We’re sitting round the table at the Pazo Señorans winery and my neighbor, the winery’s export manager Javier Izurieta Romero, passes the crab. You get a different flavor from each part of the body, the claws, the brown meat and the legs, he explains earnestly. And my goodness, he’s right. The texture, too. It’s the best crab I’ve ever eaten.

The accompaniment is the winery’s Albariño . Our hosts don’t go so far as to pair different wines with each component of the crab, but you feel they might well have done – so seriously it is seafood taken in Galicia.

It’s impossible to visit this wild, rugged coastline without gorging on it. ‘People think of Spain as sunshine and beaches, but it’s an Atlantic cuisine rather than a Mediterranean one,’ says Spanish food importer Monika Linton, author of Brindisa: The True Food of Spain . ‘It’s actually much more like Ireland or Scotland.’

The most iconic dish is octopus a la Gallega, or ‘octopus Galician-style’ (see recipe below), also known as pulpo a la feria, for which the locals have a real passion. It’s a relatively simple dish – octopus prep aside – of boiled octopus dressed with olive oil and pimenton and served with boiled potatoes.

Octopus has to be tenderised before you eat it, a daunting procedure that involves plunging it in and out of a cauldron of boiling water. Even the locals resort to buying it frozen.

When visiting Galicia you might also be offered percebes (prehistoric-looking barnacles that rather resemble a dinosaur’s toes), another local speciality that is perhaps more of an acquired taste – but Albariño can make pretty much anything taste good.

Other seafood dishes in Galicia that you might well find elsewhere in Spain are oysters (there is even a Rua das Ostras in Vigo), scallops – their shell the symbol of the Camino de Santiago – often served gratinated, deep fried squid, and irresistibly fat, juicy prawns (we were served them warm with alioli and cold with mayonnaise during the same meal). Not to mention the impossibly tender razor clams swimming in garlic-laced oil. Hake is a favourite for main course dishes, along with monkfish, which makes a great seafood stew. In Spain, monkfish tails are still affordable.

Rustic charm

Galicians are also great canners. Tinned fish is a real delicacy here, not in any way regarded as inferior to freshly caught. Go into any small wine bar, such as the Ribeira de Fefiñáns in Cambados, and you’ll find rows of colourful, beautifully designed tins that will then appear, freshly opened, as a tapa. Fast food, Galician-style.

Galicia used to be relatively poor so the food is more rustic than it is in the Basque Country, with its greater proximity to France. ‘It’s quite a traditional area – it hasn’t had the same influx of tourism as other parts of Spain, so a lot of the old traditions have been preserved,’ says Linton.

Another speciality is empanada. Not the small pasty-shaped version you find in South America, but generally cooked into a big round pie – or a thinner slice. The pastry is made with white wine then rolled out, covered with a layer of softened onion, tomato and red peppers and topped with fish, most commonly tuna but I had it with fresh sardines, which was delicious. A mussel filling is not unusual either.

It tends to be served as one of a selection of shared plates that are brought out in a seemingly never-ending succession at the beginning of a meal. Galicians are nothing if not hospitable.

Where to eat in Galicia

Although Santiago is no San Sebastián, there are an impressive number of Michelin-rated restaurants in the region, along with some fantastic, family-run seafood restaurants.

Abastos 2.0, Santiago de Compostela

Based in the market, this is a Santiago institution, serving the best of what is on offer that day. It’s small, so you’ll need to book.

Bitadorna, Vigo

Traditional seafood restaurant that focuses on the best local ingredients such as lobster, red prawns and octopus. It has another branch in A Guarda.

Casa Boveda, Pontevedra

Homely, family-style restaurant serving traditional Galician dishes, including a splendid monkfish and potato stew that’s brought bubbling to the table.

Manuel Bistró, Monforte de Lemos

A well-priced bistro serving a selection of pasta and rice dishes and an €18 midweek lunch. Popular with local winemakers.

Yayo Daporta, Cambados

Exceptionally good food for a one-star Michelin restaurant, with clever twists on the local ingredients. Opt for the tasting menu and hope it includes the deconstructed crab croqueta.

Beyond seafood

Galicia is not just coast, though. Inland, in the regions of Ribeiro, Ribeira Sacra and Monterrei you’ll find much more meat. ‘Because of the abundance of outstanding seafood, I think a lot of people forget that Galicia is also home to some of the best beef in the country,’ says Beth Willard, DWWA joint Regional Chair for Spain, who visits the region regularly. It comes from grass-fed Rubia Gallega cattle, which are typically killed at 8-12 years – yes, that’s years, not months – and the meat develops a deep, savoury, almost gamey flavour. It’s made its way into many Spanish-influenced restaurants outside the region, too.

Pork is also hugely popular. The locals consume every bit of it – the ears, snout, trotters and tail. And being Spain, naturally there’s ham as well as chorizo and other charcuterie. ‘They can’t cure it like elsewhere in the country as it’s so wet, so it tends to be brined and smoked,’ explains Linton.

Even the simplest dishes are celebrated. ‘There are more than 300 gastronomic festivals in the Galicia region, with each town having its own celebration, such as the Fiesta del Cocido in Lalín [rather endearingly translated as a Stew Fair on the website fiestapopular.com],’ says Miguel Crunia of Fìon, an Edinburgh-based wine importer who was born and bred in the region and is a mine of information on Galicia. That seems a lot, I say to him. ‘I think it’s because people don’t tend to cook so much at home any more,’ he replies.

Local staples

Given the fertility of the region, vegetables also play a big part in the local cuisine, especially potatoes (or cachelos, as they’re known locally, typically served boiled) and turnip tops (grelos). One of the much-loved staples is caldo gallego, a soup with potatoes, beans and greens that from a Spanish point of view no doubt counts as vegetarian on the grounds of only including a minor amount of pork belly or bacon, more or less as seasoning. And who knew pimientos de padrón, a staple of almost every tapas bar these days, were Galician? (They originate from the town of Padrón in La Coruña.)

‘There are a lot of small farms and allotments, still in local hands and with a real attention to quality,’ says Linton. ‘We sell the Lourenzá faba beans, for example, which are grown by a mother and daughter who only produce 300 kilos a year. They’re amazing; they taste like clotted cream.’

Speaking of dairy, in contrast to the rest of Spain, the best-known cheeses are made from cows’ rather than sheep milk. They include the smoked San Simón da Costa and mild, semi-soft Tetilla.

As elsewhere in Spain, desserts tend to be simple, based on easily available ingredients such as eggs, sugar and almonds. The most famous is the almond-based tarta de Santiago, which generally has an image of the cross of St James outlined on the icing sugar-dusted top. It’s also worth looking out for a local cheesecake called tarta de requesón, pancakes (filloas) and cream-filled cañitas, Galicia’s answer to Sicily’s cannoli (and very delicious with the local liquor, Cumbre Iberica Licore Tostada, which they serve at Casa Boveda).

‘A lot of the desserts still use chestnut flour,’ explains Linton. ‘Chestnuts were survival food for a lot of people.’

But it’s the seafood she keeps coming back to. ‘It’s the cold, rough water, the mixture of saline and fresh water that makes it so incredible. It’s not just shellfish, it’s wow shellfish!’

Eat like a Galician

The most distinctive dish in Galicia is simplicity itself – apart from the daunting task of tenderising your octopus, which is most easily done by freezing it, although the locals say it’s better when you cook it from fresh. It’s served with cachelos (potatoes), with good oil and dried pimentón completing the dish. Here’s a simple version from Monika Linton’s Brindisa: The True Food of Spain. ‘Octopus from Galicia is unbelievably good compared to what you buy elsewhere,’ she says.

Octopus Galician-style

Serves 6-8

Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients 2 carrots, 2 shallots, 4 peppercorns, about 400g raw, frozen octopus pieces, 200g whole baby potatoes, 1 tbsp pimentón dulce (mild paprika), 3-4 tbsp olive oil, for drizzling, pinch of sea salt (optional)

Method

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the carrots, shallots and peppercorns, put in the octopus, turn down to a simmer and leave to cook gently for 40-45 minutes, until tenderised (check by pricking the chunky parts of the tentacles).

2. Lift out with a slotted spoon, and cut the tentacles into 1cm slices.

3. Reserve the pan of cooking water but discard the vegetables and peppercorns.

4. Cook the potatoes in the same water for 20-25 minutes, or until just tender, then cut in half lengthways and arrange in a serving dish with the octopus slices on top.

5. Sprinkle with the pimentón and drizzle with olive oil and a light scattering of sea salt, if you like (remember, though, that octopus will be quite salty).

Brindisa: The True Food of Spain by Monika Linton was published in September 2016 (£15 Fourth Estate)

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The ideal environment for enjoying well-aged Burgundy wine is quite often at home. The wine’s cellar conditions, provenance and service are assured and – given current market prices for Burgundy – it’s bound to be a bargain if you’ve cellared it yourself. These advantages beg the question, however, of what to cook to accompany it. I recently set out to experiment with friends in our apartment building. I love to cook. My wife and I met while studying at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris 30 years ago. I finished a few internships at Michelin-starred establishments in Paris and worked as a chef for 13 years in California, the Caribbean and Boston before hanging up my toque to pursue a career in wine in New York City. Despite taking on amateur status, however, I have never lost my desire to cook, and uncorking a great bottle of Burgundy from my cellar often provides the occasion to up my game a bit.

I have concrete thoughts about pairing Burgundy with food. I started my deep dive into the topic 15 years ago while working on my book The Original Grand Crus of Burgundy. It has, if anything, only accelerated since becoming the Burgundy correspondent for Decanter. While it is often true that the wine from a particular place goes well with traditional dishes from the same region, not every delicious Burgundy needs to be paired with a classic of the regional cuisine. Of course, I enjoy jambon persillé, escargots and boeuf bourguignon as much as anyone, but the greatest wines need something more than even the best renditions of these bistro classics.

I feel using fresh seasonal ingredients is essential, and when asked what we’re having for dinner, I usually respond, ‘I’ll know once I see what they have at the market’. Like many New Yorkers’, my kitchen is tiny, and I shop nearly daily for food. I have my preferred fishmongers, butchers and speciality stores, and New York is fortunate to have the Union Square Greenmarket for vegetables. On a recent evening, I made the rounds and persuaded my friends to let me cook in their well-appointed kitchen.

The right white wine

White Burgundy is incredibly versatile, but keep in mind the great diversity of styles. A crisp, mineral Chablis is perfect with shellfish or oysters, but to pair the same with a rich, buttery Meursault would be less than ideal. The dense, slightly oaky opulence of the Meursault (or Puligny, or indeed Chassagne-Montrachet) would be more suited to a roast Bresse chicken or sole meunière. However, the wine I had chosen for dinner on this occasion was none of the above.

I have long been partial to the Morey-St-Denis 1er Cru Clos des Monts Luisants from Domaine Ponsot. It’s from ancient Aligoté vines (see Charles’ feature on Aligoté), planted in 1911 just up the slope from grand cru Clos de la Roche. Ponsot harvests the meagre yield and vinifies them in older, neutral oak casks. The Aligoté grape retains a lively acidity that needs some time to come around. I purchased a case of magnums of this wine and had cellared it for more than a decade. A recent magnum shared convinced me it was drinking at its peak.

I opted to pair the 2008 vintage Monts Luisants wine with large, wild-caught sea scallops. These exotics are three times the price of the smaller ones dredged from the ocean floor, but they are worth a splurge. Luxurious last-of-the-season white asparagus matched the richness of the scallops. Still, the two rich ingredients needed something clean and fresh to accompany them, so I devised a broth to use the stalks and trimmings from a bulb of fennel, reserving the centre for another dish. A pinch of saffron gave the broth an interesting twist. The slightly exotic aroma of saffron responded to the aged character of the Ponsot. The wine was still youthful and mineral but showed developed aromas of dried apricot and candle wax. By way of contrast, I pulled a young Bourgogne Aligoté – the 2019 vintage from Goisot (2021, £20.95 Sip Wines) – to have with dinner tonight, as its laser-beam freshness will cut through the rich tuna tartare with avocado.

In general, bright, high-acid whites such as Chablis (eg Chardonnay from the higher elevation vineyards of Puligny and Chassagne) will respond well to shellfish and white fish that is steamed or poached, such as a classic steamed Cantonese grouper with ginger and chives. Fuller-bodied versions of Chardonnay, such as a premier or grand cru from lower on the slopes of Puligny or Chassagne (or a Corton-Charlemagne), would be delightful with richer dishes, particularly with cream sauce – think of quenelles of brochet (pike) with crayfish sauce, roast pheasant, braised sweetbreads or even lobster poached in butter, topped with Oscietra caviar.

Time to shine

Similar considerations apply to red Burgundy, where the effect of age can be even more pronounced. I purchased a case of magnums of the 1996 Volnay Champans 1er Cru from Marquis d’Angerville at auction over 15 years ago. Over time, I had worked my way through the entire case save one. Some of the magnums have been a bit tired, but the best of them shone with luminous beauty. A top Volnay in its youth will have velvety richness with black plum and cherry aromas. At a quarter-century removed, the flavours are more profound and earthier, with savoury notes of game, truffle, smoke and iron.

A few of the magnums had tipped over into soy sauce and mushroom, but on the evening concerned, we had a stroke of luck, and this was perhaps the best magnum of the entire case.

‘There are no great wines, only great bottles’, as collectors are fond of spouting, and this was undeniably among the greats. It was developed and mature, but with reserves of power to assure me that had I waited longer, I still would have had a pleasant surprise. The maturity I had noted convinced me we needed game, so I hunted (well, among several different butchers) until I found a couple of brace of squab. The rich, earthy meat of the young pigeon complemented the mature aromas of the wine; using dried cep mushrooms heightened this effect. If the wine were five years of age instead of 25, I would have suggested a seared duck breast with a blackcurrant sauce rather than the gamier, long-cooked squab. Mature Pinot needs a dish with abundant umami to do its best, in my view. I tend to like earthy, gamey flavours; fatty meats can also fit the bill. With the d’Angerville Volnay, other possible matches might include unctuous braised pork belly or, for a more traditional take, braised mutton chops with sauteed escarole. Roast meats such as the mutton or roast or grilled beef steaks, such as ribeye, could also show quite well with a slightly younger wine.

There are horses for courses and dishes for wines, but the most critical element of pairing mature Burgundy and food is to drink the wines you’d like to drink with the food you’d like to eat. If you follow that simple rule, you will always enjoy your dinner; ignore it at your peril.

Charred diver scallops & roast white asparagus, fennel broth & saffron

Serves four

Ingredients

• 12 large diver scallops per person
• 12-20 spears white asparagus, depending on size
• butter
• salt and pepper
• olive oil for frying

For the broth

• one fennel bulb
• three star anise
• 25ml anise-flavoured liqueur or absinthe
• mirepoix (chopped carrots/ onion/celery)
• bay leaf
• salt and pepper
• a small pinch of saffron

Method

1. Prepare the broth. Trim the top branches of the fennel bulb and coarsely chop. Save the rest for another use. Reserve a few sprigs from the top for garnish (or use other herbs on hand). Cover the chopped fennel, mirepoix and bay leaf with cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer for half an hour, strain, season with salt and pepper. The broth can be made ahead to this point. Before serving, soak the pinch of saffron in a small amount of the broth and incorporate at the last minute with anise liqueur.
2. Roast the asparagus. Peel the asparagus if needed and trim. Melt 10g butter in a pan and add the white asparagus, seasoning with salt and pepper. Roast (without blanching) it at 180°C/350°F/gas 4, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.
3. Finish. The scallops take just a moment. Remove the muscle from the side of the scallops and season with salt and pepper. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil over very high heat. Add the seasoned scallops and sear well on the top and bottom; remove from heat. Place the white asparagus in a shallow bowl with the scallops on top and serve, pouring a bit of the hot saffron broth into each bowl.

Wines

Domaine Ponsot, Morey-St-Denis 1er Cru Clos des Monts Luisants Blanc 2008 (2015, US$170 Total Wine & More)

Other possibilities:

Domaine Michel Niellon, Clos de la Truffière, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chaumées 2010 (2020, £81.68-£105 Christopher Keiller, Four Walls, Private Cellar)

Domaine René et Vincent Dauvissat, Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses 2014 (2018, £315 Crop&Vine,TurvilleValley)

Squab braised with endive and ceps

Serves four

Ingredients

• four squab

For the braising liquid

• Mirepoix (chopped carrots/onion/celery)
• bay leaf
• salt and pepper,
• a dash of Cognac (optional)

For the garnish

• 50g dried ceps (porcini)
• eight Belgian endives (generally known/sold in the UK as ‘chicory’)
• fresh seasonal green vegetables
• 100ml inexpensive white wine for cooking
• butter
• salt and pepper

Method

1. Prepare the squab by trimming the neck and the wing tips. Remove the breast meat and the thigh and leg (keeping these two together). Chop the bones and reserve.
2. Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ gas 4 and braise the squab: in a sauté pan, brown the bones briefly in butter with a small amount of mirepoix and the bay leaf. Sear
   the meat on a high heat. Flambé with Cognac if desired. Reserve the breast meat; add the wine to the pan and reduce slightly before topping up with water halfway up the meat. Reduce to a simmer, cover with parchment paper and cook in the oven for 20 minutes.
3. Prepare the garnish: while this is cooking, cover the mushrooms with boiling water and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain, reserve the soaking liquid and coarsely chop. Cut the endives in half, sear in butter and roast cut side down in the oven. Prior to serving, cook the ceps in butter. Combine the squab meat, endive and ceps. Reduce the braising liquid if necessary, and strain over the squab and the garnish. Heat through, ensuring that the breast meat is cooked to your liking, and adjust seasoning. Serve with seasonal green vegetables – we used sautéed fiddlehead ferns (available in the spring in the US) from the market.

Wines

Domaine Marquis d’Angerville, Volnay 1er Cru Champans 1996 (2016/2018, £145 Handford)

Other possibilities

Domaine Thibault Liger- Belair, Nuits-St-George 1er Cru Les Saint-Georges 2015 (£170 Nemo Wine Cellars)

Domaine Méo-Camuzet, Clos Rognet Corton Grand Cru 2009 (2014, £230-£328 Bordeaux Index, Crump Richmond Shaw, Seckford Wines)

Appropriate cheese to round off the experience

One of the great pleasures of a French meal is to finish the wine with a bit of cheese after the main course. I prefer a variety. As with food pairings, the cheese doesn’t need to be from Burgundy, but here I introduce a few cheeses from the region (or the nearby Jura) that complement the wine. Feel free to substitute your local favourites.

Epoisses AP

A Burgundian classic, Epoisses is so revered that it has its own appellation d’origine protégée, with attendant strict production rules. The cheese is washed with a brine containing marc de Bourgogne (a distilled spirit similar to Italy’s grappa), a process that imparts a strong flavour and odour. The cheese can vary from cream- coloured to orange; the darker the appearance, the more pungent the odour will be.

Abbaye de Cîteaux

The famed 9th-century abbey of Cîteaux outside Dijon also produces a washed rind cheese, which is mild compared to Epoisses. It is firmer in texture since it is lightly pressed, while Epoisses is unpressed. It is served seemingly everywhere in Burgundy but isn’t easy to find outside the region. Substitutes include Reblochon, Saint-Nectaire or Morbier. The latter is produced in the Jura from the milk of Montbéliard cows (as is Cîteaux), but it is made with raw milk. Like Cîteaux, Morbier is pressed, but it is not washed, and the flavour is very mild.

Comté AP

Comté is one of the best-known French cheeses and the best wheels of Comté are among the great food products of France. Like Morbier, Comté is from the Jura. It is a hard cheese made by heating the curds before pressing and ageing, which can continue for anywhere from 12 to 36 months. The cheeses are graded, and the best are given a special green label and the designation Comté Extra.

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Wine matching by Fiona Beckett. Wines selected by our Decanter experts. 

Most of us would, I think, agree that you don’t have to give the same thought to wine pairing when out on a picnic as you would for a formal dinner party. But that’s not to say you shouldn’t choose a wine that’s broadly suitable for the style of the dishes involved, especially if they have a distinct personality, such as those of Indonesian food. It’s also true that most picnics include more than one dish and take place outside, and this puts a premium on wines with bigger flavours than you might consider for an indoor occasion.

The other issue, assuming the summer weather gods are smiling, is keeping your wines cool: one good reason wine in cans is becoming such a popular and practical option now. Choice is more limited than with bottled wine, but with new entrants to the market such as Vinca and Vin du Can you don’t have to be short-changed on quality. Small (2.25L) wine boxes from companies including The BIB Wine Co and Laylo are also a good bet, but harder to keep chilled.

That said, for the more interesting and alternative choices, such as those I’ve outlined on the following pages, you’re better with a bottle, so get your cool bag ready and head off.

The following are extracts from recently published books, with the title and author of each referenced at the end of the recipe.

Pork satay with chilli, ginger & lime

Recipe from The Indonesian Table by Petty Pandean-Elliott (£24.95 Phaidon Press) 

Sate babi rica-rica

Rica-rica is a sambal [hot paste] from Manado, North Sulawesi. The name translates to ‘chilli’ in the local dialect and, as to be expected, this spicy condiment has fiery intensity. The spiciness is also attributed to the red ginger, distinctively coloured, local to Manado and smaller than your typical ginger. For this recipe, I have reduced the number of bird’s eye chillies, but you can add as many as 20 if you’re feeling adventurous. You can also try this dish using prawns, chicken or fish fillets.

Makes 12-14 skewers

Ingredients

Rica-rica

• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 banana shallots, coarsely chopped
• 2-3 red bird’s eye chillies
• 2 large red chillies
• 20g ginger, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp coconut oil or sunflower oil
• juice of 1 lime
• salt, to taste

Satay

• 600g pork tenderloin, cut into 2cm cubes
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Method

1. Soak 14 long bamboo skewers in water for an hour. 2. To make the rica-rica, combine all the ingredients, except the oil, lime and salt, in a blender and whizz to a fine paste. Set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the paste and sauté for 6-7 minutes. Season with lime juice and salt and sauté for another 2 minutes. Set aside.

4. To make the satay, season the pork with salt, half of the rica-rica paste and the lime juice. Mix well and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

5. Preheat a charcoal barbecue or a griddled (grill) pan over high heat. Thread 4 pieces of pork onto each skewer. Grill the pork for 5-6 minutes, brushing it with marinade and turning often, until cooked through.

6. Transfer the skewers to a plate. Serve as is or with steamed rice or a spiced vegetable stew and the remaining rica-rica.

Fiona Beckett on what to drink

I normally recommend a Semillon with a satay sauce (peanuts and pineapple go wonderfully well together), but with the number of chillies involved (maybe not up to 20 if you’re drinking wine!) I’d be more inclined to go for the lush tropical fruit flavours of a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc or any other Sauvignon Blanc made in the Marlborough style. The other good option, of course, would be a Clare or Eden Valley Riesling from South Australia – maybe, given the overall level of chilli heat, with just a touch of sweetness.

Try: Smith & Sheth, Cru, Sauvignon Blanc, Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand 2021

Sweetcorn fritters with chilli & tomato sambal

Recipe from The Indonesian Table by Petty Pandean-Elliott (£24.95 Phaidon Press) 

Perkedel jagung dan dabu-dabu

Served as a snack or as part of a meal, these sweet and crunchy fritters are irresistible. Best of all, they’re unbelievably simple to make. Traditionally, the fritters are made with fresh sweetcorn on the cob, but you can substitute canned (or frozen) sweetcorn so long as you drain out all the water (this ensures a crunchy fritter). Makrut lime leaves infuse the fritters with a wonderful fragrance. Dabu-dabu is a fresh, versatile chilli-tomato sambal similar to tomato salsa. Traditionally, unripe green tomatoes are used, but regular tomatoes are acceptable. The sambal can be made in advance, but to preserve the tomatoes’ freshness, add the lime juice, salt and oil just before serving.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Fritters

• 250g sweetcorn
• 3 makrut lime leaves, centre stem removed and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
• 1-2 red bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped
• 500ml sunflower oil, for deep-frying
• 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
• 6 tbsp rice flour
• 4 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• 1⁄2 tsp white pepper

Sambal

• 3 green or red tomatoes, chopped
• 2-3 red bird’s eye chillies, thinly sliced
• 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil, warmed
• 1⁄4 tsp salt
• pinch of sugar (optional)
• juice of 2 limes

Method

1. If using canned sweetcorn, drain well and squeeze out as much water as possible from the kernels. Transfer the sweetcorn to a food processor and blend for 10 seconds until a coarse purée.

