Cheese and wine pairing

Winter is here, and it means more time spent inside with our family and friends.

 

If you are in the mood for entertaining or just want to hibernate and live off cheese and wine for the winter months, this guide to cheese and wine pairing will be your best friend.

 

You can thank us later!

 

Sauvignon Blanc

 

Sauvignon Blanc pairs perfectly with many artisanal kinds of cheese, but its favourites tend to be Cheddar, Gouda, Havarti, Monterey Jack, Muenster, Parmesan, and Swiss and other alpine-style cheeses.

 

 

Riesling

 

With its high acidity, Riesling makes a compatible match with goat cheese. The acidity of the wine echoes with that of the cheese.

 

 

Pinot Gris

 

First, you need to find a cheese that can trade body blows with the Pinot Gris' bright acidity. An excellent place to start is with fresh goat's milk cheese.

 

 

Sparkling Wine

 

Bubbles pairs perfectly with aged Swiss, is a natural partner for fizzy wines like Champagne, Prosecco and other Sparklers.

 

 

Merlot

 

Merlot goes hand in hand with gouda, gorgonzola, brie, Jarlsberg or parmesan.

 

 

Shiraz

 

For hard cheese enthusiasts, you can never go wrong with cheddar. Robust and nutty with a pleasantly sharp finish, a fruit-forward Shiraz will complement the cheese nicely.

 

 

Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Wines with a long finish, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, demand cheeses with complex flavours that can stand up to that finish, and aged cheddars tend to be the best pairing for various styles of cabernet sauvignon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Risoni pasta and tomato soup

Nothing quite makes you feel like snuggling up on the couch than a big warm bowl of soup.

 

This Tomato Risoni soup will fill you up and satisfy that carb craving that comes with the cooler weather.

 

Enjoy this delicious soup with a heap of croutons or crusty, toasted bread with cheese and a glass or two of Raidis Shiraz.

 

Enjoy the snuggles.

 

What you’ll need:

 

2 Tbsp Olive oil

1 Onion, finely diced

2 cloves Garlic, chopped

800 g Chopped tomatoes

2 cups Vegetable stock

½ cup Risoni pasta 

¼ cup Fresh basil, leaves torn

 

Method:

 

Heat oil in a large saucepan, add finely diced onion and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes to soften. Add chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

 

Add chopped canned tomatoes, vegetable stock and risoni pasta and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is cooked.

 

Stir in fresh basil leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

How well do you know your Raidis wines?

 

As the weather gets chilly, we all head instead to see out the winter months; and let’s face it, you might be looking for fun and exciting ways to entertain your friends when they come over for dinner.

 

Why not have a wine party night of sorts to see how well you and all your friends know your Raidis wines.

 

If you consider yourself are a Raidis enthusiast, wine lover, top fan on Facebook or just a willing consumer, then this game is the one for you.

 

And it’s a fun game because it involves drinking wine, your best friends and something delicious to eat. All our favourite things really.

 

All you will need is one or more of each of our wines – most manageable with our reds and a bunch of willing friends, some eats and beats, and you have yourself a fun night.

 

Oh, and some paper bags to ensure that no one knows which wine they are drinking. You can even spice things up by throwing in some different vintage years.

 

Pop on some of your favourite tunes, cook up some delicious eats and start tasting through the wines.

 

We suggest doing up some simple scorecards with the following questions for your guests:

 

• Aroma – Tell us about the smell.

• Flavour – What can you taste? Berries, oak, etc.

• One word to describe the wine you are drinking.

• I would drink this wine with?

• Which Raidis wine are you drinking?

 

 

Get your friends to score each wine and have prizes for matching the wine to our tasting notes or getting the wine right.

 

Enjoy.

 

Slow Cooked Lamb Shank in Red Wine Sauce

Lamb shanks and cold weather go hand in hand, and cooking a gooey, soft lamb stew dish is definitely what will be keeping you warm and cosy all through the wintery months.

 

This dish pairs perfectly with our Billy Cabernet, an open fire, Netflix and time at home with those you love.

