Grilled Flatbread paired with Fleur de Mer Rosé

Grilled Flatbread with Peaches and Arugula, paired with Fleur de Mer Rosé

Written by Michelle T.

Fleur de Mer Rosé, Cotes de Provence, Provence, France

Fleur de Mer Rosé is a new offering starting with the 2016 vintage, made in cooperation with E & J Gallo and Les Maîtres Vignerons de la Presqu’île de Saint-Tropez in Provence, France. Fleur de Mer is made with grapes from several vineyards in what is known as the “golden triangle” in France. The “golden triangle” is recognized for producing some of the highest-quality grapes in the region. The people at Gallo chose Florian Lacroux, who is also the director at Saint-Roch-les-Vignes to be the wine maker for this label and to select the vineyards and blend to give them the wine they were looking for. Fleur de Mer is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Carignan, and other select reds.  The wine has received recent ratings of A- from Drinkhacker.com and scored an 88 from kenswineguide.com.

Rosé wine has been gaining popularity over the last years and is an excellent option for warm summer nights. There are many options when looking at a rosé but arguably the best of these wines come from Provence.  The soil in this area is a combination of clay and limestone which forces the vines to reach deep into the ground for water, but limits yields each year.

Fleur de Mer is a clean wine with acidity and a balance of fruit and floral notes. The wine starts sweet and ends with a crisp acidity that helps with that mouthwatering feel.  I noticed specific hints of peach, apple, and cherry among the floral notes.  Overall the wine is simple, yet refreshing and a great addition to any table, ideally as a pair to light hor d’oeuvres and good company.

I decided to pair this wine with a grilled flatbread featuring fresh mozzarella, arugula, and, grilled peaches, the recipe comes from foodiecrush.com

ARUGULA PESTO

Serves: about ¾ cup

Ingredients

• 2 cups arugula leaves
• ½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled
• ½ lemon, juiced
• pinch of kosher salt
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Instructions

1. In the bowl of a food processor, add the arugula, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic, lemon and kosher salt and pulse for 30 seconds to one minute or until the mixture is mostly fine.
2. Turn the processor onto blend and slowly drizzle the olive oil into the mixture and process until blended. Taste and add more salt to your preference. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and blend once more. Transfer to a glass container (mine fit an 8-ounce glass container) and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Serve with pasta, chicken, or on flatbread or as a dipping sauce.

GRILLED FLATBREAD WITH PEACHES AND ARUGULA

Serves: 2 flatbreads

Ingredients

• 1 package naan flatbread, garlic or plain flavor
• 2 peaches, pitted and sliced
• extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup arugula pesto
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced and quartered into chunks
• 1 cup fresh arugula leaves
• Balsamic glaze, if desired
• Instructions

1. Preheat the grill to medium high heat and prepare your clean grate with a swipe of a paper towel moistened with grapeseed oil.
2. Lightly oil the peach slices and place on the hot grill grates. Nudge them after about 1 minute to be sure they don’t stick to the grill. Flip after about 3 minutes or when you see them becoming caramelized and grill marks are forming. Cook for another 3 minutes then transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
3. Spray your naan breads with cooking spray or lightly brush with olive oil. Place the naan on the grill grates for about 2 minutes or until grill marks form. Flip the naan and spread each with half of the arugula pesto. Remove from the grill and top each bread with the half of the grilled peaches, mozzarella, prosciutto, and arugula. Drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired.

My version of the grilled flatbread, the original recipe uses naan, I made a pizza dough crust. I also added 4-6 slices of prosciutto onto both flatbreads for a little twist. I decided to add the mozzarella on after the pesto to melt the cheese down. I did not add the balsamic glaze, it tastes great without, but you can add if you desire to. The sweetness of the peaches comes out when grilled and compliments the slight bite from the arugula. This flatbread is a fantastic summer appetizer for gatherings or can be a meal for the entire family. Enjoy! ~ Michelle