Fun to make and fun to eat! These Tostadas are so simple to make, super tasty and pair well with the Organised Chaos Pet Nat. If you want to go all out and prepare some other Mexican inspired dishes, this Pet Nat brings even more juicy freshness and fun. Cue Taco Tuesday! 

Organised Chaos Pet Nat 2021 with Black Bean Tostadas with Avocado, Chili, and Pickled Onion

Ingredients
8 corn tortillas
2 cups cooked black beans
1 ripe avocado, sliced
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli powder
Fresh coriander and lime wedges for garnish

Pickle the onion: In a saucepan, boil white vinegar, water, sugar, and half a tsp of salt. Add thinly sliced red onion and let it sit for 15 mins.

Bake the tortillas: Preheat oven to 200°C. Brush tortillas with oil, bake for 8-10 mins until crispy. Now time to prepare your black beans. Heat a tin of cooked black beans with ground cumin, chilli powder, and half a tsp of salt in a pot. Remove from the heat and mash with the back of a spoon until you have a slightly chunky paste. 

To assemble the tostadas, spread beans on tortillas. Top with avocado, pickled onion, and sliced chilli. Garnish with coriander and serve with lime wedges.

San Silvestro Piemonte Bianco 2021 with Kingfish Crudo with Ruby Pink Grapefruit, Jalapeno & Radish

Citrus season is upon us and we can’t think of a better way than pairing it with some of New Zealand’s finest Kingfish lightly dressed in jalapeno and radish. Just like the squeeze of lemon, San Silvestro further brings a refreshing citrusy element to the dish. It’s all a bit summery, but delicious nonetheless. Perfect for these clear blue sky days we’ve been having, let’s hope it lasts. 

Ingredients:
500g kingfish fillet, skinless and boneless
1 large pink grapefruit
1  jalapeno
200g radishes
30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
15 ml fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Coriander for garnish

Slice the kingfish fillet into thin, even pieces. Peel and segment the grapefruit, reserving the juice.Finely chop the jalapeno (use to your liking). Thinly slice the radishes and put them aside in iced water. Arrange the kingfish slices on a serving platter and drizzle good quality olive oil and lemon juice, reserved grapefruit juice over the fish.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add grapefruit segments and chopped jalapeno on top. Garnish with sliced radishes and coriander. 

Settlement Ashmore Riesling 2019 with Bún chả (Grilled Pork Vermicelli Noodle salad)

Our love for Vietnamese food knows no bounds. We are borderline obsessed. It’s fresh, it’s healthy and it’s flavourful. With its vibrancy and gentle sweetness, there's no doubt it pairs well with the sweet sour salty dressing in the Bún chả. 

For the Dressing:
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 red chilli, thinly sliced (optional)

Cook the vermicelli noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to prevent sticking. 

Next to prepare your dressing, In a small bowl, mix fish sauce, lime juice, water, sugar, minced garlic, and sliced chilli (if using) to make the dressing. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. 

Finally, time to grill the pork. Best on a bbq so you get that slight char but works in a hot pan. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Grill the pork on a hot grill for about 3-4 minutes per side until cooked through and slightly charred. Let it rest for 5 or so minutes. 

Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, toss the cooked vermicelli noodles, grilled pork, shredded lettuce or mixed greens, julienned cucumber, julienned carrot, and chopped fresh herbs.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together until well coated with the dressing. Garnish with crushed peanuts and fried shallots (if using) over the top of the salad.

Kakano Pinot Noir 2021 with Duck Breast with Plums and Radicchio & Hazelnut Salad

Duck breast with plums and radicchio pairs beautifully with Pinot Noir. It’s a classic pairing, wine's red berry and cherry notes complement the succulent duck, while its acidity balances the sweet-tart plums and bitterness of radicchio.

Ingredients

2 duck breasts (or 1 per person)
2 ripe plums, pitted and sliced
1 small head of radicchio, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Score the skin of 2 duck breasts in a criss-cross pattern and season with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and place the duck breasts, skin side down, in a pan.

Cook for about 6-8 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden brown. Flip the breasts and cook for another 3-4 minutes for medium-rare or until desired cooking temp. Remove from the pan, cover with foil and let them rest for at least 10 minutes. 

In a bowl, combine thinly sliced radicchio, sliced ripe plums, and chopped toasted hazelnuts. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper to make the dressing. 

Slice the rested duck breasts into thick slices. Toss the radicchio, plum, and hazelnut salad with the dressing until well coated. Arrange the sliced duck breast on a plate and top with the plum and radicchio salad and garnish with additional toasted hazelnuts if desired.

Koerner Nielluccio Sangiovese 2021 with Caramelised Shallot pasta with Nduja 

Inspired by the viral Alison Roman shallot pasta recipe, we like to add Nduja for a little extra kick instead of chilli. If you want to make it vegetarian by all means substitute the Nduja for dried chilli flakes. The supple, aromatic and fruit coated nature of this Sangiovese avoid a tannic clash with the chilli, and will meld into the sweet and savoury flavours of the dish.  

300g Spaghetti (or any long pasta of your choice)
6 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
100g 'nduja
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley or basil for garnish (optional)

Cook 300g of pasta until al dente in salted boiling water. While the pasta cooks, caramelise 6 thinly sliced shallots in a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes until soft and sweet. Add 100g of 'nduja to the pan and cook for a few minutes until it melts and becomes fragrant. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it, and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add the cooked pasta to the 'nduja and shallot mixture, tossing to coat evenly. If needed, add some of the reserved pasta water to create a sauce. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Paritua Syrah 2020 with Kibbeh & Babaganoush 

Syrah, a bold and full-bodied red wine, complements the rich flavours of Kibbeh, a Lebanese dish of spiced ground meat and bulgur. The wine's dark fruit, peppery notes, and subtle smokiness enhance the savoury character of the dish.

1 cup fine bulgur wheat
500g lamb mince
1 large onion, finely minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil (for brushing)

Instructions

Wash the bulgur wheat in cold water and drain well. Leave it to soak in fresh water for about 30 minutes. After soaking, drain any excess water and squeeze the bulgur to remove any remaining liquid.

In a large bowl, combine the soaked bulgur, ground meat, minced onion, chopped mint, chopped parsley, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together well until you have a smooth mixture. This is your kibbeh dough. Preheat your oven to 190 degrees. Grease a baking dish with olive oil. Take a small portion of the kibbeh dough (about a golf ball-sized amount) and shape it into an oval shape. Repeat this process with the remaining dough. Place the shaped kibbeh on the greased baking dish. Brush the tops of the kibbeh with a little olive oil.  Bake the kibbeh in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until they are cooked through and have a golden-brown colour. 

Serve the kibbeh with pita bread, fresh vegetables, and babaganoush.