Pilgrimage to the temple of haute cuisine
Directions
’Tis true that we love doing things a little differently around here from time to time - keeps people on their toes. And in light of that sentiment, this WineDown has shifted focus toward cooking with wine rather than drinking it, although you could certainly enjoy both.
As we may have alluded to previously, WD recently had the pleasure of immersing in the beauty of the Barossa Valley, including a memorable visit to Saltram (aka ‘The beating heart of the Barossa’).
Along with great wine, the best way to WD’s heart is, of course, via our stomach. Enter Salters Kitchen, nestled alongside the Saltram Cellar Door, and the maestro behind the pans, Head Chef Scott Liddell.
With a soft spot for a premium cut of beef, you will find Scott’s menu overflowing with succulent barbequed cuts, wood-oven baked veggies and seasonal salads. Another of his passions is pairing his divine wares with wine.
And so, without further ado, we asked Scott to share one of his secret recipes with you (and thankfully, he obliged, dear reader, as we’re not much chop in the kitchen).
Scott Liddell’s Slow braised lamb with white wine, bread and parmesan crust served with soft polenta.
“Here is a recipe I am currently rather fond of! With new season spring lamb, sunnier days but still cool nights, I think this recipe is a perfect go-to for the season; match with a Mamre Brook Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon or a Winemaker’s Selection Barossa Valley Grenache.”
Scott Liddell
Ingredients
1.5kg lamb rump, cut into 5cm pieces
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 onions, coarsely chopped
¼ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp coarsely chopped sage
1 tbsp coarsely chopped rosemary
4 garlic cloves, quartered
1 long red chilli, coarsely chopped
Zest of a lemon
300 ml chicken stock or water
100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
200 ml 1859 Eden Valley Chardonnay
150 gm finely grated parmesan
200 gm coarse sourdough breadcrumbs
Soft Polenta
150 gm fine polenta, preferably traditional Italian stoneground (1 cup)
500ml chicken stock
500ml milk
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter
100g Finely grated parmesan
Directions
Preheat oven to 190C.
Step 1
Place lamb in a large deep roasting tray, scatter with tomato, onion, herbs, garlic and chilli, lemon zest and season to taste. Add stock, olive oil and wine, then massage the mixture into the meat.
Step 2
Combine cheese and breadcrumbs in a bowl and scatter onto lamb; it soaks up the liquid during roasting and forms a nice crust. Bake until lamb is tender and crust is golden (60 – 75 minutes).
Step 3
Meanwhile, for polenta, bring the liquid to the boil in a saucepan, add 1 tsp salt and, whisking continuously, add polenta in a slow, steady stream, reduce heat to low and stir continuously with a wooden spoon for 2-3 minutes, then simmer, stirring occasionally, over very low heat until thick and smooth (18-20 minutes).
Step 4
Add butter and season to taste with black pepper and parmesan. Spoon polenta onto plates, top with lamb and pan juices and serve.
We hope you enjoyed bringing a little bit of Saltram and Salters into your home. We sure enjoyed bringing it to you!