We have favorite products back in stock that will brighten up a gloomy Junuary day. And note important dates this weekend among other happenings: Saturday is solstice, the first day of summer and Sunday is Father’s Day. These are all related. Making a paella for Dad is a great way to celebrate Father’s Day, and Sunday’s weather will be sunny and warm enough to make paella outside! We are fully stocked on all sizes of paella pans, ringed burners, and the essential ingredients including Spanish-style chorizo, rice, broth and piquillo peppers. See below for the newest paella recipe in our regular series that we’re calling Pandemic Paella Recipes. We’ve been making paella every week with new ingredients to inspire and invigorate paella making at your homes, since we can’t hold a paella cooking demo and restaurants continue to be mostly closed. One notable exception is The Harvest Vine who has been offering paella take out (check their website for updates). See below for our recipe for Lamb paella.
Suggested treats for Father’s Day:
A whole bone-in, Redondo Iglesias Jamon Serrano. Weighing 17.93 pounds, this whole Jamon Serrano is $322.56. We’ve got the Jamon Gondola holder as well for $39.99. Set the Jamon in the Gondola holder and you’re ready to slice!
Ybarra anchovy-stuffed and piquillo stuffed olives are back in stock, as well as The Spanish Table brand lemon-stuffed olives! A case of olives or a mix would be a tasty gift for Dad. Buy a solid case of olives and receive a 10% discount.
If Dad loves cheese, these delicious quesos are back in our deli case: Queso Payoyo from Villaluenga del Rosario near Ronda, this cheese is 85% Payoyo goat’s milk and 15% Grazalema sheep’s milk. Soft and creamy, it was named a World’s Best cheese in 2013. Also now again available are Navarra Ahumado (smoked raw sheep’s milk cheese) and Mahon La Payesa (cow’s milk cheese from the Balearic Island of Majon, rubbed with olive oil and aged 12 months, with an intense and delightful flavor).
French charcuterie: Breakfast lard tranche (breakfast bacon) is thinly sliced and quickly cooks up to crunchy deliciousness. Make a salade Lyonnaise by combining friseé, a poached egg, Dijon vinaigrette and crumbled breakfast bacon. Savor the rich flavor! We also now carry Le Bec Fin’s duck confit legs which come individually vacuum packed. Le Bec Fin, established in 1999 by chef Daniel Monneaux produces charcuterie and pâtés in a fully equipped and staffed USDA plant in New Jersey.
Padron pepper plants are available and there is still time to plant them outdoors. Harvest these peppers at the end of July when they are 2-3 inches long. To serve, sauté them in Spanish olive oil, turning so they blister on all sides. Remove to a serving plate, sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy a delicious appetizer.
NEW WINE ARRIVALS
Muga Rosado Rioja, 2019 ($17.99) The 2019 vintage of this rosado is incredible… maybe the best ever. Mineral-laden and elegant with a whisper of wild strawberry, this dry rosé will bring a smile to your face. Serve it with seafood paella or just sip it by the glass.
Château Thivin Beaujolais Village Rosé 2019 ($17.99) Made with the Gamay Noir grape from 50-year-old vines grown on steep hillsides of pink granite. This is an edgy rosé full of gorgeous texture and stony notes. With nuances of red fruit, mineral, and a lingering dry finish, it offers up incredible balance. Last year the price was $21.00 for this rosé and I’m not sure why this vintage is less expensive. It might be a pricing error, so grab some of this while you can!
Capçanes Mas Collet Selecció 2017, Montsant (SALE – $13.99, regularly $16.99) A blend of Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan, aged 9 months in neutral oak. With aromas of ripe cherry and blueberries, this medium-bodied red has a smooth texture with well integrated hints of oak. Perfectly balanced between toasty aromas, a fine ripe sweetness and acidity. With round, ripe tannins and a persistent finish, Jancis Robinson of Decanter Magazine describes this wine as a “baby Priorat.”
Crous St Martin Gigondas 2017 ($24.99) – Bright, savory and structured, this is wine would be excellent with barbeque, especially ribs or steak. “80% Grenache, and 10% each Mourvedre and Syrah that offers charming aromas of leather, ripe cherries and dark plums. Full-bodied and velvety on the palate, the 2017 Gigondas ends long and plush, picking up hints of mocha.” 93 points Wine Advocate
Shepherd’s Basque Rice (“Paella”) Serves 6
Early Basque immigrants to the western U.S. were largely shepherds and lamb was a staple of their diet. This, the second “pandemic paella” recipe in our series is a tribute to the Basque people and their contribution to delicious meals. Our “pandemic paella” recipes are a regular feature since we can’t hold a paella cooking demo in front of our store this year. We hope these new recipes inspire you to cook more of this fantastic rice dish at home. Serve this paella with a Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, such as the superb Vizcarra Senda del oro 2017 ($21.99).
Ingredients:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
One Pound Package Nicky Farms Rabbit & Pork Sausage, skinned and cut into chunks while still chilled*
One Teaspoon Thyme*
Salt to taste*
One Pound Lamb Leg, any fat trimmed off & cut into chunks
Two cloves garlic, sliced
One liter Aneto chicken stock plus water to make 6 cups total*
2 cups Bomba Paella Rice*
C&A Artichoke Hearts*
C&A Piquillo Peppers torn into strips*
Brush Paella pan with olive oil to prevent sausage from sticking until fat renders.
Brown sausage in paella pan and then remove.
Sprinkle thyme & salt on lamb and brown in sausage fat adding olive oil if necessary.
Add garlic slices and cook for a minute or two being careful not to burn.
Add stock and bring to boil.
Add rice.
Cook for 15 minutes.
Top with artichoke hearts & piquillo peppers and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Cover and allow to rest for ten minutes before serving.
*These ingredients available at Paris-Madrid Grocery