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Liquid Refreshment

22

Feb

Monfish Mexican Rice

Sean Sellers  in White Wines, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Blow the Bank, Fish & Seafood, Garnacha Blanca , , , , ,

InterWined Food
Each Friday, InterWined.com pairs one great wine with one great meal and publishes the results along with the recipe in a little feature it likes to call ‘Blow the Bank’.

This week, ‘Blow the Bank’ brings you InterWined’s Own Monkfish Mexican Rice (Arroz con Rape).

Monfish Mexican RiceMexican Rice

For those whose experience of Mexican rice is limited to Old El Paso and Taco Bell, InterWined’s Own dish might seem more accurately described as Spanish paella. After all, when was the last time that you saw monkfish on the menu at a Mexican restaurant in the United States? Even Wahoo’s Fish Tacos — regardless of its name might suggest ‐ serve relatively little fish.

But, fish is an integral part of much Mexican cuisine — how could it not be with nearly six thousand miles of coastline. And, while that figure might only be half that of the United States, it’s a pretty big number when one considers that the United States is nearly five times the size of Mexico.

What makes this rice dish Mexican rather than Spanish is the same thing that makes a Pinot Noir from Burgundy a Côte de Nuits or Côte de Beaune and not an Italian, New Zealand, or Oregon Pinot Noir. They share the same ingredients but result — sometimes subtly, sometimes dramatically ‐ in different things.

The central difference between InterWined’s Own Mexican rice and Spanish paella is that paella is most often made with calasparro rice, rarely found in the UK or US outside of specially shops. (InterWined used a simple long grain.) A further one comes in the use of the main ingredients. Whereas paella begins with the meat, fish, and broth, InterWined’s Own Mexican rice dish begins with the rice and the spice.

Paired with the Monkfish Mexican Rice is the Catalan 2002 Xavier Clua Vindemia (13.5%) from Terra Alta in Spain, currently on sale at Cadman Fine Wines for £13.99 (original price £18.99). Made from Chardonnay (15%), Sauvignon Blanc (10%), and Garnacha Blanca (75%), the Vindemia smells like candied apples and caramel, making it seem like it might be better suited as an aperitif. However, once it reaches the tongue, the wine reveals as an intriguing blend of high-acid and oaky complexity reminiscent of the Sherries found in Jerez. This is a very good wine for food, with both the acid and oak sit well with the monkfish, prawns, squid, and cubed pancetta found in the Monkfish Mexican Rice.

InterWined’s Own Recipe in Full

Monkfish Mexican Rice

Ingredients:
200g rice
200g water
1 Monkfish tail, cubed
6 prawns, peeled
3 squid, chopped into rings
150g of cubed pancetta
6 piquillo peppers from jar
½ red onion, finely chopped
6 cherry tomatoes, chopped
Olive oil
3 sprigs of saffron
1tbsp cumin
1tbsp paprika
Flat-leaf parsley
Cracked pepper

Instructions:
1. Pour the olive oil in a large skillet or terracotta pot and heat on high
2. Add the chopped onion, cumin, and paprika and cook until the onion appears translucent
3. Add the rice, stir continuously, and continue to cook on medium heat for approximately 1-2 minutes
4. Add the water, saffron, and monkfish
5. Continue to cook for a further 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally
6. Add the cherry tomatoes, piquillos, prawns, and squid
7. Season with pepper (for kick, add a few shakes of Tabasco sauce), cover, and cook on a medium-low heat for approximately 20 minutes
8. Remove the heat, once cooked; re-season to taste and serve

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