Champagne pairing doesn't have to break the bank and be with a traditional partner like oysters.

If you want to show your friends a good time by pairing champagnes with everyday foods, try something small first, like having some French fries with it.

Chef Ash Heeger of ASH restaurant in Cape Town provided a beautiful recipe for honey-cured beef to try out with your champagne and some special guests.

Moët recipe reel for guests: 

Honey-cured beef

Serves 4

500g free-range and dry- aged beef sirloin

3g smoked paprika

5g cumin

5g coriander seeds

100g coarse salt

100g treacle sugar

100g raw honey

25ml olive oil

Trim any fat or connective tissue away from the beef sirloin and set aside, uncovered in the fridge until the cure is made;

In a small, nonstick saucepan, roast the spices individually until fragrant. Give them a small bash in a pestle and mortar or roll a rolling pin over to lightly crush;

Add the spices to a medium bowl along with salt, sugar and honey. Mix well to combine;

Add the trimmed beef to the cure and set aside in the fridge for 2 hours. After 2 hours, flip the beef and repeat;

After the second round of curing, remove the beef from the cure and rinse under cold water to get rid of any excess;

Pat dry and set aside in the fridge until needed;

Heat a large, heavy-based saucepan with olive oil until smoking hot. Sear off each side of the beef straight from the fridge;

Immediately set back in the fridge once it has seared to prevent any further cooking; and once cooled, slice as thinly as possible and serve.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with mixed herb salad and a mustard dressing.