2. In a large bowl, combine the sweetcorn, lime leaves, garlic, spring onions, chillies and shallot and mix well. Stir in the rice flour and cornflour. Season with salt and pepper. The batter should be thick but easy to mix. If needed, add 2-3 tbsp of cold water to thin it out slightly.

3. Heat the oil in a wok or deep saucepan over medium heat. The oil is ready when a cube of bread dropped in sizzles on contact and turns golden in 10-15 seconds (alternatively, use a thermometer and heat to 180°C/350°F).

4. Scoop a tablespoon of the mixture and flatten it slightly into a patty. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Lower 5-6 into the pan and deep-fry for 2-3 minutes each side until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining fritters. 5. Mix all the sambal ingredients in a bowl. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container, top with oil and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Fiona Beckett on what to drink

You could pair these fritters with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, too, especially if you were serving them at the same time as the satay sticks (left) or, possibly even better, a sparkling Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling since fizz works so well with anything fried. I’d be tempted by an off-dry sparkling rosé, or at least one with not too low a dosage, most likely from the southern hemisphere, too (I’m thinking South Africa). A fruity still rosé, maybe from Portugal, could also work well.

Try: Graham Beck, Rosé Brut, Robertson, South Africa NV 

Pale smoked haddock scotch egg

Recipe extracted from For the Love of the Sea II, compiled by Jenny Jefferies (£22 Meze Publishing)

This is a wonderful recipe using delicious pale smoked haddock to make a scotch egg, as opposed to sausage meat. It’s lovely served with a homemade parsley mayonnaise for dipping.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 300g pale smoked haddock
• 35g cream cheese
• 2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• salt and pepper
• 4 small eggs
• 100g plain flour
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp milk
• 150g breadcrumbs
• oil, for frying
• sea salt, to finish

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4 and brush a baking tray with oil. Place the smoked haddock on the tray and cook in the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove and leave to cool.

2. Once cool, flake the smoked haddock and remove any bones and skin. Place the fish in a food processor with the cream cheese, spring onions and dill. Blend until smooth and then season to taste.

3. While the haddock is cooking, boil the 4 small eggs in their shells for 5 minutes, then plunge them straight into iced water to prevent discolouration.

4. Once cool, peel the eggs and pat dry. Take a quarter of the haddock mix and flatten it in the palm of your hand – which ideally should be cold – then place an egg in the middle. Mould the haddock mix into a ball to completely cover the egg, then repeat with the remainder of the mix and eggs.

5. Leave the eggs like this to rest for up to an hour. Meanwhile, place the flour in one bowl, whisk the remaining large egg with the milk in another, and place the breadcrumbs in a third bowl.

6. Coat the rested scotch eggs in the flour, then the egg mix, then the breadcrumbs. Heat a deep fat fryer or a large pan half full of oil to 200°C/400°F and cook the eggs for 3 minutes until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil, then serve warm and enjoy with some parsley mayonnaise.

Fiona Beckett on what to drink

I wouldn’t normally suggest a scotch egg with a Chardonnay, but I wouldn’t normally make them with smoked haddock either (though I will now). My first thought is Chablis, but frankly any creamy, cool-climate Chardonnay, say from Limoux, with a subtle touch of oak would work wonderfully. Other good options would be old bush-vine Chenin Blanc, a Grenache Blanc or a Grenache-based white Rhône blend, or maybe even a Pinot Gris, but nothing too overtly fruity I would say.

Try: Tabalí, Talinay Limestone Vineyard Chardonnay, Limarí Valley, Chile 2021 

Freekah & herb salad with preserved lemon & black olives

Recipe extracted from Rice & Grains by Kathy Kordalis (£18.99 Ryland Peters & Small)

Roasted shallots with a touch of cinnamon serve as a bed for the freekah, crisp cucumber, tomatoes, olives and the intensely citrus yet mellow preserved lemon. For an extra element, crumble over some feta or add pan-fried halloumi.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 shallots, peeled and halved
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• a pinch of ground cinnamon
• a pinch of dried oregano
• 200g freekah, rinsed
• 50g almonds, coarsely chopped and toasted
• 1 large cucumber, cubed
• 200g cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 small bunch each dill, coriander, mint and parsley, leaves picked
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• feta or pan-fried halloumi, to serve (optional)

Dressing

• 100g black olives, stoned and halved
• 1 preserved lemon, pith and flesh discarded, skin rinsed and finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 60ml olive oil
• a pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)
• freshly squeezed juice of 1-2 lemons, to taste
• 1 tsp honey, or to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Spread the shallots on a small baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with cinnamon and oregano and season to taste. Roast in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until tender and caramelised. 2. Meanwhile, bring 400ml water and 1 tsp salt to the boil in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the freekah, stir, bring back to the boil and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 25-30 minutes until the freekah is tender and the water evaporates. Drain and transfer to a bowl.

3. Mix the dressing ingredients in a serving dish, then add the shallots, freekah, cucumber and tomatoes and mix well. Check for seasoning, then add the herbs and scatter over the almonds.

4. Serve with the addition of crumbled feta or pan-fried halloumi, if you wish.

Fiona Beckett on what to drink

Although it’s not mentioned in the recipe title, it’s cinnamon that’s the key ingredient here, suggesting a red rather than a white – although it will depend, obviously, on whether other salads are in the mix. (A dark rosé such as Tavel or Cerasuolo would also work well.) Otherwise I’d go for a Lebanese red, which would seem in the spirit of the recipe, or a bright Spanish red such as a Bobal, Mencía or even a young, unoaked Rioja. Portugal also has some great food-friendly reds such as Dão.

Try: Mimo Moutinho, Touriga Nacional, Dão, Portugal 2021 

Borekas

Recipe extracted from Eat, Share, Love by Kalpna Woolf (£22 Meze Publishing)

Mini cheese pies

Eat, Share, Love is a collection of intertwined recipes and stories: global dishes from ordinary cooks all over the UK, alongside their compelling personal stories. The recipe

for these small savoury pastries was shared by Viviane Bowell.

Makes about 25

Ingredients

• 125ml sunflower oil
• 125ml unsalted butter
• 125ml water
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• 550g plain flour
• 450g grated cheese (any mixture such as feta, cheddar, Gruyère and Emmental)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 egg yolk
• sesame seeds (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oil and butter in a pan over a low heat until the butter melts. Add the water and salt, mix well, then add the flour gradually. Start with about 250g and mix in with a fork first, then start working it with your hand. Continue adding flour until you have a soft dough that holds together in a ball. Stop mixing as soon as the dough holds together. Cover with cling film and leave it to rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Do not put the dough in the fridge.

2. To make the filling, simply combine the grated cheese with the beaten egg. It should hold together, so if the mixture is runny, add some more grated cheese.

3. Take walnut-sized lumps of the rested dough and roll each piece into a ball. Press and squash between your palms until you have a 10cm round. Place a heaped teaspoon of the cheese filling in the centre of each round. Fold the dough over the filling into a half-moon, the traditional shape for borekas, then pinch the edges firmly together to seal the pies. Pinch, fold and twist the dough all around the edges or use a fork to seal them.

4. Place the pies on an oiled tray a few centimetres apart. Beat the egg yolk with a few drops of water and brush this over the pastry. Sprinkle the borekas with sesame seeds if using, then bake at 180°C/350°F/gas 4 for about 30 minutes until slightly golden.

Fiona Beckett on what to drink

These mini cheese pasties are classic picnic food, or a good snack for before a barbecue. Frankly almost anything you fancy – white, red or rosé – will work with them. I’d probably go for a crémant sparkling or a Cava myself, being a fan of fizz on a picnic. A pét-nat would be a fun alternative, given suitably open-minded picnic companions. And rosé, obviously – rosé works with everything summery, really. I’m thinking classic Provence or a similarly pale Languedoc rosé in this instance.

Try: Codorníu, Raventós Selección de la Familia Reserva, Cava, Penedès, Spain 2020

Passion fruit & raspberry cake donuts

Recipe extracted from The Joy of Snacks by Laura Goodman (£16.99 Headline Home)

Cake donuts are made of cake batter and yeast, or ‘raised’ donuts are made of enriched bread dough – both are fried, unless ‘baked’ is specified in the title. Whatever your preference, I urge you to try these. They’re crisp and juicy outside and soft and fluffy inside. They’re perfect.

Makes about 8 donuts

Author note I’m sorry, you need quite a few non-negotiable things: round cutters (or donut cutters), spider strainer, thermometer, kitchen paper, a wire rack.

Ingredients

• 175g plain flour
• 11⁄4 tsp baking powder
• 1⁄4 tsp salt
• 75g golden caster sugar
• 120g sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 15g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 65g raspberries
• rapeseed oil, for frying (about 1.5 litres)

For the glaze

• 2 large passion fruits (or 3-4 small ones)
• 200g icing sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

Method

1. Make the glaze first. Stir the seeds and juice from the passion fruits into the icing sugar and add milk a little at a time until you have a thin gloop. Passion fruits unhelpfully yield varying amounts of juice, but the main thing to know is that the glaze must be thick enough to envelop the donuts, but not thick enough that you could call it icing.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

3. In a jug or small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg, vanilla and melted butter until smooth and even.

4. Add half the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until only just combined. Repeat with the other half, but just before everything is combined, add the raspberries. Break them up as you add them to the bowl and work them very gently into the batter until there are no floury pockets. Interfere as little as you can while still getting the job done.

5. Leave the batter in its bowl and place it in the fridge for 10 minutes.

6. Now get your station sorted. Clear up and liberally flour your worktop.

7. Pour the oil into a deep saucepan so that it comes 5-8cm up the sides. Start heating it gently with the thermometer in it, bearing in mind you’re aiming for 180°C/350°F to fry.

8. Arrange several sheets of kitchen paper next to the fryer.

9. Take your batter out of the fridge and pat it to about 2cm thickness on your floured worktop. It’ll be really sticky and tricky to handle, so use lots of flour – don’t hold back.

10. Cut the donuts out, keeping their holes; I use an 8cm cutter for the donut and a 2.5cm cutter for the hole. Re-pat and cut more from the scraps. The less you handle the

dough the better, though, so if it comes to it, go for more holes and fewer rings. When the oil hits 180°C/350°F, fry 3 donuts at a time, prodding and turning them with your spider strainer, until they’re golden brown all over.

11. Move them to the kitchen-paper zone.

12. When the donuts are warm, not hot, place a wire rack over a plate or baking sheet to catch any glaze run-off. Stir the glaze. Dunk the donuts in the glaze and give them a good wiggle around, flipping them over and making sure they’re covered all over.

13. Transfer them to the wire rack. When the glaze has firmed up, they’re ready to eat.

Fiona Beckett on what to drink

Are you going to serve a separate wine with these donuts? Maybe for a posh picnic… Moscato d’Asti would be a good seasonal choice, but I’d actually be inclined to go for an extra-dry or a pink Prosecco, which tend to be sweet enough to go with cakes and biscuits; ideal for a teatime picnic. The less-common Italian sweet red wine Brachetto d’Acqui would also be a delicious choice to chime in with the raspberries.

Try: Kylie Minogue, Prosecco Rosé, Veneto, Italy NV 

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La Costiera Amalfitana, the Amalfi Coast, is also known as la divina costiera, ‘the divine coast’. This is no surprise to me because the whole area is magical, with its vertiginous terraces, historic churches and villas, pastel-painted villages clinging to the cliffs, all suspended between a clear blue sky and the sapphire waters of the Mediterranean. The Amalfi Coast is also where I was born and where I lived until I was 12 years old. Our home is Minori, one of the 13 villages officially included in the costiera. Even after we moved to the UK, we would travel back to Italy every summer to stay with my grandparents. To me it was, and still is, a paradise – even if it is a little busier now than it was during my childhood!

My grandmother cooked well, so she said, because she loved us well, and I treasure and cling to that thought. I also inherited my nonno’s love of lemons, and to this day, the very smell of lemons evokes the most wonderful memories, of heat and happiness, which is possibly the very essence of the Amalfi Coast and of Italy.

Spaghetti al limone

This is an iconic dish from the Amalfi Coast, with at least a thousand different variations – in essence, though, just five ingredients, and only 15 minutes to prepare.

Serves six

Ingredients

• 600g spaghetti
• 300ml double cream
• freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
• grated zest of three lemons
• 90g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling, salted water (only salt the water when it starts to boil) until al dente. This will very much depend on personal preference, so taste as you are cooking and stop when the pasta is cooked to your liking.

2. Drain the pasta, reserving 240ml of the cooking water.

3. Add the cream, lemon juice, zest and butter and mix very well. Add some of the reserved pasta cooking water to slacken the sauce if needed.

4. Season to taste and enjoy straightaway.

Ursula Ferrigno is an acclaimed and experienced food writer and chef, specialising in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. She trained at the Auguste Escoffier School of the Culinary Arts and has taught at cookery schools in the UK and Italy, including at Leiths School of Food and Wine. She is consultant chef to Caffè Nero and appears regularly on BBC TV. The author of more than 18 cookery books, she has also written for Olive, BBC Good Food, The Observer and Taste Italia.

Cucina di Amalfi by Ursula Ferrigno was published in March 2023 (£20 Ryland Peters & Small). It details 75 recipes from the southern Italian region, ranging from antipasti and soups to bread, fish, meats and plenty of vegetables, coupled with essays on the traditions and food culture of the area, along with scenic photography.

The wines to drink with spaghetti al limone

On the face of it, this recipe couldn’t be easier, but lemon is always a bit of a tricky one. Do you go for a citrussy white like a Sauvignon Blanc, for example? In my view it’s too similar, so I’d personally opt for a more linear Italian white, such as a Greco di Tufo from Campania or a not-too-fruity Falanghina, both from the same region as the recipe.

The more interesting choice, however, would be a light red – a combination I first came across at the River Café in west London where they poured a Valpolicella with a similar dish. It’s enough of a contrast (a straight Classico, not a ripasso, I suggest) to bring something else to the party without overwhelming the delicate balance of the sauce. Bardolino and Frappato would be good alternatives.

The other interesting option at this time of year would be a Provence rosé, especially one with a significant proportion of Cinsault, which has a lightness and freshness that would chime perfectly with this dish.

By Fiona Beckett

Wines selected by our Decanter experts

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Anyone who has spent time in the Rioja region will be familiar with its main speciality: grilled lamb cooked over an open fire made from vine cuttings. It’s extraordinarily good – the meat is young and tender and harmonises perfectly with the local Tempranillo-based wines.

But although the region’s food is traditionally quite simple, rustic and based on a wealth of good local ingredients, there’s more to it than meat (though the suckling pig is delicious and there is always jamón too). Fish from the coast finds its way into the markets and restaurants, particularly hake, tuna and salt cod – the basis for another trademark speciality, bacalao a la Riojana.

Vegetables and pulses are abundant, and in many cases preserved so you can eat them year-round. Artichokes, asparagus and cardoons are incorporated in a wonderful spring vegetable stew called menestra, often offered as a vegetarian option, although it generally includes ham – which the locals seem to reckon doesn’t count.

There is also a multitude of dried beans that form the basis of the region’s hearty stews or can be served as simple sides with fish such as hake (see recipe below). Although pork fat was traditionally the cooking medium (according to Claudia Roden’s The Food of Spain), olive oil is ubiquitous these days.

The cuisine is also spicier than you might guess from the simply seasoned lamb. Many dishes are flavoured with paprika (pimentón) which comes in both sweet (dulce) and hot (piccante) versions and finds its way into the tasty local chorizo sausages. Riojanos also love to use garlic – there’s scarcely a recipe without it alongside the omnipresent tomato.

Tapas culture is strong here, and most bars offer tapas, including mushrooms (my favourite) – the only dish they serve in Bar Soriano in Logroño (see recipe below).

Sheep’s cheese is the most widely available cheese, though there is a local goat’s cheese called Camerano that’s well worth looking out for if you are visiting the region. But the great thing is that you can easily eat like a Riojano at home. Give it a try!

Hake with garlic chips and white beans

Hake is Spain’s absolutely favourite fish, made extra delicious with a scattering of crisp garlic chips and creamy white beans. Perfect with an oaked white Rioja.

Serves 2

Preparation time 5 minutes

Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 3tbsp + 1tsp olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
• 50ml oaked white Rioja
• 50ml fish or vegetable stock
• 1 handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• good pinch dried chilli flakes
• 2 x 175g hake fillets
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1⁄2 large jar (600g) Spanish white haricot beans
• 1 sprig thyme

Method

1. Drain the beans and put them in a saucepan with the thyme and 50ml of water.

2. Heat through, stirring until the water is mostly evaporated and the beans are creamy. Keep warm while you cook the fish.

3. Warm 3 tbsp of olive oil in a small frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the sliced garlic cloves and once they begin to colour turn the heat down and cook until golden and crispy, taking care not to burn them. Remove the garlic ‘chips’ from the pan with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

4. Pour the wine into the pan, let it bubble up and then add the stock, parsley, a pinch of sea salt and chilli flakes. Simmer for a couple of minutes then pour into a small bowl.

5. Wipe the pan with a paper towel and add 1 tsp of olive oil. Season the hake fillets lightly with salt and pepper and place each fillet skin side down in the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes until the skin is crisp and the fish just over half cooked. Turn the fillets and cook on the other side for about 30 seconds to one minute.

6. Place the hake fillets on warm plates. Warm through the sauce and pour it over the hake then scatter with the fried garlic chips. Serve with the white beans.

The wines to pair

Hacienda López de Haro, Blanco 2021

La Rioja Alta, The Society’s Exhibition Reserva, Reserva 2018

White asparagus with tuna and mayonnaise

More of an assembly job than a recipe, making the best use of Spain’s fantastic canned produce.

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 large tin or 2 x 500g jars white asparagus
• 112g tin high-quality tuna (such as Ortiz)
• 100g homemade or shop-bought mayonnaise
• freshly grated lemon rind
• black pepper

Method

1. Arrange the asparagus on four plates. Roughly break up the tuna and spoon over the spears. Put the mayonnaise in a bowl and add enough of the liquid from the asparagus tin to loosen it slightly.

2. Season with black pepper (you shouldn’t need salt) and spoon over the asparagus and tuna. Finish with a little freshly grated lemon rind.

The wines to pair

Luis Cañas, Blanco 2021

CVNE, Viña Real Rosado 2021

Mushroom tapas, Logroño-style

I had a dish like this at Bar Soriano in Logroño’s Calle Laurel, which offers only garlicky mushrooms to eat. You can serve it on a fresh or lightly toasted baguette – I marginally prefer the crunch of the latter. Either way, it sets off a good red Rioja perfectly.

Serves 4

Preparation time 5 minutes

Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 225g small chestnut or button mushrooms, wiped, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 20g butter
• 2 heaped tbsp finely chopped parsley
• salt, black pepper and a good pinch of sweet paprika
• 12 thin slices of baguette (about 1.5cm thick)

Method

1. Heat a medium-sized frying pan, add the oil then tip in the mushrooms. Cook without stirring for 2-3 minutes then flip the mushrooms and continue cooking for a couple of minutes.

2. Add the chopped garlic and continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes, until any liquid is absorbed. Add the butter and parsley, heat through and season with salt, pepper and a good pinch of sweet paprika.

3. Take off the heat and set aside while you lightly toast the baguette slices. Pile the mushrooms on top of them and serve immediately.

The wines to pair

Muga, Prado Enea Gran Reserva 2015

Bodegas Palacio, Glorioso Reserva 2017

Smoky lamb chops with patatas bravas

Tapas fans will know that bravas is the name of a spicy sauce, spiked with paprika and commonly served over fried potatoes. My version is based on the one from my local tapas bar, Bar 44 in Bristol. It makes enough for twice this quantity of potatoes but it’s useful to keep in the fridge or freezer. I also like roasting the potatoes rather than frying them, which cuts down on last-minute work and frying smells (fine in a restaurant, less good in a home kitchen).

Serves 4

Preparation time 30 mins

Cooking time 2 hours

Ingredients

• 2-3 lamb cutlets per person
• smoked salt (I like the version from the Cornish Sea Salt Co)
• 800g potatoes (King Edward or similar)
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp olive oil

For the bravas sauce

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 large, fresh red chilli, finely sliced
• 1 fresh bay leaf (optional)
• 1 sprig thyme (leaves stripped)
• 1 tsp hot paprika
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 large Spanish onion, chopped
• 75ml oaked white Rioja
• 1 small jar roasted piquillo peppers, drained (about 175g)
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2-3 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
• salt and black pepper

Method

1. Take the cutlets out of the fridge and leave at room temperature while you prepare the patatas bravas.

2. First make the sauce. Warm the olive oil over a moderate heat and add the sliced garlic, stirring until it begins to turn golden. Add the sliced chilli, cook for one minute, then stir in the bay leaf, thyme and paprika. Add the onion, cover the pan and leave on a low heat for about 20 minutes until the onion is completely soft. Turn up the heat, add the Rioja, bubble up to reduce, then add the piquillo peppers and chopped tomatoes. Turn down the heat and leave to simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.

3. Take off the heat, cool for a couple of minutes, remove the bay leaf, then blitz the sauce in a blender until smooth. Return half the sauce to the pan and set aside until ready to reheat. (Put the rest in a container and refrigerate or freeze).

4. Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.

5. Peel the potatoes and cut into smallish chunks. Put in a saucepan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 or 6 minutes. Drain and shake the potatoes in a colander, sift over the flour and salt, then shake again. Put a roasting tin in the oven with 4 tbsp olive oil, heat through for a few minutes then tip in the potatoes. Roast for about 50-60 minutes, turning them from time to time until well browned and crisp.

6. Just before the potatoes are done, fire up the barbecue or heat a ridged grill pan. Rub a little olive oil into the surface of each lamb cutlet and sprinkle with smoked salt. Place the cutlets on the grill and leave for 2-4 minutes depending how thick they are. Turn them over and grill the other side for a minute or two. Remove from the grill and leave on a platter to rest.

7. Transfer the potatoes to a serving plate. Heat through the bravas sauce, pour over the potatoes and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with the cutlets, alongside some allioli (garlic mayonnaise) and a simple green salad.

The wines to pair

Bodegas Lan, Reserva 2016

Sierra Cantabria, Reserva 2015

Photography by Louise Haywood-Schiefer, food styling by Nikki Morgan

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The most enduring of classic cocktails, the Martini is simple to make and infinitely customisable. But how do you create the very best one possible? We asked the top mixologists in London’s Martini business – Agostino Perrone and Giorgio Bargiani of The Connaught Bar, Alessandro Palazzi of Dukes Bar and Brian Silva of Rules. Here are their thoughts…

The spirit: Vodka vs gin

None of our bartenders would badmouth the Vodka Martini. And yet, all name gin as their go-to spirit base, because it has so much more flavour. It seems their customers agree: both Palazzi and the Connaught duo say 70% of the Martinis they sell are made with gin. Silva’s numbers are similar, though the Boston native notes an exception: ‘American customers seem to prefer vodka.’

As for the perfect gin? Choose something classic and juniper-forward. The Connaught Bar, known for both precision and world-leading innovation, uses its own gin, infused with hand-crushed juniper, coriander seeds, liquorice, angelica root, orris root, mace, Amalfi lemon and red wine – but also uses Tanqueray No10.

Silva’s preference is a gin that’s ‘as ginny as possible’, and he cites the likes of Tanqueray, No3 (from Berry Bros & Rudd), Plymouth and Sipsmith. Palazzi, meanwhile, prides himself on experimenting with a number of smaller gin brands, but he considers Beefeater, No3, Plymouth and Tanqueray to be reliable, easy-to-find picks.

When vodka is involved, full-flavoured spirits get the nod. Palazzi and the Connaught team often use Konik’s Tail, a blend of spelt, rye and wheat. Though for his popular Vesper Martini – a James Bond-inspired blend of gin and vodka – Palazzi uses one-part rye Potocki vodka to three-parts No3 gin, with amber vermouth.

The vermouth: Wet vs dry

‘It’s very wrong not to have vermouth – otherwise it’s not a cocktail,’ Palazzi points out. In every bartender’s eye, even the driest Martini must contain some vermouth, giving the drink balance and flavour. In fact, now that there are so many quality vermouths on the market, it’s sometimes a case of the more, the better. Palazzi can tell a customer is in the drinks business if they order their Martini ‘wet’: ‘99% of the time industry people ask for more vermouth; they appreciate the aroma and balance it brings.’

