Keeping the Southern theme alive this June Long Weekend

June 13, 2016

Our silky smooth 2013 Ghost Wines McLaren Vale Reserve Shiraz goes oh so well with a beautifully charred Angus T-Bone or Scotch Fillet.  For this June Long Weekend getaway, we matched it with a spicy Southern dish of Lamb Chilli, fragrant Cornbread and a Black Bean salsa.  The result?  Fantastic and a must-try!

Here are the recipes:

Lamb Chilli

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chicken stock (salt reduced for the health conscious)
• 3-5 large, dried chillies, torn (deseeded if you like to err on the side of caution)
• ½-1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2-3 Italian sausages (casings removed)
• 2 red onions, chopped
• 1 bulb of smoked garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp. dried mixed herbs
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1.5 kgs of lamb shoulder, boned and cubed (for our recipe we used none other than Limestone Coast sourced lamb), seasoned with pink salt and white pepper
• Small can pinto beans, drained and rinsed.

Method:

Combined stock, dried chillies and cayenne pepper in a heavy-based saucepan.  Cover and simmer over medium heat until the chillies are soft (should take about 10 minutes).  Puree mixture with hand-held blender.

Stir sausage mince in a separate heavy-based pot over medium and bring to a simmer, breaking up mince.  Transfer to a strainer set over a bowl and leave to drain for 10 minutes.

Return 2/3 cup of sausage drippings to same pot and heat over medium-high heat.  Add onions, garlic, mixed herb and cumin and sauté until onion is soft.  Add seasoned lamb to pot and sauté for 10 minutes.  Add chilli puree and drained sausage mince.  Bring to boil, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about an 1 hour.  Add beans and summer until liquid thickens, stirring occasionally (should take no longer than 15 minutes).

Season to taste and serve.

Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup polenta, plus extra for topping
• 3/5 cup plain flour
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• 1 ½ tsps. baking powder
• 1 tsp. bicarb soda
• 1 cup grated cheese of your choice (we chose strong, vintage cheddar)
• 3 springs lemon thyme
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 40g butter, melted

Method:

Preheat over to 180C.  Grease and line base of a loaf pan.

Mix polenta, flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb soda, cheese, lemon thyme and salt in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, egg and butter and add to dry ingredients, mixing well.

Pour into loaf pan, sprinkle with the extra polenta and lemon thyme leaves and bake for 30 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Serve warm.

Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 cup charred corn cob kernels
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup finely chopped, fresh coriander
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Dressing:

• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 tsp. fresh lime juice
• ¼ tsp. pink salt
• ¼ tsp. ground cumin
• ¼ tsp. white pepper

Method:

Mix the ingredients and dressing separately.  Pour dressing over ingredients and leave in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavours develop (overnight is even better!).  Stir before serving and serve with a slotted spoon for best results.

---

Also in News