Brackenwood Vineyard

Grandma's buttered pepper steak
Prosciutto, Bocconcini & Mango Sala
Baked Goats Cheese with Red Capsicum Coulis
Pea and Crispy Smoked Bacon Soup
Breast of Duck with cracked peppercorns and honey
Coq au vin
Braised Beef with Caramelized Onions and Turnip Puree
Paul's Pears

Grandma's buttered pepper steak

Sometimes the simplest dishes are the best and this dish evokes wonderful memories of my grandmother teaching me the love of food.

4x250g of lean Sirloin (2cm thick)

Salt

Pepper grinder-coarse

2 tablespoons of olive oil

75 g unsalted butter

200mls Shiraz (Gilligan's Shiraz/Grenache)

600g French beans (green beans) topped & tailed

½ garlic clove

Butter

Grind pepper into both sides of the steaks and press firmly into them. (Note: I strongly believe meat that is not stewed should not be seasoned with salt prior to cooking. This is because salt draws moisture out of the meat during the cooking process, leaving the meat drier than it could have been.) Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat until the butter has lightly browned. It is very important to let the butter reach this stage as it will lightly caramelise the steaks. (Note: do not let the butter burn as it will ruin the dish, if you burn the butter disguard and begin again.) At the same time bring a sauce pan of water to the boil, add the beans to the boiling water. Raise the heat to medium-high and place the steaks in the frying pan. (Note: For rare, cook for 2 mins each side, medium rare 3 mins each side and 4 mins each side for medium.) Remove steak to a warm plate and leave to rest. Meanwhile add the wine to the frying pan and scrape the base of the pan with a wooden spoon, this will release the caramelised residue. Turn the heat down, then drain the beans, add a dessert spoon of butter, a pinch of salt, white pepper and a crushed ½ clove of garlic and toss and serve in a side dish. Place the steaks onto warm plates and pour the juice over the top of them, season with salt as desired.

Serves 4

Prep time 5 mins

Cooking time 10 mins

You will struggle to go past our Shiraz for this one, I do.

Prosciutto, Bocconcini & Mango Salad

1 Cos Lettuce (endive can be used)

150grms Prosciutto Parma Ham

200g Bocconcinni diced

1 Mango (350g tinned peaches drained and sliced)

1 Lemon

Olive Oil

Wash and rip the lettuce into pieces and place in a salad bowl. Tear ham into thin strips and roll into small balls, cut bocconcinni and mango into cubes and place into the salad bowl. Mix two tablespoons of lemon juice with four tablespoons of olive oil in a separate sauce bowl and mix well season with a pinch of white pepper. Pour mixture into salad bowl and mix. The salad can be served from the salad bowl or plated, however add cracked pepper once served.

This salad is very fresh and light; a perfect dish for the time of year and the dressing goes perfectly with our Riesling.

Baked Goats Cheese with Red Capsicum Coulis

4 Goats cheese portions 150g

1 Small onion

4 Red capsicums cored & deseeded

2 Shallots

1 Leek

1 Clove of garlic

1 Bat leaf

1 Sprig of fresh thyme

75g Butter

Salt & pepper

350 ml Tomatoe juice

Chervil to garnish

Begin by first preparing the sauce. Dice all the vegetables into small pieces and melt the butter in a sauce pan over a low heat. Add all the vegetables, herbs and garlic and cook very slowly until tender and season to taste. Add the tomatoe juice and continue to simmer until the capsicums begin to break down. Liquidize and place to the side. The sauce may be prepared earlier and warmed prior to serving.

Place the four pieces of goat's cheese on a baking tray and drizzle olive oil over the cheese. Place the tray into a pre-heated oven (180c or 350F) for 10 minutes. The time depends on the size and shape of the cheese pieces, therefore keep an eye on the cheese (it should be soft but not collapsing)

Pour the warm capsicum coulis onto a warm plate making a 15cm circle, place the goat's cheese on top of the coulis and garnish with a sprig of chervil and ground black pepper.

I have chosen our Chardonnay to compliment this dish as the sweetness of the red capsicum and the tartness of the cheese make a beautiful balance with the wine on the pallet.

