(Photo: Carlos Sarmiento)
For those that are like me that love summer and pasta…there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy both!
I recently got inspired to make a simpler dish, yet jam-packed with fresh and fragrant flavors that will please any pasta lover…no matter the weather.
A dish this flavorful deserves a wine pairing that complements the palate harmoniously… Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.
(Photo: Geoff Byron)
This fruit-forward and refreshingly vibrant varietal is truly New Zealand’s best wine.
Sauvignon Blancs, particularly from the Marlborough region are one of the most prized and sought off wines in the world due to their distinctive style and flavor.
The end result, a heavenly-matched pairing.
Let‘s get cooking!
Menu: Spinach fettuccine with pan-seared shrimp seasoned with sage and cardamom, tossed in a garlic, lemon peel, basil pan sauce, and topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Wine pairing: 2021 Totara - Endeavor Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
(Marlborough, New Zealand)
Serves 4
Ingredients
Spinach fettuccine (8 ounces)
1 lb. of fresh shrimp (medium sized), peeled, deveined and tail removed (optional: leave tail on some shrimp for edible garnish topping, after being cooked)
1/2 teaspoon of ground sage
1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon of cracked pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Zest & juice of one large lemon
1/4 cup of extra Virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of white wine
1 tablespoon of butter
3/4 cups of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/3 cup of fresh basil leaves, hand-torn
Sea salt
Directions
Pasta:
In a large pot with water (filled halfway through), boil water and add 3 punches of sea salt. Cook pasta per package instructions.
Once pasta is cooked, save about 1 cup of pasta water before draining pasta.
Meanwhile…
Shrimp & sauce:
Season shrimp with sea salt, cracked pepper, ground sage and cardamom.
Heat olive oil in large frying pan or skillet on medium-high heat.
Once oil is about to sizzle, carefully place shrimp on the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Once cooked, remove shrimp from pan and temporarily place them on a plate.
Reduce heat on pan to medium heat and add butter, lemon zest and garlic. Stir, cooking for 1 minute.
Add lemon juice and white wine and stir, bringing to a quick boil. Turn off heat. Add shrimp and spoon sauce over shrimp.
Pasta mix:
Add cooked pasta to pan with sauce and shrimp. Stir well.
Add some cheese and stir. Immediately, slowly add pasta water to thicken the consistency, while continuing to stir.
Add fresh basil and gently toss pasta, mixing well.
Serve it up!
The beauty of pasta is that it can be served both family style on large platters or individually on separate plates.
Just make sure to top with tail-on shrimp, a little freshly cracked pepper, some more fresh basil leafs and lightly dust with some extra Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Buon appetito! Enjoy!
(Photo: Carlos Sarmiento)
(Photo: Carlos Sarmiento)
(Photo: Carlos Sarmiento)
About the wine…
Totara is a joint-venture between Opici Wines and Endeavour Vineyards of Marlborough, New Zealand. Our two companies came together in order to create award-winning wines with unsurpassed quality, packaging, and value exclusively for the US market.
In New Zealand, the Totara tree is a celebrated and revered part of the country’s history. Indigenous Maori tribes would use the giant trees to build dwellings, boats, tools, and weapons. A Totara tree can grow to over 100 feet, and live for 1,000 years.
Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc are fickle varietals that demand the utmost attention, both in the vineyard and at the winery to bring their true potential to light. They are also incredibly honest grapes, telling the story of their own unique places of origin like no other. This was the idea behind Totara, showcasing classic Marlborough varietals like no one before with a style that is unmistakably New Zealand.
Alan Peters-Oswald, formerly at Cloudy Bay Vineyards, was commissioned as winemaker to lend his unique knowledge of local terroir and climate. Using modern winemaking techniques and equipment, Alan is able to capture the essence of New Zealand purity while crafting flavorful, concentrated wines that appeal to all consumers.
2021 Totara - Endeavor Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
(Marlborough, New Zealand)
(Photo: Carlos Sarmiento)
Tasting notes:
Bright yellow in the glass, with hints of green at the core. This wine is punchy and aromatic on the nose showing notes of lemon, passion fruit and honeydew melon.
Refreshingly lively on the palate, you will discover a core of rich citrus, stone fruit and a mouth-watering minerality.
Drinks wonderfully for 2-3 years from vintage.
Grapes:
100% Sauvignon Blanc
Food pairing: Pairs with all seafood dishes, salads, goat cheese, and spicy Thai or Indian Food.
Thank you to Opici Wines & Spirits for providing this fantastically aromatic wine from New Zealand.
For more information, visit:
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Decorative wine drip collar ring provided by:
(Special discount promo code: CFW15)
(Photo: Mark de Jong)
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