 

What you’ll need:

 

4 lamb shanks, around 400g each

1 tsp each salt and pepper

2 - 3 tbsp olive oil, separated

1 cup onion, finely diced (brown, yellow or white)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup carrot, finely diced

1 cup celery, finely diced

2 1/2 cups of red wine

800g can crushed tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato paste

500 ml chicken stock, low sodium

5 sprigs of thyme (preferably tied together), or 2 tsp dried thyme

2 dried bay leaves (or 4 fresh)

 

To serve:

Mashed potato, polenta or pureed cauliflower

Fresh thyme leaves, optional garnish

 

Method:

 

Preheat the oven to 180C.

 

Pat the lamb shanks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

 

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy-based pot over high heat. Sear the lamb shanks in 2 batches until brown all over, about 5 minutes.

 

Remove lamb onto a plate and drain excess fat (if any) from the pot.
 

Turn the heat down to medium-low. Heat remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in the same pot, if needed. Add the onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes.

 

Add carrot and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until onion is translucent and sweet.

 

Add the red wine, chicken stock, crushed tomato, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaves. Stir to combine.

 

Place the lamb shanks into the pot, squeezing them in to fit, so they are mostly submerged.

 

Turn the stove up, bring to a simmer. Cover, then transfer to the oven for 2 hours.

 

Remove from oven, remove the lid, then return to the oven for another 30 minutes (so 2 1/2 hours in total). Check to ensure lamb meat is ultra-tender (use 2 forks) - if not, cover and keep cooking. The ideal is tender meat but still just holding onto the bone.

 

Remove lamb onto the plate and keep warm. Pick out and discard bay leaves and thyme.

 

Strain the sauce into a bowl, pressing to extract all sauce out of the veggies. Pour the strained sauce back into the pot. Bring to simmer over medium heat and reduce slightly to a syrupy consistency.

 

Serve the lamb shanks on mashed potato or cauliflower puree with plenty of sauce! Garnish with thyme leaves if desired.

Spiced Chorizo and Tomato Shakshuka

Looking for something with a bit of wow factor to cook for Mum for breakfast in bed this Mother’s Day?

 

This Shakshuka with spicy chorizo is a sure winner, your Mum will love you for it.

 

What you’ll need:

 

1 tablespoon olive oil

100 g of chorizo chopped into 1/4 in pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Red capsicum, chopped into 1/2 in (1 1/4 cm) pieces

1 tablespoon paprika

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

1 pinch sea salt

2.4 g tomato, chopped

4 eggs

½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

¼ cup fresh parsley

 

 

Method:

 

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

 

Add chorizo, onion, garlic, and capsicum, cooking for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant.

 

Add paprika, ground cumin, pepper, and salt. Stir to combine, cooking for 6-8 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.

 

Pour tinned tomatoes into the pan, reduce heat, and let simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken.

 

Using the back of a spoon, make 4 wells in the tomato sauce. Crack an egg into each well.

 

Cover the pan with a lid, and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until eggs are cooked.

 

Top with crumbled feta and chopped parsley.

 

Enjoy!

 

Spoil Mum this Mother’s Day without breaking the piggy bank

We love our Mums, and you want to show them you care this Mother's Day.

If money is a little tight after a tough year, you might be looking for creative ways to show Mum you care without breaking the piggy bank.

 

Here are our top ideas:

 

Write a Sweet Note

 

Write your mother a sweet note for Mother’s Day to tell her what you love and admire about her.  Let her know the impact she has made on your life.

 

A Bouquet of Fresh Flowers

 

Give your Mum a bouquet of fresh flowers or greenery!  You could pick flowers from your own yard or find some wildflowers.  Put your flowers in a mason jar or tin can tie a pretty ribbon around it, and you have a beautiful gift!

 

Make Her Dinner

 

Who wouldn't love a break from cooking?  Why not offer to make your Mum a delicious dinner? You could invite her over to your house for a nice dinner together or bring it to her home.

 

Gift of Time

 

What better way to show your Mum that you care than to spend special one on one time together, cause after all spending time with her is the best present you can give.

 

Homemade Aussie Meat pie

 

We have well and truly said goodbye to summer and the warmer days… Brrr, it's been a bit chilly this week!

 

This recipe is a homemade take on the traditional Aussie meat pie and is a perfect weekend feed for the whole family.

 

Pair it with our Coonawarra Cabernet to warm you up on a cold and rainy day. It's a big call, but once you try this meat pie, you will never want another store-bought one!

