How lucky are we in California to have the ability to use our outdoor spaces almost all year round for dining and entertaining pleasure!

So before you reach for the traditional outdoor fare to serve your guests why not treat everyone to a unique pairing…your favorite wine and BBQ!

The simple secret to creating a perfect food & wine pairing  is matching similar flavors and intensities.  Try pairing rich meats and sauces with  wines with similar qualities and intensities such as bold, rich red, and pairing fresh fish and poultry dishes with lighter sauces and flavors with your favorite whites or sparkling wine varieties.

Classic pairings  you can’t go wrong with are oysters and sparking wine, Crab Cioppino with a great pinot, and a New York Strip Steak with a good Cab - like the pairing we featured while visiting the PlumpJack Winery on California Living.

The CA INSIDER TESTED & APPROVED recipe below is a great dish to make for a weekend get-together or an outdoor holiday party when the weather is right for enjoying some great Outdoor Living…Cheers!  Aprilanne

AS SEEN ON California Living with Aprilanne™

New York Steak with Spring Vegetable Couscous and Olive Salsa Verde:

A dish to go with Cabernet Sauvignon- Compliments of Former Exec. Chef, Kimball Jones, Carneros Inn, A PlumpJack Resort:

4 – 8 ounce New York Steaks
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon tarragon
2 tablespoon parsley
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
1 jalapeno roasted, skinned, seeded and diced
1 1/2 teaspoon capers, diced
1/2 anchovy, minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 large green olive minced
lemon juice to taste

1 bunch asparagus, peeled and cut on a severe angle in 1 inch pieces
1 cup shelled English peas
Meyer lemon olive oil
1 cup couscous
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

FIRST: Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Let sit out, covered, at room temperature. Start a medium size fire in a BBQ. Place a medium sized pot on the stove filled with water. Heavily season with salt and place over high heat.

SECOND: Chop the tarragon and parsley together and mix with the olive oil, garlic, jalapeno, capers, anchovy, lemon zest, and green olive. Add lemon juice to taste, a little at a time.

THIRD: Place the asparagus in the boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the water and drain. Toss in a bowl with meyer lemon oil and salt to taste. Add the peas to the water and cook until tender. Toss in a bowl with meyer lemon oil and salt to taste. Reserve.

FOURTH: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Add the couscous, stirring it in. Bring back to a boil. Turn the heat off and cover the couscous with a tight fitting lid. Let sit for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the couscous with a fork. Toss in the asparagus, peas and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper and combine all of the ingredients.

NOW: Grill the steaks until medium rare (internal temperature of 120 degrees) about 10 minutes or so depending on the thickness of the steak. Let rest on a plate for 5 minutes.

THEN: Divide the couscous among 4 plates. Cut each steak in half on the diagonal. Place on top of the couscous and top with the salsa verde. Serve!

Healthy Living Update:  Be sure to visit Aprilanne.com for the latest health guidlines to decrease your cancer risk when cooking on the grill – informative, easy, and timely suggestions that can reduce carcinogen production when grilling meat, poultry, and fish up to 90%!

CA INSIDER Qaulity Tested & Approved California Destinations:

PlumpJack Winery, Napa Valley, CA

Carneros Inn & Spa, Napa Valley, CA

SAM’S ANCHOR CAFE CRAB CIOPPINO

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 prawns
• 8 clams
• 8 mussels
• 6 ounces fresh fish(salmon or halibut)
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/2 tomato, diced
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon chopped basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
• 4 cups lobster stock
• 2 cups tomato puree
• Salt Freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces fresh picked crab

Directions: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the prawns, clams, mussels, fresh fish, red pepper, onion, tomato, garlic, chili flakes, basil, oregano, rosemary, and parsley and cook for 2 minutes. Add the lobster stock and then stir in the tomato puree. Cook until the clams and mussels open and sauce thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. To serve, ladle into 2 bowls and garnish with crab.