Feat. Malbec

 

When I think of malbec, I think of the alluring wine from Argentina. In actuality, malbec originated in France where it is used as a blending grape amongst four others to make a red Bordeaux. The grape made its way to Argentina in the late 1800’s and it is now the leading grape for red wines there. As oppose to its usage in France, the malbec grape in Argentina is used to make pure malbec wine. While the majority of malbec comes from Argentina, and some still comes from its origin place, malbec grapes can also be found in the United States, Chile, and South Africa. Malbec tends to be lower in acidity and has medium tannins, which makes it a very drinkable wine. It often has the flavors of plum, blackberry, and black cherry (but those can differ depending on where the grape was grown) and some of the most notable aromas are mocha, leather, and black pepper. There really is something to be said for a luxurious tasting Argentinian Malbec without breaking the bank.

 

Food it pairs well with: Steak; Roasts; Lamb; Pork Shoulder; Mushrooms; Arugula

 

Recommended Recipe: Steak Gaucho-Style with Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce from Food Network 

Ingredients:

Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce:

  • 1 cup lightly packed chopped parsley (ideally, flat leaf “Italian” parsley)
  • 3 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons shallot or onion, minced
  • 3/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar, or red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Steak:

  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 tablespoons salt
  • 2 1/2 pounds rib-eye, New York strip, or sirloin steak, 1 1/2 inches thick
  • 2 baguettes, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices

 

How to make:

  • Preheat a grill.
  • Place all Chimichurri sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until well chopped, but not pureed. Reserve.
  • Dissolve cayenne pepper and salt in 1 cup hot water. Transfer to a squeeze container.
  • Place the steak directly over a hot grill, baste with the chimichurri grilling sauce, and grill until the outer portion of the meat reaches the desired degree of doneness. Remove the steak from the grill and slice long strips from the outer edges of the steak. Instruct guests to pick up a steak slice from the cutting board with their fingers, place it on a slice of baguette, and enjoy. Return the remaining steak to the grill, baste, and grill until more of the steak is cooked. Remove and repeat the slicing and serving procedure until steak is consumed. For extra spicy steak, baste 2 or 3 additional times with the cayenne pepper mixture during grilling process. Spoon chimichurri sauce over steak.

 

Recommended CO Wines: Wild Women Wine Red Tango Malbec; The Infinite Monkey Theorem Malbec; BookCliff Vineyards Malbec; Grande River Vineyards Malbec; River Garden Winery Malbec

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