This Christmas, haute cuisine do not need to be a challenge. With simple ingredients and a touch of creativity, we can surprise our guests with dishes that are not only delicious but also pair perfectly with our Monastrell wines. Today, we present five recipes from renowned chefs, designed to accompany the finest Monastrell wines.
Make this Christmas a truly unforgettable gastronomic experience!
Quique Dacosta’s Prawn Cocktail: A Sophisticated Touch for Your Starters
The Alicante-based chef Quique Dacosta, who has earned several Michelin stars, presents an innovative take on the classic prawn cocktail. With a creamy sauce and a hint of orange and brandy, this recipe is ideal to start a Christmas meal. Furthermore, the avocado, crab, and prawns, with their refreshing and delicate touch, would pair particularly well with a young, fruity Monastrell rosé.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Pairing: Young Monastrell rosé. The freshness and fruity aromas of this wine enhance the delicacy of the seafood and sauce without overpowering the flavours.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
- 200g mayonnaise
- 75g ketchup
- 15g orange juice
- 15g brandy
- 5g Worcestershire sauce
- White pepper, to taste
For the prawn cocktail:
- 1 avocado, diced
- 200g cooked, shredded crab
- 1 grated carrot
- 100g julienned lettuce
- 8 peeled orange segments
- 4 lettuce leaves
- 8 cooked, peeled red prawns
- Trout roe
- Chervil or parsley leaves
Step by step:
- Sauce: In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise with the ketchup. Add the orange juice, brandy, Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of white pepper. Stir well and refrigerate.
- Cocktail: In a large bowl, combine the avocado, crab, grated carrot, half of the prawns sliced into medallions, and the julienned lettuce. Add the cocktail sauce to taste and mix thoroughly.
- Assembly: Place the mixture on the lettuce leaves, adding more sauce on top. Arrange the orange segments, one prawn on each canapé, and garnish with trout roe and chervil or parsley leaves.
- Serving: Serve on a salad platter and enjoy this refreshing Christmas starter.
Alberto Chicote’s Marinara Clams: A Classic with a Modern Twist
Alberto Chicote, famous for his work on television and in haute cuisine restaurants, brings us a simple yet flavoursome recipe, perfect for sharing at Christmas dinners. The clams, prepared with a sautéed mix of garlic, onion, choricero pepper, and fish stock, pair wonderfully with a Monastrell rosé. The structure and oak notes of the wine complement the intensity of the clams and sauce, providing balance to this seafood dish.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Pairing: Monastrell rosé. The wine, with its spicy notes and fresh fruit aromas, brings out the complexity of the dish and balances the richness of the marinara sauce.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1kg clams
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon choricero pepper paste (or paprika diluted in water)
- 1 teaspoon flour
- Half a glass of white wine
- 1 large glass of fish stock
- Saffron threads (optional)
- Fresh parsley
- Salt, to taste
Step by step:
- In a large pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic until golden. Add the chopped onion and cook over medium heat until golden.
- Add the choricero pepper paste and cook for a minute. Stir in the flour, then pour in the white wine. Cook until the alcohol evaporates.
- Add the fish stock and saffron threads (if using), and let it cook for a few minutes to reduce slightly.
- Add the clams to the pan, cover, and allow them to open. Remove from heat when all clams have opened.
- Season with salt and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
Rocío Parra’s Iberian Acorn Ham Croquettes: Tradition with a Gourmet Touch
Chef Rocío Parra offers us an irresistible classic: Iberian acorn ham croquettes. This dish, which combines Spanish tradition with haute cuisine, is perfect for impressing your guests with minimal effort. The creamy béchamel and the rich flavour of the acorn ham call for a full-bodied Monastrell, such as a Monastrell reserve. The wine’s structure and notes of black fruit and spices elevate the flavour of the ham and the smoothness of the croquette, creating a perfect combination.
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Pairing: Monastrell reserve. With its soft tannins and aromatic richness, this wine enhances the intense flavours of the acorn ham and the creaminess of the béchamel.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
For the béchamel:
- 60g chopped onion
- 60g bacon
- 50ml olive oil
- 100g butter
- 75g Iberian acorn ham
- 150g flour
- 1L milk
- 1L cream
- 1 boiled egg
Step by step:
- Béchamel: Melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the chopped onion. Add the bacon and cook until golden.