The preferred ratios vary. Palazzi, when he wheels his Martini trolley out to customers, famously doesn’t measure; he coats the inside of a freezer-chilled Martini glass in vermouth then, in his signature move, shakes out the excess on the bar carpet. ‘People think it’s all going on the floor, but actually there’s still plenty of vermouth in the glass,’ he explains.

Meanwhile, Perrone and Bargiani use a five-to-one ratio in their signature Connaught Martini – 75ml spirit to 15ml vermouth – and Silva prefers a classic 60ml to 10ml.

Palazzi often uses Sacred’s vermouth, a product he helped to develop. But both the Connaught team and Silva use a house blend of commercial vermouths – the former employing a mix of extra-dry, dry and sweet to create a rounded pour that can work with many serves. But our bartenders recommend that home mixologists just plump for something good quality; Noilly Prat and Cocchi (which has just released a new extra-dry with Martinis in mind) were both named as favourites.

The chill: Shaken vs stirred

Sorry, 007: all our bartenders say they would never shake a Martini, unless explicitly asked to do so by a customer. It comes down to control. Stir a cocktail in a mixing glass, and you can keep a close eye on how fast the ice is melting. Shaking is less precise; it can result in a lighter cocktail, but also ice shards – ultimately causing over-dilution.

And yet, some dilution is essential. ‘Ice is the third ingredient,’ says Silva, who mixes room- temperature gin and vermouth with large chunks of ice in a mixing glass to achieve his perfect serve. ‘As you stir, the spirit and vermouth will melt the ice, adding around 10ml water to your final cocktail – the perfect balance.’ For home bartenders who might not know how long it takes to achieve that 10ml of melt, he suggests using a straw to sample the drink every 5-10 seconds while stirring. ‘If it’s still tasting rough, then you know you’re not quite there.’ With practice, you should get a sense of how long to mix for – though you’ll have to adjust timings to fit different spirits. Higher-abv ones, for example, might need longer.

The quality of your ice is crucial. In fact, Perrone and Bargiani say this is the number one thing people get wrong when making Martinis. ‘The rest is personal taste,’ says Perrone, ‘but use bad ice or a bad garnish, and it won’t be right.’

At The Connaught they use only crystal-clear commercial ice, because frosty chunks from a normal freezer are full of impurities. It’s hard for home bartenders to get hold of, but you can make your own cheat’s version. Perrone and Bargiani suggest filling an insulated picnic cooler with water and placing it uncovered in the freezer.

The ice will freeze very slowly, giving impurities time to settle to the bottom, and when you remove the ice block you can simply chip these away. ‘I did it all the time at home during lockdown,’ says Bargiani.

Meanwhile, Palazzi takes a different approach to chilling. He neither shakes nor stirs his Martinis in the conventional sense, preferring to pour icy spirit direct from freezer-chilled bottles into the vermouth-coated glass and allowing them to mingle naturally. This lack of water dilution makes his smooth-tasting Martinis notoriously strong – especially as the cold temperature delays the alcoholic punch. If you use his method at home, just remember that there’s a reason why Palazzi limits customers to a maximum of two Martinis each per seating.

The garnish: Lemon vs olive

There’s no right or wrong answer here – if you’re drinking a vodka Martini, at least. When it comes to gin, our bartenders all prefer a lemon peel garnish because it enhances, rather than clashes with, the spirit’s botanicals. (For the same reason, gin Dirty Martinis, using olive brine, are considered a no-no.)

For Palazzi, lemon enhances the overall drinking experience too. ‘You drink the cocktail first with your nose – the lemon is fragrant. Olives don’t smell of anything.’ Not just any lemon will do. Both Palazzi and the Connaught team exclusively use organic Amalfi lemons for their thick skin and aromatic, slightly sweeter profile. But the most important thing is that the lemon is unwaxed, so all those citrus oils can escape from the peel into your Martini.

There’s no need for fancy knife skills. All our bartenders simply cut long, chunky lengths using a vegetable peeler, then pinch or twist it over the Martini. You’ve done it right if you can see tiny drops of lemon oil floating on top of your drink. Most bartenders finish by resting the peel inside the Martini glass, though Silva is an exception: ‘there’s no need as you’ve already extracted the flavour’. He prefers to serve his Martini naked.

As for any other serving tips? The Connaught team break from tradition and add bitters to their drinks to make them customisable. Before pouring the prepared Martini, Perrone and Bargiani personalise each glass with a drizzle of the customer’s choice of housemade bitters: lavender, coriander, tonka, cardamom or ‘Dr Ago’ blend. Palazzi, meanwhile, uses a dash of Angostura bitters in his Vesper Martini.

How to make the perfect Martini at home

Play around with the quantities, timings and spirits of choice to get a Martini that suits your taste.

Ingredients

60ml London dry gin

10ml dry or extra-dry vermouth, plus another 10ml to flavour the ice (optional)

1 fresh unwaxed lemon

Large-chunk quality ice

Method

1 Twenty minutes before making your Martini, chill a small (125ml) drinking glass in the freezer. Five minutes before making it, fill a cocktail mixing glass to the brim with large-chunk quality ice and (optional) 10ml vermouth.

2 When ready, remove your glass from the freezer and pour any melted liquid away from your ice-filled cocktail mixing glass. Add your gin and 10ml vermouth to your mixing glass, then stir continuously for 10-15 seconds.

3 Strain the Martini into your drinking glass. Cut a length of lemon peel using a vegetable peeler, and twist over your Martini to release the oils. Garnish with the peel and enjoy immediately.

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Hortense Idoine Manoncourt, president and co-owner of Château Figeac, picks the estate’s 2011 to match her tomato soufflé recipe, listed in full below.

‘The 2011 is a great wine with a full mouthfeel, velvety tannins and a beautiful aromatic complexity,’ she says, stating that the generosity of the vintage calls for an equally rich dish marked by an ‘explosion of flavours’.

Ms. Hortense Manoncourt’s original tomato soufflé recipe:

Ingredients:

6 tomatoes

500ml milk

30g butter

30g flour

4 eggs

100 g of grated Gruyère

Few cubes of ham (optional)

Pinch of curry powder (optional)

Method:

1. Core six large tomatoes and turn them over on kitchen paper.

2. In a bowl, prepare a Béchamel sauce over heat with 500ml of milk, 30g of butter and 30g of flour. Be sure not to make it too thick! (Optional: add a touch of curry powder for an extra kick.)

3. Leave the Béchamel to cool and add four egg yolks, 100g of grated Gruyère, and a few cubes of ham.

4. Separately, beat the four egg whites and fold them into the mixture.

5. Fill each cored tomato to the brim, with a bit of overflow (without running down the side of the tomato).

6. Bake in the oven at gas mark 7 ( 425°F, 220°C, 200 fan oven) for 40 to 50 minutes.

Proposed wine pairing:

Château Figeac, St-Emilion 1GCC 2011

£88.33 (ib)-£169 Berry Bros Exchange, Cru, Farr Vintners, Fine & Rare, Hedonism

See the Château Figeac 2011 tasting note

‘I’m not sure there’s an ‘ultimate’ recipe – it’s a question of personal taste,’ said Fiona Beckett in Decanter magazine in 2015, who shares her own recipe for mulled wine below.

‘Remember not to boil the liquid at any point, otherwise you’ll burn off the alcohol and make your mulled wine taste bitter.’

Best wine for mulled wine

‘Make sure you’re not mulling one of the finest bottles in your cellar – which I’m sure you’re not’, said Beckett, who recommends going for a medium bodied red wine. 

‘A drinkable if inexpensive wine for a base – something like an own-label Corbières is ideal.’

Christophe Lechavlier from Borough Wines agrees that a medium bodied wine works well for a lighter mulled wine.

‘You could go for something a bit chunkier – a Syrah for example – which will bulk up the mulled wine’ he told Decanter.com in a video below.

‘You’re going to cook the wine remember, so you don’t want to spend too much, but you do want good quality.’

Other spirits

‘I personally think you need to add something sweet like a good slug of vintage character or late bottled vintage Port, or a dash of Grand Marnier or Cointreau,’ said Beckett.

Lechavlier also suggests a smokey whisky, brandy or rum as additions, but advises that you add a shot after you’ve made the mulled wine.

If using orange juice in your mulled wine recipe, Lechavlier suggests using ideally freshly squeezed, or if from concentrate, mixing it with some water.

Spices

‘I also try to keep most of my spices whole, otherwise the mulled wine can taste powdery – so use cinnamon sticks rather than ground cinnamon, for example’ said Beckett. She uses cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, nutmeg and a clove-studded orange in her recipe below.

‘It’s down to imagination,’ said Lechavlier. ‘You could try cinnamon, aniseed, nutmeg – even vanilla.’

If you are going to add sugar to your wine, start with a small amount and you can always add more later, advises Lechavlier.

Fiona Beckett’s mulled wine recipe

To serve 8-10

Ingredients

• 2 bottles medium-bodied red wine
• 1 unwaxed orange studded with 6 cloves
• a few strips of zest from an unwaxed lemon
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• a little freshly grated nutmeg
• 100g soft brown sugar
• 100ml orange liqueur
• a few orange slices

Method

1. Pour the wine into a large saucepan and add 500ml cold water
2. Add the orange and lemon zest, spices and sugar and heat gently until almost boiling
3. Reduce the heat as low as possible – the liquid should barely tremble – and simmer for about 30 minutes so the spices infuse
4. Add the orange liqueur and orange slices and reheat without boiling
5. Ladle into small cups or glasses to serve

Video: How to make mulled wine

Video made in 2014. 

Quick to prepare scallop sashimi with tarragon, baby leeks and chicken reduction — paired with dry and aromatic Vouvray wines at an event organised by Great British Chefs.

Great British Chefs seafood specialist Tom Brown shares his recipe in 10 easy steps:

Scallops sashimi with tarragon, baby leeks and chicken reduction

Prep time 30 mins

Cooking time 60 mins

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

• 8 hand-dived scallops
• 3 baby leeks
• 1.5 litres chicken stock
• 1kg chicken wings
• 150ml cold pressed rapeseed oil
• 100ml verjus
• 1 small bunch of tarragon
• 1 pinch of sea salt

Method

1) Pre-heat the oven to 180˚C / gas mark 4.

2) Spread the chicken wings evenly in one layer on a roasting tray and roast in the oven until dark golden, sticky and caramelised.

3) Use 250ml of chicken stock to deglaze the roasting tray, ensuring to thoroughly scrape all the flavourful bits of chicken that have stuck to the tray.

4) Add all the chicken contents, along with the remaining stock, to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

5) Heat until the stock has reduced by about two thirds, then pass through a fine sieve and leave to cool.

6) Trim the baby leeks and blanch them in heavily salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Refresh them in ice water, then place on a cloth to dry.

Tom’s tips on shucking scallops:

7) Dip the scallops in cold water and place briefly on a cloth. Then slice them in half to give two round slices. Arrange four slices per plate and generously season with sea salt.

8) Hold a sharp knife at an angle and cut thin, eye-shaped slices of the baby leeks. Put about 3 slices of leek on each piece of scallop, before adding 2 tablespoons of the chicken reduction.

9) Add another layer of flavour by drizzling 1 tablespoon of verjus and 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil.

10) Finish by selecting the smallest blades of tarragon and arrange neatly on top to finish. Serve and enjoy!

• Visit Great British Chefs for more scallop recipes

Why Vouvray wines were chosen to match this recipe

White Vouvray wines are made from the Chenin Blanc grape, and come from Vouvray AOC in France’s Loire Valley. Typical dry, or sec, Vouvray wines display apple or pear flavours with a zesty acidity.

‘Vouvray has high acidity, which is countered by small amounts of residual sugar,’ said winemaker Tania Carême of Domaine Vincent Carême.

‘This creates a wine that tastes dry and balanced, to match with the different sweet and sharp elements of the dish.’

• Test your knowledge – Chenin Blanc quiz

‘These wines stand out for working well with sushi,’ said chef Tom Brown.

‘So I thought I’d create my own twist with raw scallops and added an umami element from the chicken flavours mixed with the acidity of the verjus and rich rapeseed oil.’

Recipe by Great British Chefs, which organised this event, and write-up on Vouvray wines by Laura Seal.

Coming soon: Decanter guide to pairing wine with sushi.

Vouvray wines reviewed by Decanter:

Tom Brown was head chef at Michelin-starred Outlaw’s at the Capital and recently reached the finals of Great British Menu. He will be opening his new restaurant Cornerstone in east London, due to launch February 2018. Click here to find out more

More food and wine ideas:

• Barbecue sardines with garlic and lemon – and wines to match

• Tandoor grilled monkfish with a wine to match – recipe

• Squid ink linguine with wines to match – Michel Roux Jr

• Rillettes of mackerel on toasted Irish Soda bread – and wines to match

Fresh sardines sizzling on the barbecue are a beautiful sight in summer. We've teamed up with Alex Head, founder and chef at Social Pantry, to bring you this delicious recipe, with wine pairing suggestions from the Decanter team.

‘Sardines are a brilliant alternative to salmon,’ says Alex Head, of London-based caterer and events organiser Social Pantry. ‘I love them, they’re great on the BBQ and can be easily cooked in the oven if the heavens open.’

That’s less of a risk if you’re reading this in Los Angeles, but a recurring feature of summer in the UK.

How to make barbecue sardines with lemon and garlic 

Recipe by Alex Head

Serves: 2 people

What you’ll need:

• 6 sardines
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 tbsp good quality olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp of paprika
• Malden sea salt
• Cracked black pepper

Method:

1. To create your marinade, mix the garlic, oil, lemon, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper.
2. Place the sardines on a shallow tray and cover in the marinade.
3. Set aside in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Skewer two or three fish onto metal or wooden skewers. Top tip: whilst the fish is marinating, soak wooden skewers in water to avoid scorching during cooking.
5. Cook the sardines on a high-heat BBQ for 2 – 3 minutes before flipping over. Then cook for a further 3 minutes until cooked through.

Side serving: Enjoy with a fresh green salad and lemon yoghurt

Wines to match with sardines on the barbecue:

• High acid whites with citrus flavours

• Avoid heavy reds with big tannins

White wines

A minerally Albariño, such as those from Rías Baixas in north-west Spain, should match the salt of the fish and the citrus of the lemon, whilst be transparent enough to let the food shine.

A Picpoul de Pinet from Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France should also have the acidity and citrus notes to pair well with this dish.

Both are good alternatives to Sauvignon Blanc, which would be a more classic match.

Red wines

When it comes to red wines, oily fish can react with tannins to leave a metallic taste in the mouth. In other words, leave your vintage Bordeaux and Barossa Shiraz in the cellar for another day.

Try lighter styles of red with decent levels of acidity. Beaujolais or Valpolicella DOC would be good places to start. Try a traditionally lighter Beaujolais Cru like Fleurie. We would even suggest popping some of these reds in the fridge to chill before serving them with your sardines.

Wine pairings by Chris Mercer and James Button. 

Credit: Vitinova / AOP Picpoul de Pinet

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Back to Decanter.com’s main barbecue wines page 

About Alex Head and Social Pantry

Alex Head is the owner and founder of events and corporate catering company Social Pantry with a café in Battersea, south London, of the same name.

Alex strives to take the fear out of entertaining by placing emphasis on fresh, seasonal and accessible food presented in an elegant, personal way. With all her recipes, Alex encourages social entertaining by showing how easy it is to jump in the kitchen and cook up a feast for a crowd.

The Decanter team joined Great British Chefs and up-and-coming Chef Tom Brown - head chef at Nathan Outlaw’s at The Capital - in a masterclass on the quest to create a perfect pancake. Drinks matching was provided by Decanter.com contributor Matthieu Longuère, Master Sommelier and tutor at Le Cordon Bleu London.

• To see the full pancakes with rhubarb, apple, almonds and clotted cream recipe click here

• See wine matching recommendations for Pancakes with Decanter and Matthieu Longuère MS

Sieving Pancake Ingredients

Chef Tom Brown cutting forced Rhubarb

Chef Tom Brown cutting forced Rhubarb

Decanter's Annabelle Sing and Jessica Charlton practice the Rhubarb compote

Rhubarb and apple compote before being reduced for 5-7 minutes

Decanter's Jessica Charlton double checking the recipe from Great British Chefs

Chef Tom Brown explaining how to make the perfect pancake

In the small frying pan, the pancake begins to take shape

Rhubarb and apple compote and pancakes nearly ready

Decanter's Annabelle Sing at the Cordon Bleu Cookery School putting the finishing touches to the Rhubarb and apple compot and pancakes

Chef Tom Brown plates up the pancakes

And they are ready to try

They didn't last long

The Decanter team joined Great British Chefs and up-and-coming Chef Tom Brown - head chef at Nathan Outlaw’s at The Capital - in a masterclass on the quest to create a perfect pancake. Drinks matching was provided by Decanter.com contributor Matthieu Longuère, Master Sommelier and tutor at Le Cordon Bleu London.

With today being Shrove Tuesday it seemed only natural that the Decanter team: Harry Fawkes, Jessica Charlton, and Annabelle Sing, attend an exclusive crêpe demonstration evening with Chef Tom Brown at the world-famous cookery school Le Corden Bleu in London.

In anticipation of Pancake Day, Tom chose a simple recipe for us to follow: mini crêpes with a seasonal topping of rhubarb, almonds and clotted cream.

Suitable for us Decanter novices to recreate easily at home but hopefully with a resulting dish that would look both impressive and elegant.

Cooking with forced rhubarb (rhubarb that is grown in the dark under candlelight which makes the stems shoot upwards to grow faster and for a arguably more succulent taste) and fresh Cornish clotted cream added to the sophistication of this dish.

But Tom also revealed a few interesting tricks and tips on how to make picture-perfect fluffy pancakes in any kitchen. We’ve added these in bold below:

Pancakes with rhubarb, apple, almonds and clotted cream

Chef: Tom Brown

Serves: 5

Preparation time – 30 minutes

Pancake batter

• 200g plain flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 large egg
• 300ml milk

Rhubarb compote

• 500g forced rhubarb, washed and trimmed
• 1 large Braeburn apple, peeled and cored
• 50ml ginger beer
• 50g butter
• 50g caster sugar

To serve

• Toasted almond flakes
• Clotted cream

Method

1. To make the pancake batter, sieve the dry ingredients together into a mixing bowl – Sieving the flour airs the batter which helps to create light and fluffy pancakes
2. In a separate bowl or jug, beat together the milk and eggs then whisk into the dry mix – Whisking sideways will help create bubbles which, in turn, will air the batter
3. Once smooth, cover and leave to rest in the fridge for an hour prior to use – Pancake batter needs to rest to stretch it out. However, it is not necessary to leave it to rest too long; overnight is the absolute maximum time recommended
4. To make the rhubarb compote, roughly chop the rhubarb and apple into 2cm chunks – For this dish, red apples are better to use than green apples. Red apples are naturally sweeter than green apples so go better with rhubarb which is already quite sour
5. Melt the butter in a pan and add the rhubarb, apple, ginger beer and sugar. Gently cook down until thick and stick – The desired consistency of the compote should be gooey. To know when it’s ready just taste it – if it tastes good, it’s probably done! Note that the compote gets naturally sweeter the longer it cooks
6. Make pancakes using the batter – Rapeseed oil or sunflower oil is best to use here as they have a higher burning point
7. To serve, stack the pancakes on top of each other and top with a generous spoonful of the compote, some clotted cream and a handful of toasted almond flakes – Dip the spoon in hot water before scooping into the clotted cream – this will help achieve the perfect quenelle shape

Did they taste as good as they looked? We thought so! The end result is so much more than just a classic pancake.

Note – these crêpes work just as well as a savoury dish. Mushrooms, crème fraiche, and mackerel are just a few ingredients that you could use

• To see the gallery of pictures of how to make these pancakes, click here

Visit Great British Chefs for more pancake recipes

• See wine matching recommendations for Pancakes with Decanter and Matthieu Longuère MS

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How to make Christmas Sangria

Camino spiced Sangria: Ingredients

• Orange juice – 10ml
• Licor 43 – 20ml
• Whitely Neill – 10ml
• Rame – 125ml
• Clove – five
• Cinnamon sticks – two
• Nutmeg – one
• Green apple slices
• Orange slices
• Lemonade or Cava to top

• Winter drinks recipes – Great British Chefs

Method

Mix all ingredients together, apart from the apple and orange slices, one of the cinnamon sticks and the lemonade or Cava.

Ideally do this a few hours before serving, for the spices to blend in well.

Pour this pre-mixed Sangria into a sundae glass, or a wine glass, with cubed ice and top with lemonade or Cava.

Garnish with some more chopped orange and apple, and finish with the other cinnamon stick.

• Find your nearest Camino here.

• Watch our how to make Christmas Sangria video on our Facebook page

• Wine cocktails and how to make them

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Winter is upon us and Decanter.com has teamed up with Great British Chefs to bring you five of their most seasonal and festive drink recipes, all sourced from the world's top mixologists and chefs. Stay warm.

Winter Drinks and Cocktails

Mulled wine is one of the first tipples that springs to mind when looking for a beverage that would be perfect to offset the cold outside. Fiona Beckett gave Decanter.com her top recipe tips here last year here: Mulled wine recipe. This year, Great British Chefs have taken this one step further creating winter wine based drinks and cocktails which are sure to give inspiration for the party season and keep you warm outside. Here are Decanter’s top five:

Mulled wine Bellini

by Marcus Wareing at Great British Chefs

Ingredients

For the mulled wine reduction

• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 handful of cloves
• 15 black peppercorns
• 20 star anise
• 1 pinch of mace
• nutmeg, grated
• 1 orange, juiced and peeled in strips
• 2l red wine (4 1/4 pints)
• 500g of caster sugar (1 1/8 lb)

To build the cocktail

• 100ml of sparkling wine, preferably Nyetimber Classic Cuvée (3 1/2 fl oz)
• lemon juice to taste, 5-10ml

1. To prepare the mulled wine reduction, add all of the ingredients to a saucepan, apart from the sugar. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer

• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 15 black peppercorns
• 20 star anise
• 1 pinch of mace
• nutmeg
• 1 orange, juiced and peeled in strips
• 2l red wine
• 1 handful of cloves

2. Add the sugar, stir to combine and continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Set aside and allow to cool

• 500g of caster sugar

3. Strain and allow the mixture to cool before transferring to a clean, sterilised bottle. This reduction will keep for up to 1 month

4. To assemble the cocktail, add the sparkling wine to a Champagne flute. Pour in 25ml of the mulled wine reduction, then stir in the lemon juice to taste and serve

Victory lemonade

by Vivek Singh at Great British Chefs

Ingredients

Victorian lemonade

• 60ml of Taylor’s 10 Port (2 fl oz)
• 20ml of lemon juice (2/3 fl oz)
• 20ml of orange juice (2/3 fl oz)
• 15g of sugar (1/2 oz)
• 5ml of Fernet Branca (1/4 fl oz)
• ginger beer, to top up
• crushed ice

Garnish

• cherries
• fresh mint leaves
• orange zest
• icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Add enough crushed ice to come 2/3 of the way up the glass. Pour in the Port, fruit juices, sugar and Fernet. Use a bar spoon to swizzle the ingredients in the glass for 30 seconds

• crushed ice
• 60ml of Taylor’s 10 Port
• 20ml of lemon juice
• 20ml of orange juice
• 15g of sugar
• 5ml of Fernet Branca

2. Top up with ginger beer and more crushed ice. Garnish with the cherries, mint leaves, orange zest and a dusting of icing sugar. Serve immediately with a straw

• ginger beer, to top up
• cherries
• fresh mint leaves
• orange zest
• icing sugar for dusting

Soiree Amaretto Prosecco sour

by Monica Shaw at Great British Chefs

Ingredients

• 45ml of Amaretto, Soiree (1 1/2 fl oz)
• 15ml of lemon juice, fresh (1/2 fl oz)
• 15ml of lime juice, fresh (1/2 fl oz)
• 1 tsp stock syrup
• Prosecco
• cherries, preferably Maraschino

Instructions

1. Pour the Soiree Amaretto, lemon juice, lime juice and stock syrup into a Champagne glass. Top up with Prosecco and serve garnished with Maraschino cherries

Death in Venice

by Bruno Loubet at Great British Chefs

Ingredients

• 15ml of Campari (1/2 fl oz)
• 4 drops of grapefruit bitters
• Prosecco

Instructions

1. Add the Campari and grapefruit bitters to a Champagne flute. Top up with Prosecco, stir lightly to combine and serve immediately

Christmas gin fizz

by Adam Gray at Great British Chefs

Ingredients

Christmas gin fizz

• 50ml of Tanqueray gin (1 2/3 fl oz)
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 egg white
• grenadine syrup
• caster sugar
• naturally light tonic or Prosecco
• ice cubes

Infused gomme syrup

• 500ml of gomme syrup (1 1/16 pints)
• 4 cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise
• 3 cardamom pods

Garnish

• glacé cherries

Instructions

1. To infuse the gomme, add the syrup to a pan with the spices. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and allow to cool

• 1 1/16 pint of gomme syrup
• 4 cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise
• 3 cardamom pods

2. Prepare the glasses in advance by freezing, adding a dash of grenadine and swirling to coat. Sprinkle with caster sugar and place back in the freezer until required. Alternatively, dip the rim of the glass in grenadine followed by the caster sugar to coat the rim

• grenadine syrup
• caster sugar

3. Fill a shaker to halfway with ice cubes. Add the gin, 1/2 fl oz of infused gomme syrup, lemon juice and egg white. Seal with a lid or Boston glass and shake hard for 30 seconds

• ice cubes
• 1 2/3 fl oz of Tanqueray gin
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 egg white

4. Use a Hawthorne strainer to hold back the ice and pour through a fine strainer into the prepared Champagne flute. Top up with the the tonic and garnish with glacé cherries and serve

• glacé cherries
• naturally light tonic

All recipes courtesy of Great British Chefs

Visit Great British Chefs for more cocktail recipes.

