(A hardship I know!)
I have always enjoyed a glass of a great wine with a beautiful meal shared with friends. My first experiences with wine were straight out of studying Horticulture to my first job working in vineyards in Mt Barker in Western Australia. It was such a wonderful experience, (ok well maybe apart from all the secateurs cuts ;) working in vineyards and with winemakers gave me such an insight into wine and grape vines and the beauty of the whole process.
Mixing this with great food was always a part of it for me and from my experiences of my mothers kitchen table.
When I tried the Gewurztraminer I knew I wanted to cook with it!
This dish I have created is a relaxing recipe to create, it is slowly cooked and a savoured experience. Beautiful, enjoyable cooking, best done while also enjoying a glass of this lovely wine and even better while chatting to a great friend or two.Brown rice, Quinoa and Pumpkin Risotto
Ingredients
- 3 cloves Australian garlic, chopped
- 1 brown onion, chopped
- 1 leek, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup Taylors White Wine I used Gewurztraminer
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cup brown lentils
- 1 cup organic brown rice ( I actually found the organic cheaper than the non organic at coles!)
- 1/2 litre good vegetable stock
- 4 cups vegetable stock, gently warmed (not hot)
- water as needed
- 1/2 medium pumpkin
- a few garlic cloves extra (optional)
- 100g feta
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- Himalayan pink salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 180'c
- Slice the pumpkin into slices about 3 cm long and 1/2 cm thick.
- Drizzle with a little olive oil and arrange on a baking tray, add some extra cloves of garlic and roast in the oven until cooked through and a little crispy on the outside. Set aside.
- Bring the vegetable stock to the boil in a saucepan.
- Add in the lentils, reduce to a simmer and cook until soft. Set aside
- Fry the onion and leek in the olive oil until wilted.
- Add in the garlic and turmeric, stir through 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the brown rice, stir through so it is covered gently in olive oil.
- Pour in the wine, stir over a medium heat until it is mostly evaporated.
- Pour yourself a small glass of the beautiful Gewurztraminer (totally optional of course feel free to insert herbal tea here if you wish) and relax as you slowly enjoy and experience the next step of slowly adding stock to the rice, a bit at a time, stirring, enjoying the smells and textures in the pan, why not munch on some lovely carrot and red capsicum sticks too!
- Keep simmering that rice, stirring, adding stock a little at a time. If you need to use some water do so, when the rice is mostly cooked but still just a little crunchy add in the quinoa and lentils with any remaining stock and a enough water so there is enough liquid to cook the quinoa in. Mix together well and continue to simmer until rice and quinoa are cooked. Turn the heat off.
- Chop the feta into small bite sized pieces.
- Carefully fold the pumpkin pieces through the rice mixture and then the feta. The heat will allow the feta to gently melt a little in places. Remove skin and through roasted garlic cloves through.
- Serve.
- Optionally top with some freshly chopped parsley
- Optionally serve with a glass of chilled Gewurztraminer to adult dinner guests so the flavour experience continues.
Notes
- The alcohol burns off during cooking
- This dish makes beautiful leftovers the next day, enjoyed cold or hot.
Toddler Tips
- If you want to make a wine free version simple make a much smaller version for them and use stock in place of the wine, they do not usually notice the onion but you can leave out if you wish also.
- If you are serving this for a dinner party or the parents are enjoying a nice glass of wine with the meal why not make it fun for kids and let them have a chilled fruit juice in a stemmed glass too (you could always use plastic stemmed glasses from the party section at most shops if your worried about glass.
One lucky reader will win
two bottles of Taylors Wines!
‘Bringing great wines to
life.’
Established three
generations ago in South Australia’s beautiful Clare Valley, Taylors Wines is a
family-owned Australian wine company that was born from a passion of producing
exceptional, hand crafted wines. With a philosophy that embraces balance,
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life.
From a velvety Cabernet
Sauvignon to vibrant Promised
Land Moscato, Taylors Wines boasts a world-class collection of unmistakeable
quality and style. Plus, with a comprehensive Environmental Management System
and a commitment to sustainability, Taylors Wines understands that green is just
as important as red and white.
