Jenny Dobson Florence Fiano with Peruvian Snapper Ceviche

This one is a real crowd pleaser and goes perfect with the supple, generously fruited nature of Jenny’s Fiano. It’s the perfect dish for a party or bring a dish sort of arrangement. All the prep can be done before and then all you need to do is mix when you arrive. Corn chips served on the side is a winner but the more traditional route is with sweet potato. 

400g Snapper (or any other firm white fleshed fish) cubed
1 cup lime juice
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 Chilli (jalapeño or any other hot chilli), finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Place the fish cubes in a glass or ceramic bowl and pour over the lime juice. Make sure the fish is fully submerged in the lime juice. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. The lime juice will "cook" the fish, so be careful not to leave it marinating for too long. Drain off excess lime juice and mix gently. Now time to combine the marinated fish, chilli, red onion, Coriander, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix everything gently to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Serve with lettuce leaves and sliced sweet potatoes as accompaniments. Corn chips are also nice. 

Goisot Cotes Auxerre Corps de Garde Blanc 2020 with Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pie

Winner winner chicken dinner. Everyone knows someone with a great chicken and leek pie recipe. And for good reason. It’s a classic that never goes out of fashion. Make sure you don’t omit the Tarragon (It’s worth hunting down) and a good dose of dijon mustard. The nutty fragrance and rich texture of the Goisot Chardonnay with this pie is a winner indeed.

6 chicken thighs, diced
1 leek, thinly sliced
300g mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
3 tbs tarragon, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour
3 tbs Dijon Mustard
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 sheet of puff pastry
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Method

Preheat your oven to 200°C. 

In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the chicken and cook until browned. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.  In the same pan, add the sliced leeks and mushrooms and sauté over medium heat until they are softened 8 mins. Sprinkle the flour over the leeks and mushrooms, stirring well. Cook for a further minute. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, stirring constantly. Add the heavy cream and mustard and continue stirring until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return the cooked chicken to the pan and stir to combine. Remove from heat. 

Roll out the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface to fit the size of your pie dish.  Pour the chicken mixture into a pie dish, then cover it with the puff pastry. Trim any excess pastry and crimp the edges to seal.Brush the top of the pastry with the beaten egg and pierce the pastry to allow steam to escape when cooking.  Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.

Rock Ferry Brut Pinot Blanc 2020 with Fresh Pesto Cavitelli & Pangrattato 

This is such a simple recipe but sometimes the simple ones are the best right? With highly aromatic ingredients like pesto, we love serving wines that are composed and don’t compete with these aromatics, letting them shine. It makes all the difference making your own pesto which is the most time consuming part. Cavatelli are small pasta shells that are ideal for a sauce like pesto. Finish with more parmesan or Pangrattato (fried breadcrumbs)

Neudorf Tom’s Block Pinot Noir 2022 with Pork & Cabbage Pot Stickers 

Dumplings can be time consuming to make yourself, but fun if you get a few people involved in the wrapping part. The juicy, forward nature of New Zealand Pinot Noirs like Neudorf’s Tom’s Block makes it a very friendly pairing, and its freshness cuts through the stickiness of the dumplings.

225g pork mince
2 cups cabbage, shredded
2 spring onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

For assembling:

dumpling wrappers
Water, for sealing

Method

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, cabbage, onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well until all the ingredients are evenly combined. Take one dumpling wrapper and place a small spoonful of the pork and cabbage filling in the centre of the wrapper. Dip your finger in water and moisten the edges of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half, pressing the edges together to seal the potsticker. Pleat or crimp the edges if desired. 

Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add a small amount of vegetable oil. Place the dumplings in the pan in a single layer, making sure they don't touch each other. Cook the potstickers for 2-3 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown. Then, carefully pour in enough water to cover the bottom of the pan by about 1 cm. Cover the pan with a lid and let the potstickers steam for 6-8 minutes or until the wrappers are tender and the filling is cooked through.

Remove the lid and continue cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes to allow any excess water to evaporate. This will create a crispy bottom on the potstickers.

Carefully remove the potstickers from the pan. Serve with soy sauce mixed with a bit of rice vinegar or chilli oil.

Nicosia Frappato 2020 with Tomato Tarte Tatin

Frappato and tomato are a match made in Southern Italy, and this pairing will transport you to an Italian holiday immediately. Being less tannic and lighter, Frappato elevates the simple purity of these flavours.

1 sheet of puff pastry
2 pounds (900 grams) tomatoes, preferably small and ripe
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional garnish: fresh basil leaves, crumbled goat cheese, balsamic glaze

Method

Preheat your oven to 200°C. Place an oven-safe skillet or cake pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Drizzle the olive oil evenly into the skillet, then add the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is well combined.

Slice the tomatoes in half horizontally and arrange them cut side down in the skillet, fitting them tightly together. Sprinkle the thyme leaves evenly over the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

Cook the tomatoes in the skillet for about 5 minutes or until the juices start to bubble and the tomatoes soften slightly. Remove from heat.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry sheet to a circle slightly larger than the pan. Carefully place the puff pastry over the tomatoes, tucking the edges down.

Using a sharp knife, make a few small slits in the puff pastry to allow steam to escape during baking and transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown and crispy. Remove the skillet from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Place a serving plate or platter upside down over the skillet, then carefully invert the skillet to release the tarte tatin onto the plate. Garnish the tomato tarte tatin with fresh basil leaves or goats cheese. 

Rocky Gully Cabernets 2019 with Braised Beef Short Rib tacos

Cabernet is a bold and full-bodied red wine that pairs well with a variety of dishes. But we think Beef short ribs are the way to go with this ultimate set and forget recipe. Layered with fruit, this Cabernet has got the guts to take on robust flavours of the short ribs. While they take a little bit of prep but are then very much a set and forget type of dish. Make a salsa to go alongside and you’ve got an impressive dish great for Taco tuesday or a weekend get together. 

4 beef short ribs
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 whole garlic cloves
2 cups beef stock
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves

Method

Preheat your oven to 160°C.

Season the beef short ribs generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat the vegetable oil in a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the short ribs and sear them until browned on all sides. Remove the short ribs from the pot and set them aside. In the same pot, add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté the vegetables until they soften and start to caramelise, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste to the pot and stir well to coat the vegetables. Cook for an additional 2 minutes to cook off the raw flavour of the tomato paste. Pour in the red wine and beef stock (or water if you don't have stock). Stir well to deglaze the pot and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaves to the pot. Stir well to combine all the ingredients. Return the seared short ribs to the pot, nestling them into the liquid and vegetables. Cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Braise the short ribs for approximately 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and easily pulls away from the bone.

Once the short ribs are done, remove the pot from the oven. Carefully transfer the short ribs to a serving dish and cover them to keep warm. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate saucepan, discarding the solids. Skim off any excess fat from the surface. Place the saucepan with the braising liquid on the stovetop over medium heat. Simmer the liquid until it reduces and thickens slightly, forming a flavourful sauce.

Serve the braised short ribs with soft tacos and salsa of your choice.