Credit: Gay Dyson / Unsplash

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Mackerel rillettes are really easy to make and a lot less calorific than you would expect. Served with traditional Irish soda bread, they make an elegant starter for a decadent summer party or a swanky aperitif.

Rillettes of mackerel on toasted Irish Soda bread – by Michel Roux Jr

Serves 6 as an aperitif or a starter

Ingredients:

To prepare the rillettes:

• 1kg (or 6 fillets) of deboned mackerel
• 1 bunch of chopped chives
• ½ bunch of chopped flat parsley
• 1 lemon (for the juice and zest)
• 200g crème fraiche
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• A drizzle of olive oil

To prepare the Escabeche:

• 1 spring onion
• 1 carrot
• 400ml white wine
• 50ml white wine vinegar
• 50ml water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp crushed black peppercorn

To prepare the Irish Soda bread:

• 200g wholemeal flour
• 200g plain white flour
• 50g porridge oats
• 1 tsp bicarbonate
• 1 tsp Sea salt
• 1 whole egg
• 1 tsp honey
• 350ml buttermilk

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 200 C – (Can be made beforehand)
2. Mix together both flours, oats, bicarbonate, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and honey. Incorporate the liquid mix into the dry one using your hands to form a soft dough.
3. This bread doesn’t need proofing; place directly into a greased loaf tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

To prepare the Escabeche:

1. Halve the fillets of mackerel lengthwise and place them flesh side down into a shallow dish.
2. Peel and dice the spring onion and carrot into a brunoise (2mm cubes). Then place all of the ingredients, including the diced veggies into a pot and bring to the boil.
3. After 2 minutes of boiling, pour the liquid over the filets of mackerel and seal the shallow dish with cling film. Leave the fish to cook and marinate until the liquid has completely cooled down. Separate the fillets from the liquid (without discarding) and remove the skin of the fish.
4. Using a fork combine the mackerel flesh with olive oil, crème fraiche, lemon juice and mustard. If this mixture is too compact, add some of the escabeche liquid until you achieve the perfect rillettes texture. Finally, season to taste with salt, pepper, chopped herbs, the crunchy diced veggies and lemon zest.
5. Slice thick wedges of Irish soda bread and place under the grill until beautifully toasted. Then spread the mackerel rillettes to your heart’s content.

See more Michel Roux Jr recipes

Matching Wines

Black Cottage Sauvignon Blanc 2016 – A bright, citrusy wine from the maker of “Two Rivers” wines. This wine is pleasingly dry and medium bodied, with a wonderful gooseberry finish and a touch of lychee and passionfruit on the palate. Its gently refreshing nature makes this wine perfect to cut through rich, smoky fish such as mackerel.

RRP UK: £11.99 from Majestic Wine

Hamilton Russel’s 2015 Chardonnay – A composed nose with great minerality, length and complexity typical of Hamilton Russell Vineyards. This wine has great volume in the mouth, with touches of almond saturated with citrus and pear fruits. Gaining intensity with aeration, this wine is suitably complex to break through the creaminess of the rillettes.

RRP UK: £27.00 from Majestic Wine

RRP USA: $22.89 from Wine Library

Champagne Taittinger 2008 – A deliciously creamy, rich 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and Pinor Noir with an intense palate. Flinty notes at first, which gives way to an intense, plummy fruitiness. This wine has the perfect depth and complexity to accompany the mackerel.

RRP: £45.00 from Great Western Wine

RRP USA: $89.99 from Wine.com

Why these wines?

I recently discovered an affordable and youthful white wine from New Zealand; Black Cottage Sauvignon Blanc 2016, which is perfect to accompany the rich taste of the rillettes. It’s crisp, fresh, with strong gooseberry notes that delivers just the right amount of acidity.

Oily fish such as mackerel calls for a robust drink with real depth. Hamilton Russel’s 2015 Chardonnay from South Africa is aged and fermented in barrels; which adds length and intensity to this refreshing white wine.

To deliver a truly memorable aperitif, I suggest you go all out with a Taittinger 2008. This famous family-run Champagne house produces elegant and complex bubbles. This particular blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is worth every penny.

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Crispy sweetbreads, asparagus and almond purée – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

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This is the ideal recipe for a late summer evening. Flank steak is an extremely flavoursome cut of meat that cooks particularly rapidly. Together with a bulgur salad, it's perfect for those improvised BBQ with family and friends.

BBQ flank steak and bulgur salad – by Michel Roux Jr

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 800gr of flank steak
• 4 tomatoes
• 120gr of bulgur
• 2,5l water
• 200gr of blanched broad beans
• 1 spring onion
• 2 tbsps. of pitted black olives
• 150gr fetta
• 1 tbsp. of dijon mustard
• 1 lemon (juice and zests)
• A handful of picked parsley
• A handful of mint leaves
• A handful of basil leaves
• Salt, pepper and olive oil

Method:

1. Place the bulgur into a mixing bowl and pour the boiling water on top. Cover with a cling film in order to create steam. Then leave to stand for 15 minutes until tender. Strain off any excess water and return the wheat into the bowl in order to cool down.
2. Bring a pot of hot water to the boil and blanch the tomatoes for 20 to 30 seconds. Immediately refresh the tomatoes in iced water and peel with your fingertips. Then quarter and deseed them before cutting into small cubes and adding to the cold bulgur.
3. Finely slice the spring onion and fresh herbs and directly place into the mixing bowl with the other ingredients.
4. Lastly, mix in the black olives, broad beans, crumbled feta, lemon zests and juice. Season well with salt, pepper and drizzle of olive oil.
5. Heat up your griddle or BBQ and brush the mustard onto the flank steak. Season with salt and pepper and place directly onto the grill. 2 minutes on each side should suffice for a rare steak (depending on thickness). Leave to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
6. Dress the sliced steak on top of the bulgur salad so that all the meat juices seep in.

See more Michel Roux Jr recipes

Matching Wines

Zinfandel Lodi, Brazin Old Vine 2013 – Bringing a bold and spiced bouquet as well as rich tannins and subtle mocha notes, this full-bodied red is plummy but not jammy or too sweet with hints of chocolate, vanilla and oak that will fill the nose.

UK RRP: £12.99 from Waitrose Cellar

US RRP: $15.99 from wine.com

Ambrosía Viña Unica, Gualtallary 2012 – Extremely dry and unapologetically oaky, yet with an abundance of dark, wild bramble fruits that delight the palate, this goes magnificently with any beef-focused dish and is sure to deliver satisfaction.

RRP: £18.50 from Berry Bros & Rudd

Why these wines?

For those who prefer a full-bodied red wine to accompany their steak I suggest a Californian Zinfandel Lodi, Brazin Old Vine 2013. With a hint of peppery and smoky flavour this is the perfect match for this juicy red meat and herbaceous salad.

Finally, a personal favourite of mine is a beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina. The Ambrosía Viña Unica, Gualtallary 2011 provides pure blackcurrant aromas with remarkable minerality.

More food and wine content on Decanter.com:

‘Frosé’ cocktail – recipe

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This dish will definitely get your taste buds going....

Recipe with quinoa and wines to match – Michel Roux Jr

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It's the latest summer rosé trend - a frozen rosé wine cocktail. Try making your own frosé with this recipe from Sally Abé at Great British Chefs...

Frosé recipe

• What is this? See: ‘Frosé’ becomes latest summer wine trend

Ingredients (for sharing with friends)

• 750ml bottle of rosé wine
• 500g of strawberries, halved
• 50g of caster sugar

• Top 10 rosé wines for summer

Method

1. Tip the rosé into a ziplock bag and place in the freezer. Don’t freeze the wine in the bottle, because it may crack.
2. Place the strawberries in a heatproof bowl with the sugar and cover with cling film.
3. Place over a pan of barely simmering water for about 1 hour, until all of the juices have run out of the strawberries.
4. Pass through a fine sieve to extract the juice.
5. Once the wine has frozen, place it in a food processor with the strawberry juice and blend to a slush.
6. Divide between wine glasses, garnish with a twist of lemon and enjoy in the sun…

For more cocktail recipes visit Great British Chefs

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A light and tasty seafood dish that's perfect for late summer evenings. And this recipe also includes three wines to match the food...

Squid ink linguine with pan fried squid, sugar snaps and salsa, by Michel Roux Jr

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 250g squid
• A handful of sliced sugar snaps
• 1 tbsp chopped flat parsley
• Salt, pepper and chilli flakes

To prepare the squid ink linguine:

• 300g flour (00)
• 3 large egg
• 2 tbsps squid ink
• 1 tsp fine salt

To prepare the salsa:

• 4 chopped tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tbsps white wine
• 200ml fish stock
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Method:

To make the fresh pasta:

1. Place the flour on a surface top and make a well in the centre.
2. Crack the eggs into the well together with the squid ink and beat until all blackened.
3. Little by little, add the flour into your egg mixture and mix until you form a dough.
4. Then keep kneading till you achieve a smooth pasta dough.
5. Place the dough in the fridge for a couple of hours before rolling out.
6. Cut the dough in 3, and roll out each piece as thin as possible.
7. Fold the pasta over itself a few times, and then cut it to your desired width.
8. Sprinkle with flour and let the pasta rest on a kitchen towel while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

To prepare the dish:

1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium to high heat.
2. Finely chop the red onion and garlic before adding to the pan.
3. After 2 minutes add the tomatoes to the pan and season well with salt, pepper and chili flakes.
4. Once the tomatoes begin to disintegrate pour the white wine into the pan followed by the stock.
5. Leave to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes before blitzing in a powerful blender.
6. In the meantime, clean and prepare the fresh squid. Pull the tentacles away from the body and remove the quill from inside.
7. Clean the body with cold water and slice to the same size as the pasta.
8. Season with salt and pepper before pan frying over a high heat (be careful not to overcook, otherwise the flesh will harden and become chewy).
9. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the fresh pasta for 1 to 2 minutes. Strain off and place the pasta into the salsa.
10. Finally add the sugar snaps, squid and chopped parsley.

• See more Michel Roux Jr recipes

Wines to match with squid linguine:

Château-Fuissé, Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes, Mâconnais, Burgundy 2010 

Buy it: £32.35 Gerrard Seel

Saint Claire Estate, Selection Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand 2014

With tangy cranberries, blackcurrant and dark cherry, this is a perfect match for strongly-flavoured fish. Despite the depth in flavour, this red remains light with hints of oak and vanilla.

Buy it:

£11.99 Majestic Wine

$16.99 Beacon Wines & Spirits (New York)*

Domaines Ott, Château Romassan, Bandol, Provence rosé 2015

A complex and extremely discreet Provence rosé, this offers dry tastes of redcurrant and citrus, accompanied by herbs and spices. These bold yet unobtrusive flavours really brings out the saltiness of seafood and will make a fine companion to this dish.

Buy it:

£32.50 Majestic Wine

$41.59 Garnet Wines & Liquors (New York)

*Vintage may vary

Why these wines?

This dish calls for a well balanced and fruity Burgundian Chardonnay. Head to the Mâconnais for some great examples that won’t break the bank.

Pairing red wine with shellfish can be a little tricky. So, for those who really appreciate a glass of red during their meal; I suggest something a little lighter with fine tannins, nonetheless packed with juicy cranberry flavours. This New Zealand Pinot Noir delivers all this at a very reasonable price.

In-between the ink used in the pasta dough and the pan fried squid, this recipe really delivers a pleasant hint of the ocean saltiness. Hence, the choice of a southern French rosé to accompany it. This Bandol wine is filled with fresh berry aromas and a hint of spice. Although a little pricey for a rosé, this pairing really works.

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Great British Chefs and Alfred Prasad, Head Chef at the first Indian restaurant ever to win a Michelin star, the Tamarind in Mayfair, takes Decanter.com through his version of a BBQ. Tandoor grilled monkfish, stunning presentation, samphire tempkora to add crunch, a zingy pomegranate kachumber to add freshness all seasoned with a salty seawater foam. This is like no barbecue seen before.

Tandoor grilled monkfish, pomegranate kachumber, samphire tempkora, ‘sea water’ foam

Chef: Alfred Prasad

Serves: 2

Cooking Time: 90 min

Course: Main

Skill level: Medium

Ingredients

Monkfish

• 400 g monkfish tail, cut into 100 g chunks

First marinade

• 10g ginger and garlic paste
• 1 lime, juice only
• sea salt, finely ground

Gram Flour Roux

• 10g gram flour
• 15ml vegetable oil

Second Marinade

• 40g ginger & garlic paste
• ¾ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp kasundi mustard paste
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ¾ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 green chilli, seeded, finely chopped
• ½ bunch fresh mint, chopped
• ½ bunch fresh coriander, leaves only, chopped
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, chopped fine
• 10 ml vegetable oil

For the kachumber:

• 100g pomegranate seeds
• ½ cucumber finely diced
• ½ red onion, finely diced
• 2 green chillies seeded, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, de-seeded, diced
• ½ bunch coriander stem, finely chopped
• Himalayan pink salt, finely ground

For the sea water foam:

• 1tbls olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, finely sliced
• 100ml white wine, dry
• 250g clams
• soy lecithin powder (1% of the liquid weight)

For the samphire tempkora:

• 100g samphire
• 150g plain flour
• 50g gram flour
• 50g corn flour
• 1 medium egg
• 250ml sparkling water, cold
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• Vegetable oil (for frying)

Method:

1. For the monkfish, prepare and portion the monkfish tail, marinate with ginger-garlic paste, juice of lime and sea salt and set aside in a colander, to drain
2. For the gram flour roux, warm 10ml of vegetable oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add 15g of gram flour, cook over gentle heat for 3 minutes and transfer to a plate to cool
3. For the second marinade, in a mixing bowl, add the gram flour roux and all the ingredients of the second marinade; mix well. Add the pre-marinated monkfish and mix gently to coat well
4. For the pomegranate kachumber, in a salad bowl, mix all the ingredients together and set aside
5. For the seawater foam, heat the olive oil, sliced shallots and garlic in a small saucepan over a low-medium heat. Add the wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the clams, cover with a lid and simmer for a further 5 minutes, allowing the clam sot open and release all their natural juices
6. Pass the contents of the pan through a fine strainer. Weigh the liquid to determine the quantity of lecithin* to use, transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool
7. For the samphire tempkora, combine the egg and sparkling water and a mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients and mix well; strain through a fine sieve and leave refrigerated until use. Heat the vegetable oil to 180˚C in a small, deep saucepan for deep-frying. To prepare the tempkora, mix small batches of the samphire into the batter and scatter into the hot oil. Fry for 2 – 3 minutes and drain onto kitchen paper
8. To serve, mount the monkfish on thin tandoor skewers and grill in a tandoor (or mount on bamboo skewers; suspend over a baking tray and grill in an oven) for 6-8 minutes or until the desired doneness. Portion the pomegranate kachumber onto serving plates; place the grilled monkfish on top and garnish with the samphire tempkora. Spoon over the prepared seawater foam on the plate and serve

• See all recipes on Decanter.com

Visit Great British Chefs for more recipes

Wine Match by Le Cordon Bleu Wine Development Manager, Matthieu Longuère MS

Fritz Willi, Mosel Riesling 2014

Off dry with lime, ripe apricots and red apples, with a fresh acidity to cut through the powerful flavours.

Buy it:

Wine Poole (UK), £10.50

Drink Monger (UK), £10.95

Get Wine Online (New York), $15.39 – web only offer

Crab and vermicelli salad with mango & red chilli

This simple summer recipe is full of character and bold flavours...

Seared and marinated tuna with roasted kale – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Pan seared squid & fregola risotto – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

These delicious desserts are the perfect way to impress your guests with minimal work entailed. A crisp meringue with a soft and gooey interior, topped off with a tangy passion fruit cream ticks all of the right boxes.

Pavlova with wine – Michel Roux Jr

Makes 15 individual desserts

Ingredients

To prepare the meringue:

• 4 egg whites
• 200g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp cornflour

To prepare the filling:

• 200ml whipping cream
• 6 passion fruits
• 3 tbsps icing sugar
• 1 scraped vanilla pod
• 1 tbsp Malibu

Method

Preheat your oven to 120 degrees C

When making a meringue make sure your egg whites are at room temperature and that your mixing bowl is nice and clean.

1. Whisk the whites on a medium speed until doubled in volume and foamy.
2. Then progressively add in the sugar and cornflour to obtain a stiff and glossy meringue.
3. Directly place in a piping bag fitted with a large nozzle. Delicately pipe nests of 6 cm wide and 6 cm high on a baking tray previously lined with greaseproof paper.
4. Use a wet spoon to create a dip in the middle of the meringue; where the cream will be able to sit in.
5. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until crisp on the outside and soft in the middle.
6. Whisk the cream until soft peaks appear and the cream resembles a Chantilly.
7. Then sift in the icing sugar, scraped vanilla and alcohol and whisk a little more.
8. Finally, scoop out the seeds and juices of the passion fruits and gently fold into the cream.
9. Fill the meringue nests with the cream and devour.

• See all Michel Roux Jr recipes on Decanter.com

Roux’s wines to match with passion fruit pavlova

Brown Brothers, Special Late Harvested Orange Muscat and Flora, Victoria, Australia, 2013

Boasting floral and citrus notes with a crisp texture and powerful finish, the flavours of this particular wine act as a superb extension to the exotic melodies of the pavlova. Light, playful and satisfying.

Buy it: £5.24 Waitrose Cellar

Changyu, Golden Diamond, Vidal, Icewine, Liaoning, China 2009

A nimble ice wine with a honey-blossom tang, which is sure to go well with a large variety of desserts. Subtle and pleasant on the palette, not overwhelming and providing a refreshing, tropical finish.

Buy it: £25.99 All About Wine

Rolly Gassmann, Riesling Kappelweg Vendanges Tardives, Alsace, France 2005

This suave medium-dry white is sure to satisfy, with a variety of noticeable flavours including orange peel and honey, as well as the addition of a parched exotic tang that will no doubt compliment this dessert. A special wine for a special event.

Buy it: £30.00 Waitrose Cellar

More about the wines

I suggest something a little different with this light and exotic dessert. The Brown Brothers special late harvested orange Muscat 2013 is full of fragrant floral aromas. This delicate and accomplished dessert wine has a subtle hint of orange; the perfect supplement to the moreish meringues.

I really enjoy Icewine with desserts and this wild card will definitely get your taste buds going. The Changyu Golden Diamond 2009 from China has balanced biscuit flavours and fresh citrus notes. Served cold this sweet wine delivers all its complexity.

Finally, for a special occasion why not try the superb Rolly Gassmann Riesling with notes of honey, candid peel and dried mango. Although a little pricey, this delicious white wine delivers all the right fragrances.

• See all Decanter.com food articles

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This tender white meat in a steak cut delivers the best of both worlds. When eating a T-bone, you can enjoy fillet and sirloin simultaneously. Accompanied with a delicious beetroot ketchup and my all-time favourite: crispy onion rings.

Veal steak with wines to match – Michel Roux Jr

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 T-bone veal steak (400g each)

Neutral oil for frying (rapeseed or sunflower)

Salt and pepper

To prepare the onion rings:

1 large white onion

450ml buttermilk

50ml whole milk

75g white flour

25g corn flour

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp fine salt

To prepare the beetroot ketchup:

450g quartered cooked red beets

200ml cider vinegar

55g brown sugar

½ a chopped red onion

80g chopped button mushrooms

A pinch of smoked paprika

A pinch of chilli powder

1 tbsp olive oil

Method

To prepare the ketchup:

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium sized saucepan before adding the onions and mushrooms.
2. After 4 minutes; once both vegetables have rendered their water, pour the vinegar into the pan.
3. Finally add the sugar and leave to simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Once the time has elapsed pour the liquid mixture over the cooked beets in a powerful blender.
5. Blitz until completely smooth and season to taste with salt, pepper and smoked paprika.
6. Leave to cool down before serving.

To prepare the onion rings:

1. Peel and slice the onion into rings roughly half a centimetre wide.
2. Whisk together the buttermilk and milk and pour over the onion slices. Leave the rings to soak for 45 minutes.
3. In the meantime, mix together the flours and seasoning into a large baking tray.
4. Carefully pick the onion rings out of the liquid and coat them in flour.
5. Shake off any excess flour before shallow frying. A couple of minutes on each side will get them lightly browned and really crispy.

Steak:

1. Heat a large frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium to high heat.
2. Generously season the veal steak with salt and pepper before placing in the sizzling oil.
3. Cook the meat until each side has a beautiful golden crust approximately 8 minutes (depending on size).
4. Then leave to rest for a further 10 minutes before serving

• See all recipes on Decanter.com

Roux’s wines to match with veal steak

The intense aromas of red currents delivered by a chilled Beaujolais will do wonders for this recipe.

The Chanson Pere et Fils Fleurie, 2013 is definitely more complex than your average Beaujolais. The subtle spice notes found in this 100% Gamay is the perfect accompaniment to the zingy ketchup.

M. Chapoutier’s modern styled Petite Ruche, Crozes-Hermitage 2014 is bursting with summer fruit flavours. This 100% Syrah from the Rhone region is refreshing and soft on the palate. A suave red wine for this simple and scrumptious dish.

Veal is one of the few meats that pairs equally well with white and red wines. So, I also suggest a Cote de Nuits Villages Blanc 2011 from Sylvain Loichet; this slightly oaked Burgundian Chardonnay has enough depth to accompany this wholesome family dish.

Tasting notes and where to buy the wines:

Chanson Pere et Fils, Fleurie, Beaujolais 2013

A summery floral wine that’s perfect when chilled, this sweet and curranty medium-bodied red is a lovely match for this dish. Its strong fragrances and flavours of warm redcurrant and berries provide a rich, sturdy aftertaste with a welcome inclusion of subtle spice.

RRP: £11.99 from Majestic Wine

M Chapoutier, ‘Petite Ruche’, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhone 2014

This wine is a purposefully oak-less, fruit-focused red designed to give the zestiest possible taste of ripe blackberries. Its texture is incredibly smooth and carries an intriguing sage and black pepper aroma to pair tenderly with the juicy flavour.

RRP: £15.99 Waitrose Cellar

Sylvain Loichet, Cote de Nuits Villages Blanc, Burgundy 2011

Fresh fruits and a subtle oak aroma work together intricately so as to not overbear the palate, and retains pleasing crispness. This is a flawlessly balanced white which will couple effortlessly with this dish.

RRP: £23.50 from Berry Bros and Rudd

Back to Decanter.com food homepage

More Roux recipes:

Crispy sweetbreads, asparagus and almond purée – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

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This simple summer recipe is full of character and bold flavours. Delicately seasoned crab meat is such an elegant addition and fantastic way to perk up your salads. This starter will definitely open up your appetite.

