TALKING WINE

with Moira Carmenate, Expat Lifestyle Editor

Sparkling Wine - Cava

For many December is party time and what better way to celebrate than with a glass or two of Cava. Cava is one of the most popular wines from the region of Catalonia. A fresh sparkling wine whose name comes from the Catalan word for cellar.

The history of Cava dates to 1872 when Josep Raventós travelled around Europe promoting his Codorníu winery. To this day, Codorníu Cavas are one of the most popular brands of Cava sold around the world.

95% of Spanish Cava production comes from the Penedès wine region which is located near Barcelona.

The Cava production process is different to traditional still wine production, due to a second fermentation process in the bottle.

After primary fermentation in the tanks, the wine is bottled along with a small quantity of yeast and sugar. It is then sealed and taken to the cellar (caves were used in early days, hence Cava meaning cave, where the waiting process begins (a minimum of 9 months in the bottle). Cava may be white or rosé. The Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel·lo are the most popular and traditional grape varieties for producing Cava. Cava may also contain Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Subirat grapes. Like any other quality sparkling wine, Cava is produced in varying levels of sweetness, ranging from the dryest, brut nature, through brut, brut reserve, seco, semiseco, to dulce, the sweetest.

The village of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia in Penedès is worth a visit to explore the Cava production houses. Freixenet and Codorníu are the main producers of Cava blanc or rosat, with the town of Aranda de Duero housing the sole Castilian producer. Local law dictates that Cava may only be produced in the eight wine regions that include Catalunya, just like the name Champagne can only be used for wines produced in the Champagne region of France.

If you are taking a trip to Barcelona, make sure you include a visit to the nearby wineries on the Penedès wine route. You won’t be disappointed.

Moira’s Christmas Kitchen

Christmas Jewelled Salmon

Ingredients

1 side of fresh salmon (Note you can make this for one with a portion of salmon and reduced quantities for toppings) 150g butter 1/2 cup honey 3 crushed or grated garlic cloves 100g soft cream cheese 2 tbsp double cream 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill Grated zest of lemon Squeeze of lemon juice 1/2 jar cranberry sauce 1 cup chopped parsley Salt & pepper 1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds 1 tbsp olive oil Seeds of 1 pomegranate Sliced lemons for garnish Method

1. Make dill sauce by mixing cream cheese, double cream, chopped dill and zest and juice of lemon in bowl. Set aside in fridge until ready to use. 2. In another bowl, bring together ½ cup of chopped parsley, cranberry sauce, sliced toasted almonds, olive oil, salt and pepper and put in fridge until ready to use. 3. Place a large sheet of tinfoil or baking parchment in your baking tin (big enough for salmon and have overlap) 4. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. 5. Heat ½ cup of honey, grated or crushed garlic cloves and 150g butter in pan and gently melt, raise heat, and allow to foam for 2 minutes. 6. Place salmon, skin on as this helps to lift it later, in tin with foil or baking parchment. 7. Gently pour honey, butter and garlic mix over the salmon. 8. Place another layer of tinfoil or baking parchment over the salmon and close tightly to ensure the honey mix doesn’t escape. 9. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. 10. Carefully open the salmon parcel (be careful not to burn yourself with the steam) and grill the glazed salmon for 10 minutes to brown. 11. Transfer the salmon to a serving plate and allow to cool. 12. Once cool, not cold, spread the dill cream sauce over the glazed salmon. 13. Then top the cream covered salmon with the parsley and cranberry mix. 14. Top with remaining parsley and sprinkle the pomegranate seeds on top and garnish with sliced lemon. 15. Enjoy your creation. 16. Any leftovers can be served cold the next day.

