Kenwood 2011 Yulupa Zinfandel (with two bonus recipes!)
By Amy
I promise I'm not shirking my white wine duties.
But.
I really couldn't let you go another day without hearing about this zinfandel. And what I paired with it.
As for the wine, Kenwood's 2011 Yulupa Zinfandel is just delightful. Fruit-forward and balanced, with a nice touch of acidity and mild tannins, this zin was a refreshing to drink while I prepared dinner. And the price isn't bad, either; it was about $15 at my local wine shop.
But I daresay this wine was even better when I paired it with pan-seared red snapper and mango-avocado salsa.
Oh. Yeah.
I owe you an apology: I don't have any photos of this dish. I know, I know, that's a cardinal sin in the food blog world. But Boyfriend and I scarfed it down too quickly to snap photos (fish gets cold fast, you guys), so you're just gonna have to trust me on this, ok?
You need to make this fish.
I don't even like fish that much, but I'm trying to justify when it's ok for me to make it again (answer: this weekend).
That is how much you need to make this fish. Ok?
Pan-Seared Red Snapper
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil (or your favorite high-heat-compliant oil: olive, canola, etc.)
- Two 6-oz. red snapper fillets (keep the skin on, if you'd like a little crispy texture—it looks weird, but tastes so good)
- salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin—for dusting the fish
Directions
- In a 12-inch skillet, heat the coconut oil on medium-high, until melted and rippling.
- Sprinkle both sides of the fillets with spices (a light dusting will do—you don't want to go overboard, you've got a salsa to eat with it!).
- Place the fish in the pan, flesh-side first, cooking for 5 minutes per side. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
- Top with mango-avocado salsa, and serve alongside a light salad, or green beans with cilantro pesto (want this recipe? tell me in the comments).
Mango-Avocado Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 mango, diced into ½-inch pieces (Don't know how to cut a mango? Click here.)
- 2 avocados, diced into ½-inch pieces
- ½ one medium red onion
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (or a light-tasting olive oil)
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- Juice from ½ lime
- Salt and cayenne pepper, to taste
Directions
In a big ol' bowl, mix all the ingredients. Feel free to make this before the fish, so the flavors can meld together in the fridge while you're prepping the snapper.
*FYI: this makes about a quart of salsa, and it's perfectly acceptable to eat this with a spoon. Not that I'm speaking from personal experience.