first recipe that inspired me was from a “Cooking with Wine” cookbook. The first challenge-especially 15 years ago in Nashville-was finding the correct ingredients;the second challenge was figuring out how to cook it even though I had never actually had an authentic paella! 15 years or so later and the improved availability of authentic ingredients and happily eating my share of many versions of this Spanish culinary marvel on many foodie adventures has made for many delightful events entertaining friends at my home from Texas to Tennessee. A large pan of delicious and authentic Paella,Tapas and Wine and lovely friends…. It’s about as good as it gets!

This is my large 18.5 inch Paella Pan and Bomba Rice-the ONLY rice for making great Paella.. The Paella is large enough to produce a Paella big enough to feed 10 people easily. Buying this pan at a FARADAY’S KITCHEN STORE in Austin,Texas was the best purchase I have ever made. You can also purchase any and all authentic Spanish ingredients at www.latienda.com.

THE PARTY!!!!!
I love to entertain! Hosting themed parties is fun and sharing my cooking skills and wine knowledge is what I enjoy doing! This past Saturday night,I hosted a Paella Party featuring Paella Mixta,Tapas and dessert all paired with fantastic Spanish wines for different regions of Spain.

Randy Duke and Tony Disher opened up their grand home for an evening of dining on Paella and Spanish Wines. M.J. and Amanda Garrett along with Justin and Andrea Allender were just the perfect guests for enjoying the Spanish-themed evening.

HANDSOME !
The Tapas (appetizer) Table included two Spanish Cheeses Mahon and Manchego,Blood Orange and Lemon Marinated Olives with toasted cumin and Sherry Vinegar. Spanish Marcona Almonds and Quicos,which are Spanish Corn nuts, were also served.

Red Wine-Braised Chorizo Sausage served warm was another delicious tapas and the crusty pan grilled bread was used to soak up all of the delicious juices!

The evening began with a toast along with a bubbly glass filled with Domaine de Tharsys CAVA, the sparkling wine from the Cataluna Region of Spain.

Along with the Tapas,everyone sampled 2 other White Spanish Wines: Vina 24 2009 Albarino from Costers del Segre Region and an especially fabulous White Rioja( Rioja Blanca) 2009 Ostatu from the Rioja Region.

The Table is exquisitely set for dinner!

While the guests where enjoying the Tapas,wine and conversation,I was prepping the Paella. BOMBA Rice is the ONLY rice for Paella which is grown in Valencia,Spain.

There are many recipes and styles of Paella,depending on what area of Spain it comes from. PAELLA MIXTA is the Paella of the evening. This is a mixture of seafood including mussels,clams,shrimp,calamari as well as marinated chicken pieces and smoked pork richly seasoned with a saffron and a homemade sofrito.

  This cool,refreshing Green Salad with Asparagus,Sweet Red Oranges and Red Onion with Fresh Tarragon & Basil Buttermilk Dressing was a nice contrast to the spicy meal. Everyone loved it!

Spain produces many high quality affordable wines. Here are the red wines that I selected to pair with the rest of the meal. Protocolo 2009 is delicious and intense 100% Tempranillo from Central Spain and the spicy, fruit-driven 2009 Garnatxa (Garnacha) Joan d’Anguera from the Catalonia Region were the perfect choices for this evening. Iroquois Wine and Spirits in Nashville,TN is a great source of Spain Wines. Ernie Paquette,owner and wine expert has a fabulous selection of Spanish Wines as well many other unique wines for you!

