Manzanilla sherry and smoked dried beef with almonds

Manzanilla sherry never fails to surprise me with its versatility but you don't often come across a combination as good as the one I had last week at Lido restaurant in Bristol.

It was a 'tapa' of cecina which is a Spanish oak smoked air-dried beef, very finely sliced - almost shaved - and served with beetroot, a few salad leaves, a drizzle of almond sauce and some toasted almonds. You often find the flavour of almonds in dry sherries like this so I suppose this was a natural but the combination was just sensational. (Fino would have obviously worked too.)

The manzanilla was a La Goya Delgado Zuleta which you can buy from RS Wines of Bristol (0117 963 6000) for £4.50 (I think) and Corney & Barrow for £5.99 a half bottle. The sort of sherry you - or at least I - want permanently in the fridge.

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Anchoïade and manzanilla

I’m beginning to wonder if there’s anything manzanilla doesn’t pair with - or fino, come to that. Of course, there is but both sherries do seem to be brilliant at dealing with the tricky customers of the culinary world, especially pungent salty ones like anchovies and capers.

I had this particular combination at the recently opened Rockfish Grill in Bristol - anchoïade is a creamy anchovy pure from the south of France which is generally served with raw vegetables or crudités. The usual wine match would be a Provençal white or rosé but I really loved this combination with chilled tangy sherry.

It makes me think that manzanilla would be a feasible - though unconventional - partner for that Piedmontese speciality bagna cauda. It also pairs well with olive-based spreads such as green and black tapenade (especially the green version) and creamy, smoky purées such as brandade (salt cod) and baba ganoush which is made from grilled or roast aubergines.

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Mackerel en escabeche with manzanilla sherry

No apologies for returning to one of my favourite drinks, manzanilla sherry, as it’s such a versatile food wine. This time I found a felicitous match with a dish of mackerel en escabeche which was served at one of my regular hangouts in Bristol, Quartier Vert.

Mackerel, as I’m sure you know, is an oily, rich-tasting fish which needs robust treatment in the kitchen and an accompanying drink with real bite and attack. The escabeche treatment (sousing the cooked - usually fried - fish and any accompanying vegetables in spiced vinegar then leaving it to marinate for several hours) suits it perfectly and also creates a useful, inexpensive starter that you can make well ahead. They have a similar preparation in the Caribbean where it is called escovitch.

Needless to say your manzanilla, like other fino sherries, should be served chilled from a freshly opened bottle. If you don’t drink it regularly, it’s best to buy it in halves.

Manzanilla and tapas

I was reminded just how enjoyable this combination is the other day when I dropped by London’s latest tapas bar Barrafina and enjoyed a pre-dinner pick-up of a glass of Hidalgo with some al-i-oli and toast. The sharp tangy sherry was the perfect foil for the crisp toast and silky, garlic-flavoured mayo that accompanied it.

Manzanilla is the driest of Spain’s sherries. It’s made right on the coast in the small town of Sanlucar de Barrameda which gives it an almost salty flavour. It should be served freshly opened and well chilled. (It’s better to buy in half bottles than full size ones so you can finish it within a couple of days) It will go with any kind of tapa - roasted almonds, olives, slices of chorizo, wedges of tortilla and any kind of crisply fried fish as well as the more ambitious creations that they serve at Barrafina such as Tuna Tartar and Grilled Chicken with Romesco Sauce.

Barrafina, which is at 54 Frith Street in Soho, is the latest enterprise from brothers Sam and Eddie Hart who opened the very successful Fino a couple of years ago. It’s a tiny place, as many authentic tapas bars are - just a counter (if a very posh counter) with seating and standing along the side. There’s no booking which is a refreshing change in these days of 2 month waiting lists. Good for a pre-theatre drink.

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