120 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | OCTOBER 2019
Maine Lobster Fideos
A classic noodle dish from the coast of Spain is re-envisioned for the New England shore at
Chaval in Portland, Maine. Here, married partners Ilma Lopez and Damian Sansonetti interpret
classic, bistro-style French and Spanish dishes to show off seasonal local ingredients—in this
case, sweet, juicy lobster. Have your fishmonger steam it for you, if you like. —Layla Schlack
Courtesy Damian Sansonetti and Ilma Lopez, chefs/owners, Chaval, Portland, ME
2 cups mayonnaise
14–18 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Sherry vinegar¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 Spanish onions, small diced
2 cups chopped tomatoes,
excess liquid drained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons
sweet smoked paprika
½ cup Sherry3 cups fideos (or thin vermicelli
pasta broken into 1-inch pieces)12 ounces Spanish chorizo, small
diced
2½–3 quarts lobster broth
(use store bought,
or visit winemag.com/
lobsterfideos for recipe)
4 ounces piquillo pepper,
small diced
13–16 ounces cooked lobster meat,
cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup julienned snow peas,
for garnish
1 small bunch chives, fine chopped,
for garnishOne to 5 days before serving dish, mix
together mayonnaise, 6–8 minced cloves
garlic, mustard and vinegar. Refrigerate.
To cook, heat oven to 350 ̊F.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in pan over
medium heat. Add 1 onion and remaining
8–10 cloves garlic, and cook until fragrant,
1–2 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste
and 1 tablespoon of paprika, and cook, stir-
ring gently to combine, 3–4 minutes. Add
Sherry and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook to
combine, 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat.
Spread fideos on baking sheet or in shal-
low, flat-bottomed pot. Toast in oven until
golden brown, 6–7 minutes, rotating once
halfway through.
In large braising pan, warm remain-
ing olive oil. Add chorizo and remaining
onion. Stir in 2 heaping tablespoons tomato
mixture and remaining paprika. Add fideos,
and stir to coat, then add lobster broth
and pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat,
stirring about every minute. (The less you
stir, the more crust or “soccrat” will form
on bottom). Cook until almost all liquid
is absorbed, adding more broth if noodles
aren’t tender. Stir in lobster meat and
piquillo peppers, and cook until lobster is
warmed through, about 2 minutes. Garnish
with snow peas and chives, and either dol-
lop with mayonnaise mixture or pass at the
table. Serves 6.Pair It
Made in Maine from Northeast-
grown fruit, Oyster River
Winegrowers 2018 Morphos
Pétillant Naturel (America) is
a barn-fermented pét-nat with
a little bit of skin contact that
provides just the right structure to
stand up to this tomatoey dish. On
the palate, it’s light and lemony
enough to ensure the lobster
stays squarely in the spotlight.
For a richer alternative with some
mineral undertones, look to Spain
and Avancia 2017 Cuvée de O
Godello (Valdeorras).