A Discussion and Sampling of the Spanish Wines

Presenting and serving the Paella Mixta

Flan is a popular dessert very similar to creme brûlée. It is a baked custard with a caramel at the bottom of the pan. I used authentic FLAN pans. When you invert the cooled custard onto a plate,the rich caramel flows over custard and makes a beautiful presentation as well as a delicious ending to a rich meal. The pans are available at www.latienda.com

The dessert pairing wine is the classic Spanish Sherry Pedro Ximenez Alvear 1927 from the region of Montilla-Moriles.
This sherry is made with the SOLERA method. To put this simply, a little of each barrel of the young sherry is blended with the older sherry for quality and consistency. In each bottle,there is a little of the 1927 vintage. The complex flavors include caramel,prunes,raisins,molasses,hints of chocolate and coffee as well as spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg,orange and lemon. PX is an intensely sweet dessert wine with complex flavors pairing well with many desserts. Serve chilled.

Wanting to experience A Spanish Evening in your home? Find someone who loves to make Paella and is passionate about wine PLUS a gathering of your close friends to share the event!
 
Wishing they had been invited!
 

CHEERS and Buenas noches!

 “The success of the dinner depends as much upon the company as the cook.”
                                        Ward McAllister, (1890)

New Year’s Resolution for 2012-MORE Couples Dinner Parties at my house.

Not what you expected?
I already exercise enough and don’t watch too much TV anyway. Being the self-proclaimed FOOD REBEL that I am,sticking with this resolution should be easy. Short Ribs are one of my winter time favorite comfort meals. What better way to share that comfort than with 4 couples celebrating friendship with food and wine on a cold Saturday evening. I planned the meal and asked everyone to bring a a side dish for sharing with our dinner.

Casual,warm and Rustic Meals shared with my friends is my favorite way to entertain. And,there is nothing better than enjoying a great glass of wine or two that is in harmony with the food I am serving. The meal,the food,the wine and the friends were especially all in harmony this Saturday night.

The Menu:

Oven-Roasted Beef Short Ribs with Pomegranate Glaze

Lazarolli’s Raviogi~ Their version of Italian-style Pierogies~Filled with Yukon Gold Potatoes,Caramelized Onions and Gruyere

Riesling Poached Pear Salad with Spicy Pecans and Cranberry-Ginger Dressing

Sweet and Sour Green Beans with topped with Crispy Benton’s Bacon

Warm Artichoke Dip with Olives and Pita crisps

Mezzaluna Bread

Warm Apple Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream

WINES PAIRINGS:

First Course: CAPION  1C 2008 White Wine Blend of Chardonnay,Roussanne,Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc from the Languedoc Region of France

Second Course: Chiroubles 2010 100% Gamay from Beaujolais,France.

Dessert: Chateau La Fleur Des Pins 2007  Sauternes Blend from France

*LAZZAROLI’S PASTA SHOP is a local pasta shop located in the Germantown Area of Nashville.Tom Lazzaro makes Old World,hand-crafted small batch pasta and ravioli. You have to check this place out! Some of the best artisan pasta I have ever had and is available with many unique fillings and styles.

Beef Short Ribs with Pomegranate Glaze Recipe as follows:

Serves 8 to 10 guests

20 custom cut short ribs- Thanks to Fresh Market for providing amazing high quality short ribs
3 fresh Bay leaves
Garlic-2 Tablespoonful minced
Onion-1 large,small dice
Carrots-3 brunoise cut
Celery-3 stalks-small dice
Tomato Paste-2 Tablespoonful
Brown Sugar- 1 heaping tablespoonful
Fresh Thyme-8 springs
Beef Stock-1 large box
Wine-about 2 cups

Veal Base-1 container MORE THAN GOURMET BRAND
Pomegranate Molasses-about 1/2 bottle *This can be purchased at any Middle Eastern Grocery
Soy Sauce-2 Tablespoonful
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce-2 Tablespoonful
Pomegranate Seeds for garnish
Flour for Dredging
salt/pepper
Olive Oil

Directions:

Thoroughly season the short ribs with salt and pepper and coat all over with flour.Remove the browned ribs and add to a large and deep roasting pan.

Heat a large pan with olive oil and brown the ribs in batches on all sides. Start with about 1/2 cup of oil and add more as necessary.

In another pan with olive oil,sauté carrots,celery and onions until lightly browned.Add garlic during the cooking process to prevent over-cooking the garlic. Once cooked,add to the roasting pan with the ribs.

