First of the summer WINES

NOW’S THE TIME TO GET OUT AND ENJOY THE SUNSHINE WITH YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD, YOUR FAVOURITE WINE AND YOUR FAVOURITE PEOPLE, SAYS ANT ELLIS

For most of us, pairing wine with food is a simple exercise to complement, contrast and improve our dining experience, although matching red wine with red meat and white wine with fish is kinda old-fashioned given today’s gastronomic free-for-all. But for me, it’s about matching the mood – on a warm and relaxed Sunday, an ice-cold glass or two of a good dry Riesling is superb with a garlicky leg of spit-roasted lamb. Prove me wrong.

I called on some of our favourite people to kickstart the sunny season on a glorious early-spring day: Matt Draper, Durban’s wine guru, rock star and purveyor of good vibes; Vanessa Blevins, incredible home cook and wine oracle; and fellow New York obsessives Nat and Clifford French (who, along with my girls, double as my chef-school tasting guinea pigs now and then).

Good guy Matt took us on an unexpected and enlightening journey through the ever-fertile slopes of the Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Wellington and Robertson Valleys, and brought some delicious examples of his nectars for us to try. Our take-out for the season ahead? Chenin Blanc, all the way. Matt describes this typically dry but complex and fruity white as “sunshine in a bottle” – and we all agreed. Cheers! My advice? Invest in a case or two.

But, of course this is a food story too. Paired with the laughter and wine, I made a table full of really delicious, Greek-inspired grub that made our spirited al fresco gathering a memorable one. Garlic, lemon and herb chicken souvlaki with all the trimmings, accompanied by Vanessa’s incredible corn and black bean salad, and roasted eggplant with chilli and garlic.

* Souvlaki Chicken

6-8 free-range chicken breasts, skinned and cubed Marinade:

• 8 cloves garlic

• 2 tablespoons dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

• 1 heaped teaspoon paprika

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup Chenin Blanc

• juice of 1 lemon

• 2 bay-leaves

• salt and pepper

Add all marinade ingredients except bayleaves to a blender. Blend until combined. Add bay-leaves and chicken. Marinade in a covered bowl for at least 3 hours, or overnight in fridge. Thread marinated chicken cubes on to skewer sticks (if you’re using wooden sticks, soak them in water for half an hour first). Cook over hot coals or in a preheated skillet for 4-6 minutes.

Turn regularly, making sure to get good colour on the outside, and baste with any left-over marinade as you cook. Slide out the skewers and serve with warm flatbreads, lashings of hummus and tzatziki, fresh onion and tomato, chilli (as hot as you dig it) and a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Boom.

* Vanessa's Sweet Mielie And Black Bean Salad

• 4 sweetcorn mielies, on the cob

• 4 spring onions, finely sliced

• 1 fresh red chilli, finely sliced

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped

• 1 tin black beans, drained

• juice of 2 limes or 1 lemon

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• salt to taste

• half a bunch of fresh coriander, chopped

Cook mielies either over coals or boil in salted water. Cool and carefully slice kernels off the cobs. In a bowl mix all ingredients together except coriander. Chill in the fridge for an hour. Stir through freshly chopped coriander just before serving.

* Easy Flatbreads

Also try out these kick-ass, super-simple flatbreads. In a bowl, mix 4 cups of plain flour, 2 tablespoons of milk powder (leave out if not handy), 300ml milk, 1 teaspoon salt and 80g soft butter. Mix well and knead gently on a floured surface, into a smooth, soft and elastic dough. Wrap in cling film, rest for an hour. Divide into golf ball-sized pieces and roll out until about 4-5mm thick, using a bit of extra flour to prevent sticking. Cook in a very hot skillet on each side until golden, using a touch of olive oil if you like. It only takes seconds, so don’t take your eyes off them. Keep warm.

FOR MORE INFO ant@rockthekitchen.co.za; Whatsapp Matt Draper on 078 209 9592 for wine tastings or a price list, and some killer recommendations.

BELOW FROM LEFT: Matt Draper, Ant Ellis, Karin Ellis, Vanessa Blevins, Clifford French, and Natalie French.