Vinho Verde(green wine-sparkling) VS Sea Food

Vinho Verde (direct translation is: Green Wine), is an only Portuguese production, from northern area of the country, sea side with Spain (Galicia).
This wine can be very fruity, aromatic and full of floral flavours, which might give an endless and very interesting possibility of pairing with seafood.
Completely different from white wine, it's sparkling slightly acid feat and provide a nice contrast with the sweet of spider crabs, tiger prawns, lobster, and more.

On a complete meal or just like a start up, Vinho Verde can drive a very fresh and intense sense experience over a fantastic palate massage.

Try @ home
1.
Cooking it.
Small and very thin sliced onion and garlic, bay leaves, olive oil, slow cooking, till the garlic and the onion become liquid.
Add water and the rice and sliced coriander (no leafs).
5 mins before stop (when the rice is almost ready at your own taste), join the king crab legs (cut it the size if better fit you dish and pre-cooked), at the very end, join the sliced coriander leafs (only in the last 2 min, so the coriander flavour may come out easy).
You can add some slat flower (very little) in the top and fresh lemon.

2.
Buying and cooking it.
The spider crab should be cooked in strong heat and should be bought alive (buy males and females).
To start, use some strong vinegar that should be dropped on the spider crab mouth area (near the eyes or antennas) using a screwdriver or a special kitchen gear to help open it, wait around 15 to 20 min, till they stop moving.
Cover it with water and some sea salt on it (around 100gr per spider crab kilo), 15 to 20 min would be enough in a closed kitchen gear (saucepan/fish kettle), according to the size of the gear or how many crabs inside.
Stop the boiling when they start to become pink, be careful so the legs don't separate from the body.
Take it off and immediately pass them by very cold water. Wait some 10 min to cool down.

Dressing it.
Take the legs off, open the main peace/shell/carapace, clean it with a spoon and separate the meat from the rest.
In a bowl, put the toasted brad, some mayo (not much), beer (a few drops) and mixed pickles together with the crab meat.
Ready to serve on the spider crab shell.
Some toasted brad with olive oil and some garlic butter, can produce a fantastic side on this dish.

NOTE: spider crab legs, are very sharp, but not strong.


Some known wine (Vinho Verde) names are: Alvarinho, Loureiro, Muralhas.


kind regards
Bartolomeu

ps: try and then reply back :)