There are reasons to celebrate!
It’s National Red Wine Day on 29 August – and what timing that is! Now that we can enjoy a glass of our favourite red wine again, we’re going to celebrate the only way we know. By cooking up a storm and pairing it with out favourite drink.
Something else you maybe didn’t know is that red wine goes superbly with a hearty mushroom dish.
And what better time to enjoy a warm mushroom meal than on National Red Wine Day?
The Mushroom Farmers Association is back again with some great mushroom recipes to pair with that rich terroir – red wine in the food, red wine in the glass. When we celebrate, we do it properly.
Mushroom & Mussel Paella Recipe
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 500g portabellini or button mushrooms, quartered
- 1 large onion, very finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1-2 bird’s eye chillies, sliced (seeds removed if desired)
- 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
- 1½ cups short-grain rice (such as Bomba or Arborio)
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 6 cups mushroom or vegetable stock
- 1kg fresh mussels, cleaned
- Fresh micro herbs for serving
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Lemon wedges for serving
Method:
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large paella pan, frying pan or wok. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown and their water has evaporated. Add onion and soften for 5 mins. Add bell pepper, chilli, garlic, turmeric and paprika. Cook until fragrant.
- Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is translucent. Add wine and cook until completely evaporated. Add stock- the liquid should just cover the rice. Cook, without stirring, adding more stock if needed to keep rice moist while cooking, until rice is al dente and all liquid is absorbed, 15–20 minutes. (Shake pan after adding more stock to distribute evenly.)
- Just before the rice is fully cooked add the mussels, ensuring that most of them are covered by the rice and cover with a lid. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the mussels open. Discard any that do not open.
- Taste for seasoning and then scatter with fresh mirco herbs. Serve in the pan to keep warm alongside fresh lemon wedges.
Wine Pairing Suggestion: Ataraxia Serenity
The variability of ingredients from land and sea used for this dish means that this paella has exciting wine pairing options. The complexity of flavours in this paella can handle this assertive red blend with a succulent fruitiness, fresh acidity and a dry finish. The Ataraxia Serenity has intriguing minerality, spicy notes and a touch of smokiness which plays beautifully with the smoky notes of the Spanish paprika running through the dish.
