Four dishes with perfect wine pairings (of course) that won’t send you broke.
As far as dinner invites go, one from cook and creative Jessica Nguyen is as good as they get. She makes delicious food, mixes fabulous drinks, has great style, but above all, knows how to do it so that she can enjoy the event herself. No stressing in the kitchen, no complicated cocktail recipes leaving guests sans drink for an awkward amount of time, and no overspend leaving you with packet noodles for the rest of the week. With this last one in mind, we asked Jessica to pair four of her most sought-after recipes with four incredible value wines (all priced under $20, all punching high above that), and she did – because the best bit about Jessica is that she believes entertaining should be fun, abundant, and accessible; a treat for your mouth and your social calendar without breaking the bank.
Before the pairings, some sage advice on budget-friendly entertaining. “Firstly, delegate one of the courses to your guests to minimise stress and spend. It then becomes one less thing you have to think about, and is easy for other people to pick up and provide as their contribution. I usually delegate dessert or a snack or entree to a guest as it’s something they can pick up or make to bring over, be it a beautifully baked cake, some delicious cheeses or a tray of freshly shucked oysters to have before dinner.” Wise.
As for the decor, “Save money on florals by opting for single stem flowers in small vases spaced out on the table. Even better, pick some flowers from your garden or ask your neighbours if you can snip some of theirs. In terms of arrangements, small and low are the most economical and engaging as they won’t obstruct your guests line of sight as they speak to each other across the table, plus always keep plenty of space for the food on the table, which should take precedence over floral flourishes. If not florals, opt for in season fruit and vegetables to decorate the table. A bowl of lemons, a small jar filled with herbs, something from your garden can be just as impactful as flowers and if you want to be even more intentional about them, you can strategically choose fruits and vegetables to display that you can then cook with in the food you’re serving. Otherwise, re-use them for your meals later that week.” Genius.
Finally, something to remember about putting together table settings. “You don’t need to invest in all new and matching crockery, serveware and glassware. Op-shops and places like Gumtree are perfect for finding very affordable vases, platters, vintage plates and funky glassware. Some of my favourite pieces are items I’ve collected from op shops. Also don’t be afraid to mix and match odd glassware, plates or even cutlery if you don’t have enough of the same for each guest, which can make your table more interesting and personal.” Advice to heed! Now for the pairings and some great tips on finding bargain bottles.
Click image to shop
1. Pork & Prawn Rice Paper Rolls with Queen Snapper Semillon Sauvignon Blanc ($6.99)
A traditional Vietnamese recipe that Jessica recommends serving, “whenever, wherever!”. With those wise Shakirian words playing in your mind, think about those great surf’n’turf flavours: rich, fatty pork meets sweet and meaty prawn, wrapped with a whole lot of fresh herbs in a rice paper roll. And what you’d like to drink with it? That’s right, something crisp, balanced and clean. Jessica describes the South Australian Queen Snapper Semillon Sauvignon Blanc as “tropical” and “herbaceous” – how could you not want to drink it?
Shopping local wines is also one of Jess’ top tips for keeping to a budget. “Australia has some great wine regions that are known for different varieties and if you stick to those you should get a good drop even at a cheaper price point. When buying Yarra Valley wines, opt for sparkling, chardonnay, or pinot noir. If you come across bottles from King Valley, go for Italian varietals, especially prosecco. Heathcote makes great shiraz and Launceston makes great riesling.” You should write that down. She also suggests that if you know you love a varietal, learn what regions are known for making. They will offer the best version of it – and usually for less.
2. Pasta Alla Vodka with Cold Snap Cool Climate Pinot Noir ($14.99)
“Pinot Noir is an easy drinking red and Pasta Alla Vodka is an easy cook, and both are full of flavour,” says Jess, whose recipe has a cult following. “The tomato paste makes it savoury and flavourful, the vodka acts as a solvent and brings out the flavours in the tomatoes, the cream makes it rich and rounded and the chilli oil takes it to another level. One of those perfect sauces where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Speaking of parts, it doesn’t have a lot, which makes it a budget-friendly meal to make en masse. Jessica suggests doing an audit of your fridge and pantry when planning a meal, “Try to use those up in your dishes before planning to buy more ingredients. Then incorporate as many seasonal ingredients as possible, which are usually cheaper, fresher and delicious.” If you have a bottle of vodka already, then this dish is super cheap to make.
Light and bright, Cold Snap Cool Climate Pinot Noir is exactly the kind of gem you’d find if you asked a Wine Merchant, something Jessica strongly recommends for bargain wine hunting. “Don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Great wine can be had at most price points, but to find a bottle you’re going to love on the cheap requires a little more effort, and you can always ask the staff in-store for their recommendations. Dan Murphy’s Wine Merchants are very knowledgeable and well versed in recommending wine at any price point.”
Click image to shop
Click image to shop
3. Prawn Stuffed Zucchini Flowers with Santa Margherita Prosecco Di Valdobbiadene ($17)
Jessica conceived this recipe early last year as a halfway point between stuffed zucchini flowers and prawn toast. She swears this deep-fried delight is one of the tastiest things she’s ever made: “It’s zucchini, prawn and sesame deep fried. How could it not be?”. If you’re cooking in summer when zucchini flowers are abundant, it can also be very pocket-friendly to make a lot of.
Santa Margherita Prosecco Di Valdobbiadene, from Italy, is exactly the kind of thing it should be eaten with. “I’m a big advocate for pairing fried food with sparkling wine as the bubbles contrast and cut through the fat. One of my favourite pairings is Champagne and fried chicken, so this pairing is in the same vein, but a little homage to the Italian origins of both the wine and fried zucchini flowers. Also as this is a great starter dish, a glass of prosecco is a perfect way to start.”
4. Salt & Pepper Squid with Knappstein Hand Picked Riesling ($17.99)
A great addition for an Asian banquet or as a starter for any meal, Jessica says this is one of the best ways to eat squid, “The addition of makrut lime finely chopped into a powder make it incredibly fragrant and give more of a Southeast Asian twist to the classic Chinese-style salt and pepper squid recipe.”
Due to its heat, she recommends pairing it with a bottle of Knappstein Hand Picked Riesling. “The salt and pepper squid does have a good amount of fresh chilli added to it so it is on the spicier side and I love pairing rieslings with spicy Asian dishes. Clare Valley rieslings (like Knappstein) are citrusy with heaps of lime, making it the perfect pairing for this dish.”
Click image to shop
