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Pairings | Cecina

Cecina (cured beef) and Mencia

Cecina (cured beef) and Mencia

Posted on July 6 2015 at 12:02

Last week I was in Galicia (for three days. Without my suitcase. Thankyou Easyjet) visiting the denominations of Valdeorras and Bierzo where the star red grape is Mencia. (For years I got them confused periodically thinking the grape was Bierzo and the region Mencia but I’ve finally got it straight.)

Tags: Galicia cecina smoked beef cured beef food:beef & lamb Bierzo Mencia Spanish red wine drink:red wine
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Cecina, potato and kale soup and Chateau Montus Madiran

Cecina, potato and kale soup and Chateau Montus Madiran

Posted on January 11 2010 at 18:40

The idea of matching a soup with a full-bodied south-western French red wine might seem bizarre but it proved a surprisingly good pairing.

Tags: south-west France Château Bouscassé Tannat Brumont Château Montus Madiran sheeps' cheese cheese stew cecina air-dried beef caldo verde cecina, potato and kale soup food:soups & starters Flinty Red
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Manzanilla sherry and smoked dried beef with almonds

Manzanilla sherry and smoked dried beef with almonds

Posted on November 8 2010 at 08:33

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.

Tags: manzanilla sherry drink:sweet & fortified wine cecina beef air-dried beef food:veg & salads food:beef & lamb food:soups & starters sherry manzanilla almonds Lido restaurant
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I’m totally with @rocketandsquash* that a well-judged side makes a meal. Last night’s cold roast chicken (revisiting the @zunicafe method which is SO good) enlivened by generously buttered new potatoes and broad beans with lashings of parsley. I double podded most of the beans but kept the skin on a few of the smaller ones for contrast cos I’m not a bean skin fascist and tbh I like the taste. Do you ALWAYS double pod them these days? * who has written a brilliant book called On the Side from which this is not a recipe but I’m channelling the inspo. . . . #beans #broadbeans #favabeans #potatoes #newpotatoes #sidedish #ontheside #mondaynight #bowlI’m tasting wines online with @thewinesociety1874 this morning and so far this sherry has got my highest mark. It’s a really nutty dry amontillado from @williamshumbert (think grilled hazelnuts and salted treacle toffee) and at £17 for a full size bottle ridiculously good value for a 12 year old wine. If you’re not a member of the Wine Society you should be (I am myself). They’re a non-profit making co-operative with really experienced buyers and offer brilliant value for money. This is the best sherry I’ve tasted all year and that’s saying something from a hardcore sherry fan. What to eat with it? Well meaty tapas like chorizo and albondigas but above all a really good mature sheep cheese, Manchego being the obvious example . . . #sherry #sherrylover #amontillado #thewinesociety #notsponsored #wine #winetasting #instawine #winestagramIt may have felt more like a fairground tent than the French bistro we were used to but that didn’t stop @littlefrench_bristol being its usual warm, welcoming self on the first night back after lockdown and - as it happened - their first anniversary. As you can see they now occupy an outdoor space outside the church next door. Too excited to take decent photographs of the food but did manage to snap @freddybirdfood’s famous scallops. We also shared lamb chops and kidneys, crab, roast chicken and chips and onglet and chips - and an excellent green salad in case you think we were being unhealthy (heaven forbid!). Massive kudos too to all the waiting staff who adapted to the new situation with great charm and cheerfulness. It’s taking a huge financial investment for restaurants like Freddy and @nessa_bird’s to make themselves COVID-safe and keep on their staff so if we want them to be there for us in another year’s time we need to support them over the coming weeks and months. If you live in or near #Bristol I hope you will. . . . #littlefrench #bistro #scallops #freddybird #restaurant #restaurantsareback #eatlocal #eatout #supportsmallbusinessI really like this thicker cut smoked salmon which you can serve Russian-style with chopped egg, red onion and capers - and also a shot or two of frozen vodka were it not lunch time. The salmon is from a new smokery to me called @smokin_brothers and really is quite smoky - which Is a Good Thing In my book. Thinking a lightly peated whisky would be nice with it too. You may notice the lemon wedge looks a bit stunted but I was clean out of lemons which shows I’m really not a pro at this game. Still, this is what I’m actually having for lunch. #notsponsored but #gifted so thank you very much @smokin_brothers. Good luck to you. PS If you wanted to embellish this a little further I’m thinking a few blinis or mini new potatoes topped with sour cream and caviar (or, more realistically, lumpfish roe) would be a good addition. Or some dark rye bread (I had wholewheat sourdough on the side) . . . #salmon #smokedsalmon ##smokingbrothers #lunch #instafood #foodstagram Follow on Instagram

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