think of the cuisine they would typically eat in Argentina. Grilled flank
steak and hearty meat dishes prepared with a Latin flair. But really,
there are many more options than just that when it comes to matching
Malbec with dinner. Cajun cuisine and Far East Indian specialties can
also be delightful with Malbec as well as, surprise, some hearty fish like
swordfish.
When I did my research on Malbec wines and food, there were a few food
items that almost always came up when discussing the topic. Apparently,
this wine has quite an affinity with sausages and sausage dishes. Another
dinner option that is often suggested with Malbec wines is Pizza and the
variety of toppings that you may use are endless. Obviously sausage and
pepperoni are perfect, but mushrooms and vegetable toppings are a-okay
too!
Malbec does have some mellow fruit flavors like plums, cherry,
raspberry, black currant and cassis that allow it to blend harmoniously
with flavorful sauces like marinara, but it also has plenty of tannins to go
along with those fruit flavors and is rounded off with a spicy and smoky
edge. These tannins could pose a problem when matching a young
Malbec wine with lighter style food and if it came from Cahors, anything
less than a hearty slab of beef would get buried beneath the taste of the
wine. Drinking it a few years out from it’s vintage date may help this
problem smooth out.
Most red wines, with the exception of Zinfandel, shy away from spicy
cuisines, but not Malbec. Perhaps it may be the South American soil in
Argentina, but these wines seem to really meld nicely with all kinds of
spicy food. In fact, Malbec has a little spice of it’s own and shows plenty
of black pepper on the finish. When you put all of these factors together,
you will find that the list of food you can serve with Malbec is rather large
and flexible. I think that this may be one major reason why Malbec is
gaining in popularity more and more everyday around the world.
Try some of these recipes out with a Malbec wine and let me know how
you think they go together:
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Recipes
· 4-6 large fresh plum tomatoes
· 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
· 1/4 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
· 1 shallot, minced
· 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 4 6-ounce swordfish steaks (3/4 to 1 inch thick)
· olive oil
· salt, medium-cracked black peppercorns
Also Required:
· saucepan
Bring medium saucepan of water to boil. Make a very shallow X in the non-stem end of each tomato,
just to nick the skin. Blanch the tomatoes 20-60 seconds or until skins begin to loosen slightly when
touched. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl. Cover with cold water to cool and peel tomatoes (the
skins should slip off easily). Drain and cut in half horizontally; squeeze out seeds and excess juices.
Dice the tomatoes and transfer to a small bowl. Add the basil and marjoram, shallot, vinegar and oil.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 hour ahead, but do not chill.)
Prepare a barbeque for medium-high heat, or preheat broiler. Lightly brush the swordfish steaks
with oil. Salt and sprinkle generously with cracked peppercorns. Grill until just cooked through,
about 3-4 minutes per side, turning once. Transfer the fish to plates, spoon tomato salsa over and
serve.
Servings: 4
Recipe taken from Food and Wine Matching.com
Winter Rice Jambalaya
· 2 cups chopped onions
· 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
· 2 pieces bacon, diced
· 1 teaspoon minced garlic
· 1 cup diced ham
· 1-1/2 cups short or medium grain rice (preferably blue rose type)
· 1-2 bay leaves
· 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
· 1/2 teaspoon oregano
· 1 teaspoon ground coriander
· 1/2 teaspoon cumin
· 1/2 teaspoon paprika
· 3/4 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
· 2 1/4-2 1/2 cups chicken stock, canned or homemade (or homemade fish stock)
· 3/4 cup dry white wine
· 3/4 pound small or medium-size scallops
· 3/4 pound medium shrimp, cleaned (or leave in the shells for best flavor)
· (or you may substitute1 lbs. mixed fish and shellfish, cut in 1 inch cubes, for the above)
· 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas (optional)
Also Required:
· skillet or Dutch oven
In a heavy, oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, sauté the onions, red peppers and chopped bacon pieces
very slowly over medium-low heat until vegetables are soft but not browned. (Bacon should not get
crisp.) Add the diced ham and rice, mix in well, and fry for 1-2 minutes more, stirring frequently. Mix
in the spices, garlic, white wine, and chicken or fish stock, and stir well. Bring to a boil, cover tightly
and cook in the oven for 15 minutes at 350°.
Stir lightly with a fork to loosen rice that may be sticking to bottom of pot, and add shrimp, scallops
and peas. Add 2-3 tablespoons more stock or water if rice is dry. Cover pot again and return to oven
for 5-10 minutes longer, cooking just until rice is tender. Remove from oven and let stand for 5-10
minutes before serving to allow rice to firm up slightly. Serve with crunchy seeded French bread.