Crab and vermicelli salad with mango & red chilli

Ingredients:

• 200g vermicelli rice noodles
• 200g picked white crab meat
• 1 red chilli
• 1 spring onion
• 1 firm mango
• 1 tbsp picked coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp finely sliced mint leaves

To prepare the dressing:

• A drizzle of sesame oil
• 1 tbsp olive oil (+ a drizzle)
• 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 1 whole lime (zest & juice)
• 1 tsp of grated ginger
• 1 tsp of fish sauce
• 1 tsp of soya sauce

Method:

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Then remove the pot from the heat and place the rice noodles inside. Soak them for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on their thickness) until tender.
   Strain off the noodles and drizzle sesame oil on top to avoid them sticking.
2. Peel and slice both mango and spring onion into a julienne (fine match-stick like strips). Slice the red chilli in half and remove the seeds before finely slicing.
3. Prepare the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl. Add the sliced chilli to the liquid in order to diffuse the aromas.
4. Pour the dressing over the cooled vermicelli and mix together until all the noodles are properly coated.
5. Finally, delicately season the crab meat with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Incorporate the fresh herbs to the noodle salad and dress elegantly in a shallow bowl.

Wines to match with crab salad

Peter and Ulrich’s 2014 dry Riesling is the perfect match for this tangy summer dish. Crisp and refreshing; this German white wine won’t be overwhelmed by the bold flavours in this Asian crab salad.

For a slightly more original pairing, I suggest an off-dry Gewürztraminer from Paul Blanck 2015. This accomplished Alsatian wine delivers subtle exotic and flowery aromas that complements this spicy recipe. Finishing with well-balanced citrus notes that avoid any cloying.

Although a little pricier the Ladoucette Pouilly-Fumé 2014 is definitely a special Sauvignon Blanc. Refreshing and somewhat thirst-quenching; this white wine from the Loire region is a real enhancement to any seafood dish.

The wines

Peter & Ulrich, Dry Riesling 2014 – This wine makes a wonderful marriage with seafood and other light dishes, offering the taste of parched apricot and peach with a hint of apple – a gentle harmony of sweet blossom and a sharper orchard tang.

UK

£11.99 from Majestic Wine

Paul Blanck, Gewürztraminer 2015 – An appealing mix of floral and spiced flavours, this wine’s strength lies in its clever balance. The unctuous offerings of ginger and lychee are complimented by zesty citrus notes that make it a splendid match for this dish.

UK

£14.99 from Waitrose

Ladoucette, Pouilly-Fumé 2015 – An appearance of light ambrosia with pebbly and coastal essences is animated by earthier, more herbaceous offerings for the palate. This wine will support and then enrich any seafood dish, and make itself noticed even amongst presumably bolder flavours.

UK

 £30 from Majestic Wine

This is an extremely easy recipe to follow at home. Bursting with bold flavours and original combinations. The subtle sweetness of ripe peaches combined with the delicate earthiness of the turnips brings this roast to another dimension.

Whole roast pigeon with peaches, turnips and sage

Ingredients:

• 2 whole wood pigeon
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 2 juicy peaches (or nectarines)
• 4 medium sized turnips
• 2 baby gem lettuce
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 4 finely chopped sage leaves
• 250ml of chicken stock (or water)
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 175 degrees C
2. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium to high heat. Place the pigeons, breast-side down into the pan, and turn every 3 minutes to evenly sear and achieve a golden colour all over. Then transfer the birds, breast-side up into a roasting tray. Season the pigeons with salt and pepper and fill its cavity with a sprig of thyme, crush garlic clove and tablespoon of butter. Depending on the size of the birds, roast for 10 to 12 minutes.
3. When cooked; remove from the oven and let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes before carving.
4. In the meantime; peel the peaches and thoroughly rinse the turnips. Segment the fruit into bitesize morsels and halve the turnips (keeping the tops when possible).
5. Sauté the peaches together with the halved gems in a heated pan with olive oil. Only remove the fruit segments once lightly caramelised on each side and the gem lettuce have charred.
6. Place the stock and butter in a medium sized saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the turnips to the pan and cook for 6 to 8 minutes with a lid. Then remove the lid and cook for a further 4 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the turnips are beautifully glazed. Finally season the vegetables to taste and sprinkle in the sage leafs.

Wines to match with roast pigeon

Roast wood pigeon needs a mature but flavorful red wine. I think a Bordeaux wine would do wonders for this delicious game dish. The 2012 Château Liversan Haut-Medoc delivers ripe blackberry aromas with a delicate smoky finish which truly complements the roasted pigeon. Excellent value for money.

Slightly younger, the Crozes-Hermitage, Domaine des Lises, Domaine Maxime Graillot 2013 delivers generous fruity aromas. This 100% Syrah from the Rhône region also provides hints of tapenade and red fruit; which elegantly supplements the original garnish in this recipe.

Finally, one of the UK’s best loved red wines and a superb match for pigeon: Rioja. More specifically the Muga Selección Especial, Gran Reserve 2010. The Tempranillo grapes that are aged in barrels deliver just the right balance between smokiness and dark fruit flavours. A perfect match for game birds in general.

More recipes from Michel Roux Jr with wines to match

Matching Wines

Château Liversan, Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux 2012 – An incredibly stylish red, unctuous with dark, plum fruit flavours with a seductive smoky aroma and dry tannins that complement the sweet peach perfectly.

UK

Buy for £13.49 from Waitrose Cellar

Domaine des Lises, Domaine Maxime Graillot, Crozes-Hermitage 2013 – Hints of tobacco and red fruits give this red tremendous body and an incredibly deep, full flavour. With rich game such as pigeon, this Syrah is a wonderful partner.

UK

Buy for £21.95 from Berry Bros & Rudd

Muga Selección Especial, Gran Reserve, Rioja 2010 – A really fabulous Rioja – spicy, aromatic and with wonderful floral aromas that hit the nose expectedly. Layer upon layer of fruit and spice, it is a true joy to drink, especially alongside such a deliciously powerful dish.

UK

Buy for £22.50 from Majestic Wines

More food and wine matching:

Crispy sweetbreads, asparagus and almond purée – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

This dish will definitely get your taste buds going....

Roasted rabbit, with cherry tomatoes, baby artichokes and roast pepper puree – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Marinated lamb chops with garlic and herb sauce – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Sweetbreads are by far my favourite offal. The tender and moist texture combined with the crispy exterior is simply heavenly. Accompanied with seasonal roast vegetables and a silky smooth almond purée, this dish will definitely get your taste buds going.

Crispy sweetbreads, asparagus and almond purée and wines to match

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 800g raw veal sweetbreads
• 12 thin green asparagus
• 1 bunch of cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbsps olive oil (+ a drizzle for baking)

To prepare the almond purée:

• 100g Blanched almonds
• 200ml milk
• 100ml cream

To prepare the jus:

• 500ml veal stock
• 200ml tomato juice
• 30g black olives
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180degrees C
2. It is best to soak the sweetbreads for several hours in clean cold water to remove any impurities. Bring a large pot filled with salted water to a gentle simmer before adding the raw sweetbreads inside. Depending on the size; cook them for 15 to 20 minutes making sure the water never boils. Delicately remove the offal from the water and immediately refresh in ice cold water. Finally, trim off any sinew or gristle and pat dry. Keep them to one side until all the other ingredients are prepped.
3. To create a simple and light jus to accompany the dish. Reduce the stock and the tomato juice in two separate saucepans. Once reduce by 2/3 whisk them together, had the halved olives and season to taste.
4. Rehydrate and soften the blanched almonds in a medium sized saucepan with both liquids. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Whilst still hot, place the almonds and liquid directly into a food processor and blitz till completely smooth. Season well.
5. Place the cherry tomatoes and asparagus spears in a large mixing bowl. Carefully season the veggies with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Then place in a baking tray and cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Once the asparagus are tender and the tomatoes are shrivelled up remove from the oven.
6. In the meantime; season each sweetbread with salt and pepper and lightly dust in flour before pan-frying in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil on a medium to high heat. Avoid moving them too often in the pan, in order to achieve that beautiful crispy brown colour. This should only take 3 to 5 minutes on each side.
7. Elegantly dress all the elements together and devour.

Wines to match with crispy sweetbreads, asparagus and almond purée

In France this delicate white meat is traditionally paired with a crisp white wine. So keeping with tradition, why not try a 100% Chardonnay from Burgundy. Cave de Lugny Les charmes, Mâcon Lugny 2014 is refreshingly crisp and perfect to offset the full richness from the sweetbreads.

For those who truly prefer a red wine with meat, I suggest a light Pinot Noir from the Loire region. The 2013 Reuilly Rouge, Les Pierres Plates from Denis Jamain is bursting with redcurrant flavours and subtle hints of earthiness. Which genuinely complements the roasted veggies in this recipe.

Finally, a very special white wine to accompany this delectable offal dish. I assure you the 2012 Châteauneuf-du-pape, pure Roussane from Domaine Raymond Usseglio is worth every penny. This dry and aged in barrel white wine just embellishes and brings this whole dish together.

The wines

Cave de Lugny, Les Charmes, Mâcon Lugny 2014: The delicateness of the sweetbreads begs for a full flavoured wine. This white Burgundy is abundant in stone fruit, honey flavours, with intense aromas of peach and apricot. It is wonderfully refreshing cutting the butteryness of the dish and a subtle spicy twist compliments it beautifully. RRP: £11.49 from Waitrose Cellar

Denis Jamain, Reuilly Rouge, Les Pierres Plates 2013: A sumptuously deep red. Dark cherry and blueberry flavours hit the palate first with a delicate hint of spice which pairs beautifully with the tender sweetbreads. RRP: £14.95 from Berry Bros & Rudd

Domaine Raymond Usseglio, pure Roussane, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2012: There is a wonderfully complex minerality to this wine. With sweet flavours of peach and honeysuckle, there is a hint of sea salt which balances the flavour beautifully. This wine is a real treat and truly one to savour. RRP: £39.95 Berry Bros & Rudd

See Michel Roux Jr's quinoa tartelettes; the ideal recipe for a light summer lunch, or even a colourful aperitif. These delicious quinoa based tartelettes are perfect for people with a wheat intolerance and you can mix and match vegetables to your heart’s content. You could also make a sweet version by adding a little sugar in the water whilst cooking the quinoa, and fill with seasonal fruit and caramel.

Recipe with quinoa: Michel Roux Jr’s individual summer tartelettes with a quinoa crust

Serving: Makes five tartelettes 10cm wide

Ingredients

To prepare the quinoa crust:

• 300g cooked quinoa
• 1 whole egg

To prepare the filling:

• 160g fresh garden peas
• 150g baby spinach
• 80g feta
• 5 whole eggs
• A handful of Tomberry tomatoes
• 1 small red chili (optional)
• 1 spring onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint leaves
• 1 tablespooon butter
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit).
2. Cook the quinoa as you usually would in either water or vegetable stock.
3. Strain well and leave to cool down in a mixing bowl.
4. When the cooked quinoa has achieved room temperature incorporate the beaten egg and season with salt and pepper.
5. The quinoa should no longer be crumbly but rather compact and holding itself together. At this point, you can start filling the greased tartelette moulds by gently pressing the mixture into place. The crust must be at least 5mm thick for it to hold during the cooking process.
6. Place the tartelettes in the oven for 12 minutes.
7. Then crack an egg in each small tart and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
8. Once the egg is completely cooked, remove the tartelettes from the oven and leave to cool down for a few minutes before detaching from the moulds.
9. You can use various different veggies to fill your small tarts. However, I have opted for seasonal garden peas, spinach, freshly chopped mint leaves and some spicy red chilies.
10. Blanch the peas for 1 minute in boiling salted water before refreshing in ice cold water.
11. Finely slice the spring onions and red chilies and make sure the spinach leaves are properly rinsed.
12. Place the butter in a medium sized saucepan over a gentle heat. Add the onions, peas and chili to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes.
13. Finally, remove the pan from the heat, scatter in the spinach leaves, chopped mint and season well.
14. Dress these beautiful veggies all around the yolk and add the halved tomatoes and cheese for an extra tang.

See more Michel Roux Jr recipes with wines to match

Wines to match with this quinoa recipe

A slightly crisp and mineral Chenin Blanc will do wonders for these vibrant savoury tarts. I recommend the Vouvray 2014 from Vincent Carême, which is packed with tantalising green apple flavours.

For a picture-perfect summer aperitif, I suggest you try Jean-Marie Berthier’s Sancerre Rosé 2015. It has a great balance between freshness and acidity. Served nice and chilled, this rosé is the perfect accompaniment to these sophisticated tartelettes.

• Read also: Five great value rosé wines to try

The well balanced Colombo et Fille, St Peray 2014 complements the luscious creaminess of the just-cooked yolk. Fermented in oak barrels, this delectable white wine from the Rhone region delivers gorgeous citrus aromas.

Buy the wines

Vincent Carême, Vouvray 2014

Wonderfully light and crisp, this Chenin Blanc is full of fresh, fruity flavours. Both sweet and fresh here is a subtle chalkiness that makes this wine perfectly balanced and a great partner to the seasonal flavours of the tartelettes.

UK

Berry Bros & Rudd £12.50

UK

Wine.com $20.13 (California)

Jean-Marie Berthier, Sancerre Rosé 2015

A fabulously summery choice, this pale pink Sancerre is a sheer delight. Light, floral and fruity it is both delicate and full flavoured.

UK

Majestic Wines: £14.99

Colombo & Fille, St-Peray, Rhône 2014

Fantastic minerality with of course a wonderful oakiness. Rich and elegant it is a suitably sophisticated wine to partner alongside these delicate summer tartelettes.

UK

The Halifax Wine Company: £18.95

Alternative wines: See Decanter’s top southern Rhône whites

Edited for Decanter.com by Chris Mercer

More Decanter.com food and wine matches:

Brownie, raspberry sorbet and crème anglaise – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

White chocolate and mascarpone mousse – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Roasted rabbit, with cherry tomatoes, baby artichokes and roast pepper puree – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Chocolate and salted caramel tart with pecans – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

This dessert is simply exquisite; no need for a special occasion to try this recipe out. The combination of intense dark chocolate, salted nuts, tangy raspberry sorbet and the delicate vanilla scented custard is a match made in heaven.

Brownie, raspberry sorbet and crème anglaise

Ingredients:

For the Brownie:

• 65g milk chocolate
• 135g dark chocolate
• 150g diced butter
• 100g sugar
• 50g flour
• 3 eggs
• ½ Tsp. of baking powder
• 15g of toasted pecan nuts
• 15g pistachio nuts
• A pinch of salt

For the Crème anglaise:

• 1 Scraped vanilla pod
• 3 egg yolks
• 250ml whole milk
• 50g caster sugar

For the Raspberry sorbet:

• 300g frozen raspberries
• 80ml water
• 30g caster sugar
• 10ml gin

Method:

1. To prepare the brownie: (Best served warm) Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C
2. Place the chocolate and butter in a large mixing bowl over a bain-marie. Stir from time to time until all is completely melted.
3. In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, flour and baking powder. Once the melted chocolate has achieved room temperature pour over the egg mix and whisk continuously. Finally add in the roughly chopped nuts. Pour in a rectangular baking tin (25 x 18 cm) previously lined with greaseproof paper. Bake for 20 minutes; remove from the oven and leave to cool down.
4. To prepare the Crème anglaise: Combine the milk and a pinch of the sugar in a saucepan. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla pod and bring to a simmer.
5. In the meantime; whisk egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl. Then gradually whisk the hot milk into yolk mixture and return the custard to the saucepan. Stir over a low heat until the custard thickens, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Rapidly, strain the crème anglaise into a bowl; cover and chill.
6. To prepare the raspberry sorbet: Place the frozen fruit and alcohol directly into your food processor. Heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan. As soon as the sugar has dissolved (no need to boil); pour the liquid over the fruit. Blitz until smooth sorbet texture.

Wines to match with brownie, raspberry sorbet and crème anglaise

This might be an unusual pairing but I honestly think it works. Served on the rocks the Japanese Choya Umeshu plum wine is bursting with sweet fruity flavours. Close to a liqueur but without the strong alcoholic taste this is the perfect dessert wine to accompany this heavenly pudding.

For a more conventional pairing I suggest a Banyuls 1991 from Mr Chapoutier. This sweet red wine produced in the Rhône region delivers the perfect balance between black fruit and subtle cacao aromas.

Although slightly more expensive, a mature vintage port will also do wonders for this intense chocolaty dessert. I recommend Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas Port 2008 from Portugal. With a hint of liquorice and a rich long finish this is the perfect way to embellish the end of a meal.

The wines

Japanese Choya Umeshu plum wine – This sweet, sticky plum wine is a real treat and something a little different to pair with this truly ‘yummy’ dessert. This premium plum wine is wonderful on ice, lovely to drink in the sunshine. Fruity and deep in flavour it is a lovely partner to this plate of chocolate heaven. RRP: £10.00 from Drink Supermarket

Banyuls 1991 from Mr Chapoutier  – Again, the wine I have chosen to match the brownie with its fresh raspberry sorbet and silky crème anglais is also incredibly fruity and tantalising on the taste buds. Matching the brownie itself there are cacao aromas that hit the nose combined with black forest fruits. A real treat and great partner to this homely dessert. RRP: £11.95 from M. Chapoutier

Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas Port, 2008 – This is a very big wine with strong chocolatey notes as well as that lovely herbaciousness from the aniseed. There are lovely floral hints of rose petal that give an extra layer to the wine. Incredibly special and worth the extra pennies. RRP: £29.99 from Waitrose.

This is the ideal summer dessert. Refreshing, light and easy to make. You can prepare these beautiful dessert jars in advance and set then in your fridge overnight. The perfect picnic item to impress your friends and family.

White chocolate and mascarpone mousse served with strawberries and coulis – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Ingredients:

To prepare the financier:

• 130g of icing sugar
• 70g egg whites
• 70g butter
• 45g almond powder
• 45g flour

To prepare the mousse:

• 100ml whipped cream
• 100g mascarpone
• 25g icing sugar
• 80g white chocolate

To prepare the coulis:

• 300g strawberries
• 8 large basil leaves
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

70g rinsed and chopped strawberries

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees

1. To prepare the financier: Place the butter in a saucepan, and cook over a medium heat, whisking continuously until nutty brown. Sift all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Then incorporate the egg whites whisking energetically. Lastly, carefully pour the hot browned butter over the mix. Once the paste is smooth either place in a pipping bag, or directly spoon into your appropriate mould and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. To prepare the mousse: Roughly chop the white chocolate and melt over a bain-marie.
   In the meantime, whisk the mascarpone together with the icing sugar in a separate bowl until creamy. Then, gently incorporate the whipped cream with a spatula. Once the chocolate has completely melted and cooled down to room temperature pour over the cream mixture and fold in.
3. To prepare the coulis: Rinse the basil leaves under cold water. In a blender, blitz all ingredients until completely smooth and pass through a fine sieve. I did not sweeten the coulis but if you have a sweet tooth you can always add a tablespoon of icing sugar.
4. Dress the financier in the base of the glass and dollop a generous amount of chocolate mousse on top. Then scatter a tablespoon of chopped strawberries on top and delicately pour the coulis all over.

• See more Michel Roux Jr recipes, all with wines to match

The wines

For a traditional and reasonably priced wine, I suggest a Muscat Beaumes-de-Venise from Domaine de Durban. This sweet and refreshing wine from the Rhône region is the perfect match to sublime this fun and delicious dessert.

On a more seasonal note, why not combine a wild strawberry liqueur, perhaps a Tosolini Fragola, with a delicious Prosecco? With all the exuberance of a Champagne and at less than half the price, the San Leo Prosecco Brut from Veneto is the perfect bubbly to jazz up any picnic.

For a more mature wine pairing, I recommend a 1994 Coteaux du Layon, Moulin Touchais. This sweet wine from the Loire region has the most intriguing personality that lives up to this glorious dessert.

Domaine de Durban, Muscat Beaumes- de-Venise 2009 – A beautiful, medium bodied dessert wine with an elegant aroma of white flowers. Wonderful to drink in the sunshine, it is seasonally exotic on the nose with hints of pineapple and mandarin. RRP: £12 from Palmers Wine Store

San Leo Prosecco, Brut, Veneto NV – A much loved Prosecco, and great value for money, the San Leo is a real go-to drink for any celebration or party. It drinks so beautifully when poured on top of fruity purees, and with summer rolling in, I’ve suggested a wild strawberry liqueur to match the strawberries and coulis in this lovely, creamy dessert. A real delight and a welcome addition to any picnic. RRP: £6 from Waitrose

Coteaux du Layon, Moulin Touchais, Loire 1994 – This is an incredibly special dessert wine, deep amber in colour and full of sweet and concentrated dessert flavours. Toffee, roasted nuts and raisins all linger on the nose and palate. These forest-like flavours are so lovely to drink alongside this picnic favourite. RRP: Fine + Rare £15.00

Rabbit is gaining in popularity at the local markets as a sustainable source of lean and tender meat. The acidity of the tomatoes and the sweetness of the red pepper sauce will bring this light and delectable dish together.

Roasted rack and saddle of rabbit with wine to match

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 long saddle and rack of rabbit preferably with kidneys and liver (optional)
• 4 baby artichokes
• 1 tbsp pitted Kalamata olives
• 10 Cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbsp butter
• A handful of Rocket cress

To prepare the roast pepper sauce:

• 1 Large Red pepper
• 1 Salted anchovy
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp water
• A pinch of piment d’espelette (chilli powder)
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Place the pepper on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 45 mins until the skin is blackened. Remove from the oven and place into a plastic bag (this helps to remove the skin). When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin with your fingers. Then place all of the ingredients in a food processor including the roast pepper. Blitz until the red sauce is nice and smooth. Don’t forget to season.
3. Fill a large bowl with cold water and the squeeze of a lemon (this will insure the artichoke hearts won’t oxidize whilst your prepping). To turn the artichokes, begin by pulling off the dark green leaves to expose the more tender, lighter ones within. Then, with a paring knife, slice through each leaf to cut off the top, turning the artichoke in your hand as you go. The final step is to remove the choke in the center of the heart with the help of a small spoon.
4. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the artichokes for 5 minutes until tender. Strain off and sauté the vegetables in a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil over a high heat. As soon as the artichokes are a beautiful caramelized colour, remove from the pan.
5. Slice down both sides of the back bone and debone the saddle. You should obtain 2 rectangular pieces of rabbit comprising of the loin and belly. You can also ask your butcher to French trim the rack for extra finesse.
6. Place the saddle on a piece of cling film and season with salt and pepper. For those who appreciate offal; place the halved kidneys and chopped liver in the centre. Then roll the loins up tightly and tie a knot at each end to insure your ballotines are water tight.
7. To ensure the rabbit is cooked properly and doesn’t have the cotton texture we all dislike, it’s best to poach the ballotines. Bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil and immediately switch off; then poach the ballotines for 10 minutes. Remove from the water once the time has elapsed and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
8. Then remove the cling film and lightly roast both cylinders in a medium sized frying pan together with the rack. Baste with butter for approximately for 3 minutes until golden.
9. Remove the meat from the pan and leave to rest for a couple of minutes before slicing. In the same pan, gently sauté the the cherry tomatoes and halved olives.
10. Delicately dress your plate with all the elements and scatter the peppery rocket all over.

• See more Michel Roux Jr recipes, all with wines to match

About this recipe

Rabbit is gaining in popularity at the local markets as a sustainable source of lean and tender meat. My mother in law always used to accompany rabbit with Mediterranean ingredients full of beautiful bright colours. The acidity of the tomatoes and the sweetness of the red pepper sauce will bring this light and delectable dish together.

Wines to match with roasted rabbit with cherry tomatoes, baby artichokes and roast pepper puree

With a fairly mild flavoured meat, I suggest a pleasant clean and crisp rosé. The Côtes de Provence, Ste Victoire 2014 has the perfect blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah. This cheap and cheerful rosé is the perfect accompaniment for this flavourful Mediterranean recipe.

For the same easy drinking, why not try a fruity Beaujolais. Served lightly chilled, the Beaujolais-Villages, Lantignié 2014 from Alexandre Burgaud will supplement the provincial flavours of the dish, without overpowering the delicate white meat.

For a more mature wine, I recommend a Villa Calcinaia, Chianti Classico Riserva 2011. This Tuscan red wine is bursting with notes of red fruit and brisk acidity. A Mediterranean match made in heaven, worth every penny.