The giveaway is open to
Australia only. Winner must be of legal drinking age and provide proof of
age to claim prize.
@Taylors_Wines
I am living 'dry' at the moment as I try to get fit for a breast cancer fundraising/fitness challenge this March. I even survived Christmas and New Year without wine, but I will definitely be celebrating with a glass or two in March! It would be nice to have some great quality wines set aside for the occasion :)
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome Lara - I can definitely vouch these ones would be so worth waiting for!
DeleteIt's the perfect summer drop to accompany my perfect little valentines day dinner I have planned for my man!
ReplyDeleteOh how gorgeous are you! Sounds lovely X
DeleteI'd love to indulge in some Taylor's wine as I've been steering clear of alcohol for a while.
ReplyDeleteOh they do good wine too Jocelyn!
DeleteLove a nice glass after a long (sometime HOT) day!
ReplyDeleteMe too, especially when I cook ;)
DeleteWhy not, it's hot & I'm thirsty!! - D.
ReplyDeleteHaha :)
DeleteOh risotto and wine... can you get a much better match than that! I'll have to grab one of the bottles next time I'm at the supermarket - they sound lovely! xx Lucy from Bake Play Smile
ReplyDeleteIt is really nice Lucy!! XX
DeleteWhat a delicious recipe! Anything that includes pumpkin and feta is for me :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa! I just love that combo too! XX
DeleteI need something to drink and celebrate after this baby is pushed out of my body.
ReplyDeleteOh congratulations on your baby!! XX
DeleteI've just got a new wine fridge for Christmas but alas! it's entirely bear. I need some wine to fill it.
ReplyDeleteOh that's no good! Taylors wine would go well X
DeleteThat looks super delish! I love everything about this recipe and of course, the wine :-)
ReplyDeletePeggy (UBC)
***
Peggy Nolan
Have You Gotten Your Spoonful of Fab?
http://frazzledtofab.com
Thanks Peggy! XX
DeleteI love entertaining, and preparing good food;
ReplyDeleteSummer creates such a positive mood!
Friendship is about gathering, and good conversation,
with a glass of Taylors to enhance the occasion!
Oh I couldn't agree more Jowill!!
DeleteI've never had quinoa in risotto - am book marking to try this. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt gives a really nice almost nutty flavour, I think :)
DeleteLove to hear what you think XX
When I worked at Dan Murphy's I learnt how to pronounce Gewurztraminer. I would love to win so I could have a dinner party, make this recipe, and impress my friends with my limited wine knowledge!
ReplyDeleteOh I would so love to know how to pronounce it haha!!
DeleteI would love to celebrate the return of back to school with a Nice glass of Taylors!
ReplyDeleteYes!! Perfect timing hey hehe!
DeleteGoing to have to try that recipe! Loving quinoa right now! Thanks for sharing! Stopping by from FYB.
ReplyDeleteThanks Carrie! Me too! we eat it everyday, grains, flour, flakes! :)
DeleteI love cooking with wine, it just gives every the icing on the cake. aha a food reference but this looks really great thanks :)
ReplyDeleteOh I like that Frances! :)
DeleteI have great memories of the Clare Valley but apart from Stanleys have no experience of their wines. There is more to Clare than Stanleys...but I need a starter
ReplyDeleteBecause a beautiful meal not complemented by a glass of wine is like a meat pie without tomato sauce.....
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great new way to use pumpkin! And I love cooking with wine because there's always extra in the bottle to drink during the process!
ReplyDeleteOh me too :) Make it so relaxing and fun coking with friends too!
DeleteWine? What's that? Can't remember the last time I sat down to have a glass of any decent wine in ages!! Would love to sit down for some R and R with hubby and a glass or two :)
ReplyDeleteR&R is so good for us!
DeleteI have four kids and with school holidays, I think I only have the slightest touch of sanity left. Please help me recover with some indulgent me time!
ReplyDeleteHaha love it Karla and I only have 2! X
DeleteHaving TAYLORS' WINE on hand would ensure that I have quality drinks to serve impromptu dinner guests!
ReplyDeleteI am sure it would make them super happy too!
DeleteWould love to win the Taylor wines for a picnic with friends down at the beach would be a fantastic day.
ReplyDelete