Once all of the ribs are browned,transfer to a large roasting pan.

Add the wine and beef stock to the warm pan that the short ribs were browned in, scraping up the bits with a wooden spoon.

Add the veal stock,bay leaves,fresh thyme,tomato paste,soy sauce,brown sugar and reduce till slightly thickened.

Add reduction to the large pan with the short ribs and sautéed vegetables.

Tightly seal with aluminum foil and bake for 4 hours until thick and bubbly and the meat has fallen off the bone.

salt,pepper and flour the short ribs

brown in olive on all sides and transfer to a large roasting pan

saute’ the chopped vegetables

reduce the wine,beef stock and veal stock with the herbs,brown sugar, tomato paste and Pomegranate Molasses

pour the reduction over the short ribs

add the sautéed veggies and gently combine

I always greet my guests with a fun cocktail to begin the evening. Tonight it was a blend of chilled pomegranate juice,gin,homemade lime simple syrup and a splash of Prosecco topped with pomegranate seeds

Amy’s warm artichoke dip-delicious appetizer to start off an evening with friends

While everyone was talking and enjoying their appetizers,I prepared the first course.

THE SALAD:

Chilled Poached Pears in Riesling,lemons,honey and cardamom
Field Greens salad tossed with Walnut Oil
Balsamic glaze drizzle
Sweet and spicy pecans-Trader Joe’s
Cranberry Ginger Vinaigrette-Tart Cranberries and Spicy Ginger were a perfect accompaniment to the spicy Poached Pears and continued the tart-sweet Pomegranate dinner theme!

Over the holidays,my trip to Charleston,SC lead me to Magnolia’s Restaurant. I was inspired by the pear salad that I had there and wanted to recreate this first course for my friends. I doubled the recipe from Food Network and added 2 lemons and their zest and 2 TB of honey.

The Wine: CAPION 1C 2008 White Wine Blend from the Languedoc-Roussillon of France. This elegant wine was chosen to complement the pears that were poached in Riesling and lemon. The fruit was fresh and floral with hints of tropical fruits and the lively acidity really made a great match with the salad.

This is the salad I had at Magnolia’s in Charleston. It was so delicious I just knew I had to try to make it myself when I got home!

How did I do?

Lazzaroli’s Pasta
delicious pillows of pasta filled with caramelized onions,Yukon Gold potatoes and nutty gruyere cheese

Sweet and Sour Green Beans topped with Smoky Benton’s Bacon

Recipe:
2 packages Fresh Green Beans steamed and then cooled. Place in a large bowl.
8 pieces of Benton’s Bacon Cooked Crisp,crumbled and set aside
2 small shallots
2 Tablespoonsful brown sugar
1 Tablespoonful red wine vinegar
Soy Sauce – a few shots
Olive Oil
After the bacon is cooked,pour out most of the bacon fat,reserving about a tablespoonful or so. Saute’ the shallots until soft,then add the sugar,soy sauce,olive and vinegar. Simmer on medium until thickened slightly and pour over green beans,toss and top with the bacon. This made a fabulous side dish and the flavors paired well with the savory and tangy ribs.

Rachel’s Freshly Baked Herbed Mezzaluna Bread

Rachel and I have been inspired by many recipes from The Dairy Hollow House SOUP and BREAD COOKBOOK-A Country INN-Cookbook by Crescent Dragonwagon. A must-have cookbook full of delicious rustic bread and soup recipes from the inn located in the Ozark Mountains.

You can make the dough from the scratch recipe in the cookbook OR use the refrigerated tubes of rustic bread dough from the refrigerated section of the grocery store OR use purchased pizza dough from the store.
Simply roll out circles and spread with a mixture of butter,olive oil,pressed garlic cloves and a combination of fresh herbs such as rosemary,basil,savory,thyme and oregano.
Drizzle the dough circles with olive oil,top with the herb mixture and fold circles in half. Bake about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Put the bread in a basket and pass,letting your guests tear off what they want. This is a delicious bread for sharing.