Pea and Crispy Smoked Bacon Soup

It's great comfort food that can be easily made and goes beautifully with crusty bread and large glass of Sauvignon Blanc in the summer or MC Syrah in the winter.

1 Large onion

Two Mint leaves

500mls of Chicken or Vegetable Stock

500gms frozen peas

4 strips of Smoked Bacon

150mls single cream

Butter

Salt & Pepper

Pre-heat grill to a medium high heat, lay the bacon on grilling tray and cook until crispy. Dice the bacon and place to one side. Cook the onion in a sauce pan with a knob of butter and mint for a few minutes without letting the onion brown. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Add the peas and bring to boil again. Simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the peas are soft, season with salt and pepper. Liquidize to a smooth consistency and add the cream while stirring. Pour into warm bowls and garnish with bacon.

Breast of Duck with cracked peppercorns and honey

Duck beasts x 4

Dark Honey

Black peppercorns

Salt and pepper

Demi glaze 200mls or reduced chicken stocks (1l reduced to 200mls)

Muscat or Tokay

Blackcurrants (ideally fresh but frozen are fine)

Shallots

Large potatoes x 2

Serves four

Heat the demi glaze and add the Muscat and 150gms of Blackcurrants and cook until the blackcurrants breakdown, pass through a sieve and back into a saucepan, keep warm. Peel the potatoes and make 4 slices about 15 mm thick. Boil potatoes slices for 10 minutes and then add to a frying pan with a little oil and cook until brown on both sides. Add a tablespoon of honey to a saucepan and then 12 whole shallots, cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Season the skin of the duck beast with salt and pepper. Lightly oil pan, place duck skin side down and cook slowly over medium heat for about 8 minutes or until the skin has browned. Turn duck over and brush the honey on the skin and sprinkle cracked peppercorn over honey and turn back to skin side down. Cook until the honey has caramelized and allow to stand for 5minutes.

To serve, place a potato slice in the centre of the plate and 3 shallots on the top of the potato. Pour sauce around the potato and shallots. Slice the duck breast into 6 cubes (cut the breast in thirds and then slice the thirds in half). Place the pieces of duck breasts around the edge of the plate and add blackcurrants between each duck breast.

This is an outstanding dish that would be complimented by our MC Syrah or our Pinot Noir (watch this space for Pinot May-ish 09 release).

Coq au vin

I was trying to think of a dish that sums up the season (late autumn or winter) and its produce, and I could not go past the traditional 'Coq au vin'. While it is time consuming, it's truly a great dish to have with friends and compliments a heavenly red wine.

1.5 kg Organic or free range chicken thighs (about 10 pieces)

1 tablespoon of plain flour

2 tablespoon of olive oil

Salt & pepper

For the sauce

750 ml of red wine (Brackenwood Vineyard Shiraz)

3 Carrots cut into thick slanted slices (1cm)

2 Celery sticks cut into thick slanted slices (1cm)

20 baby onions, peeled, whole

1 teaspoon of crushed black peppercorns

1 Bouquet garni (parsley stalks, bay leaves, thyme tied together)

Garnish

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

200g smoked streaky bacon, rind removed and diced

Begin by marinating the chicken 24 hours in advance. To marinate, put the red wine in a large saucepan and bring to the boil, reduce by a quarter and leave to cool. Mix in a large bowl the chicken, carrots, celery, onions, peppercorns and bouquet garni. Pour the cooled red wine over the mixture, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Place a colander over a large bowl and put the chicken mixture in it, allowing the marinade to drain. Leave for 1 hour to strain all the liquid. Separate the chicken from the herbs and vegetables. Pat dry the chicken with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Reserve the liquid, herbs and vegetables.

Pre heat your oven to 200C/400F. Sprinkle flour on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 8 minutes or until it lightly coloured. Set aside and reduce the oven temperature to 150C/300F.

Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large casserole dish and colour the chicken in it for 7 minutes on each side. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the drained vegetables and herbs to the casserole dish and lower the heat to medium high and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Spoon out any fat that may have collected in the casserole dish. Add the toasted flour and stir into the vegetables. Whisk in the wine marinade little by little, this will prevent lumps. Bring to a boil and skim off any impurities. The sauce will thicken a little. Add the chicken pieces and return to the boil. Cover with a lid and cook in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes.

