Posted by Darby on September 8, 2010 under Appetisers, Fiano, Greco | 
This recipe idea is based on one from Brian St Pierre’s excellent book The Wine Lover Cooks Italian.
It uses the affinity of basil with the creaminess of the goats cheese. It makes an excellent appetiser or component of an antipasto platter.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 4 large Mushrooms
- half Cup Pesto (see recipe)
- half cup of pine nuts
- 250 g fresh goats cheese
- Olive oil
- Parsley or a few lettuce leaves to serve
Method
- Toast the pine nuts by heating them in a dry skillet for a few minutes. Don’t overcook them. You want them to be just turning brown.
- Remove the stems of the mushrooms and brush the tops with olive oil
- Grill the top of the mushrooms for 5-10 minutes until they are just beginning to brown.
- Remove the mushrooms to a workbench and place them gill side up.
- Spoon in some pesto to each and top with a slice of the goats cheese.
- Return to grill and cook until the cheese starts to brown.
- Scatter the pine nuts over the cooked mushrooms and garnish with the greens.
Wine Suggestion
Brian St Pierre suggests using either Fiona or Greco to accompany this dish. Both are crisp white wines from the South of Italy, but they are starting to appear in Australia.
Posted by Darby on June 29, 2010 under Malbec |
Malbec wines tend to be rustic and earthy. What they lack in finesse they make up for in flavour and gripping tannins.
- In Argentina the everyday wine is Malbec, and the evry day dish is beef, often cooked on the Asado, the local variant of the barbecue. Here is a recipe for Chimichurri sauce which is a garlicy, spicy sauce which goes well with Argentinian BBQ beef. Such a combination doesn’t need a wine of finesse, use a Malbec.
- Similarly on a Latin Amercian theme you might try Malbec with spicy Mexican food, even the Classic Chile con Carne.
- Spicy pizza toppings with hot calabrese sausages may not be the best match for a gentle Sangiovese. Try a Malbec wine instead.
- An Aussie pub favourite is Bangers and and Mash. Some tasty thick sausages and some creamy mash, preferably with some onion gravy, and you guessed it some Malbec.
- Strongly flavoured game dishes such as wild duck or wild boar call for a full flavoured wine. Let Malbec fill this role rather than a softer Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.
- Malbec wines can also reveal their qualities accompanied by a sharp mature cheese.
Malbec wines are steadily growing in popularity in Australia. You can see a list of the 90-plus Australian wineries using Malbec in this article
Posted by Darby on September 18, 2009 under Main, Vermentino |
This dish uses two favourite Spanish ingredients, saffron and tomato to give a lovely red – yellow sauce but there is a few more flavours. Use a large enamel casserole.
Ingredients for 4
1 chicken jointed into 8 pieces
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 spanish onions
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp saffron threads
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced.
1 glass white wine
1 tin pulped tomatoes
1 cup tomato passata
Rind of an orange thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
Olive oil
Parsley or coriander to garnish
Method
In a heavy based casserole saute the sliced onions, fennel and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Remove and put aside.
Brown the chicken pieces over medium heat. Do them in batches if neccessary. Remove
Degalze the pan with the wine then return the chicken and vegetables to the casserole. Add the tommatoes, passata, fennel seeds saffron bay leaf and orange rind.
Cook over slow heat or in the moderate oven to 1 hour. The chicken should be well cooked – falling off the bone.
Wine suggestion.
This is a flavoursome dish and needs a wine with some body. I suggest a crisp dry Vermentino.
Posted by Darby on September 10, 2009 under Barbera, Main |
This recipe is for thick pork sausages is best cooked in an enameled cast iron pot. You could use Toulouse sausages but most thick pork sausges are suitable. If you don’t have time to soak the lentils you could used canned red or brown lentils.
Ingredients for 4
- 8 thick pork sausages
- 2 cups red lentils (soaked overnight)
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 carrot
- 150 ml red wine (Barbera would be ideal)
- round pepper
- Oil for sauteing
- 1 bay leaf
- parsley for garnish
Method
- Simmer the lentils in water with the bay leaf for 30 minutes. In a separate pot simmer the sausages in enough water to cover for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile saute the onion, diced carrot and garlic in some of the oil in the casserole.
- Add the drained sausages and brown over medium heat, stirring to stop them from sticking.
- Deglaze the casserole with the red wine, then add the drained lentils.
- Cover and cook in a slow oven (150C) for 40 minutes, you may need to add a cup of water during cooking.
Wine Suggestion
This dish is suitable for serving with a medium bodied red wine. Barbera has some savory flavours which will marry well with this dish.