 

What you’ll need:

 

1 onion finely chopped

500g beef mince

1 cup water

2 beef stock cubes

1/4 cup tomato sauce

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 pinch salt and pepper *to taste

3 tbs plain flour

1 sheet shortcrust pastry

1 sheet puff pastry

1 egg to glaze

 

 

Method:

 

Cook meat and onion until meat is well browned.

 

Add ¾ cup water, stock cubes, sauces and seasonings.

 

Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

 

Blend flour and the remaining water, add to meat, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool.

 

Line a pie plate with the shortcrust pastry.

 

Spoon in the cooled meat mixture. Moisten edges of the pastry with water.

 

Top with puff pastry, pressing down to seal the edges, trim and glaze with egg.

 

Bake at 230C for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 190C and bake for a further 25 minutes until golden.

 

Lamb Rogan Josh

Hearty, warming and Oh so delish this Lamb curry classic will have all your friends wanting to come over for dinner.

 

Serve with some homemade rice, some fresh and warm naan bread of your choosing and our Cheeky Goat Pinot Gris.

 

Delish!

 

What you’ll need:

 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 red onions, halved, thinly sliced

2 pinches of sea salt flakes

8 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

3 dried bay leaves or fresh bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

6 garlic cloves, finely grated 5cm-piece ginger, peeled, finely grated

3 teaspoons sweet paprika 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder, or to taste

1 tablespoon garam masala 

1.2kg lamb shoulder, cut into roughly 4cm pieces

2 tablespoons natural yoghurt Fresh coriander leaves, to serve Steamed basmati rice, to serve

 

 

Method

 

Preheat oven to 170C. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until onion is dark golden and soft.

 

Add the cardamom pods, fennel seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, garlic, ginger, paprika, chilli powder and garam masala. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until aromatic.

 

Stir in 125ml (1/2 cup) water. Add the lamb and another pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes or until the lamb is well coated in the spice mixture and just starting to change colour. Add 375ml (1 1/2 cups) water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and transfer to the oven. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until the lamb is very tender.

 

Set the casserole aside to cool slightly. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves and stir in the yoghurt. Top with coriander and serve with rice.

 

Fun and creative things to do with the kids these school holidays

School holidays sure do swing around quickly, especially after we have just gotten through Easter! You might already be exhausted thinking about how you are going to keep the kids entertained this school holidays – pass the wine!

 

Well, here are some easy and creative ideas of things to do with kids that are fun and don't cost the earth.

 

Plant a veggie garden and watch it grow

 

Let the little ones pick out some winter veggies. Things such as Chinese cabbage, Asian greens, spinach, rocket, broccoli, spring onions, asparagus, celery, endive, squash, onions, silverbeet, leeks and lettuce grow well at this time of the year.

 

Plan out where you are going to plant the garden and get started. Then they can watch the garden grow over several months and hopefully enjoy the fruits of their labour.

 

Make homemade ice blocks

 

You can make homemade ice blocks relatively easily if you purchase some reusable popsicles moulds from your local kitchenware store.

 

Pick a recipe that you know the kidlets will like and set about to make the ice blocks with your kids.

 

If your children are a little bit older, you might like to leave them some instructions and let them give it a go for themselves.

 

Create Story Stones

 

You can collect as many stones as you want and use either acrylic paints or the oil-based sharpie and let their young minds get creative.

 

Get them to decorate the stones with their favourite book or movie characters or tell a story of their own.

 

Scavenger Hunt

 

Everyone loves a scavenger hunt, and it will give them something to broaden their minds at the same time as providing a fun activity.

 

You can set out the hunt around your home, in the local neighbourhood or even when you are away staying in a caravan park. There is endless fun to be had.

 

Sparkling Raspberry Royal

The perfect little cocktail to get the Easter weekend celebrations started.

 

This cocktail is a cross between a Breakfast Martini and a Kir Royale and is delightfully delicious.

 

Serve it up for brunch, lunch or sundowners.

 

Made perfectly with our Emma bubbles!

 

What you’ll need:

 

45mls ounces gin

30mls lemon juice

2 teaspoons of raspberry jam

Sparkling wine to top

 

Method:

 

Combine jam, lemon juice, and gin in a cocktail shaker with ice.

 

Shake hard to chill and emulsify.

 

Finely strain into a cocktail glass of your choice

 

Top with a good bubbly

 

Enjoy!