Enjoying sherry wine / pairings and recipes / Fino
Cooking time: 1 hour
Fino sherry can easily open a door to food pairing and and make it much more exciting. The acidity and salinity of a Fino, for example, is perfect to match vegetables such as leeks but also dealing with highly complex flavours such as meat terrines and sauces. The chicken livers bring a creaminess to the dish and gives the impression of sweetness and roundness while the sherry matches the earthiness of the livers.
Step 1
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the rigatoni until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
Step 2
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the olive oil. Add the scallions, leeks and shallot and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the sage.
Step 3
Increase the heat to high. Season the livers with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden all over, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until evaporated, 1 minute.
Step 4
Add the pasta, 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, 1/2 cup of the cheese and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the livers and season with salt and pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat and toss the pasta. Add the remaining pasta water if necessary. Transfer the pasta to plates, top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and serve with lemon wedges.
It is an ideal aperitif wine and goes well with all types of tapa, especially olives, nuts and Iberian cured ham.
Also providing the perfect companion for shellfish and fish, especially those with a marked salty taste (anchovies) or even raw (sashimi).
Its low acetic acid content combines exceptionally well with dishes of marked acidity (vinaigrette salads, marinades, etc.) as well as with cold soups (gazpacho, ajo blanco, etc.).
Use an ice bucket with both ice and water to serve chilled between 6º & 8º C.
It adapts perfectly to a diverse range of salty and intense flavours.
In traditional wide-rimmed catavinos, or in white wine glasses.