The Wine:
Chiroubles 2010 Beaujolais

This Beaujolais wine pairing with the Pomegranate Beef Short Ribs was magnificent! This intense wine made from the Gamay Grape from the area of Burgundy,France known as Beaujolais is refreshing tart,fresh and full of juicy raspberries. Its great acidity and structure were a perfect match with the intense savory short ribs with the tart and sweet flavor of the Pomegranate Molasses. There is something about earthiness of this wine and it’s minerality paired with the RUSTIC Beef Short Ribs that just worked. It was Delicious!

Deb’s Warm Apple Pie with Oatmeal Crumb Topping

The wine:
Chateau La Fleur Des Pins 2007 Sauternes a Grand Vin of Bordeaux,France

Dessert wine with the Apple Pie,vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce

The next time you serve warm Apple Crumb Pie with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce,you might want to consider a dessert wine pairing.The warm,apple pie spiced with cinnamon and topped with caramel sauce was a match made in heaven!

This luscious sweet and delightfully acidic botrytis-affected blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion grapes was  well-balanced with it concentrated flavors of sweet and acid. The  flavors and aromas of orange marmalade,caramel,creme brûlée and tropical fruits were the right pairing with the apple pie. Another hit with my guests!

I sure hope one of your New Year’s Resolutions is to enjoy wine and food with your friends. I am glad I did!

CHEERS!

“Fate chooses your relations, you choose your friends.”
– Jacques Delille  French poet.

Celebration of the Season~Tables lined with
platters of delicious seasonal
Culinary Creations, Sparkling Decorations, Laughter, Reminiscing ,Friends
Family ,Thankfulness…..This is what comes to my mind during the holiday season.

Reconnecting and cherishing friendships……..Deb and Amy

Deb and Dale hosted a lovely Christmas Season Celebration. Thank you for opening your lovely home to us and sharing such a delicious meal,laughter and music.

You both are so gracious,kind and a whole lotta fun!
We have set the bar for our future dinner parties and I know we are all looking forward
to seeing what we can cook up in 2012!

Denise & Bobby

Looking forward to fun with you two in 2012!

So glad to know you! What a lovely couple!

Amy & Brett

I predict 2012 will be the year of dinner parties! I can’t wait to start planning the
Spring Fling!

Diane,looks like we have many dinner parties ahead and even more True Blood Fans! YAY!

The dining table is set in Holiday Style! How beautiful!

Cocktails are chilling…..

Time for the party to begin……

The highlight of the evening was listening to the awesome music by the The PANCAKE TURNER BLUES BAND. We all enjoyed listening to a mix of traditional blues and classic rock.

And,several of the members are from Louisiana. We are looking forward to our spring party
with these guys.
Dale,THANK YOU SO MUCH, for making the evening extra special with live music!

Buck rocked the harmonica!

Candace and Deb enjoying the evening

Dale is putting the finishing touches on the lovely dinner that is about to be served.

 The main course was Succulent and tender Roasted Pork, full of flavor.  Dale slow cooked the pork
in the cast iron dutch oven and it was simply delicious.

Lovely trays of delicious appetizers provided by Denise….DELICIOUS!

Dinner is served!

Sharing a delicious meal,wine and laughter with close friends during the Holiday Season:
It doesn’t get much better than that!

Dancing

Delicious Desserts….

How about this! Old Fashioned New Orleans Style Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce topped
with Blue Bell Ice Cream! The recipe is in my previous posting.

Thanks to all of my closest and dearest friends and to my new friends for being a
part of our lives. You make it all worth while.

Looking forward to the next year of fun,laughter,dinner parties,wine pairings and a
Spring Fling!

“Fate chooses your relations, you choose your friends.”
– Jacques Delille French poet.

MERRY,MERRY CHRISTMAS!