3 Fabulous Friendsgiving Appetizers To Pair with Vinho Verde
Friendsgiving: all of the fun of Thanksgiving, none of the family drama (or soggy green beans)…
I look forward to Friendsgiving every year! I love taking Thanksgiving flavors and then remixing them into party-perfect bites, and of course, popping some excellent bottles of wine. The evening almost always ends in a dance party… AND I didn’t have to spend days brining a turkey!
This year, I chose wines from Portugal’s Vinho Verde region. Vinho Verde (‘VEEN-yo VAIRD’), located in the far north of Portugal, gets its name from the incredibly lush, green landscape of the region! Although some red, rosé and sparkling wines are produced there, the majority of the wines are vibrant whites that range from fresh, zippy, and fruity to elegant, lean, and mineral. The sheer range of styles is enough to keep any curious wine taster busy for quite a while: since many of the wines are blends of native grapes like Alvarinho, Trajadura, Loureiro, Arinto, and Azal, the flavor profiles will vary according to the specific blend each producer creates, and also which of the 9 subregions it’s from. There’s a lot to explore!
Some of the wines are bottled with a little carbon dioxide to lend a bit of effervescence, but not all. And although white blends are prominent, there are some Vinho Verde wines that are single-varietal bottlings, many from the Alvarinho grape (known in Spain as Albarino). The ‘premium’ style wines are complex, dry, and mineral, and that’s what I chose for these pairings.
I hope you make them for your own Friendsgiving!
Pairing #1: Sweet Potato Halloumi Skewers with Fried Sage Salsa Verde
This appetizer couldn’t be easier! It’s sweet, salty, bright, and zesty all at once.
Cut 4 sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper
Roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes
Cut 4 oz Halloumi cheese into 1-inch cubes and sear in a hot skillet until golden brown and melty
On a toothpick, skewer one sweet potato cube and one Halloumi. Repeat until all have been assembled
Make the Fried Sage Salsa Verde recipe by Samin Nosrat from NYT Cooking to dip!
Pairing #2: Miso Brown Butter Honeynut Squash Toasts
Honeynut squash is naturally sweet and beautiful when roasted! Make a silky puree and top crispy baguette slices in this showstopping appetizer.
For the Toasts: thinly slice a baguette and brush slices with olive oil; bake in a 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes until crisp
For the Squash: halve 4 Honeynut squashes and roast with salt, pepper, and olive oil in a 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, until soft
Scoop out the flesh and discard the skins
While the squash are roasting, heat 7 T butter in a skillet, and slowly move the pan in a circular motion until the butter is brown and foamy
Remove from heat and whisk in 2 T white miso paste
Combine squash and miso brown butter in a food processor, blend til smooth. Chill at least one hour or overnight
To assemble, top each toast slice with the miso brown butter squash puree. Add a dollop of creme fraiche, a sprinkle of aleppo pepper, and a sprinkling of chopped fresh herbs (I used parley, but mint, basil, or oregano would also be delicious).
Pairing #3: Green Bean and Mushroom Tart with Goat Cheese and Crispy Shallots
This is light, buttery, and crispy— and puts soggy green bean casserole to shame! And even better, it uses store-bought puff pastry dough— one of my favorite shortcuts.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Roll out one sheet of thawed puff pastry dough, prick with a fork and place on sheet pan
Top with 2 cups blanched green beans, 1 pint roasted sliced portobello mushrooms, and 1 c. crispy shallots (store bought is fine; I used this recipe). Make sure to leave a border of dough around the toppings, flute with a fork if desired
Bake according to puff pastry package instructions (about 15-20 minutes)
Top with crumbled goat cheese and serve!
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