Almighty Mouvèdre

The inspiration for this post came from the most recent issue of Wine Spectator magazine.  Tucked in amidst the stacks of pages highlighting 2007 California Pinot Noir (best vintage ever...) there was an article that showcased the wines of Southern France - Provence, Languedoc, Roussillon, and to say the least, I was pumped.  Why? Because this area is where one of my favorite varietals, mourvèdre, does its thing (Spain has some good stuff too).  I figured I'd take the time to give this stuff the credit it deserves.

 I would bet that most domestic wine drinkers (the United States) aren't too familiar with said grape which I hold so dear.  Big bodied, gamy, tannic and rich, a good ripe mouvèdre can be like Cabernet Sauvignon met venison.  Oversimplification, yes, but the gaminess of mouvèdre is often apparent and often masculine.  The thick-skinned varietal ripens late, thriving in warmer mediterranean climates.  

Aside from being a fan of their flavor, the reason that I focus on mourvèdre based wines is because they seem to pair nicely with grilled meat preparations that are popular in California Cuisine.  Blends (especially with grenache) and Rhone style wines can sometimes stand up to lighter fare as well.  

Long story short. I think this stuff is under-rated, at least in the public perception.  In France (Bandol primarily) it can be expensive and of the highest quality.  Spain (called monastrell) it can be found in a single varietal form or blended and be of decent quality at equally decent prices.  Try some, you won't regret it.

Look for: Jean-Luc Colombo Cote Bleue or Languedoc, Bodegas Juan Gil Monastrell, Domaine Tempier (Premium), most wines from Provence.

 

La Paella Es Buena.

Paella is easy to make, easy to manipulate quantity and just delicious.  Whatever valenciano (Paella is through to have originated in Valencia) figured out that throwing a bunch of meat and seafood into a pan with rice and assorted spices was onto something.  Paella is a dish that seems more proletariat than bourgeois, but its exotic appeal and unique presentation make it impressive to most everyone that has the opportunity to enjoy it.  The best part about Paella is that you can customize it to your liking.  I tend to stick with a fairly traditional approach, chicken, chorizo, shrimp and shellfish being the sources of protein.  Entonces, aquí está mi receta. (Here's the recipe)

Ingredients:

Arborio Rice

Quarts Chicken Stock

Onions

Red and/or Green Bell Pepper 

Garlic 

Mussels

Clams

Shrimp/Prawns (tail-on, deveined work best)

Chicken Thighs

Chorizo/Linguica Sausage

Lemons

Cumin 

Turmeric

Smoked Paprika

Saffron

Salt 

Pepper 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Heat large (Paella) pan to med-high heat

Add olive oil and chorizo/linguica to pan

Render some of the fat from chorizo/linguica and remove before fully cooked

Add chicken thighs to pan to brown (add some salt and pepper at this stage if you want)

Remove chicken thighs once exterior is moderately crispy and set aside

Lower heat slightly and add roughly chopped or sliced onions and bell peppers (they cook at a similar rate so should be cut the same way)

Let onions and bell peppers cook down just slightly 

While onions and bell peppers are cooking chop chicken off the bone in cubes/chunks of any size you desire

Add Chorizo/Linguica, Chicken back into pan as well as arborio rice (how much is a matter of preference) and garlic (again its a matter of preference but I tend to use quite a bit)

Stir the mixture now in pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes in order to break down the hard exterior of the arborio rice and firm up the proteins a bit more.

Just before adding Chicken stock add spices: Cumin, Salt, Turmeric, Pepper, and Saffron (in descending order of quantity, i.e. most - least) and stir into mixture.

Add Chicken stock so that it fills the pan just over the top of the dry ingredients and turn down heat slightly.  The goal is to maintain the mixture on a high simmer.  The rice will generally take about 30-35 minutes to cook fully.  Taste occasionally and add more chicken stock if needed.  

About 15 minutes after adding the chicken stock add the clams (these take more time to cook fully than anticipated)

When the rice is almost finished (maybe 5-10 minutes away) add shrimp and mussels.  The shrimp should cook quickly and nicely the mussels might need to get closer to the bottom of the plan/heat source to cook properly.  

Once mussels open and shrimp are pink everything should be done and ready to serve.  

Squeeze lemon juice over top or serve wedges/halves on individual plates so that people can season to taste.

Presentation:I'm not sure whether Paella should really be served like those tacky signs for the "Paellador" Paella.  A side note, if you've ever eaten a "Paellador" paella at a restaurant in Spain, you've been duped with pre-made junk.  Regardless, I

like my paella served messy and rustic.  One of the better presentations I've had was at a

 cool, classic "Spanish" restaurant in Madrid called La Fragua de Vulcano.  The stern bartender brought out a big wooden bowl full of Paella from the kitchen and slapped spoonfuls on your plate right in front of you.

Thats how I like to do it.  Mix it up, throw it on a plate, keep it simple and easy.  

Wine:

Paella is a dish that combines freshness and hearty flavors with plenty of spice.  So when it comes to Paella I'm looking for the wine to do the same thing.  Taste bright, flavorful and mimic the body of the dish.  For something so abundant with flavor I go automatically to Spain's most planted (and one of my personal favorite) varietals, Garnacha (or Grenache).  Grenache is a medium bodied, fruit forward and sometimes spicy varietal that I feel in many ways, has the versatility that Pinot Noir does.  While, Grenache is often used as a blending grape due to its lack of acid and tannin for aging, modern day Grenache's when grown and harvested properly can create excellent single varietal wines.  

Pairing: Grenache, Garnacha... whatever you want to call it.  Its tasty.

Espero que vosotros disfrutéis esta receta y intentéis hacer os propias versiones de este plato valenciano tan clásico.

¡Buen Provecho!