The wines

Famille Negrel, Côtes de Provence Ste Victoire, rosé 2014

This is a lovely rosé, crisp and refreshing with wonderful herbaceous notes that works so nicely with the earthy flavors of this dish. The delicate dryness of the wine really complements the mildly bitter olives and sweet tomatoes. Fantastic value for money, you can’t really go wrong! RRP: £6.99 from Majestic Wines

Alexandre Burgaud, Lantignié, Beaujolais-Villages 2014

Pleasingly fruity and medium-bodied so as not to overpower the delicate rabbit, this is a wonderful wine that is easy to drink and matches the dish beautifully. RRP: £10.95 from Berry Bros & Rudd

Villa Calcinaia, Chianti Classico Riserva 2011

Unctuous with deep berry flavours, this red is pure and oaky. Dry and supple, there are hints of toast and tobacco, which makes this ruby wine a wonderful partner to this rustic rabbit dish. RRP: £25.95 Berry Bros & Rudd

Paul Foster's stunning presentation ensures this tomato tart recipe is as impressive as it is delicious. The plum tomatoes really are the hero ingredient, with two confit tomatoes and two compressed tomatoes standing upright on discs of buttery Parmesan biscuit. Topped with creamy avocado, fragrant basil and a hint of spice from slices of chorizo, these tarts have a perfect combination of flavours.

Plum tomato tart with Parmesan biscuit, avocado and chorizo

Chef: Paul Foster

Serves: 4

Cooking Time: 90 min

Course: Starter

Skill level: Easy

Ingredients

Tomatoes

• 16 baby plum tomatoes
• 250g of salted butter
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 50ml of Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar
• 50g of dark muscavado sugar

Parmesan biscuit

• 250g of strong bread flour
• 100g of grated Parmesan
• 100g of salted butter
• 2g of salt

Avocado emulsion

• 1 avocado, ripe
• 3 egg yolks
• juice of half a lemon
• 300ml of sunflower oil
• sal

To serve

• 1 bunch of fresh basil
• 4 slices of chorizo
• mixed salad leaves, to garnish

Equipment

• Food processor
• Vacuum bags
• Chamber sealer
• Blender
• 6cm pastry cutter

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3
2. For the Parmesan biscuit, mix together the flour, Parmesan and salt and rub in the butter to create a coarse crumble. Pour the crumble across a baking tray and cook for 10–15 minutes until golden, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool
3. Meanwhile, lightly score a cross through the skin of each tomato and place in a bowl. Cover with just enough boiling water to cover and leave for 30 seconds, then drain and cool the tomatoes under cold water. Peel off and discard the skins
4. Place 8 of the tomatoes in a heavy-bottomed pan with the butter and thyme sprigs. Gently melt the butter over a low heat and allow the tomatoes to confit slowly for 1 hour
5. Place the remaining 8 tomatoes in a vacuum bag with the vinegar and sugar and seal with a chamber sealer to compress. Set aside until ready to serve
6. Once the pastry crumble has cooled, transfer to a food processor and blend until the fat begins to separate out, making the crumbs sticky and glossy. Tip out onto a tray lined with baking paper and cover with a second sheet. Roll out evenly to create a thin layer of dough and transfer the tray to the freezer for 1 hour to set
7. To make the avocado emulsion, remove the peel and stone and place the flesh in a blender with the egg yolks and lemon juice. Blend briefly to combine as a smooth mixture then, keeping the machine slowly running, gradually pour in the sunflower oil until the mixture emulsifies
8. Adjust the seasoning to taste, then pass through a fine sieve to ensure the emulsion is completely smooth. Transfer to a piping bag and reserve in the fridge until ready to serve
9. Drain the confit tomatoes from the butter and the compressed tomatoes from the vacuum bag. Remove the Parmesan dough sheet from the freezer and use a 6cm pastry cutter to stamp out biscuit discs
10. To assemble the tarts, place a Parmesan biscuit on each plate and stand 2 compressed tomatoes and 2 confit tomatoes on top. Pipe over a little of the avocado emulsion and some shredded fresh basil. Gently warm the chorizo slices in a frying pan over a medium heat and lie across the top of the tarts, garnishing the plates with a few salad leaves to serve

Wine Match by Le Cordon Bleu Wine Development Manager, Matthieu Longuere MS

Côtes de Provence Rosé, R de Rimauresq, Domaine de Rimauresq, Provence, France 2015

Rosé wine is no brainer when considering a wine to have with tomatoes. The combination of ripe, red berry fruit and freshness of rosé seems to be handling the sweet and sour flavours of the tomato perfectly. This Côtes de Provence Rosé has enough structure to cut through the crunchy texture of the parmesan biscuit and handle the richness of the emulsion. The wine’s pungent mix of herbs, spices and pink grapefruit will not be overpowered by the balsamic vinegar and the chorizo.

Click here to see Wine-Searcher for stockists

Recipe courtesy of Paul Foster to celebrate British Tomato Week.

Visit Great British Chefs for more recipes.

Champagne rhubarb, Earl Grey tea ganache, rose and white chocolate – recipe

Courgette flowers, apple and horseradish – recipe

This is by far one of my favourite chocolate desserts. The mere mention of the intense dark chocolate ganache combined with the soft caramel centre, incased in a crumbly sable topped with crunchy sugared pecans just makes me salivate.

Chocolate and salted caramel tart with pecans with wines – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Ingredients:

To prepare the pastry:

• 170g plain flour
• 15g cocoa powder
• 25g caster sugar
• 100g cubed butter
• 2 egg yolks

To prepare the caramel filling:

• 150ml double cream
• 40g unsalted butter
• 160g white sugar
• 90ml water
• ½ teaspoon of sea salt

To prepare the Chocolate Ganache:

• 160ml double cream
• 140g roughly chopped dark chocolate

To prepare the topping (optional):

• 150g pecan nuts halves
• 3 tbsps white sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C

1. To prepare the pastry: Pour the flour and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and the butter and rub all together with your fingertips (or pulse with an electric mixer) until it resembles fine crumbs. Mix in the egg yolks to gradually create a ball; add a little cold water if needed.
2. Lightly knead the pastry and roll out on a lightly floured surface. This pastry is delicate and tends to crumble; so carefully lift the pastry over a rolling pin and drape into a 24cm round tin and 2.5cm deep pressing into the corners. Trim the excess pastry with a knife before blind baking for 8 minutes. Then remove the baking beans and cook for a further 8 minutes until crisp. Set aside to cool down.
3. To prepare the salted caramel: In a medium saucepan bring the sugar and water to the boil. After 5 minutes you should obtain a dark and golden syrup (the mixture must reach 170°C). Then remove the saucepan from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream and butter (careful, it will bubble up). Return the saucepan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for a further 5 minutes or until thickened. Finally mix in the salt and pour into the pastry shell. Refrigerate until set, at least 30 minutes.
4. To prepare the pecan topping: In a small frying pan, toast the pecans for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Then quickly scatter the sugar into the pan, stirring the nuts as you drizzle. Mix continuously until the pecans are thoroughly coated in the caramel. Immediately remove from heat so they don’t burn. Once cooled you are ready to decorate.
5. To prepare the ganache: Heat the cream in a small saucepan and gently bring to the boil. Quickly pour the liquid on top of the chopped chocolate and whisk continuously until all the chocolate has melted. Then pour the chocolate ganache evenly on top of the set caramel (use a small spatula if needed). Set once again in the fridge for 20 minutes before decorating with the sugared pecan nuts.

• See more Michel Roux Jr recipes, all with wines to match

About this recipe

This is by far one of my favourite chocolate desserts. Easily achievable at home and thoroughly appreciated by all the chocolate fans in the family. The mere mention of the intense dark chocolate ganache combined with the soft caramel centre, incased in a crumbly sable topped with crunchy sugared pecans just makes me salivate.

Wines to match with chocolate and salted caramel tart with pecans

For a refreshing and light bodied sweet wine I suggest a Moscato d’Asti, Canelli, Cerutti 2014 from the Piedmont region. An elegant and easy going white wine that complements this delicious caramel tart.

Madeira is often paired with dark chocolate. I particularly enjoy Blandy’s Sercial 10-Year-Old Madeira from Portugal. This medium sweet wine is the perfect match for this slightly salted chocolate tart.

For a special occasion why not accompany this mouthwatering dessert with a 12 year-old Balvenie DoubleWood Whisky. This particular whisky has been aged in oak and sherry wood, accentuating the notes of honey and vanilla of this special single malt.

The wines

Moscato d’Asti, Canelli, Cerutti, Piedmont, Italy 2014

An incredibly delicate dessert wine, almost like drinking a sorbet in a glass. This is one of those wines you simply cannot stop sniffing, with the most beautiful sweet, citrusy and fruity notes. RRP: £12.95 from Berry Bros & Rudd

Blandy’s Sercial 10-Year-Old Madeira from Portugal

This Sercial has a real sophistication to it which really enhances this indulgent, chocolatey dessert. Aged for 10 years in an American Oak barrel, the wonderful, dryer woody notes work so beautifully on the palate with the sweet caramel of the tart. RRP: £19.49 from Waitrose

12 year-old Balvenie DoubleWood Whisky 

This dessert truly is an absolute treat and delight, and combined with the spicy, sweet and nutty flavours of this 12 year-old Balvenie it makes for the most perfect pairing. RRP: Sainsbury’s £35.00

This is a delicious vegetarian recipe which will please all the family. The sharp and tangy watercress are usually found in sandwiches or salads, but this is a far fresher and more interesting way of using this underrated leaf.

Bucatini, spiralised courgettes, samphire and watercress pesto with wines to match – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 200g Bucatini
• 1 Courgette
• 15g samphire
• 1 sprig of thyme

To prepare the pesto:

• 5 tbsps olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 100g baby watercress
• 30g grated Parmesan
• 30g toasted hazelnuts
• 1 peeled garlic clove
• 1 ice cube
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. To prepare the pesto; place all the ingredients in a powerful blender and blitz until all the ingredients form a smooth puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper before storing in the refrigerator with aluminium foil around until you are ready to use (this will avoid any discoloration).
2. Place the Bucatini in salted boiling water and cook till tender, with a little bite or “al-dente” as the Italians suggest.
3. In the meantime, rinse the samphire and trimmed courgette under cold water. Halve the courgette and use the thin noodle attachment on your spiralizer to create long twirls of pasta-like vegetable noodles. Alternatively, you could use a mandolin, or a sharp knife with good chopping skills.
4. Place a large frying pan on a medium to high heat with a drizzle of olive oil.
5. Add in the sprig of thyme together with the long filaments of courgette and samphire.
6. Sauté the vegetables for just one minute and season with a generous pinch of freshly ground pepper (no salt needed as the samphire will deliver its fair share).
7. When the pasta is cooked, strain off, reserving some of the cooking water.
8. Return the pasta to the frying pan and pour over the pesto, using a little pasta water to loosen the sauce if necessary.
9. Mix well until all the pasta and vegetables are coated in the delicious watercress pesto.
10. Ideally, this dish should be served nice and hot with a few parmesan shaving and fresh basil and watercress leafs scattered on top.

• See more Michel Roux Jr recipes, all with wines to match

About this recipe

Bursting with vitamins and minerals, the peppery leaves are fantastic for making sauces, soups and in this case, a lovely pesto. Another special ingredient in this dish is definitely the fresh samphire, a sea vegetable that grows abundantly on shorelines and enhances this simple pasta recipe with clean and crisp salty flavours from the sea.

Wines to match with watercress pesto and bucatini pasta

A dry German Riesling with intense minerality will do wonders for this flavoursome, vegetarian dish. The affordable Stepp Riesling, Kallstadter Saumagen 2014 is full of delicate notes of apples and peaches. This is a tantalising white wine which will easily complement this vibrant recipe.

I suggest a young, refreshing and zesty Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire region to accompany this light and scrumptious dish. The Calvet Pouilly-Fumé 2014 is bursting with citrus and aromatic flavours, highlighting the purity and minerality of this white wine.

Although a little more expensive; the Château de Puligny Montrachet En Remilly, St Aubin, 1er Cru 2011 is a favourite of mine. This 100% Burgundy Chardonnay has all the distinctive characters of a Burguandian wine. Exquisitely fresh, just like this vegetarian recipe.

The wines

Stepp, Riesling, Kallstadter Saumagen, Pfalz 2014

This white has wonderful tangy and fruity flavours that pair so beautifully with the creamy yet sharp flavours of the watercress pesto. This Riesling has an unusual finish that almost tingles the taste buds but the subtle notes of white peach gives this wine a mellow and fresh finesse. RRP: Marks and Spencer £15

Calvet, Pouilly-Fume, Loire 2014

The yellow-green colour of this Sauvignon Blanc looks beautiful against the deep greens of this vegetable dish. Floral and citrusy with a crisp minerality, it is a perfect summery wine that is wonderful to eat alongside this dish in the sunshine. RRP: Waitrose £15.99

Château de Puligny Montrachet En Remilly, St Aubin, 1er Cru 2011

This is a very special white wine and works so beautifully with the sunny flavours of the courgette and watercress in this pasta dish. Full of freshness and aromatic, herbaceous flavours, this medium bodied white wine from the Burgundy region is wonderful on the nose. Rich in notes of grapefruit, white flowers and a little honey for balance it is an absolute show stopper – you can discover new flavours within every sip. RRP: £35 from Berry Bros & Rudd

Paul A. Young, with Great British Chefs and Cordon Bleu teaches Decanter's Jessica Charlton and Patrick Grabham how to make this show stopping dessert.

Champagne rhubarb, Earl Grey tea ganache, rose and white chocolate

This is a show stopping dessert, so easy to prepare and dress yet it looks like hours and hours of work. It’s the prefect winter to spring dinner party dessert.

Scroll down to see the full recipe.

With the marking of the 10th anniversary of Paul A. Young Chocolates first shop it seemed fitting to join a group of chocolate enthusiasts for an evening masterclass to help celebrate the occasion.

Paul A. Young, renowned and innovative chocolatier, with the help of Le Cordon Bleu’s Master Chef Julie Walsh, led a fun and inspiring masterclass to encourage us to expand our ideas when cooking with chocolate.

First, Paul demonstrated how to make this seasonal dessert and then it was up to us to try and recreate what we had just seen. Although the dessert looked undeniably impressive and elegant it was easy to see how Paul’s ethos of simplicity has come about. Cooking with chocolate doesn’t have to be complicated or tough as long as the chocolate you start off with is good quailty. The key with chocolate, Paul explained, is simplicity.

While the rhubarb was softening in the oven we were able to taste Paul’s delicious chocolates. Grapefruit marmalade, calamansi juice and martini to name just a few of the ground-breaking flavours that have made him so legendary.

Wine Match

Finally to the tasting! The dessert was beautifully paired with Moscato d’Asti Alasia, Piemonte, Italy 2014. Carefully chosen by Matthieu Longuère MS, this sparkling sweet wine worked beautifully with the rhubarb and Earl Grey ganache to give a fresh sweetness that cleansed the palette.

The atmosphere was relaxed and cheerful, perfectly reflecting Paul’s philosophy of chocolate; that life is boring and dull without it!

Recipe

Serves 4

Time: 1 hour, plus 2 hours setting time for the ganache

Ingredients

Rhubarb

• 500g Wakefield champagne rhubarb cut into 3 inch (7.5cm) lengths
• 200g Unrefined golden caster sugar
• 50mls Vodka

Earl Grey tea ganache

• 200mls Very strong Earl Grey tea
• 400g 64 to 66% cocoa solids Valrhona dark chocolate
• 50g Unrefined golden caster sugar

Decoration

• 10g Dried edible rose petals
• 100g White chocolate bar – leave whole
• Gold leaf – optional

Method

1. For the ganache, bring the Earl Grey tea and sugar to the simmer, pour onto the chocolate and whisk well until smooth and glossy. Pour the ganache into a 6 inch (15cm) square baking tray lined with a double layer of cling film. Refrigerate until fully set. Approx 2 hours.
2. For the rhubarb, place the perfectly cut rhubarb onto a baking dish, sprinkle with the sugar and vodka. Cover with foil and braise for 20 minutes at 175˚C. Take out of the oven and allow to cool while still covered.
3. Once cold, carefully lift out the rhubarb onto 4 layers of kitchen towel to dry out slightly. Pour the cooking liquor into a saucepan and reduce slightly to a light vibrant pink syrup.
4. Cut the white chocolate bar with a large knife to create very thin shards and set aside. Place 7 to 8 pieces of rhubarb on to a flat white round plate.
5. Take the ganache from the fridge and carefully turn out onto parchment paper. Remove the cling film and cut the ganache with a hot knife to the same size as the rhubarb rectangle.
6. Cover the top of the ganache rectangle with white chocolate shards. Place the ganache rectangle gently onto the rhubarb with a palette knife. Now place rose petals onto the white chocolate decoration.
7. Spoon the vibrant pink liquor around the dessert and finish with small pieces of gold leaf between the rose petals.

Recipe courtesy of Paul A. Young. Visit Great British Chefs for more chocolate recipes.

Smoked eel is a delicacy in Germany and the Netherlands; full of Omega 3. Not only is smoked eel utterly delicious; the filets are always quick and easy to add to recipes. Make sure you buy from a sustainable stockist, ready to enjoy for tasty brunches at home.

Smoked and roasted eel served with tea consommé

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 200g smoked eel
• 1 Finely sliced spring onion
• 4 turnips
• 1 Red beetroot
• 1 yellow beetroot
• 1 tbsp lapsang souchon tea
• ½ a tbsp butter
• 550ml of clear fish stock
• Drizzles of olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 195 C
2. Scrub the beets thoroughly and slice off the leaves. Wrap them loosely in aluminium foil with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast them in a baking tray for 1h30 (add 30 minutes for larger veggies) until the tip of a knife will easily slide through the middle of the beet.
3. Leave the beetroots aside to cool down, until you can handle them. Once cooked, the skin will peel off very easily with help of kitchen paper.
4. Rinse and trim the turnips; (keep the tops). Leave baby turnips whole; or cut larger turnips into bite-size morsels and place in foil with exact same seasoning as beetroots.
5. Roast turnips until tender. Start checking on them after about 30 minutes.
6. In the meantime, slice the smoked eel into bite-size diamond shapes before pan searing in a non stick frying pan with a drop of olive oil over a medium to high heat.
7. After a couple of minutes, once the eel has a little colour, reduce the heat and add the butter to the pan. Roast for a further 2 minutes with the foaming butter. Then remove from the pan and set aside on kitchen paper.
8. Bring the fish stock to the boil in a medium sized saucepan. Turn off the heat as soon as the liquid has boiled and sprinkle in the tea. Leave the tea to infuse for approximately 5 minutes (more or less depending on how strong you enjoy it); pass through a fine sieve and season.
9. Slice all the cooked vegetables in small segments and place in a small serving bowl. Then delicately add the roasted eel on top and sprinkle the spring onion on top. Lastly pour over the fish stock.

• See all Michel Roux Jr recipes on Decanter.com

Wines to drink with smoked and roasted eel served with tea consommé

For a traditional pairing, I suggest a Picpoul de Pinet, Domaine Felines Jourdan 2014. This young white wine from the Languedoc-Roussillon region has a light Aniseed flavour with crisp and balanced acidity.

A big favorite of mine to accompany this dish is a dry sherry: Papirusa Manzanilla, Solera Familiar, Emilio Lustau. Tangy and crisp with just a hint of saltiness.

Matching Wines

Picpoul de Pinet, Domaine Felines Jourdan, 2014

Perfectly balanced with wonderful citrus layers and a mellow aniseed flavour, this white wine is a real crowd pleaser. Clean and mellifluous on the palate it pairs beautifully with the deep flavours of the eel and sharpness of the spring onion.

RRP: £10.99 from Virgin Wines

Papirusa Manzanilla, Solera Familiar, Emilio Lustau

Aged in the beautiful surroundings of Lustau’s Bodega in Sanlucar De Barramada, this wonderful wine has picked up a pleasant saltiness due to its closeness to salty sea breezes. This is an exemplary Manzanilla, tangy and light with a balanced citrus acidity.

RRP: £15.35 from Berry Bros and Rudd

Chef Michel Roux Jr offers his insider tips on cooking with fregola pasta and how to go about matching wine with squid, in his latest recipe with wine suggestions for Decanter.com.

Pan seared squid & fregola risotto – Michel Roux Jr recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 135g fregola sarda
• 400g fish stock/ vegetable stock
• 20g grated parmesan
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp mascarpone
• 2 tbsp white wine
• ½ a white onion
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 300g squid
• 30ml olive oil
• ½ the zest of a lemon
• ½ the zest of a mandarin
• ¼ of lemon grass stick
• ¼ bunch of finely chopped parsley
• 1 small deseeded red chili
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Clean and score the squid before cutting into medium sized triangle pieces.
2. Place the squid in a shallow dish and drizzle the of olive oil and roughly chopped lemon grass on top. Set aside for at least a couple of hours in the fridge (or even overnight).
3. Once the time has elapsed, remove the squid from the marinade and discard the lemon grass.
4. Season the squid with salt and pepper before pan searing scored side down first in a very hot non stick pan. Cook the squid for no more than 1 minute on each side, otherwise you risk it becoming chewy.
5. Cook the fregola as you would a risotto. Finely dice the onion and gently cook in a medium sized saucepan with olive oil.
6. Once the chopped onion is translucent and tender add the fregola to the pan. After a couple of minutes deglaze with white wine and add your first ladle of stock to the saucepan stirring gently.
7. Let the fregola absorb the stock before adding the next ladle. This slow method keeps the pasta firm and concentrates the flavour of the dish.
8. Repeat this process until the fregola is “al dente”; cooked, yet still with a little bite.
9. After 10 to 15 minutes; remove from the heat and incorporate the butter, parmesan and mascarpone.
10. Once all the dairy products are properly combined and melted season to taste with salt, pepper and zests of lemon mandarin.
11. Only at the last minute; just before serving incorporate the freshly chopped parsley and sliced red chili to the cooked fregola. For extra zing and colour scatter a few zests of citrus on the plate.

• See all Michel Roux Jr recipes on Decanter.com

Wines to drink with squid and fregola risotto

Fregola is a rolled and toasted pasta from Sardinia that I love using in new recipes. This dish is fresh and vibrant, with zings of citrus that will definitely tantalise your taste buds.

You must tread carefully when pairing wine with squid. With a delicate flavour and defined texture, you do not want to overpower with a heavily oaked or deeply tannic red wine. A crisp and dry Montagny 1er Cru, Les Millières 2012 from Burgundy‘s Côte Chalonnaise has the renowned balance of a Burguandian Chardonnay perfect to accompany this dish.

A young and refreshing Sancerre rosé 2014 by Brigitte & Daniel Chotard would also do wonders with this recipe. It’s a vibrant wine from the Loire region capable of breaking through the richness of the risotto, yet not overshadowing the squid.

From the same producers, I suggest the Sancerre blanc, Cuvée Marcel Henri 2013. A pure and precise Sauvignon Blanc with crisp, dry and aromatic flavours. This expressive white wine is the perfect wine to compliment this Italian inspired dish.

Matching Wines

Cave des Vignerons de Buxy, Montagny 1er Cru, Les Millières 2012

Incredibly good value for such a wonderful, fresh Chardonnay. Gloriously fruity and summery with peach and apricot aromas and a light citrus, lemon bite. Fantastic to drink alongside the meaty squid and creamy risotto. RRP: £11.99 Majestic Wine

Brigitte & Daniel Chotard, Sancerre rosé 2014

An exuberant and fresh rose that’s tremendously easy to drink, especially served chilled on a sunny afternoon alongside this light, seasonal dish. Lashing of red berries on the palate, and a hint of spice which compliments the vibrancy of the dish. RRP: £17.25 from Berry Bros & Rudd

Brigitte & Daniel Chotard, Cuvée Marcel Henri, Sancerre 2013

A wonderful Sancerre, it is medium bodied with a distinctive minerality from the rich soil from which it is grown on the left bank of the Loire Valley. RRP: £22.95 from Berry Bros and Rudd

Editing by Chris Mercer

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Individual cherry rolls served with rum Chantilly – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Marinated lamb chops with garlic and herb sauce – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Stilton salad with fennel and pine nuts – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

How to prepare it, and wines to match...

Seared and marinated tuna with roasted kale – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

I have fond memories of cherry picking with my parents and preparing kilos of the fruit when we got home. My mother was very fond of making jams and clafoutis but these little rolls were my absolute favourite. I remember being very impatient and eating them as soon as they came out of the oven.

