Bon Appétit! Shrimp Provençale and Rosé

Bon jour! My husband Steve and I took a trip to France in May of this year for our fifth wedding anniversary - it was amazing! We visited Paris and the Champagne region and proceeded to eat (and, yes, drink) our way through this fabulous country. Needless to say, ever since we returned I have been preoccupied with any and all types of French cooking. So while poring through “Savor the Moment” today in search of tonight’s dinner I was delighted to see the recipe for Shrimp Provençale. In addition to sounding delicious it also looked relatively easy to prepare with plenty of fresh ingredients including tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, lemon juice, and of course shrimp - YUM! And, with summer (technically) coming to a close, I decided to enjoy one of the few bottles of rosé we had left. Now, when I talk about rosé I am, of course, referring to that wonderfully pink, berry-scented, refreshing, dry wine which is, in my opinion, summer in a glass. No white zinfandel here! The one I chose for tonight’s meal is also, (not so) coincidentally, from the Provençal region and is made from Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah grapes. The juice from these red grapes is allowed to remain in contact with the skins just long enough to impart the wonderful pink hue we see in our glass.

The Dish:
Shrimp Provençale (pg. 185)

The Drink:
Les Domaniers Cotes de Provence Rosé 2007

This meal is a cinch to shop for; however, I highly recommend finding shrimp that are already peeled and deveined. The “peeling them yourself” situation will add a bit to the prep time. (Yes, I did get stuck doing the peeling on this one.) Otherwise just a little chopping and in 20 minutes you have a nice light, summer meal on your hands. While the meal is just fine “as is,” as someone who likes things a little spicy, I think a dash of red pepper flakes would certainly kick it up a notch and add some nice heat. If you were inclined to add some fresh herbs, some fresh thyme would be a great choice. Also, as a nice finishing touch, be sure to season with some Maldon sea salt or other “finishing” salt which looks great and adds a nice little salty “crunch” to the dish. The rosé was also a great pairing: fruity, light and refreshing – très magnifique!