Place the contents of the casserole into a colander and strain the sauce into a saucepan. Reduce the liquid by one quarter, or until it acquires some body and become very rich. While the sauce is reducing, cook the diced bacon in a little olive oil in a non stick frying pan for 1 minute over a medium heat. Add the button mushrooms and cook for a further 4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Return all the chicken, vegetables, mushrooms and bacon to the casserole dish and pour the sauce over. Re-heat over a medium heat and then serve. At this point you deserve a large glass of our Shiraz or Pinot Noir (May 09 release), but remember, leave some for your guests.

Braised Beef with Caramelized Onions and Turnip Puree. Serves 4

3 large onions

1 tablespoon beef dripping or cooking oil

4 pieces of blade or chuck steak

1 carrot

1 bay leaf

Sprig of thyme

2 tomatoes

Bottle of red wine

800 ml beef stock

500g turnip

250ml milk

1 tablespoon of cream

Start with the sauce: Melt a knob of butter in a braising dish over a medium heat hob, chop 1 onion and 1 carrot and add with the bay leaf and thyme, sauté until lightly brown (5-10 mins). Add the tomatoes (quartered) and cook for a further few minutes. Pour on the bottle of wine and stock and bring to the boil and allow to reduce by half. Season.

While the sauce is reducing pre heat the oven to 160 C/ 325 F. Add beef dripping to a frying pan and brown the meat over a medium heat. Once the sauce has reduced, place the browned meat into the braising dish, cover dish and place in oven for 2 hours. Inspect the dish after one hour, if the sauce has become to thick loosen with water.

Slice the onions in half (length ways) and leave the shell on, now place in a frying pan and sauté until the flesh side is dark brown. Remove from heat and place to the side.

Peel and dice the turnips (2cm cubes) and place in a saucepan with the milk and top up with hot water. Bring to simmer and cook until tender (15 mins). Drain. Add cream, salt and pepper and blitz the turnip in a food processor until smooth and fluffy. Place to the side.

After two hours of the meat cooking, separate the meat from the sauce. Strain the sauce into a large frying pan. Place the frying pan onto high heat and reduce by 1/3 to 1/2. While the sauce is reducing place the meat back in the braising dish and drizzle over several tablespoons of the reducing sauce, cover and place back into the oven with the turnip and onions. The sauce will take 5-10 mins to reduce.

To serve place two tablespoons of turnip puree at 10 o'clock from centre. Remove the outer shell of the caramelised onion and place in the centre of the puree. Lay the meat slightly resting on the puree at 4 o'clock from centre. Carefully spoon the reduced sauce on the meat and around the puree, season and serve.

This dish is fantastic on cold nights and goes beautifully with Shiraz and RW Shiraz The dish has the appearance of hours of preparation, but if you are organised is very simple and starters or deserts can be prepared during the waiting time. Enjoy.

Paul's Pears

Cooks notes: Paul was a neighbour and a very good friend, we would do travelling dinner parties, primarily because we both had small children. The host would cook mains and the guest dessert, you also had to supply wine for your dish. Paul often bought this dish as it is easily prepared in advance and just needs cooking time.

4 Pears

200mls of Madeira (Tokay or Port can be substituted)

Butter

Brown sugar

250 gms sour cream

Vanilla pod (essence will do and a teaspoon in each area)

De-core the pears and slice a thin segment of the bottom off, so to allow the pears to stand straight. Rub the pears in butter and sprinkle brown sugar over the buttered pears. Place the pears in a roasting tin and pour in the Madeira. Slice a vanilla pod in half and scrape out the seeds, add both the seeds and pod to the tin. Cover the tin in aluminium foil and cook for 1 hour at 190c (375F). If the pears are not fully ripe or are very large extra time may be needed, simple test by poking the largest pear with a small knife (pears need to be soft). Place a pear on the plate spoon over sauce. Add the seeds of the remaining half of the vanilla pod to the sour cream and stir in. Spoon the cream on the plate and serve.

Cooked fruit dishes go wonderfully well with our Botrytis Riesling.


	Grandma's buttered pepper steak Prosciutto, Bocconcini & Mango Sala Baked Goats Cheese with Red Capsicum Coulis Pea and Crispy Smoked Bacon Soup Breast of Duck with cracked peppercorns and honey Coq au vin Braised Beef with Caramelized Onions and Turnip Puree Paul's Pears Grandma's buttered pepper steak Sometimes the simplest dishes are the best and this dish evokes wonderful memories of my grandmother teaching me the love of food. 4x250g of lean Sirloin (2cm thick) Salt Pepper grinder-coarse 2 tablespoons of olive oil 75 g unsalted butter 200mls Shiraz (Gilligan's Shiraz/Grenache) 600g French beans (green beans) topped & tailed ½ garlic clove Butter Grind pepper into both sides of the steaks and press firmly into them. (Note: I strongly believe meat that is not stewed should not be seasoned with salt prior to cooking. This is because salt draws moisture out of the meat during the cooking process, leaving the meat drier than it could have been.) Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat until the butter has lightly browned. It is very important to let the butter reach this stage as it will lightly caramelise the steaks. (Note: do not let the butter burn as it will ruin the dish, if you burn the butter disguard and begin again.) At the same time bring a sauce pan of water to the boil, add the beans to the boiling water. Raise the heat to medium-high and place the steaks in the frying pan. (Note: For rare, cook for 2 mins each side, medium rare 3 mins each side and 4 mins each side for medium.) Remove steak to a warm plate and leave to rest. Meanwhile add the wine to the frying pan and scrape the base of the pan with a wooden spoon, this will release the caramelised residue. Turn the heat down, then drain the beans, add a dessert spoon of butter, a pinch of salt, white pepper and a crushed ½ clove of garlic and toss and serve in a side dish. Place the steaks onto warm plates and pour the juice over the top of them, season with salt as desired. Serves 4 Prep time 5 mins Cooking time 10 mins You will struggle to go past our Shiraz for this one, I do. Prosciutto, Bocconcini & Mango Salad 1 Cos Lettuce (endive can be used) 150grms Prosciutto Parma Ham 200g Bocconcinni diced 1 Mango (350g tinned peaches drained and sliced) 1 Lemon Olive Oil Wash and rip the lettuce into pieces and place in a salad bowl. Tear ham into thin strips and roll into small balls, cut bocconcinni and mango into cubes and place into the salad bowl. Mix two tablespoons of lemon juice with four tablespoons of olive oil in a separate sauce bowl and mix well season with a pinch of white pepper. Pour mixture into salad bowl and mix. The salad can be served from the salad bowl or plated, however add cracked pepper once served. This salad is very fresh and light; a perfect dish for the time of year and the dressing goes perfectly with our Riesling. Baked Goats Cheese with Red Capsicum Coulis 4 Goats cheese portions 150g 1 Small onion 4 Red capsicums cored & deseeded 2 Shallots 1 Leek 1 Clove of garlic 1 Bat leaf 1 Sprig of fresh thyme 75g Butter Salt & pepper 350 ml Tomatoe juice Chervil to garnish Begin by first preparing the sauce. Dice all the vegetables into small pieces and melt the butter in a sauce pan over a low heat. Add all the vegetables, herbs and garlic and cook very slowly until tender and season to taste. Add the tomatoe juice and continue to simmer until the capsicums begin to break down. Liquidize and place to the side. The sauce may be prepared earlier and warmed prior to serving. Place the four pieces of goat's cheese on a baking tray and drizzle olive oil over the cheese. Place the tray into a pre-heated oven (180c or 350F) for 10 minutes. The time depends on the size and shape of the cheese pieces, therefore keep an eye on the cheese (it should be soft but not collapsing) Pour the warm capsicum coulis onto a warm plate making a 15cm circle, place the goat's cheese on top of the coulis and garnish with a sprig of chervil and ground black pepper. I have chosen our Chardonnay to compliment this dish as the sweetness of the red capsicum and the tartness of the cheese make a beautiful balance with the wine on the pallet. Pea and Crispy Smoked Bacon Soup It's great comfort food that can be easily made and goes beautifully with crusty bread and large glass of Sauvignon Blanc in the summer or MC Syrah in the winter. 