Red Wine Day with SILK AND SPICE

Did you know that National Red Wine Day is coming up on Saturday, August 28? I think that calls for a reason to celebrate with a bottle of wine and great food to accompany it with. Try BRAVO’s Top Chef alum Chef Nini Nguyen  home-cook friendly bbq recipe Chef Nguyen’s Szechuan Barbecue Beef with a Tomato + Peach Salad paired with Silk & Spice  red blend, an easy-to-drink  wine from Portugal.

I love good BBQ and was excited to try this recipe. Ingredients were easy to find and truly simple to prepare. I would have never thought to pair tomato and peach in a salad so was curious to find out how it would taste. With my apron and grilling tongs ready, I was ready to make this meal.

While baking ribs for three and a half hours may seem like a long time, it is worth the wait. So tender, the glaze added a nice flavor with a hint of spice. I may have added a little more than what the recipe called for, but I like spice. The salad was refreshing and with dressing had an appreciable balance. Rounding it altogether, the wine was smooth and is an ideal match to this recipe. 

Chef Nguyen explained her pairing by saying “I found that the Silk & Spice wine has bold flavors of dark ripe fruit and warm spices, so I decided to pair it with something smoky, sweet and spicy. It is so easy to drink, versatile and a wine that can hold up to some spice. And, since it is summertime, I thought of pairing the wine with barbecue. The recipe: slow roasted beef short ribs lacquered in a tangy sweet Szechuan barbecue sauce served with a refreshing tomato and peach salad. The stone fruit pairs well with the ripe fruit notes of the wine and complements the spiciness of the Szechuan peppercorns.” 

Great food, great company, and great wine is a great way to spend a summer night on a patio. Effortless and tasty, you should try the recipe. Don’t forget to pick up a bottle of Silk & Spice  wine. I’ve added it to my list of favorites. 

CHEF NINI NGUYEN’S SZECHUAN BARBECUE BEEF WITH TOMATO + PEACH SALAD PAIRED WITH SILK & SPICE RED BLEND

RECIPE:

Ready in 3.5 hours | Serving Size  2

Ingredients

Ribs – whole beef short rib (1 large bone per person)

For the sauce

1T mustard powder

¼ c brown sugar

½ t salt

¾ c ketchup

3T red wine vinegar

1T Worcestershire

1T soy sauce

2T c Szechuan chili oil

For the peach + tomato salad

2 peaches

2 large or a pint of tomatoes

2T dried chives

¼ c red wine vinegar

½ c olive oil

Salt to taste

Method

• Season beef ribs well with salt and pepper and wrap tightly with foil. Bake at 300 degrees for 3.5 hours ahead of time. 
• For the sauce, combine mustard powder, brown sugar and salt together in a small sauce pot.
• Add ketchup, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire soy sauce and chili oil. You can add as little or a lot of the chili oil.
• Glaze the ribs with the sauce and place on the second to top rack in the oven. Broil until the glaze is bubbling and charred on the edges.  
• Repeat glazing throughout broiling.  
• For the peach tomato salad, place cut peaches and tomatoes into a bowl.  
• Season with salt, pepper then add chives, vinegar and olive oil.

Cooking Note

Prep ribs ahead of time by seasoning them with salt + pepper and wrapping tightly with foil then baking them at 300 degrees for 3.5 hours.  You can do this up to 3 days in advance and keep them in the fridge before you heat / glaze and serve them.

About Silk & Spice Wine

With its distinctive rich flavors and spicy aromas, Silk & Spice is a contemporary expression of Portugal’s indigenous grapes (Touriga Nacional & Baga) and unique terrain. The intense, deep ruby color delivers juicy flavors of blackberries and plums alongside sweet notes of vanilla, black pepper, pink peppercorn and hints of mocha. With one sip, discover a full-bodied wine balanced by soft tannins, acidity and a smooth long finish

Photos: Alyssa Taylor (Cork + Knife)