A Tasteful Partner For Your Barbecue (NAPSA)—Here’s food for thought: Most Americans love barbecue becauseit’s quick, uncomplicated and great tasting. Yet many don’t know just how sophisticated such an easy-to-make grilled meal can be. Garnishes such as sauted mushrooms and tangy blue cheese can elevate a grilled steak from simple to sublime. So can the right drink. “Barbecue is typically hearty fare with bold, spicy flavors. Accompanying wines should be full-bodied, with good structure and tannins,” says Whole Foods Market wine expert Geof Ryan. “Dry red wines with a deep core of fruit stand up to and enhance the flame-roasted flavors of meat.” He points out that fullbodied Spanish wines pair particularly well with steak, such as this recipe: Grilled Marinated Steak with Mushroomsand Blue Cheese 3 tsp. organic extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt and black pepper, to taste 2 New Yorkstrip steaks, 8 oz. each 8 oz. mushrooms,sliced 2 oz. blue cheese crumbles In a small bowl, whisk to- gether twotsp.of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Place steaks in a container just large enough to hold them. Pourolive oil mixture over steaks and rub in well over both sides. Allow steak to marinate in refrigerator for a minimum of 30 min- utes or up to 2 hours. Grill . Blue cheese brings out delicious flavors in grilled red meat. steaks for 5 minutes perside, until desired doneness. While steaks are grilling, saut mushroomsin onetsp. of olive oil with a pinch of salt over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until mushrooms have given up most of their liquid. Add blue cheese and stir to blend. If desired, season mush- rooms with fresh-ground black pepper. When steaks are ready, smother with mushroomsandblue cheese. Serves four people. Recipe courtesy of Whole Foods When barbecuing, Ryan suggests seeking out Spanish varietals, such as Tempranillo, Monastrell or Garnacha. For additional information, visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com or www.winesfromspainusa.com.
