What a delight our wine of the week, Marimar Estate, 2020 Don Miguel Vineyard Albariño, is. If you do not know the varietal, this beautifully balanced wine is an ideal introduction. If you are already familiar with albariño, you will appreciate this wine’s clarity, depth and varietal expression.
There’s a halo of pretty aromas — think jasmine, honeysuckle and lemon flower — that resolve into suggestions of stone fruit and pear, all of which spring from a foundation of crisp, bright minerality, evocative of river rocks, wet concrete and petrichor. This wine is as exhilarating as a spring shower.
These qualities, especially the refreshing crispness and clarity, are key to pairing the wine successfully. The wine is exquisite with sashimi, especially hamachi (yellow fin). It is also outstanding with petrale sole meunière on a bed of sauteed celery. Green papaya salad, mild Thai green curries and posole verde all flatter this wine. It is excellent with seared shishito chiles with a squeeze of lime and a wedge of feta cheese, too. The way tart citrus engages with the minerality lifts both qualities to new, captivating heights.
For today’s recipe, I took inspiration directly from the wine’s maker, Marimar Torres herself, who has written two cookbooks about the foods of Catalonia, her homeland. She suggests the classic tortilla Espanola (potato omelet), a glazed leek and cheese tart and a Mediterranean seafood terrine, all recipes from her books. She also recommends this savory cake — gardeners, rejoice! — which makes excellent use of a fair amount of zucchini. It first appeared in “The Catalan Country Kitchen” (Aris Books, 1992).
If you happen to have labneh, a simple cheese made of drained whole milk yogurt and salt, slather some on the cake just before enjoying it.
Marimar Torres’ Savory Zucchini Cake
(Pastis de Carbosso Cristina)
Serves 6 to 8
3 pounds zucchini, trimmed
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons butter, plus more for the baking dish
1 large yellow onion, trimmed and cut into small dice
8 ounces (1 cup) ricotta, preferably Bellwether brand
6 ounces (1 ½ cups) grated Monterey Jack cheese
3 eggs, beaten
Black pepper in a mill
Grate the trimmed zucchini on the large blade of a box grater, set it in a colander, add about about a teaspoon of salt and toss. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes so the salt will draw out excess liquid. Tip the zucchini into a clean tea towel, wrap it tightly and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Set the zucchini aside.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Set a heavy skillet over low heat, add a tablespoon of the butter and, when it is melted, add the onion and saute gently for about 10 minutes, until it begins to soften and give off its aroma. Season lightly with salt and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Return the pan to low heat, add the remaining butter and saute the zucchini until is softens, about 10 minutes. Season lightly with salt, transfer to the bowl with the onions and let cool.
When the zucchini has cooled to room temperature, add the ricotta, Jack cheese and eggs. Mix well, taste, correct for salt and add several turns of black pepper.
Coat the inside of a 9-inch-by-5-inch baking dish with butter, pour in the zucchini mixture and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
Set on this middle rack of the oven and bake for about 1 hour or until the cake is set and the top lightly browned.
Remove from the oven and let cool for about 30 minutes.
Unmold the cake onto a platter or serving board.
Slice and enjoy at room temperature.
Michele Anna Jordan is the author of 24 books to date, including “A Cook’s Tour of Sonoma.” Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com.
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This savory cake from Catalonia is perfect with albariño - Santa Rosa Press Democrat
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