Beef Wellington

Ingredients

1 kilo fillet of beef. (note – you can make this for 1 using a small fillet & piece of pastry 1 tbsp grain mustard rather than full block) 1 large shallot (or small onion) 600 g mushrooms Sprig of thyme (or tsp dried) 1oz butter 200g serrano ham 100g pate 1 block of puff pastry 1 beaten egg Salt & pepper 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. In a hot pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and sear the fillet of beef for about 2 mins browning and sealing all the fillet. 2. When cool, remove any string your butcher may have added. 3. In food processor finely chop mushrooms, then add to pan with 1 oz butter and thyme. Add the pate and blitz. Season with salt and pepper and let cool in fridge. 4. Cut a large piece of clingfilm (larger than your fillet of beef) Lay out the strips of serrano ham on the clingfilm and top with the pate and mushroom mix. 5. Lay the fillet on top of the serrano ham and mushroom mix and roll tightly with the clingfilm and put in fridge to chill. 6. Remove fillet from fridge 20 minutes before baking. 7. Heat oven to 220 degrees. 8. Roll out pastry on floured surface. 9. Remove cling film from fillet and place on pastry sheet. 10. Brush the edges of pastry with beaten egg and then wrap the fillet with the pastry and sealing well. 11. Brush with beaten egg and bake on a foil lined tray. 12. Check when pastry is golden brown. !20 f for medium rare, (40-45minutes). If you wish beef to be cooked more then leave for an additional 5 minutes. 13. Allow to rest for 10/15 minutes before carving.

For quick and easy starters, or a light lunch, there is nothing quicker or easier than making your own pâté. Remember you can reduce or increase the quantities depending on how much you wish to make. You can freeze them too.

Ingredients

400g trimmed chicken livers 2 grated garlic cloves 400g butter 3tbsp Madeira wine or sherry Salt & Pepper

Method

1. Fry and fully brown the trimmed chicken livers in tbsp butter and grated garlic cloves. 2. Season with salt and pepper and add Madeira wine or sherry and simmer for 2 minutes. 3. Add the browned livers to food processor with 200g of butter. 4. Blend everything to a smooth paste then spoon into ramekins, leaving space for the butter. 5. Melt the remaining 200g butter and pour into the ramekins, covering the pâté. 6. Chill in fridge for at least 4 hours. 7. Serve with toast.

Mushroom Pâté

Ingredients:

450g mushrooms 1 tbsp olive oil 1 diced shallot or small onion 1 grated garlic clove 8 oz of cream cheese Salt & pepper 1 sprig Rosemary or Thyme

Method

1. Roughly chop mushrooms and sauté in 1 tbsp olive oil and grated garlic. 2. Add chopped rosemary or thyme, salt and pepper and cook for 2 mins. 3. Cool for 10 minutes then add to food processor with cream cheese and blend until smooth, 4. Transfer to ramekins and refrigerate for 1 hour. 5. Serve with toast, bread or crackers.

You can use left-over salmon from the Christmas salmon – scraping off the pomegranates, etc. or use cooked salmon fillet, smoked salmon or tinned salmon. Whatever you have and whatever your budget allows. Either way you will have a lovely low cost pâté.

Ingredients

200g smoked salmon (if making terrine) 1 tin salmon (bones and skin removed) 200g cream cheese 2 tbsp creamed horseradish Juice of 1 lemon Handful of chopped dill Salt & Pepper 100g melted butter Lemon for garnish

Simple Salmon

Method

1. Put the tinned salmon, cream cheese, horseradish, dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper in food processor and blitz until smooth. 2. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.

For the simple salmon pâté, spoon the salmon mix into ramekin dishes.

Add melted butter onto the pâté and put in fridge to set for 4 hours.

For individual smoked salon terrine:

Line ramekin dish with cling film, then with smoked salmon slices or pieces leaving overhang.

Fill the salmon lined ramekin with creamy salmon mix.

Close the smoked salmon pieces or patch with pieces of smoked salmon. Cover with cling film and chill for 4 hours. Unwrap and turn your salmon out on plate to serve with lemon and toasted bread of choice.

Easy Christmas Chocolate Orange Panettone Pudding

Ingredients

1 small panettone (125g) 50g butter 2 eggs 175ml (half & half milk & cream) 50g castor sugar 1 bar of orange chocolate (70% cocoa) 1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. 2. Grease oven proof dish. 3. Cut panettone into chunks and lightly butter each piece and place in ovenproof dish. 4. Break up chunks of chocolate and put in dish around the panettone. 5. In jug, whisk together eggs, half & half, sugar, vanilla essence and pour over the panettone & chocolate. 6. Leave the mix to soak for about 20 minutes at room temperature. 7. Put ovenproof dish in a deep baking tray and add boiling water to the baking tray to make a bainmarie. 8. Bake in oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown. 9. Serve hot or cold with cream or ice cream. 10. Enjoy.