Servings: 4
Recipe taken from Food and Wine Matching.com
Tandoori, Chicken
· 2 3-3-/12 lb. frying chickens
· 1 teaspoon fennel seed
· 1 teaspoon cumin seed
· 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
· 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
· 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
· 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
· 1/4 teaspoon cloves
· 3/4 cup plain yogurt
· 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
· 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
· 3 tablespoons minced garlic
· 1 tablespoon seeded, minced jalapeno pepper
· 1 tablespoon paprika
· 2 teaspoons kosher salt
· 1 teaspoon cayenne
· 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
· 2 lemons, quartered
Also Required:
· sauté pan
· spice mill or coffee-grinder
Split and skin the chickens; remove the back bone with cooking shears. Toast the whole spices
lightly in a small sauté pan, add ground spices, and grind finely in a coffee or spice mill. Mix the
spices with remaining ingredients for marinade. Slash thick areas of chicken meat with a sharp knife
and rub marinade into all sides. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours, turning several times.
About 1 1/2 hours before serving, light charcoal. Grill chicken 7 or 8 minutes on each side, then raise
the grill and cook another 15 to 20 minutes on each side or until juices run clear when pricked with a
fork. Baste with marinade as you cook. Warm a large platter and place chicken pieces on it. Place
lemons around chicken to garnish (the chicken is good with extra lemon juice squeezed over it).
Servings: 6 to 8
Recipe taken from Food and Wine Matching.com
Chicken in Mushroom Sauce
· 1-1/2 ounce package dried porcini mushrooms
· 2 cups day-old French bread cut in 1-inch cubes
· 1 pound assorted fresh wild mushrooms (such as oyster and portobello)
· 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
· 2 large shallots, chopped
· 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
· 4 juniper berries (optional), crushed
· 1 6-7 pound roasting chicken, giblets reserved
· 1-1/2 cups (or more) chicken broth
· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
· 3/4 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
· 1/2 teaspoon flour
· 1 tablespoon brandy
Also Required:
· rimmed baking sheet
· large heavy skillet
· roasting pan
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the dried porcini in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Let stand
until mushrooms soften, about 20 minutes. Drain through a fine strainer (to catch fine sand) and
reserve liquid. Chop porcini roughly. Spread the French bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and
bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Slice half the fresh mushrooms and set aside. Coarsely chop the rest of the mushrooms. Melt butter
in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and shallots and sauté
until tender, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and juniper berries and cook another minute. Chop the
liver, heart and gizzard finely and mix together with the mushrooms, bread cubes, 1/2 cup chicken
broth, parsley, salt and pepper.
Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry. Sprinkle chicken cavity with salt and pepper and fill
with the mushroom stuffing. Tie legs together and season outside of chicken with salt and pepper.
Place on a low rack in a roasting pan and roast chicken about 1 hour 45 minutes, or until juices run
clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with fork (thermometer inserted into thickest part of
thigh should register 180°F). Transfer to platter, cover and keep warm.
Scrape and pour the pan drippings into a measuring cup. Measure out 3 tablespoons fat from top of
drippings to heavy large skillet (discard remaining fat but reserve rest of the pan drippings). Heat
the reserved fat in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the sliced mushrooms and porcini until
tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the 1/2 teaspoon of flour over mushrooms. Add remaining cup
chicken broth, reserved porcini soaking water, degreased pan drippings and brandy and cook 3
minutes. Reduce sauce to desired consistency and season to taste. Serve chicken with stuffing and
sauce.
Servings: 4
Recipe taken from Food and Wine Matching.com
Mexican Chicken Mole #1
· 1 3 1/2-4 pound whole chicken
· 1/4 cup olive oil
· 1/2 cup minced onion
· 4 garlic cloves, minced
· 2 cans tomato sauce (8 ounce)
· 3/4 ounce unsweetened chocolate
· 1-1/2 tablespoons peanut butter
· 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
· 3 tablespoons sliced almonds (optional)
· 1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
· pinch of cloves
· pinch of cinnamon
· salt and pepper to taste
Also Required:
· Heavy skillet or Dutch oven
Cut the chicken in 6-8 serving size pieces and season well with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil, in
a heavy skillet or Dutch oven and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Remove and set aside.
Sauté the onion and garlic, stirring occasionally until beginning to turn color. Add the remaining
ingredients to make sauce. Taste it for balance, and add a little more chocolate if too sweet or a
little more peanut butter if too bitter. Return the chicken to the sauce and turn to coat well. Cover
and simmer 1 hour. Serve with Mexican rice and a simple salad of red onions and orange slices
vinaigrette on a bed of lettuce.