- Add the chopped ham and the boiled egg, mixing well.
- Stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Gradually add the milk and cream, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.
- Pour the béchamel into a dish and let it cool.
- Once cooled, shape the croquettes, dip them in beaten egg and breadcrumbs, and fry in hot oil until golden.
- Serving: Place the croquettes on a dish and, if desired, serve with a fried egg cream and a slice of Iberian ham on top.
Juan Mari Arzak’s Duck Breast with Passion Fruit Sauce: A Sophisticated Dish for the End of the Meal
Renowned chef Juan Mari Arzak presents an elegant and delicious dish: duck breast with passion fruit sauce. The combination of the juicy, savoury duck breast with the sweet and tangy passion fruit sauce creates a symphony of flavours that requires a wine with complexity yet subtlety, such as a young Monastrell. This wine, with its notes of ripe red fruits and hints of chocolate and spices, harmonises perfectly with the richness of the duck and the freshness of the sauce.
Preparation time: 60 minutes
Pairing: Young Monastrell red. With less time spent in oak, this wine will maintain its fruity and light profile, which pairs excellently if the duck breast is served with a fruit-based light sauce. The wine will complement the dish without overpowering it.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
For the duck:
- 2 duck breasts
- 1 glass of red wine
- 1 glass of sweet wine
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1dl water
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the passion fruit sauce:
- 2 passion fruits
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 30g sugar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the pomme anna with apple:
- 2 medium potatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 tart apple
- 1dl olive oil
- Chopped parsley
Step by step:
- Duck: Score the skin of the duck breasts and season with salt and pepper. Sear them in a pan over high heat, skin side down. Then, place them in the oven for 4 minutes with the skin side up, and 2 minutes more on the other side.
- Sauce: Boil the lemon juice with the sugar. Add the pulp of the passion fruits and let it infuse. Reduce over low heat until the sauce thickens.
- Pomme Anna: Slice the potatoes, onion, and apple thinly. Arrange them in an ovenproof dish with oil and cook at 180°C for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
- Serving: Serve the duck breast alongside the pomme anna and drizzle with the passion fruit sauce.
Jonathan Soukdeo’s Vanilla Flan with Mascarpone Chantilly on Puff Pastry Tartlet: An Elegant Dessert to Pair with Sweet Monastrell
The latest creation from chef Jonathan Soukdeo, Vanilla Flan with Mascarpone Chantilly on Puff Pastry Tartlet, is the perfect dessert for any special occasion. This delicate treat, combining the softness of vanilla flan, the creaminess of mascarpone chantilly, and the crispy texture of the puff pastry tartlet, promises to dazzle both in taste and presentation.
Preparation time: 1 hour
Pairing: This elegant vanilla flan with mascarpone chantilly pairs excellently with a sweet Monastrell wine. It is the ideal wine to balance the creaminess and sweetness of the dessert. Its deep, rich flavour contrasts and enhances the smoothness of the flan and the lightness of the mascarpone, creating perfect harmony between the two.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
For the puff pastry tartlet:
- 170g prepared puff pastry
- 10g egg yolk
For the flan filling:
- 385g milk
- 88g egg yolk
- 33g cornstarch
- 88g sugar
- 33g brown sugar
- 5g vanilla extract
For the mascarpone chantilly:
- 185g mascarpone cheese
- 250g heavy cream
- 25g sugar
- 3g vanilla sugar
Step by step:
- Puff Pastry: Roll the puff pastry and cut out circles for tartlets. Place them in a tartlet tin, brush with egg yolk, and bake at 200°C for 12 minutes.
- Flan: Boil the milk, then mix the egg yolk with cornstarch, sugar, and vanilla. Gradually add the milk to the egg mixture, stir, and cook over low heat until thickened.
- Mascarpone Chantilly: Whip the mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla sugar together until stiff peaks form.
- Assembly: Place the flan in the puff pastry tartlets, top with a dollop of mascarpone chantilly, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
A Toast to Christmas
With these recipes, you will not only enjoy spectacular dishes but also be able to pair each one with the finest Monastrell wines. These wines have the ability to highlight the flavours of every dish, from the starters to the dessert. This year, celebrate the holidays with the best haute cuisine