Individual cherry rolls served with rum Chantilly

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

To prepare the pastry:

• 240g white flour
• 2 tbsps. white caster sugar (+ one extra for sprinkling)
• 200g cubed butter
• 4 tbsps. iced water
• A pinch of sea salt

To prepare the filling:

• 280g fresh pitted cherries
• 4 tbsp. Demerara sugar
• 85ml water
• ½ the juice of a lemon
• 1 tsp. corn flour
• ½ a scraped vanilla pod

Rum Chantilly:

• 1 tbsp. dark rum
• 2 tbsps. icing sugar
• 150ml whipping cream

Egg wash:

• 2 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp. milk

Method:

Pre-prepare the cherry filling the night before:

1. Place the cherries in a saucepan with the sugar, water, scraped vanilla pod and lemon juice.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes; stirring from time to time.
3. After the time has elapsed, whisk the corn flour with a drizzle of water and add the mixture to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer for a further minute.
4. Once the cherries are soft and coated in a syrup like texture remove from the heat and leave to cool down overnight.

To prepare the pastry:

Preheat your oven to 195 degrees C

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor except the iced water. Pulse the processor until the mixture resembles fine sand.
2. Add the water to the dry mix until the dough rolls itself into a ball.
3. Place in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until you achieve a large rectangle of 2 to 3 mm thin.
5. Slice large rectangles of 10cm long. Gently brush all over with the egg wash and sprinkle a little sugar evenly over each strip.
6. Finally, place the cherries all over the sheet of pastry and roll tightly as you would a Swiss roll. Then slice 2 to 2.5cm individual rolls and turn them on their side to reveal the oozing cherries.
7. Place them on a baking tray previously lined with a greaseproof paper and egg wash on the outside of each little roll.
8. Bake for 15 minutes; when crispy and caramelised remove from the oven, and leave to cool.

To prepare the rum Chantilly:

1. Whisk the cream and icing sugar in the bowl with an electric mixer. When it starts to thicken add the rum and any remaining cherries or syrup.
2. As soon as you achieve a soft peek, stop whisking and devour.

• See all Michel Roux Jr recipes on Decanter.com

Wines to drink with cherry rolls served with rum chantilly

Muscat de Rivesaltes, Mas Amiel 2012

This bright and tantalising dessert wine combines the aroma of white peach notes with ripe lemon and lime zest. There is a subtle note of sea salt, balancing the delicate sweetness.

RRP: £10.99 from Waitrose

Banyuls Cuvée Parcé Frères, Domaine de la Rectoire 2012

Using the Grenache grape that the Banyuls-sur-Mer region has become renowned for, this lovely rich wine has a fresh sweetness that is full of caramel and candied fruit notes, providing a lighter and interesting alternative to port.

RRP: 50cl – £19.95 from Oxford Wine Company

Brioche and butter pudding – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Canelé – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Apple puff pastry with Christmas spices – recipe by Michel Roux Jr.

Gateau de Savoie, chestnut purée and Chantilly cream – recipe by Michel Roux Jr.

Traditional rice pudding with poached peaches – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Re-assess rice pudding with this recipe from Michel Roux Jr...

This is an ideal recipe to serve as finger food or a quirky canapé. Quick and easy to prepare, this is a great way to open up the palate before a delicious meal. Spring lamb is extremely delicate; be carful not to overpower with excessive use of spices. A simple marinade and garlic sauce will make this mouth-watering rack of lamb stand out.

Marinated lamb chops with garlic and herb sauce

Serves 4 as an canapé

Ingredients

• 1 rack of spring lamb (with 8 bones) French trimmed

To prepare the marinade:

• 4 tbsps olive oil
• A sprig of striped rosemary
• A sprig of striped thyme
• 1 tsp piment d’Espelette (Ground chili)
• 1 tsp sea salt

To prepare the sauce:

• 100ml milk
• 2 peeled garlic clove
• 250ml rapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp chopped mint
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper

Method

To prepare the marinade:

1. Place all the ingredients in a mortar and grind until the oil is properly infused. Rub the marinade all over the lamb rack and leave in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
2. Preheat your oven to 175 degrees C
3. Heat a large, frying pan over a medium to high heat and brown the rack on the meaty sides for about 1-2 minutes, then turn and colour the other sides for a further 1 minute. Finally, brown the ends briefly so that all of the exposed meat is seared.
4. Then place in an appropriate roasting tray and roast for approximately 10 minutes (depending on the size of the rack). Leave the meat to rest for a further 5 minutes before slicing each chop.

To prepare the sauce:

5. Place the milk and halved garlic cloves in a small saucepan. Gently heat making sure the liquid never boils. Once hot, use a hand blender to mix the garlic cloves and milk together.

6. Progressively incorporate the oil until the sauce emulsifies and thickens. Then pour the sauce into a small bowl and leave to cool down for 1 hour.

7. Once completely cold, whisk the chopped herbs into the sauce and serve alongside the lamb chops.

• See all Michel Roux Jr recipes on Decanter.com

Matching Wines

Lamb is one of the most wine-friendly of meats. I suggest a dry, lightly chilled Gamay: Domaine Louis-Claude Desvignes, La Voute St Vincent, Morgon 2013 to kick start your meal. Although red wine is not commonly served as an aperitif you can always continue to drink it with the rest of your meal.

With typical Mediterranean flavours a fresh and balanced rosé will do wonders to accompany this delicious aperitif. The Château de Pibarnon, Bandol, Provence 2014 has the perfect balance of acidity to stimulate the appetite.

For a serious wow factor or celebratory evening, I recommend Taittinger; the estate is still run by the Tattinger family. The Champagne Prestige Rosé Brut is lively and pink, full of delicate red berry aromas. A seamless match for this tantalising canapé.

Wines to drink with marinated lamb chops with garlic and herb sauce

Domaine Louis-Claude Desvignes, La Voute St Vincent Morgon, 2013

This red wine is bold in flavour and offers a subtle intensity that lingers beautifully on the palate. Served slightly chilled to enjoy in the spring sunshine, this wine is deeply fruity allows a perfect balance to meaty dishes such as lamb.

RRP: Berry Bro & Rudd: £13.95

Château de Pibarnon, Bandol, Provence 2014

Chateau de Pibarnon, Bandol, Provence, 2014 – A refined and delicate Rose, with gentle floral aromas. On palate, the Rose is relatively dry and mildly acidic but it finishes off balanced and pleasantly sweet. The pairs extremely well with the Mediterranean flavours of the lamb.

RRP: Joseph Barnes Wine: £25.00

Taittinger: Champagne Prestige Rosé Brut

A real showstopper, this Rose Brut is extremely vibrant, light and very easy to drink. The light bubbles are wonderfully refreshing, whilst the sweet summer berry notes make for a smooth and easy finish on the palate. This Rose Brut is an incomparable match for any special occasion.

RRP: Ocado: £47.99

Stilton salad with fennel and pine nuts – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

How to prepare it, and wines to match...

Seared and marinated tuna with roasted kale – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Pigeon, celeriac spaghetti and parsley condiment – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

See how to make this delicious recipe...

Pork loin, carrot spaghetti, roast parsnip and coriander condiment – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Spelt risotto, sprouting broccoli and parmesan crisp – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

See this delicious spelt risotto recipe with wines to match

If you like smooth and creamy frozen treats, this delightful iced coffee soufflé will please your taste buds. This dessert was served up by Cordon Bleu at a recent masterclass which Decanter's Claudia Cianfarani attended.

Iced coffee soufflé

Chef: Cordon Bleu

Cooking time: 30 minutes plus 2 hours freezing time

Serves: 6

Course: Dessert

Skill level: Medium

Ingredients:

Coffee-flavoured sabayon

• 6 egg yolks
• 100g sugar
• 80ml water
• 20g Lavazza Kafa Forest Ground Coffee
• 3 gelatine leaves (6g), soaked in cold water and squeezed to remove excess water just before adding
• 450ml whipping cream

Italian meringue

• 100g sugar
• 40ml water
• 3 egg whites

Garnish

• 150ml whipping cream, whipped
• 12 chocolate-covered beans (optional – chocolate feather used in image)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder

Equipment

• Cafetiere
• 6 x 125ml ramekins

Method

1. Wrap 6 ramekins with a double layer of baking paper and secure with tape or string
2. To make the sabayon, beat the whipping cream until it forms soft peaks and reserve in the fridge. Heat the water to 95 degrees Celsius and infuse the coffee in a small cafetiere for 10 minutes, then strain into a mug or bowl and set aside
3. Combine the eggs and sugar in a bowl and whisk until pale and thick. Add the coffee and place over a bain marie, whisk until thick and creamy. Add the gelatine and whisk again until cool
4. For the Italian meringue, heat together the sugar and water in a saucepan until it reaches 118 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites in a very clean, dry bowl until they start to form soft peaks. Gradually pour the cooked sugar syrup onto the eggs whites, whisking continuously until the meringue is cool, smooth and glossy
5. Gently mix the Italian meringue with the sabayon and fold through the whipped cream. Divide evenly between the ramekins and smooth the tops. Transfer to the freezer and leave to set for at least 2 hours
6. To serve, remove the paper collar from each ramekin, dust with cocoa powder and garnish with chocolate coffee beans. Serve with whipped cream

Wine Matching:

Try with a 20 year old tawny Port, a sweet Oloroso sherry, or even Madiera.

Recipe courtesy of Cordon Bleu. Great Italian Chefs showcases the best culinary talent that Italy has to offer. Visit Great Italian Chefs for more recipes and features for Italy’s most exciting chefs.

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This is an easy, delicious recipe that takes fewer than 10 minutes to prepare and cook. Although tuna is a very versatile ingredient, it is also a very delicate fish that needs to be cooked properly.

Seared and marinated tuna with kale

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 250g tuna steak
• 1 tbsp olive oil

To prepare the marinade:

• ½ a cup of rapeseed oil
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp soya sauce
• ½ a stick of lemongrass
• 5g grated ginger
• ½ a lemon zested

To prepare the garnish and light sauce:

• 5 spring onions (keep 1 raw for slicing)
• 35g kale
• 50g Greek yoghurt
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ a garlic clove
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• A pinch of paprika
• A handful of coriander cress
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Place the tuna steaks in a shallow dish. Whisk together the oil, rice vinegar and soya sauce in a small mixing bowl. Add the roughly chopped lemongrass, ginger and zest to the liquid mix. Pour the marinade over the tuna making sure the steaks are completely covered.
2. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours.
3. Rinse and trim the kale and spring onions before using. Then place a saucepan with butter over a medium heat and roast the kale for approx. 3 to 5 minutes. Once the leaves turn from a dusty green to a dark emerald with brown curly edges, add the grated garlic to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
4. Place a small frying pan over a medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Slice the spring onions in half and place them in the pan. Cook the vegetables for a couple of minutes on both side until golden brown and tender.
5. Tuna can dry out very quickly and lose its delicate taste if overcooked. Remove the tuna from the marinade and lightly pat with absorbing paper before seasoning with salt and pepper. Heat up the olive oil in large frying pan over a medium to high heat.
6. Once the pan is nice and hot place the steaks inside and do not touch for the next 2 minutes. When the tuna no longer sticks to the pan it’s ready to be flipped and seared for a further 2 minutes on the other side. The flesh must stay pink and warm inside.
7. To create a light and tasty sauce, whisk together the yogurt, mustard and finely sliced spring onion. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of paprika. Dress with coriander cress.

• See all Michel Roux Jr recipes on Decanter.com

Matching wines

Excellent value for money, the Araldica, Madonnina Gavi 2013 is a delicate and floral white wine from the Piedmont region in Italy. Fresh and predominantly citrus flavoured, this Italian wine is the perfect match for this vibrant and delicious dish.

Tuna is a meaty fish which adapts well to medium bodied white wines. This is why I suggest a Domaine Michel Bouzereau, Bourgogne Blanc 2013. A lively Chardonnay full of peach and apricot aromas that would go hand in hand with this original recipe.

Produced and grown in the Basque region close to where the tuna is caught; the Arretxea, Irouleguy Blanc, Hegoxuri 2013 is worth every single penny. This subtle white wine with exotic fruit flavours sublimes this simple dish.

Wines to drink with seared and marinated tuna with kale by Michel Roux Jr.

Araldica, Madonnina Gavi 2013: Fantastically vibrant, with a crisp citrusy freshness from the lime and grapefruit flavours, this white was hand crafted in the south-east corner of Piedmont. Clean and refreshing it cuts beautifully against the heat of the paprika and meatiness of the tuna. RRP: £9.99 Virgin Wines

Domaine Michel Bouzereau, Bourgogne Blanc 2013: With wonderful stone fruit flavours such as peach and apricot, this beautifully shimmering white wine has a beautiful sweetness that complements the herbaciousness of the dish.

RRP: £22 Berry Bros & Rudd

Arretxea, Irouleguy Blanc, Hegoxuri 2013: This complex wine is made from indigenous grapes of the Basque region and layer the palate with a range of flavours and aromas that just keep giving. Full of fruity notes such as melon, mango and citrus, this golden wine even has hints of espresso on the nose.

RRP: £23.98 Vivino

See Decanter.com’s food section

Pigeon, celeriac spaghetti and parsley condiment – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

See how to make this delicious recipe...

Spelt risotto, sprouting broccoli and parmesan crisp – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

See this delicious spelt risotto recipe with wines to match

Brioche and butter pudding – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Lobster tortellini and medallions with a parsley condiment and bisque sauce – Recipe by Michel Roux Jr

This delicious lobster tortellini recipe from Michel Roux Jr is perfect for any celebration...

Michelin-starred Roberto Petza teaches Decanter's Claudia Cianfarani how to prepare a beautiful salad of Jerusalem artichoke with Kafa coffee dressing.

Scroll down to see the full recipe.

Great Italian Chefs and Lavazza coffee teamed up with Michelin-starred chef Roberto Petza from Cagliari, Sardinia, to deliver an inspirational masterclass held at Le Cordon Bleu School in London. Decanter joined them to learn how coffee can be used in cooking as a slightly unexpected ingredient. The original recipe we were shown is one of Petza’s signature dishes: Jerusalem artichoke with coffee dressing.

After a demonstration, we were challenged to roll up our sleeves, put on our aprons and get to work attempting to reproduce the salad recipe under, of course, Petza’s guidance. The whole evening was extraordinarily fun. The coffee worked surprisingly well, with the subtle floral and tangy notes from the coffee balancing well with the vegetables and spices from the salad.

The meal was perfectly paired with an orange wine from Georgia: Nikoloz Antadze Rkatsiteli Kakheti 2014. This wine was a very pleasant surprise, the orange colour was accompanied by peach and orange aromas that complimented the dish extremely well.

Last but not the least, for dessert, the Master Pastry Chef, Nicolas Houchet from Le Cordon Bleu treated us with culinary show when he prepared an Iced coffee soufflé, a beautiful dessert with coffee as the main ingredient.

By Claudia Cianfarani

Jerusalem artichoke with coffee dressing

Chef: Roberto Petza

Cooking time: 60 minutes

Serves: 2-4

Course: Starter

Skill level: Easy

Ingredients:

• 300g Jerusalem artichokes, washed
• 50g shallots, sliced
• 100g breakfast radishes, washed
• 0.5tsp coriander seeds
• 1.5tbsp rosemary
• 1tbsp thyme
• 10g mustard seeds
• 2.5tbsp marjoram
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 20ml Lavazza Kafa espresso
• 1tbsp flaked almonds
• 1 celery stick
• 1 fennel
• 200g Pancetta lardons
• 6tbsp extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat with 3tbsp of oil.
2. Add the Jerusalem artichokes with the shallots, garlic, herbs and spices. Season and cook over a low heat for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.
3. Fry the chopped pancetta in a separate pan until crispy and then add the cooked Jerusalem artichokes, coat in the bacon fat and keep them warm until ready to serve.
4. Dice the fennel, celery and radishes into 0.5cm cubes. Roughly chop the almonds and mix everything together in a bowl with a salt and pepper.
5. Whisk together the coffee, 3 remaining tbsp of oil and salt.
6. Cut the Jerusalem artichokes in half and arrange on a plate. Dress the raw vegetables with the dressing and spoon around. Add the bacon lardons and garnish with edible flowers.

Recipe courtesy of Roberto Petza. Great Italian Chefs showcases the best culinary talent that Italy has to offer. Visit Great Italian Chefs for more recipes and features for Italy’s most exciting chefs.

Celeriac is not necessarily everyone’s first choice as a root vegetable. Large and sometimes awkward to cook, people shy from buying and using. This is why spiralising vegetables is a fun and easy way to enjoy various veggies.

Pigeon, celeriac spaghetti and parsley condiment

Serves 2

Ingredients

Pigeon, celeriac spaghetti and parsley condiment:

• 2 wild pigeon breast
• ½ a celeriac
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp roasted hazelnuts
• 2 Tbsp butter
• A pinch of freshly ground coffee
• Salt and pepper

To prepare the parsley condiment:

• 1 bunch of flat parsley (keeps a few leaves for decoration)
• 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice
• 4 Tbsp. of olive oil
• 1 tsp of Dijon mustard
• 1 cube of ice
• A pinch of salt

Method:

1. To prepare the parsley condiment; place all the ingredients together in a powerful blender. Blitz until all components are properly combined. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
2. Make sure the pigeon breasts are nice and clean before seasoning with salt and pepper.
3. Then bring a small frying pan with a tablespoon of olive oil to a medium heat. Place the breasts skin side down and sear for approximately 2 minutes. Then add the butter to the pan and baste the pigeon breasts. Flip over and cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the pan once the skin is crisp and golden brown; then leave the pigeon to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
4. Peel the celeriac and cut one large thick slice out of the centre of the vegetable. This large slice will be easy to spiralise into long spaghettis. Cut up the remaining pieces of celeriac into bite size chunks.
5. Bring a medium sized saucepan filled with salted water to the boil and place the chunks of celeriac inside. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until tender. Then strain off and place on kitchen paper to dry.
6. Place a frying pan with a tablespoon of olive oil over a medium to high heat. Once the pan is hot place the chunks of celeriac inside.
7. Roast each side of the vegetable for 2 to 3 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Use this same pan to lightly sear off the spiralised celeriac. Only a few seconds are needed in the frying pan to soften the vegetable strips.
8. Then season with salt, pepper and coffee before plating up.

• See all Michel Roux Jr recipes on Decanter.com

Matching Wines

Pigeon is a delicate game that needs the right sort of wine to accompany it. Louis Jadot, Les Pierres Rouges 2013, Bourgogne Pinot Noir is the perfect Pinot Noir to complement this dish at a very sensible price. With a pronounced taste of red fruit this young burgundian wine is ideal for pairing with pigeon.

For a wine with a little more depth I encourage you to try the Château Pavillon Figeac 2006, St-Émilion Grand Cru. A refined, yet approachable claret with great texture and length. With hints of plum, dates and forest floor there couldn’t be a better match.

For a special occasion, I suggest a personal favourite of mine: the Maison Chapoutier, Les Bécasses 2012, from the Côte-Rotie area. This generous Syrah from the Rhône region is full of subtle spices and black olive aromas.

Wines to drink with pigeon, celeriac spaghetti and parsley condiment by Michel Roux Jr.

Louis Jadot, Les Pierres Rouges, Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2013: A deep red wine unctuous in dark fruits that sit beautifully on the palate. Slightly floral on the nose, this well-rounded wine is the perfect partner to the rich, gamey pigeon and earthy celeriac.

RRP: £11.99 Majestic

Château Pavillon Figeac, St-Émilion Grand Cru 2006: The wonderful woody aromas and deep fruit notes makes this wine fabulous to drink alongside the rich flavours of this dish. It is a luxurious red with a lovely blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot and is at its very best this year.

RRP: £22 from Majestic Wines (2007 vintage)

Maison Chapoutier, Les Bécasses, Côte-Rotie 2012: A real triumph of red, this wine is rich and full bodied. Floral notes that blend beautifully with sweet fruit and hot black pepper. Slightly higher in price, but absolutely worth it as it works so elegantly well with this pigeon dish. The most impressive of the bunch, the Les Bécasses 2012 offers a gorgeous perfume of violets, spring flowers, mineral, black olive, pepper and sweet raspberry-styled fruit. Not losing a beat on the palate, with medium-bodied richness, a seamless texture and finely polished tannin, this beauty will have at least a decade of longevity.

RRP: £39.95 Berry Bros & Rudd

Pink peppercorns (no relation to the black or white variety) are slightly spicy but fruity, with a mild citrus taste. Here, they flavour the salt sprinkled on a super-easy vegetable crudo. This appetizer with a glass of Riesling as the sun comes out is an experience.

Fennel, apple and avocado crudo

Contributed by Kay Chun

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Course: Starter

Skill level: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon crushed pink peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon chopped drained capers
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated Ruby Red grapefruit zest
• 6 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill
• 2 firm, ripe Hass avocados—halved, pitted and cut into very thin wedges
• 1 fennel bulb—halved, cored and very thinly sliced lengthwise (2 cups)
• 1 medium Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix the pink peppercorns with the capers and salt. In another bowl, whisk the grapefruit zest with the juice, oil and dill.
2. On a serving platter, layer the avocados, fennel and apple, overlapping them slightly. Drizzle the grapefruit vinaigrette over the crudo and sprinkle with some of the pink peppercorn–caper salt. Serve immediately, passing the remaining salt at the table.

Suggested pairing

This fragrant salad is lovely with a lightly floral southern French rosé, or a dry Riesling from the Alsace, Clare Valley in Australia, or Germany.

A recipe from Food & Wine Magazine

Red Snapper Crudo with Watercress Pesto

Credit: Photo © Fredrika Stjarne

Chipotle-Braised Chicken Thighs with Poached Eggs – Recipe

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Pork loin is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. This original recipe is full of bold and fragrant flavours that tantalise your taste buds. The combination of Moroccan spices with the freshness of coriander and lime juice brings the whole dish together. Who wouldn't enjoy fantastic food with a refreshing and vibrant glass of wine to match?

Pork loin, carrot spaghetti, roast parsnip and coriander condiment

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 600g pork loin

Ingredients for the condiment:

• 2 bunches of coriander (approx.60g)
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 cube of ice

Ingredients for the garnish:

• 2 carrots (spiralised)
• A pinch of ras-el-hanout
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 small parsnips
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• A handful of mint cress or sliced mint leafs

Salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C.

Method:

To cook the meat:

1. Portion the pork into 4 even pieces and season with salt and pepper on each side.
2. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in large frying pan over a medium heat.
3. Place the pork into the pan and sear each side for 4 to 5 minutes (depending on the thickness of the meat) until it takes on a lovely caramelised colour.

To prepare the condiment:

1. Blend all the ingredients together in a small food processor. Once all the ingredients are properly combined and you have obtained a smooth paste, season with a pinch of salt.
2. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To prepare the garnish:

1. Thoroughly rinse the parsnips as we are not going to peel them.
2. Place them in a baking tray together with honey and a drizzle of olive oil.
3. Mix all together to coat the parsnips and season with salt and pepper.
4. Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes (depending on the size of your veggies), until golden brown.
5. In the meantime, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in large frying pan over a high heat.
6. Place the carrots directly into the sizzling pan and sprinkle them with ras-el-hanout. The carrots will cook very rapidly, so stir them continuously until they have softened but still remain “al-dente”.
7. Deglaze with lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Serve swirled around your fork (like you would with spaghetti).

• See all Michel Roux Jr recipes on Decanter.com

Matching Wines

A light Pinot Noir from the Burgundy region will do wonders to accompany this modern dish. Potels Maison Roche de Bellene 2012 is a perky red wine and fantastic value for money. Full of fruity notes and fresh acidity – perfect to balance out the bold flavours in this recipe.

For a slightly richer and more complex red wine I suggest a 2010 Château Cissac, Haut-Médoc. With a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot this medium bodied wine won’t be overpowered by the ras-el-hanout and powerful condiment in this dish.

A personal favourite of mine to accompany this dish would definitely be a 2013 Saint Joseph Blanc, Mairlant, Domaine Francois Villard. A stunning full bodied white wine from the Rhône region that’s worth every single penny.

Wines to drink with Pork loin, carrot spaghetti, roast parsnip and coriander condiment by Michel Roux Jr.

