This Cabernet Recipe Pairing Is Filled with Spring Flavor & Flair

This Cabernet recipe pairing may be our new warm-weather favorite! Over the years, we’ve prepared delicious variations on this grilled flat-iron steak for recipes, winery dinners and events. We’ve rubbed it with fresh rosemary and piled it, along with a mound of fresh arugula, atop homemade focaccia. We’ve layered in some grilled veggies and stuffed all into warm pitas. We’ve kept it simple with roasted potatoes and bacon-wrapped asparagus.

Our latest version pairs the herb-marinated cut with a fried goat cheese salad created for us by the award-winning journalist, wine writer and home chef, Julia Coney. It’s infused with bright spring flavor … and Julia’s irresistible southern flair! As for the wine pairing, steak and Cabernet are classic food and wine partners, and Bella Union's Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon also happens to pair deliciously with Julia's goat cheese salad.

Flat Iron Steak with Lemon and Olive Oil Tossed Spring Greens and Fried Goat Cheese

Wine Pairing: Bella Union Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Serves 2

Ingredients

Flat-Iron Steak

1 pound flat iron steak

2 garlic cloves, smashed

3 sprigs fresh thyme. Rosemary or oregano can serve as a substitution.

1 tablespoon olive oil

Black pepper

Kosher salt

Goat Cheese Salad

2 eggs

½ cup of milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup cornmeal

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon creole seasoning

4-ounce goat cheese log, sliced into half-inch slices

1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Spring mix salad or arugula

Olive oil and lemon, to taste

Method

Prepare the marinade: Smash two garlic cloves. Place your steak in a glass dish and add the garlic, six thyme sprigs, two tablespoons olive oil and pepper. Don’t be shy with the fresh black pepper. You’ll want to grind a considerable amount of it onto your steak. Allow steak to marinate for at least one one hour, or refrigerate for one to two nights. Marinating is your friend, and the longer the meat marinates, the more flavor it will absorb.

Prep your goat cheese and greens: Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium-size bowl. Fill one plate with flour. On a separate plate, mix cornmeal, breadcrumbs, salt, and creole seasoning on another plate. Dip sliced goat cheese slices into flour to coat. Then, dip the goat cheese slices into milk and egg mixture before dredging in breadcrumbs until completely coated.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add oil. Once the oil is piping hot (you want to hear a sizzle when your goat cheese round hits the oil), place your dredged goat cheese rounds into the frying pan in small batches of three to five, keeping care not to let the rounds touch one another (no crowding!). Brown your first side until it’s deep and golden in color, then flip, and fry on the other side. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Prepare your fresh spring mix or arugula into a large bowl, drizzle one to three teaspoons of olive oil and squeeze a half or whole lemon, to taste. Toss until lightly coated.

Fire up the grill: Preheat your grill to a high heat. Season steaks with salt, place on grill and cook each side for three to four minutes. Let rest for five minutes before slicing into strips.

Presentation

Lightly chill two plates, then mound your lemon-and-oil dressed spring mix atop each plate. Drape medallions of goat cheese and strips of skirt steak atop your greens, fill two glasses with Bella Union Cabernet and savor the way the wine’s dark fruit flavors complement the crisp Panko crust of the goat cheese, while contrasting with the soft, warm goat cheese inside. We love how this Napa Valley Cabernet builds texture and richness as the meal progresses.

Artistry is always in season. Want to make room in your collection for artfully crafted Napa Valley Cabernet that draws on our 40-year mastery as Napa Valley winemakers and our intimate knowledge of the region’s top vineyards? A Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Cellar Selection, our 2018 Bella Union Napa Valley Cabernet is one of our favorite spring and summer grilling wines. You'll enjoy 10% savings when you order six or more bottles.

Serving four or more? You'll get ten gorgeous glasses out of our Bella Union Cabernet magnum. Explore our full large format wine collection here.