Capture the Sunshine with Lindeman’s Wines
I just adore a good Aussie wine. My favourites are Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc as the red and white grapes soak up the hot Australian sun and develop their flavours, bouquet and intensity in a way that can’t be matched in other countries. So I couldn’t resist it when Lindeman’s launched a Capture the Sunshine challenge to inspire exciting spring menus to enhance their wines. My entry focuses on the Surf and Turf concept with at least one ingredient from the earth and one from the sea. It’s quite delicious and I hope it wins – wish me luck! 😉
Lindeman’s Capture the Sunshine Spring Menu
| Parmesan and garlic-marinated fresh anchovy Cheese Straws | |
| Scallops, streaky bacon and pea purée |  |
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Lindeman’s Bin 95 Sauvignon Blanc |
| Carpaccio of beef, rosemary-smoked langoustines, caviar, young salad leaves |  |
| Roast lamb, garlic-marinated fresh anchovies, pumpkin and olive soil |  |
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Lindeman’s Bin 50 Shiraz |
| Beef cheek, carrots, oyster fritter |  |
| Cheese platter, samphire |  |
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Lindeman’s Bin 45 Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Chocolate cake and Coffee | Why not try a sweet red with chocolate? It’s sensational! |
To make the Parmesan and garlic-marinated fresh anchovy Cheese Straws, roll out some puff pastry, sprinkle it with grated Parmesan, top it with a line or two of anchovy filets and fold in thirds. Cut into strips and twist before baking in a 200°C oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until nicely browned. Serve with a crisp Lindeman’s Bin 95 Sauvignon Blanc.
For the Scallops, streaky bacon and pea purée, first make your pea purée and keep it warm while you cook the bacon. Then quickly sauté your scallops until browned on the outside but still translucent inside. Finsh your bottle of Bin 95 with this course – or open another one if there’s none left 😉
My Carpaccio of beef, rosemary-smoked langoustines, caviar, and young salad leaves is an assemblage of some of my favourite dishes and they go beautifully well together. Make your carpaccio according to any of the myriad of recipes you can find on the web, and smoke and gently cook your langoustines on the barbecue over several branches of rosemary. It’s gorgeous! As is the pairing of this dish with Lindeman’s Bin 50 Shiraz.
Continue enjoying this bottle of red with your Roast lamb, garlic-marinated fresh anchovies, pumpkin and olive soil. I larded my leg of lamb with the same fragrant fresh anchovies and roasted it in the oven until just pink. (Larding means sticking a knife into the flesh to make a slit, and filling the slit with lard – hence the term larding- or in this case, pushing a an anchovy into the slit for added flavour and/or moistness.) I roasted some frozen pumpkin with great success (I had never used frozen pumpkin before and it was just like fresh) and you could also use sweet potato for a similar taste pairing. The olive soil is one of my favourite accompaniments and it is so easy to make, I’m sorry I don’t make it more often. Just separately chop some green and black olives, dry them in a very slow oven or a dehydrator, and once they’re dry, chop them again into a soil-like consistency. Magic! The drying concentrates the olive flavour and it’s sensational with lamb. The berry notes of a Shiraz further enhance the lamb to the delight of your tastebuds.
With this dish I discovered just how big beef cheeks are! One was sufficient for 8 guests in this 7-course dinner where each course was slightly smaller than it would be in a 2- or 3-course meal. For my Beef cheek, carrots, and oyster fritter I slow-cooked one cut-up beef cheek in red wine with carrots and aromatic herbs, and topped it with an oyster fried in buttery savoury cracker crumbs. Sensational! An old French rule of thumb is “the better the wine, the better the dish,” so don’t hesitate to cook your cheek or other stew with the wine that will be accompanying it. Lindeman’s Bin 45 Cabernet Sauvignon will make a fabulous dish 😉
This Lindeman’s Bin 45 Cabernet Sauvignon will also be delicious served with your cheese platter. We always try to serve local cheeses whenever we can find them and this evening we served a soft crusted cheese called “Feuille de Dreux.” The pairing was excellent.
Whether you recreate this menu here for your springtime pleasure or create your own dishes, good Australian wines are a delight to drink – and always consume in moderation. We prefer to drink less in quantity and more in quality 🙂 So grab a glass, drag a chair into the sunshine, and have a sip! #capturethesunshine !
Bon appétit !
