Wahoo, 69 degrees today! Embrace the sunny weather by cooking outdoors. For the barbeque, we have many fantastic types of meat that can be thrown on the grill, and pick up a package of de la Estancia Organic Polenta while you’re here and serve it with the grilled meat. This polenta is from Argentina, made from a sub-tropical variety of corn which cooks in one minute and has a creamy texture. For the grilled meat, choose from uncured, Fermin Iberico Bellota Solomillo, Carillera (cheeks), Secreto or Presa. After thawing, sear to medium rare and savor the tender, juicy flavor. In addition to loads of Spanish-style chorizo and embutidos for grilling, we have Lamb Merguez, Duck sausage with figs, Pheasant sausage with cognac, Portuguese-style Linguiça, Boudin Noir and Boudin Blanc in our freezer case. We have Zoe Bacon. Have you ever cooked bacon on the barbeque? You must try it! We also have all of the essential paella ingredients in stock, including pans and 3 leg burners to cook it outside. And to drink, we have chilled 2017 French rosé, vinho verde and white wines in our cold case.
NEW TEMPTING PRODUCTS ARRIVE. We received two pallets of Ybarra olives and Portuguese food items last Monday. We now have medium size tins of Ybarra anchovy-stuffed olives back in stock, as well as Ybarra Alto Seleccion anchovy-stuffed olives, which are extra fancy, with slightly larger, more beautiful olives. Whole Manzanilla olives with pits, without pits, and stuffed with pimento paste are now on the shelf, with more Spanish Table brand lemon-stuffed olives. Ferrer brand Pardina lentils in the jar are here, along with sofrito and piquillo peppers for Paella season.
Leonara cheese is an exceptional goat cheese made by Oscar, a small producer in León. A white mold rind envelops this brick-shaped cheese’s compact paste. The artisanal production is evident in the layered, complex flavor and lingering finish. Smooth and full bodied with the perfect balance of acidity and tanginess.
Bonne Maman Lemon Curd jam is a new product and incredibly luscious. Enjoy this on a warm croissant, or even add it to a berry pie by spreading a layer of it on top of the fruit, under the pie crust.
Our cookbook sale continues! 45% off all cookbooks, except “Paella” by Lorraine Turner (which is already just $4.99).
Porrons in one liter and half liter sizes are now in stock. Fill with Sangria or any light, easy-drinking wine. Pass the porron around and get the party rolling! If you’ve never drunk from a porron before, you may want to start with white wine or wear a bib to avoid wine stains.
2017 French Rosés Are Rolling In
Les Lauribert La Cuvee de Lisa Rosé 2017, Vaucluse ($9.99) A customer favorite, this Grenache-based rosé is as tasty as ever! A gorgeous salmon colored wine, it is light on the palate with notes of wild strawberry and a dry finish. Drink it on the patio, serve with seafood or have a refreshing glass after work.
Les Trois Couronnes Côtes-du-Rhône Rosé 2017 ($9.99) This is a new rosé in the market, and we pre-ordered 5 cases after tasting it in late January. 85% Grenache, 10% Cinsault, 5% Syrah, grown in chalky and stony soil. Light, bright and vibrant, it has white summer fruit notes with a mineral finish.
A little voice in my head says it’s time to prepare that terrific chicken and rice dish again. Maybe on Tuesday or Wednesday when it starts raining again. Get the chicken marinating a day in advance, and it’s incredibly easy to prepare. And since we’ve just received a new shipment of the crucial ingredients, it’s a great time to share the recipe! See below for details.
Marinated Chicken with Wild & White Rice Blend Serves 4
Ingredients (* available at Paris-Madrid Grocery):
One chicken or two game hens, cut into single portions
Piri Piri chicken marinade *
One jar Sabarot Dry Chanterelles or Porcini Mushrooms,* reconstituted with water
One brick Aneto Chicken Stock *
1 cup Bomba rice *
1/2 cup wild rice
One 14.5 oz Jar Cucina & Amore artichoke hearts in brine *
Place chicken or game hen pieces in zip lock plastic bag and add enough marinade to cover. Marinate up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Put chicken and marinade in paella pan large enough to accommodate pieces in single layer and roast in 350-degree oven until internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees.
Remove chicken and any excess fat to a platter.
Drain Chanterelles, reserving liquid. Toss mushrooms in the paella pan, in remaining oil. Return pan to oven for five to ten minutes.
Add mushroom liquid and chicken stock to pan. 3 cups per cup of bomba rice or 2 1/2 cups per cup of Valencian rice.
Add rice and wild rice using proportions of 3/4 rice and 1/4 wild rice.
Place artichokes on top of rice then return chicken/game hens to pan with any juice that has gathered on platter.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Rest for ten minutes and serve.
Our apologies for closing early on Wednesday, March 7 due to the malfunction in our heating system. It was repaired the next morning and we’ve been open regular hours ever since.