Posted by Darby on August 27, 2009 under Chenin blanc, Main |
Pork with Prunes
This dish is a classic of South West France, especially around Agen, the Prune Capital of France. Try to find fresh plump prunes, if you can only get dried ones you may have to soak them overnight in the wine.
Ingredients
300g prunes
Half bottle of white wine
6 pork steaks
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
50 g butter
150ml cream
1 tablespoon red curraent jelly of plum jam
Method
Soak prunes overnight in the wine.
Dredge pork steaks in flour seasoned with salt and pepper.
Melt butter in heavy based pan. Brown the steaks on each side in the butter then pour in the prunes and their wine into the pan. Simmer covered for 45 minutes.
Remove the pork steaks and the prunes to a warm platter. Reduce the cooking liquid to about half its volume. Stir in the jelly and reduce heat. Slowly stir in the cream over low heat until the sauce is smooth and thick, taking care that it does not boil.
Pour the reduced sauce over the Steaks and Prunes and serve with boiled rice of steamed potaoes
Wine
Porc aux Pruneaux will go well with a Chenin blanc wine. It will have enough weight to go with the richness of the sauce.
Posted by Darby on under Main, Petit Verdot |
Kidneys with Red Wine and Mushrooms
This recipe can be prepared with either lamb or veal kidneys. The a la Bordealise in the title suggests that it is in a red wine sauce. A Bordeaux style red is called for and I suggest that a Petit Verdot would be an excellent choice.
Ingredients
- 8 Lamb (2 veal) kidneys
- Olive oil
- 1 finely chopped onion
- 150 ml of red wine
- 1 bay leaf
- pinch of dried herbs, thyme, rosemary or marjoram
- 100g mushrooms
- 50g butter
- 150 ml passata (tomato pure)
- Chopped parsley
Method
Chop kidneys into 1 cm dice and blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water. Drain and put aside.
In a saucepan saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add wine and herbs and simmer until it is reduced by about half.
Saute mushrooms in butter for a couple of minutes then add passata. Simmer for a couple of minutes then add to the wine reduction
Finally saute the kidneys in oil over a brisk heat then add to wine and mushroom mixture. Simmer for a few more minutes and serve sprinkled with parsley.
Serves 4.
Wine
This dish with its rich flavours needs a wine with some body. A Petit Verdot would be ideal.
Posted by Darby on August 25, 2009 under Main, Shiraz Viognier |
This recipe for duck breasts (magrets) cooked in a sweet dark sauce is provided by James Hook of Lazy Ballerina Wines
Ingredients
4 duck breasts
1 tsp dark honey
black peppercorns
salt and pepper
Demi glaze
200mls demi glaze or reduced chicken stocks (1l reduced to 200mls)
1glass Lazy Ballerina Shiraz Viognier
150g blackcurrants (ideally fresh but frozen are fine)
12 shallots
2 large potatoes
Method
Heat the demi glaze and add the Shiraz/Viognier and 150gms of blackcurrants and cook until the blackcurrants breakdown, pass through a sieve and back into a saucepan, keep warm.
Peel the potatoes and make 4 slices about 15 mm thick. Boil potatoes slices for 10 minutes and then add to a frying pan with a little oil and cook until brown on both sides.
Add a tablespoon of honey to a saucepan and then 12 whole shallots, cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
Season the skin of the duck breast with salt and pepper. Lightly oil pan, place duck skin side down and cook slowly over medium heat for about 8 minutes or until the skin has browned. Turn duck over and brush the honey on the skin and sprinkle cracked peppercorn over honey and turn back to skin side down. Cook until the honey has caramelized and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
To serve
Place a potato slice in the centre of the plate and 3 shallots on the top of the potato. Pour sauce around the potato and shallots. Slice the duck breast into 6 cubes (cut the breast in thirds and then slice the thirds in half). Place the pieces of duck breasts around the edge of the plate and add blackcurrants between each duck breast.
Wine
A rich and fruity wine is best for this dish. James suggests a Lazy Ballerina Shiraz Viognier.
Posted by Darby on May 18, 2009 under Malbec, Soup, Tannat |
Four essentials of this dish are onions, fat, stock and patience. Some people recommend using sugar or flour, but I think the onion juice is sufficient. You could use chicken or vegetable stock, but beef makes it heartier.
Ingredients for 6
7 largish brown onions (one for each person and one for the pot)
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon of Duck or Goose fat
1 and a half litres of Beef stock
50 ml Cognac, Brandy or preferably Armagnac
Salt and black pepper
6 rounds of rustic french bread
1 cup of grated cheese gruyere, emmentaler or parmesan.
