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To accompany our New Zealand Wine promotion for the month of June here are some delicious recipes to go with the stunning new wines from the Craggy Mountain range. |
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New Zealand Recipes
A delicious meal for these lovely spring evenings
RECIPE: SERVES FOUR
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Starter
Tropical Pork Loin Salad
Ingredients
1.2kg boned pork loin
3 small hot fresh chillies
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoons freshly chopped ginger
pinch of saffron threads
2-3 fresh shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
For the lettuce and fruit salad:
1 large iceberg lettuce, chilled
Papaya, mango or melon pieces
1 small red chilli, chopped finely
3 spring onions finely chopped
2 limes, juice and zest
6 tablespoons grape-seed oil
flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup (150-175g) chopped mint leaves
Turkish bread
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Method
For the pork Loin: place all the ingredients except the pork in a mortar and pound to a paste. Spread this paste over the pork surface, rubbing in well. Leave to absorb the flavours for an hour, then roast in a hot over 200 degrees Centigrade for 50 minutes until cooked through but still moist. Allow to cool before slicing thinly.
For the tropical fruit salad: cut the lettuce into half and then again into three larger wedges (6 wedges in total). Arrange in serving plates.
Make a dressing by combining the chilli, spring onion, lime zest and juice, grape-seed oil and the salt and pepper together.
Mix half the dressing with the fruit and scatter the fruit over and around the lettuce wedges.
To serve drape the slices of pork over the top of the lettuce wedges and fruit, and tip over the remaining dressing. Sprinkle the mint over the complete dish and serve at once. Serve with strips of warmed Turkish bread.
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Main Course
Minty Rack of Lamb
Ingredients
2 racks of lamb
2 tablespoons of Dijon style mustard
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup (150-175g) mint leaves, finely chopped
1 lemon, zest and juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 packet fresh rocket leaves
300g cooked baby beetroot
150g feta cheese, cut into cubes
Parsley, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and salt and freshly ground black pepper to dress the salad
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Method
Spread the lamb racks with the mustard. Mix the garlic, mint, lemon zest and juice, olive oil and salt and pepper together.
Press this mixture onto the mustard-coated lamb racks. Leave to stand for an hour or more.
Pre-heat the barbecue or oven and cook the lamb racks over a very gentle heat. Cook slowly for about 20-25 minutes turning occasionally, or until browned and crisp, while still juice within. Allow to stand to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving into neat cutlets and placing on a serving platter.
Accompany with rocket leaves topped with the beetroot and feta cubes, dressed with Italian parsley leaves, oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Our Recommendations
These dishes require robust French red to complement the flavours. We recommend the following:
Allan Scott Riesling 2004
Allan Scott Pinot Noir 2002/5
Argentinian lightly oaked Chardonnay from Terrazas (£5.99)
Bellefontaine Viognier 2001 Vin de Pays d’Oc (£4.75)
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Dessert
Chocolate and Walnut Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream
The Dordogne, with its stunning scenery, friendly inhabitants and fascinating - though often bloody - past is renowned for many things, among them walnuts. Here, walnut groves are almost as prolific as grape vines around Bordeaux. Indeed, my ancient crumbling farm has a huge stone-built barn which was specifically used until quite recently for drying locally-picked walnuts. It has an open front and a wood-slatted floor designed to let air circulate around the nuts. When dry, the nuts are taken to market and sold either to be pressed for their expensive oil, or to be turned into a delicious liqueur. There are, however, many left on the ground un-gathered and it is these that the natives greedily search for underneath the rapidly yellowing autumn foliage. A favourite use for these bitter nuts is in the local walnut tart. In this region desserts are simple, sometimes disappointingly plain affairs and so it is with this one. However, my addition of a dash of fresh coffee (like salt in savoury cooking, coffee brings out the flavour of the nut), a splash of Armagnac (brandy or Cognac will do the job just as well) and a coating of rich dark chocolate allows this already great dessert to really shine.
Ingredients
Serves 8
6 oz. shortcrust pastry
1 egg, beaten
4 oz. fresh breadcrumbs
3 fl oz. milk
8 oz. crushed walnuts
2 oz. melted butter
5 egg yolks
5 oz. caster sugar
9 tbsp. fresh espresso coffee
1 tbsp. Armagnac (or Brandy)
4 oz. dark cooking chocolate (70% min cocoa solids)
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Method
Pre-heat the oven to gas Mk6 (400°F / 200°C)
Roll out the pastry to 1/8th in. thick and use to line a greased 9in. loose-bottomed fluted tart tin. Cover the pastry with non-stick baking paper and fill with baking beans (dried pulses or rice works equally well). Place in the oven and bake ‘blind’ for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, then ‘paint’ the inside of the case with a beaten egg. Return it to the oven for another 5 minutes to allow the egg to dry out – this seals the pastry and prevents the filling from making it soggy.
Meanwhile, soak the breadcrumbs in the milk. Spread the walnuts out on a baking tray and roast for 5 to 10 minutes until just beginning to colour at the edges. Remove and finely crush them with a rolling pin, then simply combine with the butter, egg yolks, caster sugar, soaked breadcrumbs, coffee and Armagnac.
Take the pastry case from the oven and pour in the mixture, levelling off the surface. Pop it back in and bake for twenty minutes or so until just set in the centre. Remove and leave to cool.
Break up the chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl. Sit this over a saucepan of gently simmering water (the bowl must not touch the hot water or the chocolate will curdle). Allow the chocolate to gently melt then spread thinly over the tart. Leave to cool and set. Serve with real vanilla ice cream or lashings of clotted cream – or both. Divine.
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Trio Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Concha y Toro
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£7.45 |
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Brampton Old Vines Red Merlot Cabernet 2007 - save £1.54 per bottle.
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| £6.45 |
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Yalumba Y Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2002/4
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| £7.2 |
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