Spring has definitely sprung. With the warmer afternoons and lighter evenings there is nothing better than enjoying an al fresco meal with friends and family.
Ages ago, sometime BC (before kids!) I remember sitting out on the cobbled streets of Madrid on a sunny afternoon drinking a light and refreshing chilled Rosé wine, “people-watching”, and nibbling a variety of tasty tapas dishes. I love the warm, smoky flavour of paprika in chorizo and the fresh zingy taste of a seafood paella.
Did you know Paella takes its name from the wide, shallow traditional pan used to cook the dish on an open fire? Paella means “frying pan” in Valencian, Valencia’s regional language.
For an appetiser we cooked Brilliant Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Peppers (from series 7, Episode 4, of Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast) found at jamieoliver.com. I used Padron peppers instead of jalapenos, which you can purchase from any large supermarket (I got mine from Asda).
For the Next Level Paella (from bbcgoodfood.com) we dug out the Cadac BBQ as it has its own paella pan. The seafood for this recipe was bought from The Fish Club Grimsby that frequents the car park end of Rushtons Yard on Friday mornings in Ashby. Fresh live mussels, frozen raw, head and shell on king prawns and frozen squid. I pre-ordered – find them on Facebook.
If you are looking for a Rosé wine to pair with this Spanish style meal, then a great choice is the Chacabuco Malbec Rosado, produced by Bodega Los Haroldos from the Mendoza region of Argentina. It was light, refreshing with a slight sweet note, which complemented the dish perfectly!
Guest Author: Jo Cooper
