3 recipes you can add the Edenvale touch to

Did you know that our wines are not just great for drinking? They're perfect for cooking with too! The French are rightly famous for cooking with vin, with iconic dishes like coq au vin - which literally translates

to chicken with wine - as well as other favourites like the cheese-based fondue. You can also use wine to enhance desserts, poach fruit in or use as a base for a sauce. We have put together three recipes that feature our Edenvale wines, but before we dive into these, a few pointers for cooking with wine and why you should give it a go.

Why cook with wine?

Using wine to enhance a dish is all about getting the sugars and acids in the wine to concentrate as they are heated, and impart some of their character and flavour to the ingredients.

The secret to cooking with wine is to avoid it dominating your dish, otherwise you will overwhelm the complex aromas and flavors that define it. Get the balance (and amount) right, and more complex and concentrated flavours will develop, which is when the real magic happens.

What wines can I cook with?

Any chef will tell you to avoid the dedicated cooking wines you sometimes find on supermarket shelves. These have all sorts of additives like salt, sugar and preservatives which you simply don’t need in your dish. Try to stick with a dry red - like our Shiraz, or a dry white - like our Sauvignon Blanc, but also feel free to use a Rosé for deglazing a pan of pork chops, or to poach pears in.

Now let’s get to those recipes, starting with one that’s perfect for summer.

Red wine jelly shots 

Ingredients:

• 1 packet orange jelly
• 1 packet lemon jelly
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 cups Edenvale Shiraz

Method:

1. Bring the water to a boil and pour over the combined jelly powder, and stir for 2 minutes until the gelatin dissolves
2. Now add the red wine and stir well.
3. Pour into an ice tray, casserole pan or shot glasses
4. Refrigerate for 4 hours until solid
5. Remove and garnish with pomegranate seeds

Enjoy!

Pan seared fillet steaks with red wine sauce 

Ingredients:

• 4 fillet of sirloin steaks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fine chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons cracked pepper
• 2 teaspoons seal salt
• 1/4 cup diced shallots
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup Edenvale Cabernet sauvignon
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. First remove steaks from fridge 30 minutes before cooking
2. Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat
3. Combine 1 tablespoon rosemary, pepper and salt in a small bowl
4. Season steaks with peppercorn mixture, lightly pressing mixture to steak
5. Sear steaks to your desired finish
6. Remove steaks from the pan and allow steaks to rest on a plate
7. Now add shallots and garlic to pan and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat.
8. Whisk in wine and mustard and reduce
9. Add remaining rosemary and butter in pan to melt
10. Remove from heat; add parsley and season with salt to taste.
11. Pour sauce over the steaks

Enjoy!

Poached pink pears with custard 

Ingredients:

• 4 pears with stems
• 1 bottle Edenvale Rosé
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick Rind of one lemon
• Custard to serve

Method:

1. De-core and peel the pears
2. Decant the bottle of wine into a pot, then add the same quantity of water to the wine
3. Add sugar, cinnamon stick and lemon rind and bring to the boil
4. Gently add pears and cover with a dish or pan so they stay submerged under the liquid
5. Gently boil for 40 minutes or until tender (test with a skewer)
6. Remove pears to a plate being careful to drain the liquid off, then cover and refrigerate
7. Bring the liquid back to a boil and simmer for 50-60 minutes till it thickens and reduces
8. Let the sauce cool a little, then spoon into a serving dish or bowl
9. To finish pour a drizzle of vanilla custard over the sauce
10. Now place a pear in the dish and serve

Enjoy!

Looking to make the transition to a low or alcohol-free lifestyle? You can shop all our varietals online, or check availability at your local stockist. Selected products are also available in the beverage aisle at these retailers: