The lowly beet can be a forgotten gem, but in this Beet
Bourguignon recipe from Vegetarian
Everyday by David Frenkiel and Luise Vindalh, it is elevated to royalty. (Check out the authors’ blog also—Green
Kitchen Stories. Their photographs alone
will make you throw out every candy bar stashed in your house and swear you
will eat only whole foods from here forward!)
The sweet, earthy beets are slowly simmered along with
carrots, mushrooms and pearl onions, then ladled over mounds of lentils.
Hearty and filling, this dinner required a
wine also full of earth and character.
Tarima Monastrell from Bodegas Volver utilizes 100%
Monastrell grapes from Spain Alicante
The color is dark, intense and is followed by intense aromas
to match. Dark fruits along with
leather, dried herbs (thyme, in particular) and chalky earth fill the nose.
Juicy ripe blackberry and plum flavors are on the palate
along with some dried fruits and the same dried herbs that were found on the
nose. The finish is a bit textural and
flavors linger so pleasantly.
Tarima is sensational, and particularly so since it is
priced, unbelievably, in the $10 range!
Together with the Beet Bourguignon, Tarima was quite
possibly one of the greatest wine and food pairings EV….ER.
The intensity of the wine matched the intensity of flavor in
the bourguignon. Flavors of sweet fruit,
earth and herb in the wine were also found in the sweet, earthy beet dish. It all came together for a royal
experience. Now if I could only find my
tiara…
