WINE AND FOOD MATCHES

ecipes kindly provided by Lauraine Jacobs, award winning writer and Contributing Food Editor of Cuisine Magazine, co-author of Cuisine Wine Country and immediate Past President of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

‛The sweetness of the parsnip mash works very well with the fish. The slight bite of the grapefruit and the contrast of the spinach and olives make this a very interesting recipe. We loved the Pinot Gris with this dish especially with the parsnips.’

Serves 6

6 fillets of the freshest fish available (hapuka, snapper, cod)
1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large parsnips
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsp butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 grapefruit
1/4 cup stoned black olives
2 cups baby spinach leaves

Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper together and place in bowl. Marinate the fish in the mixture for at least 10 minutes.

Peel the parsnips and chop into chunks. Bring to the boil in salted water and cook until tender. Drain most of the water, add the milk and return to the heat. Bring the milk to simmering point, remove and mash the parsnips thoroughly adding the butter and salt and pepper to taste. Keep covered and hot.

Make the salad by washing the spinach leaves well. Pat dry. Peel the grapefruit with a knife, and divide into segments. Mix the spinach and grapefruit together with the olives, and a little of the oil that the olives are preserved in. Season to taste with a little salt and pepper.

Heat a heavy frying pan and cook the fish in a little extra olive oil for 2 minutes on each side or a little longer if the fish fillets are thick.

To serve, place a good dollop of mashed parsnips on each of six plates. Top with fish, and arrange a little salad to the side. Serve at once.

‛One evening at a small bistro in Ribeauvillé in Alsace we delighted in tiny chickens, simply roasted with a topping of breadcrumbs, lemon, butter, and parsley, and served French style with buttered green beans. It was perfect with chilled Pinot Gris.’

Serves 6

3 poussins (approx 400g per bird)
60g butter
rind and juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
4 tbsp chopped parsley
1 cup white wine (Pinot Gris)
600g fresh green beans
extra butter for beans

Split the poussins lengthwise in two, and dry carefully. Melt the butter and brush the skin of each bird completely with butter. Lay them in a roasting pan.

Grate the lemon rind over the birds, then scatter salt and pepper generously over them. Coat each bird with breadcrumbs and parsley, pour the wine and lemon juice into the roasting pan and place in a preheated oven at 200ºC. Cook for about 20 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden brown.

Take from the oven, rest for five minutes and then serve with a little of the pan juices poured over and the cooked green beans, tossed in extra butter, to accompany.

‛The combination of tender lamb, sweet kumara chunks, crisp green beans and a minty dressing make this a great way to show off classic Kiwi ingredients. Prepare everything ahead and leave the vegies at room temperature, ready for the warm lamb to top the dish and serve with a delicious red wine like Pharos.’

Serves 6

6 lamb shortloins or 12 lamb fillets
3 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 medium to large kumara
300g fresh green beans
1/2 cup fresh mint
For the dressing, 1 orange, 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the lamb in a bowl with the oil. Toss in the paprika, salt and pepper and turn the lamb well to coat. Leave to absorb the flavours for at least an hour.

Meantime, peel the kumara and simmer in a large pot of salted water until tender. Cool, and cut into chunks. Bring some more salted water to the boil and blanch the beans for 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately refresh in ice cold water to retain the ‘green’ crisp look and texture.

Chop the mint finely, and combine with the kumara and beans on a serving platter. Make the dressing by combining the juice and rind of the orange with the oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss over the vegetables.

Heat the grill and cook the lamb over a low to medium heat until golden on the outside, yet still pink and moist within. Rest for a few minutes before cutting into chunks diagonally and serving over the kumara and bean salad.

‛This hearty beefy dish is ideal for a match with a Bordeaux blend of reds such as Pharos. Eye fillet is wrapped in thin slices of bacon and served with a rich mushroom sauce and buttery blue cheese mashed potatoes.’

Serves 4

4 125g eye fillet steaks
4 thin slices bacon, rind removed
2 tbsp butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
300g mushrooms, sliced
1 cup beef stock
3 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
For the mash:
1 kg potatoes (floury variety like agria), peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup milk
75g blue cheese
Freshly ground pepper

To prepare the steaks, take the bacon and wrap it around the outside edge of each steak, securing with a toothpick. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the surface and keep aside.

To make the mushroom sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the onion and cook slowly until golden. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add the beef stock and the parsley and reduce until the sauce is thick and juicy. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

To make the mash, boil the potatoes with a little salt until soft. Drain well, return to the pan and pour in the milk. When the milk is hot, mash together well, and when smooth beat in the blue cheese. Add a grinding of black pepper, and keep hot.

To cook the steak, heat a ridged grill pan until smoky hot, brush the steaks with oil and cook, turning once until the ‘degree of doneness’ is reached. Allow to rest before serving.

To serve, place a steak on each plate, add a pile of blue cheese mashed potatoes, and spoon over the mushroom sauce.