Who says rosé is a summer beverage?! Well, I guess a lot of folks do. But if you thought rosé was only good for enjoying while lounging on the beach or to be sipped at summer brunches, you’re missing out!
If you’re a wine connoisseur, you know that reds are usually paired with meats while whites complement lighter fare like seafood and salads. Wines of Provence Rosés strike a nice balance – not as tannic as a red wine but have more depth than a white wine. They are so versatile, you can #roséallday throughout the year (so #roséallyear!) and with so many varieties of foods.
That being the case, I tried my hand at a dish I knew hubby and I would enjoy, combining seafood and pasta, two of our favorites along with a few colorful fixings! It’s a quick yet filling dish, perfect for us busy moms who just wanna get in and out of the kitchen. I was so happy to know that this simple lemon butter shrimp and whole grain pasta would pair well with our rosé.
Before we hop into this recipe, let me quickly tell you why Wines of Provence is the go-to for rosé and beyond:
About half of all French rosé consumed in the U.S. comes from Provence and for good reason. Provence is the oldest wine-producing region in all of France with 89% of wine production dedicated to rosé! Wow!
Our rosé of choice for our lemon butter shrimp and pasta was Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence – the second largest region which produces 28 million bottles per year – but Wines of Provence consists of three appellations. The top region, Côtes de Provence, produces 130 million bottles and the more pale-colored rosés. The third, Coteaux Varois en Provence or “the Heart of Provence”, so named for its location in the middle of the region, has about 17 million bottles produced here yearly.
Sooo… are you booking your trip yet?
Now, onto this lemon butter shrimp and pasta! Thanks to my addition of shallots and red bell peppers, this dish had a mildly sweet flavor that went well with our Wines of Provence Rosé. But if you prefer something with a bit more bite than sweetness, swap your shallot for a small onion.
Feel free to add or take away as needed to suit your personal taste but I assure you, this was as yummy as it looks!
Like I always say, I’m no chef, but I can do a little something. If you wanna check out some rosé food pairings from folks who actually know what they’re doing, check out Wines of Provence Restaurant Week in NY and San Francisco now through October 25th.
The Wines of Provence site has more food pairings for you to try and you can learn more about rosé here! Enjoy!
- 1 lb frozen cooked shrimp
- 3/4 lb whole grain spaghetti
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 crown broccoli
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 shallot
- parsley flakes
- Cook pasta per package instructions.
- While pasta is cooking, place frozen shrimp in a bowl of cool water to defrost.
- Chop shallot and broccoli. Thinly slice pepper. Put to the side.
- In a pan on medium heat, add butter and olive oil. Add shallot, garlic powder and black pepper when butter has melted.
- Zest lemon over pan, stir and heat until everything is fragrant.
- Add shrimp, tossing frequently.
- Squeeze juice of the lemon over shrimp and heat for 5 minutes or until shrimp is heated through.
- Add broccoli and bell pepper. Turn off heat.
- Drain pasta and add to shrimp.
- Stir until sauce completely covers pasta.
- Top with parsley flakes and serve with rosé.
- If you go with frozen cooked shrimp, be sure to just heat it through. Overcooked shrimp can be rubbery. Fresh or frozen raw shrimp may be best to be safe. Shrimp is cooked once it reaches a bright pink color.