For larger pudding just increase the quantities.

Christmas Pistachio & Raspberry Semifreddo

Ingredients

200g Fresh or frozen raspberries 1 tbsp water 85g golden caster sugar 85g shelled pistachios 170g caster sugar 3 egg whites 1 egg yolk 340g double cream 1 tsp vanilla essence Additional 85g pistachios & raspberries for decoration

Method

1. Line a 2lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper. 2. Cover 170g pistachio nuts with boiling water and simmer for 5 minutes. 3. Remove from heat, drain, and allow pistachios to cool and then remove the skin. This takes patience but worth doing as it gives a better texture and colour. Set aside until ready to use. 4. Make raspberry puree by adding 200g of raspberries and 85g caster sugar in a pan with 1 tbsp water. Stir together over gentle heat until sugar is dissolved, and raspberries break down. You can pass the raspberry puree through a sieve if you like a smoother mix, but I like to leave it as it is. Set aside and allow to cool. 5. Put the cooled and dried pistachio nuts into food processor with 50g of granulated sugar, 1 egg yolk and tsp vanilla essence. Pulse until you have a fine grain texture. 6. In a clean dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks. 7. In separate bowl, whip the double cream until stiff and slowly add in remaining 120g of caster sugar. 8. Fold the pistachio mix into the whipped cream and then lightly fold in the egg whites. 9. Spoon a layer of pistachio mix into the prepared loaf tin. 10. Lightly spoon a layer of the raspberry puree and some raspberries. 11. Top with the remaining pistachio mix. 12. Cover with cling film and freeze for at least one day. 13. Turn out onto a serving plate. 14. Decorate with a handful of pistachios, raspberries, and raspberry puree. 15. Enjoy.

Classic Christmas Cake

Ingredients

450g Currants 450g Raisins 300g Sultanas 200g Glace Cherries (halved) 50g Chopped Stemmed Ginger 7 tbsp Dark R um/Brandy or Whisky 400g Plain Flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg 1 tsp Cinnamon 1 tsp Mixed Spice 400g Softened butter 400g Muscovado Sugar 7 large eggs 75g Ground Almonds Grated Rind of 1 large lemon 2 tbsp Black Treacle Grated Rind of 1 orange + Rum/Brandy or Whisky to feed Method

1. If you prefer not to use alcohol you can use cold tea. If you want to make a smaller cake just reduce the quantities. 2. Place all the dried fruits into a large bowl, add the orange and lemon zest, pour in the alcohol, and give a good mix to ensure the fruits are well coated. 3. Cover the fruit mix with cling film and leave in fridge or cool place overnight or if you have time, for a couple of days. The longer the better to allow the fruits to absorb the alcohol. Stir each day. 4. When ready to make your cake, pre-heat oven to 140 degrees c. 5. Grease and line a 23 cm round deep baking tin making sure you keep the paper height higher than the tin. 6. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and muscovado sugar and slowly add in the eggs, flour, baking powder, spices, almonds, and treacle. 7. Beat well and slowly add the soaked fruits and spoon into your prepared baking tin. 8. Bake in the centre of oven for 4-4.5 hours. After 2 hours, check the cake and if it’s starting to get dark, lightly place a double layer of greaseproof on top. 9. When cake is firm to touch, after 4 hours, check with a skewer and if it comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven. Let cake cool in the tin. 10. When cool, lightly pierce the cake with a skewer and gently feed the cake with some of the rum/brandy or whisky. 11. Once cake is completely cold, remove from the tin, leaving the lining paper on the cake and tightly wrap in a double layer of greaseproof paper and then in foil and store in an airtight tin in a cool place until you are ready to add the marzipan and icing. Ideally cover the cake a week before you wish to use it. 12. You can make this a few months in advance of Christmas or even a few weeks. The longer the cake waits before icing, the richer the cake will be as you continue to feed it at weekly intervals with your alcohol of choice.