Yes it is that time of the year again and even if you said you are doing nothing for X-Mas you should, like myself, always have a few bottles of bubbly in the fridge for those unplanned moments when you just wished that you had something chilled.
We are also all aware of the fact that the economy is falling apart, nobody has any money and you are not getting a bonus this year so why would you want to spend hundreds of pounds on wine when actually you cant afford it! This is exactly why I decided to recommend wines that are not expensive and that will go with whatever you decide to slap on the table for X-Mas!
Tesco Cava Brut
Tesco’s Cava Brut £5.83
Cava is no stranger to my show and I’m delighted to see it again in my glass! This is Spanish Champagne if you want to call it that and is made in the same way as Champagne but with different grapes. I must tell you that I was stunned with the quality of this Cava and it even had those “biscuity” notes that you normally only get from Champagne. I don’t think there was anything wrong with this Cava and at a bargain price of £5.83 Try this with my Cured Salmon!
2007 Cotes du Rhone (white) £6.23
2007 Cote du Rhone white
Neither is this a newcomer to the show, the only difference is that we did Cote du Rhone red and not white. The reason I decided to go with Cotes du Rhone White is that it’s not as sharp as Sauvignon and not as buttery as Chardonnay! It is delicious wine with a soft peachy pineapple finish and it’s not expensive. It will go with any white meat and it will be good with Turkey, Goose, Chicken or Pork or my delicious Lobster Salad
2008 Kumala Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Kumala Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon £3.99
I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about this wine since its been a very long time since I tasted Kumala. It is now considered the most successful South African wine outside of the SA boarders and it ranks no.3 in the world when it comes to quality for money and popularity. Never the less I was still not sure when I arrived home with it under my arm but as soon as I took one sip I knew why it is so popular. It’s just no-nonsense wine! What you see is what you get. This is a lovely blend of 2 big grape varieties and its very pleasant. It’s got great fruit, good acidity and that juiciness that we love so much. This will be great will duck, turkey or lamb or Pork Belly
Cured Salmon
I always do this for my annual X-Mas dinner and it never disappoints. Just get a whole salmon de-boned and lay the 2 sides flat on the table, skin side down.
Make a curing mix of 100g salt, 100g sugar, salt & pepper, zest of one lemon, chopped parsley and coriander and about 100ml of whiskey. Use your hands and sprinkle all the ingredients over the fish till everything is on top.
Place the meaty sides together and wrap in cling-wrap, place in the fridge for 3 days, wash the cure mix off with water and slice into thin strips before serving. Serve with brown bread and dill mayonnaise on the side!
Lobster Salad
Boil 3 large lobsters for about 15 min remove from water, cool down and shell. Chop the meat into small chunks and mix with home made rouille (a type of pepper mayo)
To make the rouille, roast 1 large red pepper under the grill for 5 min, skin and remove seeds. Place 4 garlic cloves , 1 red chilli and half a teaspoon of paprika in a blender. Mix well with 180 ml olive oil poured in gradually while the motor is running.
Grate or shave one fresh fennel very thinly and mix the lobster and rouille together. Serve with warm toast as a starter.
Crispy Pork Belly
I never believed this till I tried it myself, its simply just to die for but not for people on a diet. Buy a whole pork belly from the butcher, score the skin with a sharp knife and rub salt and pepper all over the belly.
Place on-top of soft boiled puy lentils in a large over tray and leave it over night on 80C.
Switch the grill on just before serving and crisp-up the skin. The fat would have soaked into the lentils and the belly is simply just melting in your mouth. It is only necessary to leave it over knight if it is a whole belly, if you have a smaller piece, do the same but for 5 to 6 hours. Try it, it is amazing!
Have a lovely X-mas
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