Chef Sue was on a role yesterday – sending me a number of recipes to add to the batting order for upcoming wine pairings. She found some dishes that I am very excited about. Not being one to waste time in such matters, we went straight to work last night. After picking a recipe and a pairing for last night, I asked Chef Sue “so who is cooking tonight?” She replied “us.” That didn’t work out exactly to plan. Chef Sue loves the kitchen. Not only does she enjoy creating wonderful meals, she finds her time in the kitchen as a creative and therapeutic release. I understand this and gladly took up my role as photographer.
When we selected Carne Adobada: Grilled Adobo-Marinated Skirt Steak I was very excited; the recipe made my mouth water well before the wonderful aromas began filling the kitchen. However, I was very skeptical of the wine pairing – a 2008 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon (the recipe and pairing came from Epicurious.com). Chef Sue and I lived in Northern California for a couple years in the mid-1980s. Living on the meager salary of a US Coast Guard Ensign, we spent many weekends visiting Napa Valley wineries – a cheap way to make an enjoyable weekend. In these days, my impression of Robert Mondavi winery was equated to a jug wine. I can’t say what has transpired since this time, but the impression has remained, and wines from Robert Mondavi rarely (ok, never) make it to our table.
My second level of skepticism was that of pairing a Cab with the spicy Carne Adobada. I was afraid that a Cab would be too heavy and just not feel right with the adobo. Gratefully, my skepticism was unfounded and we had a great meal and pleasing pairing.
The extremely flavorful adobo marinade (with a portion reserved to use as a salsa when plating) coupled with the smoky flavors added from the grill made the flank steak a truly tasty centerpiece for the meal. The Mondavi Cabernet was not as heavy as I feared, and the dark fruit flavors played nicely with the high notes of the adobo and guacamole. Overall, it was very well balanced.
In the end, I concluded that it would be a good idea for me to check my biases toward Robert Mondavi wines (and others I had paced in the jug wine category) and let the wines speak for themselves. At under $10, the 2008 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon is a good value and a good pairing wine.
Here is the link to the Carne Adobada: Grilled Adobo-Marinated Skirt Steak recipe at Epicurious.com. I give this recipe two big thumbs up and definitely recommend it for your summer grilling season.
In vino veritas, buen provecho.
Craig
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