Enjoy a get-together with these wines and risotto pairings

Wine and food pairings are always fun, even when you disagree with the pairing.

Sometimes figuring out what wine goes with which food can be time consuming, especially when you have an impromptu get-together. Personally, I love a great risotto, the fancier the better! Lucky for you, two wine estates sent us two risotto recipes that go with a particular wine they offer. So, sit back and relax because we’ve got your winter night dinner and games get-together menu. May the best risotto win!

MUSHROOM, PANCETTA & TRUFFLE RISOTTO

By Steenberg Executive Chef Kerry Kilpin

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1 onion, chopped

50g butter

2 cloves garlic, chopped

150g pancetta, cubed

200g risotto rice

200ml dry white wine

250g assorted mushrooms, sliced

500ml vegetable or chicken stock

2 sprigs rosemary, chopped

125g parmesan, grated

50g butter

20g parsley, chopped

10 – 15ml truffle oil (or to your taste)

Sweat your onions and garlic with the butter in a pot for about 2 minutes. 

Add the cubed pancetta and cook for a minute. Add your rice, cook for a further minute until the rice starts to go translucent on the outsides. Add the sliced mushrooms.

Add the wine and allow the wine to cook off and rice to absorb all the liquid.

Add enough stock to cover the rice. Cook on a medium heat.

After a further 2 minutes add rosemary and top up with stock.

Throughout the cooking process you will add stock and stir from time to time.

You need to keep your risotto moist at all times.

If you run out of stock and your rice isn’t cooked, top up using water.

Once your rice is about 2 minutes off from being cooked, add the parmesan, butter, truffle oil and parsley and allow to melt and season to taste.

Serve with a glass of Steenberg Nebbiolo.

CRAYFISH RISOTTO RECIPE 

by Georgia East author, cook and food stylist and photographer

Prep time: 20 min/Cooking time: 40 min/Serves 4

CRAYFISH AND ARBORIO RICE

INGREDIENTS

- 3-4 whole crayfish

- 1 large head of celery, halved

- 2 large onions or four shallots, peeled and finely chopped

- 8-10 black peppercorns

- 1-2 fennel bulbs, stalks removed (reserving the fronds) and finely chopped

- 1 large clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

- 2 tablespoons of salted butter

- Coarse ground sea salt and black pepper

- 250ml of Krone Vintage Rosé Cuvée Brut

- 1 cup (250ml) of arborio rice, rinsed to get rid of any excess starch

- 1 to 2 litres of water

- A 100g wedge of parmesan cheese, finely grated

Browned Butter

INGREDIENTS

- 4 tablespoons salted butter

- 1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika

- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed

- Sea salt

METHOD FOR CRAYFISH AND ARBORIO RICE

1. If using live crayfish, swiftly and humanely dispatch them with a sharp blade to the head or by immersing them in fresh water for 20 minutes. If using frozen, be sure to defrost entirely before cooking. If using tails, have a ready-made fish or vegetable stock at hand and proceed from the next step. For the crayfish stock, set a large pot of water over high heat. Once boiling, plunge the crayfish into the pot, along with half the head of celery (leaves included) and an onion or two shallots. Add in a few black peppercorns if desired. Boil the crayfish for 10 minutes for medium size and 15 minutes if large. Once cooked, remove the crayfish from the pot and set aside to cool. Skim any foam or scum from the top of the stock and strain, discarding the peppercorns, celery and onion. Set the stock aside until needed.
2. Once cooled, twist off the crayfish tails and legs, discarding the body carapace. Use a sharp knife to split each tail in half and remove the alimentary canal, rinsing the tail clean under cold water if needs be. Crack open the legs and reserve the meat. Set the tails aside until needed.
3. In a casserole over medium heat, gently cook up the onion or shallots in the butter until they are soft and translucent. Finely chop the remaining celery and with the chopped fennel, add to the onion and sauté until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and fry over high heat for a further minute or two. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper.
4. Rinse the arborio rice under cold water until it runs clear. Add the rice to the casserole and stir through the vegetables before deglazing the pot with the Cap Classique. Leave to cook for a minute or two before lowering the heat to medium. Pour in the crayfish stock and stir until all the liquid has been absorbed. If the rice is not yet cooked through, add a little water, stirring throughout.
5. To check that your rice is cooked, simply press a grain between your thumb and forefinger – if it has slight give before squashing, then it is ready. Once cooked, stir in the crayfish leg meat and the grated parmesan cheese. Keep the risotto warm until ready to serve.

METHOD FOR PAPRIKA BROWNED BUTTER

Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and add in the paprika and garlic. Let the garlic sauté but not brown. Add in the halved crayfish tails and fry – flesh side down – for 2-3 minutes.

TO SERVE

Divide the risotto into four warmed bowls and top each with half a crayfish tail. Finish off the dish by spooning some of the leftover paprika browned butter over the top and garnishing with a fennel frond. The risotto is ready to eat immediately alongside a bottle of chilled Krone Vintage Rosé Cuvée Brut 2020.