Method
Slice the onions thinly. Melt the fat in a heavy based stockpot. Slowly fry the sliced onions and garlic until medium brown, stirring frequently. This will take about 20 minutes but it is important to allow the onions time to render their sweet juices and to caramelise some of the sugar.
When the onions and garlic are nicely brown add the beef stock and simmer gently for half an hour. You can prepare the soup to this stage and keep it a few hours or overnight.
Make croutons by putting the cheese onto the bread and putting under a griller for a minute or two. Put a crouton in each bowl. Immediately before serving stir the cognac through the hot soup and then pour it over the croutons.
Wine Suggestion.
Serve with a full bodied red wine, perhaps a Malbec or a Tannat.
If you like Gascon style cooking you should get a copy of Kate Hill’s A Culinary Journey In Gascony: Recipes And Stories From My French Canal Boat.
Those who saw Rick Stein’s French Odyssey will remember that he used Kate’s kitchen to prepare some of the dishes. Click on the link to get more details of this lovely book.
Posted by Darby on April 9, 2009 under Main, Sauces, Zinfandel |
Here is a Zinfandel food pairing suggestion from food and wine writer Fiona Beckett.
This is a really robust pasta dish from Fiona who has her own regularly updated site www.matchingfoodandwine.com
The Zin gives a richer, more warming flavour than the usual tomato-based sauce, Fiona says.
You can use rigatoni, penne or similar pasta in this recipe.
Ingredients: Serves 4
Food Wine and Friends by Fiona Beckett
- 350g Italian sausages or other coarsely ground 100% pork sausages
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium aubergine/eggplant (about 250-300g) cut into cubes
- 1 medium onion (about 150g), peeled and finely chopped
- 1 medium red pepper (about 150g), de-seeded and cut into roughly 2 cm
- squares
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 rounded tbsp tomato puree
- 1 level tsp dried oregano
- 175ml zinfandel or other full bodied fruity red wine
- 175ml fresh chicken or light vegetable stock made with a teaspoon of
- vegetable bouillon powder
- 350g dried rigatoni or penne pasta
- 4 heaped tbsp freshly chopped parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Slit the sausage skins with a sharp knife, peel off the skin and chop the sausage meat roughly. In a large frying pan or wok heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil and brown the sausage meat breaking it up with a spatula or wooden spoon. Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add another 2 tbsp of oil to the pan and stir fry the aubergine for 3-4 minutes till it starts to brown. Add the remaining oil and chopped onion and fry for a couple of minutes then add the red pepper and fry for another minute or two.
Return the sausage meat to the pan, stir in the tomato puree and cook for a minute then add the garlic, oregano and Zinfandel. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half then add the stock, stir, and leave over a low heat to simmer while you cook the pasta following the instructions on the pack.
When the pasta is just cooked spoon off a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water into the sauce then drain the pasta thoroughly and tip it into the sauce along with 3 tablespoons of the parsley.
Mix well together and leave off the heat for 2-3 minutes for the flavours to amalgamate. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon the pasta and sauce into warm bowls and sprinkle with a little of the remaining parsley. You could also sprinkle over some grated parmesan if you like though I’m not sure that it needs it.
Recommended wine match:
Given you’ve got a bottle of Zinfandel open that would be the obvious match but you could also drink a southern Italian red like a Primitivo or a Syrah.
More about Zinfandel in Australia
Posted by Darby on under Albarino, Main |
This simple recipe for Oven Baked Fish has been supplied by Rob Gillespie from Rusty Fig Wines.
Ingredients
- 800 grams blue eye cod cutlets
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup parsley chopped
- 225 ml Albarino or another dry white wine
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 red pepper chopped
- 1 lemon sliced
- 250 ml fish stock
- extra virgin olive oil
- breadcrumbs
Method
- Place fish in a roasting pan. Season with garlic, salt and parsley.
- Add Albarino and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
- Place onion, lemon and pepper around fish and add fish stock.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees C.
- Serve with fried potatoes.
Wine Suggestion
This dish needs an aromatic white wine, for example a crisp white Albarino from Rusty Fig Wines
The winery is situated near Cobargo in the South Coast Zone of New South Wales. Rusty Fig is named after a local species of tree. The vineyard specialises in Spanish varieties Albarino and Tempranillo, they also have Chambourcin and Verdelho.
Rob Gillespie from Rust Fig says
This is a favorite recipe with sea bass in Galicia in NW Spain where Albarino is grown. We’ve adapted it to Australia by substituting blue eye which is very popular near our Rusty Fig vineyard on the south coast of NSW.
