Winter reds

Three-course companions

Our friends at Taylors Wines have helped us pair up the perfect reds for a wintry three-course feast

Hosting a dinner party can be hard work. There's the menu, the list writing, the inviting, the purchasing of ingredients. And then on top of that, there's the most important thing of all – the wine. We've teamed up with our friends at Taylors Wines to make life easy for you with a three-course menu plan matched with the perfect wines.

First course – Bruschetta

Ingredients:

- 1 loaf ciabatta bread

- 6 tomatoes

- 1 clove garlic

- olive oil

- fresh basil

- salt and pepper

Method:

Chop tomatoes into fine cubes, pour over olive oil, add chopped fresh basil, salt & pepper. Slice the ciabatta into 2cm pieces and grill on hot plate or pan. Brush bread with olive oil, rub garlic clove over bread, spoon tomatoes on top, serve immediately.

Wine match:Taylors Estate Merlot. This light-bodied red is perfect with the rich tomato and fragrant basil of this dish.

Second course – Herb Lamb Cutlets

Ingredients:

-  5–7 lamb cutlets

- handful of fresh herbs eg oregano, thyme or rosemary

- 2 cloves garlic

- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

- 2 teaspoons olive oil

- dried chilli flakes (optional)

Method:

Place the herbs and garlic in a mortar with a large pinch of coarse salt and pound with a pestle to make a rough paste. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon of the oil. Rub the mixture over the lamb until fully coated and put in the fridge to marinate for around 25 minutes. Heat some oil in the pan at a medium heat and place the cutlets in when hot.
For medium cooked lamb, shallow fry for 5-7 minutes on each side until evenly browned but slightly pink in the centre. Serve the lamb with green beans and creamy mash.

Wine match: Taylors Estate Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Dessert – Shiraz Poached Pears

Ingredients:

- 6 large pears, peeled and cored
- 1 lemon
- 1 bottle of Taylors Estate Shiraz
- 5 cinnamon sticks
- 5 bay leaves
- 12 cloves
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 cup port
- 500g raw sugar

Directions:

Place pears in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Halve the lemon, squeeze it then throw the peel and juice into the saucepan. Add all the other ingredients and gradually bring to the boil. 
Place over high heat, bring to the boil then reduce heat to simmer. When the pears have softened, remove them. Serve with vanilla ice cream.


Wine match:Taylors Estate Clare Valley Shiraz

For more recipes and pairing ideas, visit taylorswines.com.au

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