Pinot Noir Reserve, Maison Roche de Bellene, Potel 2012 – This light red has a lovely herbaceous quality for a young pinot, and lovely, woody notes that fit so well with the warm flavours of the pork. Fruity with a slightly tannic finish, it is fantastic value for money and suits the dish very well.

RRP: £12.50 from The Wine Society

Château Cissac, Haut-Médoc 2010 – This is a slightly richer and more complex red wine with notes of cedar, fresh cassis and blackberry. With a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot this medium bodied wine won’t be overpowered by the ras-el-hanout and powerful condiment in this dish.

RRP: £21.00 Justerini and Brooks

Saint Joseph Blanc, Mairlant, Domaine Francois Villard 2013 – A stunning full bodied white wine from the Rhône region that’s worth every single penny. A wonderful blend of Marsanne and Roussanne, this white has delicately sweet notes of poached pear and honey that really compliment the ras-el-hanout.

RRP £29.95 from Berry Bros. & Rudd

Traditional rice pudding with poached peaches – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Re-assess rice pudding with this recipe from Michel Roux Jr...

Spelt risotto, sprouting broccoli and parmesan crisp – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

See this delicious spelt risotto recipe with wines to match

Brioche and butter pudding – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Pan seared sea bass with avocado, pak choi & citrus dressing – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Lobster tortellini and medallions with a parsley condiment and bisque sauce – Recipe by Michel Roux Jr

This delicious lobster tortellini recipe from Michel Roux Jr is perfect for any celebration...

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Although rice pudding was often on school menus, it was never as good as my mother used to make. I would generously pass the bland and gloopy dessert to my friends who were always most delighted. This traditional rice pudding recipe is baked in the oven at a low temperature in order to cook for longer. I love topping it with preserved fruit, even dare I say tinned peaches which are a personal favourite of mine.

Traditional rice pudding with poached peaches

Serves 3

Ingredients:

• 600ml whole milk
• 70g pudding rice
• 30g sugar
• 10g salted cubed butter
• 1 scraped vanilla pod
• The zest of 1 lime
• 2 tbsp whipped cream (optional)
• 1 tin (420g) peaches

Preheat your oven to 140 degrees C

Method:

1. Place the milk, sugar, rice and vanilla in a medium sized saucepan.
2. Once the whole lot has come up to a boil, pour everything into a deep baking dish. Place the dish in the oven (no cover necessary as the rice needs to colour on top).
3. After 45 minutes, give the rice a stir and scatter the butter on top.
4. Leave to cook for a further 35 minutes until the rice has lightly browned on top, and there is no liquid left in the dish.
5. Best served lukewarm or cold with a sprinkle of lime zest.
6. For extra indulgence, fold in a little whipped cream before eating.
7. Serve with the tinned peaches

• See all Michel Roux Jr recipes on Decanter.com

Matching Wines

For a best budget sparkling wine, I suggest the Villion Blanc de Blanc, Méthode Cap Classique, Viljoensdrift from South Africa. This 100% Chardonnay is full of lemony flavours, which is a perfect match for the freshly zested lime sprinkled on top of this homely pudding.

Banyuls is a favourite of mine; a Grenache-based fortified red wine full of black fruit aromas. The Coume del Mas Galateo 2011 from the Languedoc-Roussillon region is rich and full-bodied, yet less sweet and syrupy than a typical dessert wine; rather pairing with peaches try soaked prunes.

Wines to drink with traditional rice pudding by Michel Roux Jr.

Villion Blanc de Blanc, Méthode Cap Classique, Viljoensdrift, South Africa NV – Wonderfully lemony, absolutely full of zest – almost like a refreshing, sparkling lemon curd in a way. It is beautifully sweet, reminiscent of honey suckle. The combination of these flavours is almost comforting which perfectly suits the nostalgic essence of this dessert.

RRP: £13.70 from Tanners Wines

Banyul, Coume del Mas Galateo, 2011 – This deep red dessert wine has gloriously warm and spicy flavours with dark, woody notes on the nose. Paired with the creamy rice pudding, it drinks beautifully with earthy fruits such as soaked prunes or honeyed figs.

RRP: £24.10 from Hedonism Wines

Brioche and butter pudding – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Canelé – recipe by Michel Roux Jr

Gateau de Savoie, chestnut purée and Chantilly cream – recipe by Michel Roux Jr.

Decanter headed out to the Great Italian Chef's and Lavazza coffee masterclass in London earlier this month and were shown how to make this simple but tasty dessert recipe by Christian and Manuel Costardi.

The Costardi Brothers bring the science lab into the kitchen with this inventive meringue with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream dessert recipe. If you cannot obtain liquid nitrogen to make the ice cream, simply use a premium vanilla ice cream as a substitute.

Meringue with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream

Chef: Costardi Brothers

Cooking time: 3 hours

Serves: 8

Course: Dessert

Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients:

Ice cream

750g of cream

180g of sugar

Meringue

200g of egg white

400g of sugar

1 pinch of Sarawak black pepper

1 pinch of lemon zest

Chocolate sauce

100g of dark chocolate, 72%

30g of butter

Garnish

200g of whipping cream, whipped

salt flakes

Method:

1. 750g of cream
2. 180g of sugar
3. Transfer the mixture to a standing mixer with paddle attachment and start to mix. Carefully pour in liquid nitrogen until frozen, then reserve in the freezer
4. Preheat the oven to 85°C
5. 200g of egg white
6. 400g of sugar
7. 1 pinch of Sarawak black pepper
8. 1 pinch of lemon zest
9. Transfer the mixture into a piping bag. Line a metal tray with greaseproof paper and pipe circles of the meringue on top, about 10cm in diameter. Bake for approximately 3 hours, then remove from the oven and allow to cool
10. 100g of dark chocolate, 72% (or similar)
11. 30g of butter
12. 200g of whipping cream
13. salt flakes

• SEE ALSO: Why not try the Costardi Brothers’ risotto recipe, too?

• See all Decanter.com recipes

Coffee and Parmesan risotto – recipe

Decanter headed out to a masterclass with the Costardi brothers...

Spelt is a fantastic alternative to rice; it has a slightly nutty flavour and is very easily digested. I also find it gives a warming and heartier feel to many dishes. Not only is spelt perfect for people who have difficulty digesting gluten but it’s also extremely versatile. I have chosen to make a wintery risotto, but spelt can also be used in biscuits and breads, and is also a great supplement to salads.

Spelt risotto, sprouting broccoli and parmesan crisp

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 200g pearled spelt
• 1l vegetable stock or water
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 100g grated Parmesan
• ½ a cup of white wine (optional)
• 1 finely diced white onion
• 200g sprouting broccoli
• 200g ceps (or any other mushroom that takes your fancy)
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 1 sliced spring onion

Method:

1. Heat a tbsp. olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and just beginning to colour.
2. Gradually add the spelt to the pan and stir well for 1 minute.
3. Once the grains have absorbed all the humidity in the saucepan, deglaze with white wine and reduce the heat. Again, you must stir gently until all the alcohol has evaporated before adding more liquid.

When making risotto it is very important you keep your stock simmering at all times, otherwise you may interrupt the cooking process.

1. Add your first ladle of stock to the saucepan and stir gently.
2. Let the spelt absorb the stock before adding the next ladle. This slow method keeps the grain firm and concentrates the flavour of the dish.
3. Repeat this process until the spelt is “al dente”; cooked, yet still with a little bite. This should take about 40 to 45 minutes.
4. When you feel the spelt has achieved the right texture briskly stir in the butter and parmesan. You should obtain a perfectly glossy finish.
5. Rinse and half the sprouting broccoli before blanching in salted water for a couple of minutes. Strain and leave to one side.
6. If necessary, cut the mushrooms to a similar size.
7. In a large frying pan, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over a medium to high heat.
8. Add the mushrooms together with the garlic clove and toss them around so that they cook evenly.
9. After 2 minutes, when the mushrooms have lightly browned add the sprouting broccoli to the pan and season to taste with salt and pepper.
10. Sprinkle the spring onions all over the plate before devouring.

• See all Michel Roux Jr recipes on Decanter.com

Matching Wines

When pairing a delicate risotto, it is important to choose a wine that isn’t too overpowering in order to respect the beautiful creaminess of the dish. I suggest a Domaine Coudoulet 2014, which is a young Syrah from the Languedoc Roussillon region. This affordable red wine is a perfect match for this flavoursome vegetarian dish.

On a lighter note, I think an herbaceous Chardonnay from Oliver Merlin would work wonders with this earthy dish. The Macon La Roche-Vineuse 2013 is a clean and dry white wine that is extremely good value for money.

If you really want to treat yourself, I recommend you try a 2012 Maranges, Le croix Moines 1er Cru from Camille Giroud. This weighty red wine has the perfect balance of tannins and fruit to sublimate this simple and moreish recipe.

Wines to drink with spelt risotto, sprouting broccoli and parmesan crisp by Michel Roux Jr

Domaine Coudoulet, Vins de Pays d’Oc 2014 – A beautiful example of a Syrah, this rounded red is unctuous with full, black fruits and a certain pepperiness which balances well with the creaminess of the risotto. RRP: £10.75 Berry Bros & Rudd

Domaine Olivier Merlin, Mâcon-La Roche Vineuse, Vieilles Vignes 2013 – Crisp and refreshing, this lovely white has beautifully subtle notes of strawberry balanced with a herbacious perfume. The slight sweetness from the red fruit notes is balanced with an overall dryness which makes it a perfect match for the velvety risotto.

RRP : £18.95 Berry Bros and Rudd

Maranges, Le Croix Moines, 1er Cru, Camille Giroud 2012 – A great favourite, this red is deep with earthy and fruit flavours. Beautifully balanced it is a great partner to this hearty and warming dish and will absolutely help to put those winter chills to bed.

RRP: £29.95 from Berry Bros and Rudd

Decanter headed out to a masterclass with the Costardi brothers, organised by Great Italian Chefs and Lavazza coffee, in London earlier this month and were shown how to make this delicious risotto recipe.

This unusual risotto recipe from the Costardi brothers, and shared with Decanter.com by Great Italian Chefs, combines a rich, creamy Parmesan risotto with a savoury, aromatic hit of coffee. A final dusting of coffee granules – and in this case Lavazza Kafa coffee – adds a slight bitterness which balances out the buttery rice and sticky, sweet beer reduction.

Coffee and Parmesan risotto

Chef: Costardi Brothers

Cooking time: 4 hours 30 minutes

Serves: 6

Course: Starter

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

Risotto

350g of carnaroli risotto rice

1/2 carrot, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 stick of celery, chopped

1 litre hot water

40g of butter

30g of grated Parmesan

Ground coffee (in this case, Lavazza Kafa Forest Coffee)

Sarawak black pepper

salt

Parmesan cream

150g of Parmesan, grated

75g of cream

Beer reduction

750ml of lager beer

Method:

1. Start by making a vegetable stock for the risotto. Place the chopped carrot, celery and onion in a large pan and cover with the hot water. Place over a low heat and leave to simmer gently for 4 hours
   • 1/2 carrot, chopped
   • 1/2 onion, chopped
   • 1/2 stick of celery, chopped
   • 1l hot water
2. Meanwhile, prepare the beer reduction. Pour the beer into a large pan and place over a high heat. Allow to cook until thickened and reduced by half, then remove from the heat and set aside until ready to serve
   • 750ml of lager beer
3. When the stock has about 30 minutes cooking time remaining, start the Parmesan cream. Pour the cream into a pan and stir in the Parmesan. Place over a very low heat and gently cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes until thick and creamy
   • 75g of cream
   • 150g of Parmesan, grated
4. Strain the stock and discard the vegetables, keeping both the stock and Parmesan cream warm while you start the risotto. Heat a large pan over a medium heat, add the rice and toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure the rice doesn’t catch or burn
   • 350g of carnaroli risotto rice
5. Season the rice with a little salt and gradually start adding in the hot vegetable stock, a little at a time, stirring continuously until the rice has cooked through and become creamy in texture – this should take 15–20 minutes
   • salt
6. Near the end of this cooking time, stir in half of the beer reduction (reserving the rest to serve) and mix well until fully combined. Add the warm Parmesan cream to the risotto mixture and stir well, then remove the rice from the heat
7. Stir the butter and grated Parmesan into the risotto, allowing it to melt in the residual heat so the risotto becomes rich and glossy. Add a pinch of Sarawak pepper and check the seasoning, adjusting if required
   • 40g of butter
   • 30g of grated Parmesan
   • Sarawak black pepper
8. To serve, divide the risotto between serving bowls and swirl over the reserved beer reduction. Finish with a good sprinkle of the ground coffee and serve immediately
   • Lavazza Kafa Forest Coffee, Lavazza Kafa coffee

Recipe courtesy of the Costardi Brothers. The Great Italian Chefs showcases the best culinary talent that Italy has to offer. Visit Great Italian Chefs for more recipes and features for Italy’s most exciting chefs.

See all Decanter.com recipes

This is a really simple recipe that the whole family will enjoy. Also, bread and butter pudding is a great way to use leftover bread, or in this case brioche. I prefer avoiding the white loafs for this recipe but honestly you can replace the brioche with any bread or pastry of your preference. I have seen my daughter trying a much richer version with croissants and my father an Italian version with pantone. You can also add a little kick to this recipe by adding nutmeg, cinnamon or nuts inside the initial mix.

Brioche and butter pudding

Serves 4 and fills a round 20cm baking dish

Ingredients

• 240g sliced brioche
• 3 whole eggs
• 100g white sugar (+ a little to sprinkle on top)
• 1 scraped vanilla pod
• 180g whole milk
• 1 tbsp. rum
• 30g raisins
• 15g diced butter (+ a little for greasing)

Pre-heat your oven to 170 degrees celsius.

Method:

1. To begin, grease a baking dish with a little butter.
2. Place the raisins in a small bowl and pour the rum on top. The dried fruit will absorb all the alcohol whilst you get along with the rest of the recipe.
3. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and heat until almost simmering. Keep stirring, making sure the milk does not burn.
4. In the meantime, whisk together the eggs, vanilla and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Once the milk is hot (but not boiling) gradually pour into the egg mix whisking continuously. Then one by one, drop each slice of brioche into the liquid mix. Let the slices absorb the liquid for a couple of minutes before removing from the pan and then carefully arranging and layering in your baking dish.
5. Repeat the process until you have filled all the little holes up with brioche. At last, pour the raisins into the remaining liquid mix and empty it all over the top of the pudding.
6. Sprinkle a little sugar on top of the pudding and scatter the cubes of butter on top before baking at 170 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

• See all Michel Roux Jr recipes on Decanter.com

First of all I suggest a very affordable 2012 L’Or du Ciron, Sauternes. This gorgeous sweet wine is bursting with apricot and orange peel flavours. This classic dessert pairing would be even more distinct by adding a hint of freshly grated orange zest on top of the pudding as it comes out of the oven.

Only on rare occasions do dessert wines come together so perfectly to complement the complex layers of sweetness in a dish. The 2009 Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos, Royal Tokaji from Hungary is a glorious sweet wine that does just that. Full of notes of honey and apricot, yet still a firm acidic tang on the finish.

I think a fresh and vibrant Gewurztraminer Vendange Tardive from Hugel et Fils pairs well with this homemade pudding. This Alsatian sweet wine has unlimited ability to age with plenty of ripe mango flavours.

Wines to drink with Brioche and butter pudding by Michel Roux Jr.

Calvet Sauternes, Reserve Du Ciron 2012: Beautifully golden in colour, this wine is fruity, sweet and zesty. A perfect accompaniment to this deeply sumptuous dessert and excellent value for money.

RRP: £5.50 per half from Asda

Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos, Royal Tokaji 2009: Refreshing with a fine acidity, this wine is well balanced with sweet and aromatic notes of warming cinnamon and sweet figs.

RRP: £21.50 Wine Society

Gewurztraminer Vendange Tardive, Hugel 2007 – Beautifully fruity and floral with fabulous aromas of mango, pineapple, jasmine and rose. Sweet, fresh and lively, this wonderful white is alive with flecks of green amongst its intense yellow colour.

RRP: £33.00 Wine Society

Gateau de Savoie, chestnut purée and Chantilly cream – recipe by Michel Roux Jr.

Vitello Tonnato – recipe by Michel Roux Jr.

Stuffed courgettes – recipe by Michel Roux Jr.

Will you be cooking up a romantic dinner this Valentine’s Day? Make things easier by using one of our recipes – and we even recommend the best wines to pair with each dish…

Valentine’s Day recipes – Starters

For a really special Valentine’s Day meal, go for a classic ingredient like lobster. This lobster tortellini and medallions recipe from Michel Roux Jr looks the part, and he suggests pairing with a Bandol rosé – ideal for Valentine’s.

For those who shy away from shellfish, there’s always Roux Jr’s recipe for mushroom agnolotti – plus see the best wines to match with it from Master Sommelier Aristide Spies MS, so you can really impress your date.

• Top Champagne: 12 prestige cuvées for a special occasion

Or, try this Great Italian Chefs recipe for agnolotti with burrata and mint, which Decanter recommends pairing with a crisp Italian white wine, like Verdicchio or Pinot Grigio.

Valentine’s Day Mains

For a simple main course that can mostly be prepared in advance, try Roux Jr’s recipe for tarte a la tomate, for which he recommends drinking a Provence rosé.

• Find a wine to try – Expert’s Choice: Premium rosé

If it’s a heartier meal you’re after, try Rosi Hanson’s slow cooked leg of lamb recipe. Again, a lot of preparation can be done in advance. Inspired by meals enjoyed by grape pickers in the French wine harvests, this is the dish to try that robust Cabernet Sauvignon you’ve been waiting to open.

• Sparkling wines for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day Desserts

Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to enjoy rosé Champagne, and a delicious dessert to pair with that is Roux Jr’s Gateau de Savoie; a light and airy French sponge that his recipe fills with chestnut purée and Chantilly cream.

Alternatively, finish your Valentine’s Day meal with this no-bake mozzarella cheesecake with berry sauce (pictured top) – an indulgent dessert that is simple to prepare. Decanter recommends something sweet to go with it, like a late harvest Riesling or Muscat.

For a chocolate dessert option, you can’t go wrong with this crêpe cake with bitter chocolate mousse (above)– served with passion fruit and berry purees that keep the dish fresh. Decanter recommends matching this with either a fruity Port or Recioto Valpolicella.

• Sherry and chocolate pairing ideas

Jenn Louis, chef at Lincoln Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, grew up three hours from Mexico, a little east of Los Angeles. Today, she often looks south of the border for dinner inspiration. Here she braises chicken thighs and poaches eggs in a smoky tomato sauce reminiscent of Mexican tinga.

Chipotle-Braised Chicken Thighs with Poached Eggs

Contributed by Jenn Louis

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

Course: Main

Skill level: Easy

Ingredients:

• One 28-ounce can tomato puree (or two 400g tins)
• 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth (500 ml)
• 4 chipotle chiles in adobo (or just the chiles)
• 1 large white onion, cut in sixths
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• Salt
• One 14-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (400g)
• 6 large eggs

Optional ingredients to serve:

• Mexican crema or sour cream
• Crumbled Cotija cheese or similar cheese
• Sliced avocado
• Chopped jalapenos, cilantro and onion
• Warm corn tortillas and lime wedges, for serving

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 425° (210 celcius or 190 fan). In a blender, combine the tomato puree, chicken stock, chipotles, onion, garlic, cumin and coriander and 
puree until smooth.
2. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole or Dutch oven, heat the oil. Season the chicken with salt, add to the casserole and cook over high heat, turning once, until golden, for about 8 minutes.
3. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Drain off the fat, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the casserole.
4. Add the tomato sauce to the casserole and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Season with salt.
5. 
Nestle the chicken thighs in the sauce and bake for about 20 minutes, until cooked through.
6. Stir in the pinto beans, then crack the eggs into the sauce, spacing them evenly. Bake for about 5 minutes longer, until the egg whites are set and the yolks are still runny.
7. Drizzle crema on top and sprinkle with the remaining toppings. Serve straight from the casserole with corn tortillas and lime wedges.

Suggested Pairing

For a wine match, look towards Southern Italy for wines with spice, richness and opulance to compliment the chipotle sauce. We’d opt for a Salice Salentino Riserva from Puglia, made from the Negroamaro grape. It would be delicious with this Mexican inspired dish.

A recipe from Food & Wine Magazine

Fig Clafoutis with Port Infused Cream – recipe

Old-Fashioned Apple Pie – recipe

Buttermilk Cake with Riesling-Poached Pears – recipe

Fish is a very delicate ingredient that must be prepared and cooked with a lot of care. People sometimes shy away from cooking fish and can consider it to be too bland; although seasoned properly and accompanied with the right ingredients the outcome is amazing. Avocado is an incredibly healthy and versatile fruit that I love using in new dishes. It is grilled and pureed in this recipe with a sharp and tangy citrus dressing. You are sure to impress your guests with this original recipe.

Pan seared sea bass with avocado, pak choi & citrus dressing

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1.8 kg whole sea bass (or 1kg of filets)
• 1 pak choy halved
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 avocado

For the avocado puree:

• 2 ripe avocadoes
• The juice half a lemon
• 2 drops tabasco
• ¼ a bunch coriander
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

For the lemon dressing:

• 3 peeled whole lemons
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 thinly sliced spring onion
• ½ the zest of a lemon
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• A handful of chopped coriander leaves
• A pinch of ground chili
• Salt and Pepper

Method:

To prepare the lemon dressing:

1. In a small sauce pan add the lemon juice and sugar with the quartered peeled lemons (do not remove the pips).
2. Leave to simmer on a low heat for approximately 40 minutes.
3. Once the lemon chunks have dissolved and the juice has reduced by half; pass through a sieve and recuperate the liquid paste.
4. In a small mixing bowl whisk together the olive oil and lemon paste.
5. To complete the dressing incorporate the lemon zests, the sliced spring onion and chopped coriander before seasoning to taste.

To prepare the avocado puree:

1. Peel and stone the ripe avocadoes before putting in a powerful blender with the lemon juice, tabasco, olive oil, coriander and a pinch of salt.
2. Blend until the puree is silky smooth (you might need to add a little water if the avocadoes are not ripe enough).

Fish

1. Make sure your filets of fish are clean and properly descaled before using.
2. Season the filets with salt before pan searing skin side down with a table spoon of olive oil on a medium heat.
3. Once the skin is crispy and lightly coloured (roughly 3 minutes) turn over the fish and cook for a further 1 minute (depending on the size of your filet).
4. In the same pan, sear the pak choy for a couple of minutes and deglaze with water. Once the water has completely evaporated, the greens should be tender and cooked throughout.
5. Peel, stone and segment the avocado. Pan sear each segment carefully in a lightly oiled pan. Once the avocado segments are coloured on each side remove from the pan.
6. Delicately plate all the ingredients to obtain a beautiful plate of food.

• See all Michel Roux Jr recipes on Decanter.com

For this fresh and healthy dish I suggest a young Sancerre “Domaine Vacheron” 2014. This is a precise and clean white wine from the Loire valley with subtle hints of tangerines; a perfect match for our citrus dressing.

For a more ‘grown up’ sort of wine, why not try a Chablis “Les Vieilles Vignes de Sainte Claire” 2006 from Jean-Marc Brocard. A great quality white wine, 100% Chardonnay with notes of ripe fruit and delightful minerality. Excellent value for money and a beautiful accompaniment for this fresh and tangy dish.

The 2004 Bollinger “La Grande Année, Brut” would really complement this modern dish. With a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay this opulent and full bodied Champagne really stands up to the powerful flavours of this recipe.

Wines to drink with pan seared sea bass with avocado, pak choi & citrus dressing by Michel Roux Jr.

Sancerre, Domaine Vacherone 2013: Floral and fragrant on the nose, this dry white has a slight zing with flavours stonefruit on the palate. Flint. Chalk and pebbles are used in the maturation process of this unoaked wine, which adds a toasty, slightly nutty overtone.

RRP: £16.99 from Majestic

Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Village “Les Vieilles Vignes de Sainte Claire” 2006: A crisp, dry white with grapes grown in the breathtaking viyeards of Chablisien. An excellent year for Chablis, this is a very special bottle indeed.

RRP: £26.67 from Millesima

Bollinger La Grande Annee Brut 2004: This is an exceptional Bollinger vintage. Shimmering gold in colour, it is sweet with notes of rhubarb and candied fruits and balanced with a certain aromatic spiciness.

RRP: £59.95 from Cadmans