9 Recipes that Prove Everything Tastes Better with Sherry
You may be familiar with sherry as a drink. In 2008, David Wondrich's article Civilized Company describes it as "peerlessly dry when you wanted something dry, rich and sweet when you wanted that, this nutty-tasting wine—produced in several distinct styles in and around the Andalusian city of Jerez de la Frontera—was (and still is) the perfect thing to have before a meal, or after it, or really anytime at all, especially in the summer." We couldn't agree more, but we'd also venture to say that sherry is for more than just drinking. The complexity beneath its sweetness makes it a unique addition to rich desserts and savory meat dishes alike. Try it in a simple potato salad, or some braised pork cheeks. Seriously, put it in anything and see how it instantly makes your meal...well, better.
While this marriage of artichokes and Sanlúcar prawns (called langostinos locally) in a fino sauce tastes like a timeless classic from the Sherry Triangle, it was created recently by young chef Javier Munoz at La Carboná, the restaurant owned by his parents in Jerez de la Frontera. The restaurant's motto is "Cocina con Jerez" (cooking with sherry), and Munoz, who worked previously at El Celler de Can Roca, concocted this appetizer as the ideal accompaniment to briny, nutty amontillado. Get the recipe for Marinated Artichokes with Prawns and Fino Sherry (Alcachofas Salteadas con Langostinos y Fino) »
You can find Andalusian potato-tuna salads like this offered at any café or bar in Jerez, served at most hours of the day and night. Eduardo Ojeda of Equipo Navazos likes to make the dish as the starter course for family meals at home. He uses tuna belly preserved in olive oil, tins of which are sold in Spain as ventresca de atún claro. He also adds a serious quantity of olive oil, never measuring exactly. Just when you think you've added too much oil, he recommends adding a healthy flourish more. Serve with fino, ideally from Macharnudo vineyard. Get the recipe for Spanish Potato Salad with Tuna (Papas Aliñas) »
Considered one of the finest forms of Spanish charcuterie, lomo embuchado — a dry-cured pork tenderloin dusted with pimenton, wrapped, and set to cure for two months or more — is meaty, lean, and intensely flavorful. Served sliced thin to enhance the enjoyably chewy texture, it’s at its best paired with something fruity, fatty, or both: drizzled with olive oil, or eaten in the same bite as an olive or piquillo pepper.
Acorn-fed pata negra lomo, a salty, dry-cured Spanish pork loin, is delicious on its own. But chef Israel Ramos, of Restaurante Albalá, makes a case for its tartare-ization. The lomo is best cut into tiny cubes with a very sharp knife, and the dish best eaten alongside fino or manzanilla, ideally en rama. Get the recipe for Iberian Cured Pork Lomo Tartare »
This regional dish uses the same rice and many of the same techniques as paella—and whatever wild gamebirds are in season. Jan Peterson, owner of the Fernando de Castilla bodega and a collaborator with Equipo Navazos, cooks his on a campero, an outdoor gas range popular in the Spanish countryside. Get the recipe for Saffron Rice with Partridges and Amontillado Sherry (Arroz con Perdiz) »
For Equipo Navazos' Eduardo Ojeda, a classic Sunday meal is pork cheeks (carrilleras) slow-braised in beef stock, rich and oxidative palo cortado, and a pool of olive oil. The excess oil helps keep the relatively lean cut of meat tender as it simmers. Ojeda suggests pairing the dish with a young amontillado. Get the recipe for Braised Pork Cheeks with Palo Cortado Sherry (Carrilleras Estofado con Palo Cortado) »
Equipo Navazos' Jesús Barquín ritualistically enjoys scouring the fresh fish market in Sanlúcar de Barrameda for the area's incomparable shellfish. Get the recipe for Spanish Vermicelli Noodles with Prawns, Cockles, and Squid (Cazuela de Fideos con Mariscos) »
Cream of Crab Soup
Jumbo lump crabmeat stars in an impossibly rich, creamy soup from test kitchen director Farideh Sadeghin. Get the recipe for Cream of Crab Soup »
Jumbo lump crabmeat stars in an impossibly rich, creamy soup from test kitchen director Farideh Sadeghin. Get the recipe for Cream of Crab Soup »
Decadent Trifle
The trifle is a very old concoction—by some accounts, more than 300 years old—but twentieth century variations have turned it into a classic, occasion-ready centerpiece. Drenched in sherry and kirsch, our version features layer upon layer of ginger cake, custard, berries, chocolate, and cream.
The trifle is a very old concoction—by some accounts, more than 300 years old—but twentieth century variations have turned it into a classic, occasion-ready centerpiece. Drenched in sherry and kirsch, our version features layer upon layer of ginger cake, custard, berries, chocolate, and cream. Get the recipe for Decadent Trifle »
Clams in Sherry Sauce
This classic Andalusian seafood dish is traditionally served with lots of crusty bread, to soak up the piquant broth.
This classic Andalusian seafood dish is traditionally served with lots of crusty bread, to soak up the piquant broth. Get the recipe for Clams in Sherry Sauce »
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