I like wine (as you may have noticed) so I was pleased when the Midlands Co op told me they were launching a new wine club called We Like Wine. The website has tips and guides on it and they are also doing weekly offers to showcase their wine selections so its definitely worth signing up.
I was off work on Friday so I decided to cook something lovely and pair it with one of the Namaqua wines. When I interviewed Susy Atkin at the BBC Good Food Show this summer, she gave me the following advice around food/wine pairing: “The most important thing to remember is to balance like for like” It sounds obvious but people often try to be clever by contrasting flavours and then it goes wrong.
The label on the Shiraz Cabernet reliably informed me (prior to taking the cap off and giving it a good gulp) that it is rich and vibrant- with red and black berry fruits and a touch of vanilla oak which gives it a smooth finish. So, with Susy’s advice ringing in my ears I decided to go with a slow cooked beef ragu, finished with sprinkles of the salty and delicious hard cheddar Lincolnshire Poacher Double Barrel. Not too spicy but rich enough to marry with the wines flavours.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 20g butter
- Splish of Olive Oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 celery stick, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely diced or crushed (I used smoked garlic for an extra depth of flavour)
- 1-2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 80 ml of beef stock
- 400g pack of lean steak mince
- 75ml milk
Method:
- We’re not dieting with this dish – start with a good splish of olive oil and melt the butter into it. Then add the onion, celery and carrot. Spend some time dicing them as finely as you can, it will result in a better finish at the end. Fry them on a medium heat for up to 10 minutes, making sure you don’t brown, only soften the veg.
- Add the beef mince (the best you can afford). I used the co-ops Hereford Lean Steak Mince. Cook it down for approx 10 mins until all browned and then add the stock, tomatoes and puree and give it a stir. Season to taste, bring to the boil then turn the heat down as low as you can. Add a lid and let it simmer gently for an hour. After the hour, add the milk and cook for a further 30 mins.
It might sound like this is just a ‘spag bol’ but the low slow cooking and finely diced veg really elevate this to the next level. Using the smoked garlic adds a subtle extra something too. Serve with the pasta and sprinkle with cheese.
I have never ever tasted a wine from South Africa and it sounds really interesting to me after the name of your wine.