Saturday, August 28, 2010

Quinoa, Corn, Avocado & Heirloom Tomato Salad Sherry Vinaigrette + Maybach Wine



Friday night. One of my favorite evenings – the work week has come to a close, the beginning of the weekend is starting and it means relaxation for two days. Last night my husband and I had a dear friend over for dinner. As with our Friday night traditions, it is enjoyed with a good bottle of wine and delicious food. Our friend brought over an exceptional bottle of wine. It is one that I have never heard of before, but I had heard of the exceptional product that they make. The wine is Materium and produced from Maybach Family Vineyards.

Wilhelm Maybach came from humble beginnings as a trainee in a German orphanage. He went on to invent the high-speed internal combustion engine and in 1901, as chief engineer and business partner to Gottlieb Daimler, design and build the first Mercedes cars. For one hundred years, the name maybach has been associated with quality at the finest level.


























They created the wine in the same fashion to honor their heritage. The wine is from a single hillside vineyard above the Silverado Trail which produces a deeply concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon. It has undertones of cedar, oak, smoke and rich deep berry fruit. The aromas and flavors were memorizing and it was a perfectly executed Cabernet.






















Earlier in the day, I took a client to lunch at Bocanova in Oakland’s Jack London Square. This restaurant celebrates the flavors of South, Central and North America. Each time I eat there, I enjoy the Quinoa salad and it is different each time. Quinoa is pronounced - "Keen - Wa". I duplicated the Quinoa, Corn, Avocado & Heirloom Tomato Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette. We enjoyed a flat iron steak with Montréal steak seasoning that my husband cooked on the grill. A great Friday night and kick off to the weekend.





















Quinoa, Corn, Avocado & Heirloom Tomato Salad—Sherry Vinaigrette

1 C. Quinoa
3 Cobs of corn, remove corn kernels
1 C. Heirloom tomatoes, cut into quarters
2 Avocados cut into cubes
½ C. Olive oil
2/3 C. Sherry vinegar
1 large handful of arugula
Salt and pepper

Cook the quinoa according package and let cool. In a large bowl, add the corn, tomatoes and avocado along with the quinoa. Sprinkle on top the olive oil and sherry vinegar and toss. Season with salt and pepper and taste to determine the proper levels. Adjust the olive oil and vinegar is needed. Lastly add the arugula and toss. Serve in a large bowl or individual.

15 comments:

  1. I've heard of this wine and would love to try it! The salad looks fabulous, I love quinoa and with the avocado, corn and heirloom tomatoes, yum.

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  2. I love Friday nights too :) This salad, paired with a good wine, would definitely make for an amazing evening!

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  3. Pretty salad. I haven't developed a taste for quinoa yet but maybe your recipe will convert me.

    Plan B

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  4. A very beautiful and healthy quinoa salad!

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  5. What a wonderful recipe...and what beautiful bowls to house your salad in. I love Friday nights too, and I'm sad that mine is already over. I will look forward to next week though, and possibly make this salad too!

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  6. Ellerinize sağlık. Çok iştah açıcı görünüyor.

    Saygılar.

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  7. oh yeah, this sounds like a great match with steaks... thanks

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  8. Mmm, this recipe looks delicious, but it is your steak that has me drooling! I dont know why but I have been craving red meat lately! :)

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  9. thanks so much for your visit or I would have never stumbled upon this great blog of recipes you have wow love Quinoa and the combo of avocado fabulous...thank again so much for your kind words and visit "_)

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  10. I love avocado and love new ideas for trying out different flavor combinations! Thanks for inspiring me to do more with quinoa also.

    Erin
    www.ekatskitchen.com

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  11. Wonderful salad, I love quinoa :) Great combination of flavors and the wine sounds lovely...

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  12. omg, another quinoa recipe, this is just what i have been looking for to use up my huge bag of costco quinoa! :)

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  13. this looks interesting! the beef looks really good. :)

    Have a fabulous week!!
    jen @ www.passion4food.ca

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  14. what an elegant dish! i'm pretty stoked every time i see a new quinoa recipe, and this is a sure winner, what with all the garden goodies and all. bravo!

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