Vinho Verde by Vidigal – Made from Portugal’s Alvarinho grape, these zippy wines are a dream with seafood plucked from their coastal home along the Atlantic Ocean – like our recipe for Caldeirada or Fish Stew.
Portugal’s “green wine” got its name not from its color but from its youth. Meant to be consumed in infancy these wines often aren’t even labelled with a vintage. Crisp, citrusy and often with a bit of fizzy petillance, I think of Vinho Verde as a “little green dress.” They aren’t a staple for all occasions, but when paired properly, they can be the flirty life of the party.
To get the freshest seafood possible we substituted some Pacific catch and did our own version of this traditional Portuguese dish. Combinations typically consist of sturdy oily fishy like mackerel, cod, and shellfish. To learn how to forage for your own mussels click here.
- 2-3 Tbs. olive oil
- ¾ cup small sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 4 oz. potatoes, ½ inch cubes
- 1 cup sweet bell pepper, any color
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup heirloom tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- pinch saffron, paprika, red pepper flakes
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1bay leaf
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup cilantro for garnish
- ¾ - 1 lbsfresh seafood
- ⅓ lb cod, cubed
- ¼ lb rock fish, cubed
- ⅓ lb scallops
- 14 steamer clams
- 12 mussels
- Heat oil in large soup pot.
- Add onions, garlic, and peppers. Cook 5 minutes on medium. Lower heat, cover, cook 5 minutes more.
- Add potatoes, broth, spices, simmer cover until potatoes soften - approx 10 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, cook 5 minutes.
- Layer cubed fish, then shellfish. Simmer covered 6-8 minutes.
- Discard any shells that did not open.
- Ladle into bowls. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with fresh baguette.
Let’s take a tasty trip through Portugal and see what our #winepw friends cooked up this month.
What a great pairing – this works even in the hot summer months! Vinho Verde is such great pairing for seafood and summer fare that needs a little zing!
Thanks Christy. The recipe was much easier than I anticipated. I made the base. Left it in the pot to go to the gym and then added the seafood and finished cooking it 1 1/2 hours later.
I love this seafood stew and I will have to be on the lookout for the Vinho Verde. It sounds like it might fit the bill with a seafood boil as well.
I think it would be a good pairing with all kinds of light seafood dishes Wendy.
Very interesting about the "green wine" I love your comparison. 'little green dress."
Thanks! Makes me want to go shopping and drink wine.
Looks great Jade. Vinho Verde can be a fun wine.
Looks great Jade. Vinho Verde can be a fun wine.
Thank Jennifer. It was a fun pairing.