For a variation on this recipe, roll the raw chicken pieces in a combination of 1/2 cup chopped
almonds and 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds. (Dip chicken pieces in water if necessary to help the
seeds stick.) Brown the chicken in olive oil as above, but instead of cooking it in the sauce, bake in
the oven for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve on top of mole sauce.
Servings: 4
Recipe taken from Food and Wine Matching.com
Steak Gaucho-Style with Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce
Recipe courtesy Bob Blumer
Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce:
1 cup lightly packed chopped parsley (ideally, flat leaf "Italian" parsley)
3 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves (optional)
2 tablespoons shallot or onion, minced
3/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar, or red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Steak:
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons salt
2 1/2 pounds rib-eye, New York strip, or sirloin steak, 1 1/2 inches thick
2 baguettes, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Preheat a grill.
Place all chimichurri sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until well chopped,
but not pureed. Reserve.
Dissolve cayenne pepper and salt in 1 cup hot water. Transfer to a squeeze container.
Place the steak directly over a hot grill, baste with the chimichurri grilling sauce, and grill until the
outer portion of the meat reaches the desired degree of doneness. Remove the steak from the grill
and slice long strips from the outer edges of the steak. Instruct guests to pick up a steak slice from
the cutting board with their fingers, place it on a slice of baguette, and enjoy. Return the remaining
steak to the grill, baste, and grill until more of the steak is cooked. Remove and repeat the slicing
and serving procedure until steak is consumed. For extra spicy steak, baste 2 or 3 additional times
with the cayenne pepper mixture during grilling process. Spoon chimichurri sauce over steak. (Also
brilliant on any grilled fish or chicken)
Recommended beverage: Argentinian Malbec (red)
Episode#: SG2004 Copyright © 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved
Fillet of Beef Wellington
· 3 1/2-pound fillet of beef tied with thin sheets of larding fat at room temperature (ask your
butcher to do this, if possible)
· ¾ pound mushrooms, chopped fine
· 2 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
· 1/2 pound pâté de foie gras (available at specialty foods shops) at room temperature
· 1 pound puff pastry (thawed overnight in the refrigerator if frozen)
· 1 egg white, beaten
· 1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water
· 1/2 cup Sercial Madeira
· 2 teaspoons arrowroot (or cornstarch) dissolved in 1 teaspoon cold water
· ½ cup beef broth
· 2 Tablespoons finely chopped black truffles (available at specialty food shops) if desired
· watercress for garnish
Also Required:
· shallow roasting pan
· heavy skillet
· small saucepan
Season the fillet with salt and pepper and set it in a shallow roasting pan. Roast the beef in the
middle of a preheated 400°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the thermometer registers 120°F.
Let the fillet cool completely and discard the larding fat and strings. Skim the fat from the pan juices
and reserve the pan juices.
In a heavy skillet, cook the mushrooms in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until they
give up their liquid, it is evaporated, and the mixture is dry. Season them with salt and pepper, and
let them cool completely.
Spread the cooled fillet evenly with the pâté de foie gras, covering the top and sides, and spread the
mushrooms evenly over the pâté de foie gras. On a floured surface, gently roll the puff pastry into a
rectangle about 20- by 12- inches, or large enough to enclose the fillet completely. (Save any pastry
trimmings.) Lay the coated fillet carefully on the board under the middle of the dough, and quickly
fold up the long sides of the dough to enclose the meat. Brush the long edges of the dough with some
of the egg white and gently pinch them to seal. Fold the ends of the dough over the fillet and seal
with the remaining egg white.
Transfer the fillet, seam side down, to a jelly-roll pan or shallow roasting pan. Brush the dough with
some of the egg wash (the beaten egg yolk). Roll out the dough trimmings and cut them into
decorative shapes with cookie cutters or a sharp knife. Arrange the cutouts on the dough in an
attractive design, brush with the remaining egg wash, and chill the fillet for 1-2 hours.
To finish, bake the fillet in the middle of a preheated 400°F oven for 30 minutes, reduce the heat to
350°, and bake 5 to 10 minutes more, or until the meat thermometer registers 130°F. for
medium-rare meat and the pastry is cooked through. Let the fillet stand for 15 minutes before slicing.
For sauce, boil the reserved pan juices and Madeira in a small saucepan until the mixture is reduced
by one-fourth. Add the arrowroot, broth, truffles, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the sauce over
moderate heat, stirring, until lightly thickened. To serve, loosen the fillet from the jelly-roll pan,
transfer it with two spatulas to a heated platter, and garnish it with watercress. Cut the fillet into
3/4-inch-thick slices and serve with the sauce.
Servings: 8
Recipe taken from Food and Wine Matching.com