1 Large onion Two Mint leaves 500mls of Chicken or Vegetable Stock 500gms frozen peas 4 strips of Smoked Bacon 150mls single cream Butter Salt & Pepper Pre-heat grill to a medium high heat, lay the bacon on grilling tray and cook until crispy. Dice the bacon and place to one side. Cook the onion in a sauce pan with a knob of butter and mint for a few minutes without letting the onion brown. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Add the peas and bring to boil again. Simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the peas are soft, season with salt and pepper. Liquidize to a smooth consistency and add the cream while stirring. Pour into warm bowls and garnish with bacon. Breast of Duck with cracked peppercorns and honey Duck beasts x 4 Dark Honey Black peppercorns Salt and pepper Demi glaze 200mls or reduced chicken stocks (1l reduced to 200mls) Muscat or Tokay Blackcurrants (ideally fresh but frozen are fine) Shallots Large potatoes x 2 Serves four Heat the demi glaze and add the Muscat and 150gms of Blackcurrants and cook until the blackcurrants breakdown, pass through a sieve and back into a saucepan, keep warm. Peel the potatoes and make 4 slices about 15 mm thick. Boil potatoes slices for 10 minutes and then add to a frying pan with a little oil and cook until brown on both sides. Add a tablespoon of honey to a saucepan and then 12 whole shallots, cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Season the skin of the duck beast with salt and pepper. Lightly oil pan, place duck skin side down and cook slowly over medium heat for about 8 minutes or until the skin has browned. Turn duck over and brush the honey on the skin and sprinkle cracked peppercorn over honey and turn back to skin side down. Cook until the honey has caramelized and allow to stand for 5minutes. To serve, place a potato slice in the centre of the plate and 3 shallots on the top of the potato. Pour sauce around the potato and shallots. Slice the duck breast into 6 cubes (cut the breast in thirds and then slice the thirds in half). Place the pieces of duck breasts around the edge of the plate and add blackcurrants between each duck breast. This is an outstanding dish that would be complimented by our MC Syrah or our Pinot Noir (watch this space for Pinot May-ish 09 release). Coq au vin I was trying to think of a dish that sums up the season (late autumn or winter) and its produce, and I could not go past the traditional 'Coq au vin'. While it is time consuming, it's truly a great dish to have with friends and compliments a heavenly red wine. 1.5 kg Organic or free range chicken thighs (about 10 pieces) 1 tablespoon of plain flour 2 tablespoon of olive oil Salt & pepper For the sauce 750 ml of red wine (Brackenwood Vineyard Shiraz) 3 Carrots cut into thick slanted slices (1cm) 2 Celery sticks cut into thick slanted slices (1cm) 20 baby onions, peeled, whole 1 teaspoon of crushed black peppercorns 1 Bouquet garni (parsley stalks, bay leaves, thyme tied together) Garnish 1 Tablespoon of olive oil 200g smoked streaky bacon, rind removed and diced Begin by marinating the chicken 24 hours in advance. To marinate, put the red wine in a large saucepan and bring to the boil, reduce by a quarter and leave to cool. Mix in a large bowl the chicken, carrots, celery, onions, peppercorns and bouquet garni. Pour the cooled red wine over the mixture, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 24 hours. Place a colander over a large bowl and put the chicken mixture in it, allowing the marinade to drain. Leave for 1 hour to strain all the liquid. Separate the chicken from the herbs and vegetables. Pat dry the chicken with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Reserve the liquid, herbs and vegetables. Pre heat your oven to 200C/400F. Sprinkle flour on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 8 minutes or until it lightly coloured. Set aside and reduce the oven temperature to 150C/300F. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large casserole dish and colour the chicken in it for 7 minutes on each side. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the drained vegetables and herbs to the casserole dish and lower the heat to medium high and cook for a further 5 minutes. Spoon out any fat that may have collected in the casserole dish. Add the toasted flour and stir into the vegetables. Whisk in the wine marinade little by little, this will prevent lumps. Bring to a boil and skim off any impurities. The sauce will thicken a little. Add the chicken pieces and return to the boil. Cover with a lid and cook in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. Place the contents of the casserole into a colander and strain the sauce into a saucepan. Reduce the liquid by one quarter, or until it acquires some body and become very rich. While the sauce is reducing, cook the diced bacon in a little olive oil in a non stick frying pan for 1 minute over a medium heat. Add the button mushrooms and cook for a further 4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Return all the chicken, vegetables, mushrooms and bacon to the casserole dish and pour the sauce over. Re-heat over a medium heat and then serve. At this point you deserve a large glass of our Shiraz or Pinot Noir (May 09 release), but remember, leave some for your guests. Braised Beef with Caramelized Onions and Turnip Puree. Serves 4 3 large onions 1 tablespoon beef dripping or cooking oil 4 pieces of blade or chuck steak 1 carrot 1 bay leaf Sprig of thyme 2 tomatoes Bottle of red wine 800 ml beef stock 500g turnip 250ml milk 1 tablespoon of cream Start with the sauce: Melt a knob of butter in a braising dish over a medium heat hob, chop 1 onion and 1 carrot and add with the bay leaf and thyme, sauté until lightly brown (5-10 mins). Add the tomatoes (quartered) and cook for a further few minutes. Pour on the bottle of wine and stock and bring to the boil and allow to reduce by half. Season. While the sauce is reducing pre heat the oven to 160 C/ 325 F. Add beef dripping to a frying pan and brown the meat over a medium heat. Once the sauce has reduced, place the browned meat into the braising dish, cover dish and place in oven for 2 hours. Inspect the dish after one hour, if the sauce has become to thick loosen with water. Slice the onions in half (length ways) and leave the shell on, now place in a frying pan and sauté until the flesh side is dark brown. Remove from heat and place to the side. Peel and dice the turnips (2cm cubes) and place in a saucepan with the milk and top up with hot water. Bring to simmer and cook until tender (15 mins). Drain. Add cream, salt and pepper and blitz the turnip in a food processor until smooth and fluffy. Place to the side. After two hours of the meat cooking, separate the meat from the sauce. Strain the sauce into a large frying pan. Place the frying pan onto high heat and reduce by 1/3 to 1/2. While the sauce is reducing place the meat back in the braising dish and drizzle over several tablespoons of the reducing sauce, cover and place back into the oven with the turnip and onions. The sauce will take 5-10 mins to reduce. To serve place two tablespoons of turnip puree at 10 o'clock from centre. Remove the outer shell of the caramelised onion and place in the centre of the puree. Lay the meat slightly resting on the puree at 4 o'clock from centre. Carefully spoon the reduced sauce on the meat and around the puree, season and serve. This dish is fantastic on cold nights and goes beautifully with Shiraz and RW Shiraz The dish has the appearance of hours of preparation, but if you are organised is very simple and starters or deserts can be prepared during the waiting time. Enjoy. Paul's Pears Cooks notes: Paul was a neighbour and a very good friend, we would do travelling dinner parties, primarily because we both had small children. The host would cook mains and the guest dessert, you also had to supply wine for your dish. Paul often bought this dish as it is easily prepared in advance and just needs cooking time. 4 Pears 200mls of Madeira (Tokay or Port can be substituted) Butter Brown sugar 250 gms sour cream Vanilla pod (essence will do and a teaspoon in each area) De-core the pears and slice a thin segment of the bottom off, so to allow the pears to stand straight. Rub the pears in butter and sprinkle brown sugar over the buttered pears. Place the pears in a roasting tin and pour in the Madeira. Slice a vanilla pod in half and scrape out the seeds, add both the seeds and pod to the tin. Cover the tin in aluminium foil and cook for 1 hour at 190c (375F). If the pears are not fully ripe or are very large extra time may be needed, simple test by poking the largest pear with a small knife (pears need to be soft). Place a pear on the plate spoon over sauce. Add the seeds of the remaining half of the vanilla pod to the sour cream and stir in. Spoon the cream on the plate and serve. Cooked fruit dishes go wonderfully well with our Botrytis Riesling.

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