Seaward Shiraz with a charcuterie board

The Seaward Shiraz is an elegant accompaniment to an informal – yet delicious – grazing board of cold cuts, mezze bites and fresh, crunchy artisanal bread.

The marinated vegetables can be made a day or two ahead and make fantastic toppings for crostinis (toasted pieces of bread, served as appetisers).

(serves 4)

For the peppers

• 3-4 medium sweet peppers (red/orange/yellow)
• 60ml (4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for oiling the tray
• 20ml (4 teaspoons) red wine vinegar
• 1ml (¼ teaspoon) dried origanum
• 10ml (2 teaspoons) fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the aubergines

• 2 small/medium aubergines, sliced into small cubes
• 60ml extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for the pan
• 60ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• A handful fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the platter

• A selection of charcuterie like prosciutto and salami
• A selection of cheeses like camembert and aged gouda
• A selection of antipasti like olives, grilled marinated artichokes and/or hummus
• A selection of fresh, artisanal bread like baguette/ciabatta/sourdough

Method

1. Prepare the peppers: Preheat your oven to 250C (or whatever is the hottest setting, not using the grill, just regular convection). Line a baking tray with foil, then place the peppers on it, leaving them whole. Roast for 20 minutes, then turn over and roast for another 10 minutes until they are charred all over and soft. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover with wrap (or a plastic container with a lid), then leave to steam and cool. After about 15 minutes, uncover, then remove the stems, pith and seeds (this is kind of messy, use kitchen gloves if you want to) and carefully peel most of the skins off. Slice the flesh into strips and place in a bowl. Add the olive oil, vinegar, origanum, and thyme and season generously with salt and pepper, then toss to coat (add any roasted pan juice to this mixture too). Cover and leave to steep and marinate for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. Serve at room temperature.
2. Prepare the aubergines: Place a wide iron skillet over high heat, then add the aubergine cubes and drizzle with about one tablespoon of oil, stirring often. The oil will be absorbed quickly; just continue to fry and stir until they are well charred on most sides (don’t add more oil at this point). Transfer the charred cubes to a mixing bowl, then add the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and mint and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then cover and leave to steep and marinate for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. Serve at room temperature.
3. Assemble your platter with all bowls of marinated vegetables and charcuterie, cheese, antipasti and bread of your choice, and enjoy with a glass of Seaward Shiraz.

About the Seaward range

Spier Seaward wines’ style and complexity have been strongly influenced by their coastal terroir. The Atlantic’s cooling breezes allow the vines to thrive in optimal conditions for gradual ripening. Minimal intervention is needed to produce a crop of outstanding quality, year after year. After careful crafting by our winemakers, the result is a Shiraz which has great concentration, balance and finesse.

Tall, dark and handsome, the Spier Seaward Shiraz offers an intense mix of mulberry, violets and pepper flavours; 14 months of maturing in wood gives it suavely smooth tannins. Spier Seaward wines can be tasted and purchased at the farm in Stellenbosch and online at shop.spier.co.za.