Food and Drink

Pairing wines with barbecued foods

Dave Anning has some summery suggestions

Much has changed since I last wrote - welcome back! But locked down or living it up, we’ll all be firing up the barbecue this summer. After all, we’re British and reducing succulent meat and vegetables to charcoal is what we do at this time of year - sadly not much pairs with carbon, so keep an eye on that barbecue!

You may recall sauces are critical because they have strong flavours you need to pair with - especially trendy hot sauces. With spice, red wine drinkers should look for something fruity and juicy like Sangiovese. The easier option is a cool, low alcohol white - maybe even a little sweetness to counter the heat. With sweet sauces a smoky Rioja or Pinotage are good red choices, while the best all-round white is probably Sauvignon Blanc, aromatic and with clearly defined flavours.

Meat forms the basis of many barbecues. Primitivo has deep, dark fruit that can be so intense it gives an impression of sweetness despite being dry. It has enough tannin to balance both fat and strong umami flavours in stronger barbecued red meat such as beef (umami means savoury and salty). Don’t forget - the more crispy and flavoursome the meat, the more tannic the wine can be - big Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet-based Bordeaux can really shine - just watch the alcohol!

With lighter (or less burned!) meat such as pork or chicken (when barbecued they’re similar for pairing purposes) drink lighter reds, or whites with body. Red lovers could consider Bonarda. Overshadowed by Malbec, Argentina’s Bonarda is more obviously fruity than its famous neighbour, and is great easy drinking - Merlot drinkers will love Bonarda! White fans should consider full-bodied Viognier or fresh, zesty Chenin Blanc. Don’t forget rosés. Hints of red fruit add a dimension, especially if you’re making a sticky sauce.

Fish is challenging on the barbeque - hence it often ends IN the barbeque - but can be delicious. The right wine will refresh your palate to appreciate those light, delicate flavours. Zippy Picpoul-de-Pinet works brilliantly and grows overlooking the sea. Grilling adds flavour so you can also increase body and flavour - try to find an Appassimento Grillo from Italy.

Vegetables, alone or on a kebab, become deeply flavoursome when seared, so you can drink more robust wine than you might think. White Bordeaux has a wonderful combination of aromatic, nicely balanced acidity from Sauvignon Blanc and softer, honeyed Chenin Blanc.

Salads often have strong sauces too. For Italian dressing think Verdicchio, a Caesar dressing deserves a Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc - and blue cheese dressing needs real acidity to cut through the richness - better hope the guests haven’t drunk all the Picpoul!

Dave Anning

Ham Hock Terrine

This delicious recipe from the chef at The Bearslake Inn is sure to impress at a dinner party!

Difficulty: Medium Preparation time: 720 mins Cooking time: 240 mins Serves: 12

1.5 kg ham hock (1 large or 2 smaller ones) 1 pig’s trotter, sliced down the length (optional) (will add flavour and natural gelatine) 2 litres water, cold 1 bouquet garni (2 bay leaves, 5g parsley, 2g thyme) 8 black pepper corns, whole 1 large carrot, cut into 4 along its length 2 celery sticks, cut in half width wise 1 onion, white, medium, peeled, cut into 6 1.5 gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water to soften and drained 40g white wine vinegar 35g parsley, flat leaf, blanched for 15 seconds and roughly chopped Place ham hocks, trotters and vegetables into a large pan and cover with water. Place onto the heat and bring to the boil. Skim the impurities from the top and return to a simmer until the meat is falling from the bones (about 4 hours).

Once the meat is cooked thoroughly, strain through a sieve over a large bowl, separating the meat from the vegetables. Stir the softened gelatine and white wine vinegar into the cooking liquor. Reserve. You will only need 400g of cooking liquor to set the terrine.

Flake the meat from the hock, reserving three large pieces following the muscles of the hock. Add the rind to the flaked meat. No additional seasoning should be necessary as the hock will have natural seasoning from its cure. Mix in the drained vegetables and chopped parsley.

To build the terrines you will need to line two terrine moulds with two layers of cling film. Ensure you have enough clingfilm overlapping the sides to completely cover the top. Fill the moulds with half of the flaked meat and cover with the reserved cooking liquor (with gelatine). Add the remaining meat and fold over the cling film top. Press a couple of blocks of butter or tins into the top to weigh it down and chill in a fridge overnight.

Once the terrine has had time to set, gently remove from the mould and tightly wrap in two more layers of cling film so it will be easy to cut. Slice the terrine into 12 slices, laying them onto a flat serving dish, removing the cling film as you do so. To serve, place the pickled baby onions on the side of the plate and serve with a couple of slices of freshly baked crusty sourdough bread.

Moor than just a pu ...