Tasting kitchen

WineFood products

WineFood at Shingleback is designed to enhance the enjoyment of wine. Wine is used to extract aromatics from herbs and spices, followed by gentle reduction in order to produce a balanced flavour profile. Wine is used as early as possible in the cooking process, going as far as cooking potatoes rice, pasta and couscous in wine or wine reduction. WineFood’s ambition is to produce a wine friendly aromatic menu. You will be able to enjoy tasty food and wine; maintaining the ability of your tastebuds to tune into finer notes of a good wine and experience the full structured layers of fragrance in Shingleback’s wine. 

Shiraz rosemary and caramelised onion bread

Water is replaced by a Shingleback shiraz reduction aromatised with fresh rosemary and caramelised shallots.

Chardonnay citrus and fennel bread

Water is replaced by Shingleback chardonnay reduction, fresh citrus fruits and fennel seeds.

Chardonnay potatoes

Potato wedges are steamed in chardonnay and finished with turmeric, lime, chardonnay reduction and dash of olive oil.

Shiraz potatoes

Potato wedges are steamed in shiraz and finished with herbed shiraz reduction, black pepper and a dash of olive oil.

Shiraz braised cabbage

Red cabbage is braised with shiraz and caramelised apples and onion. Cinnamon, juniper and cranberries are used to intensify the shiraz characteristics of the 'side dish'.

Chardonnay citrus coleslaw and basil

Seasonal cabbage varieties are finely sliced and pickled with a heavy white wine and citrus reduction, leek, fresh basil and golden grapes.

Shiraz and cranberry coleslaw and rosemary

Seasonal cabbage varieties including red cabbage are finely sliced and pickled with a dense shiraz reduction, sliced apples, cranberries and flavoured with a cinnamon spice mix.

Wine steamed vegetables

Seasonal vegetables are sautéed with olive oil and steamed using an aromatic wine reduction. Often we completely reduce the wine to develope caramelisation; and in starchy vegetables dextrinisation.

Wine infused and pickled fruits

Fresh fruits are macerated in wine or pickled in reduction; sweetness in pears and also acidity in citrus fruits is reduced and makes fruits more palatable for wine! WineFood likes red wine pears or cinnamon apples for meat dishes or white wine pickled oranges or mango for fish.

Beef and lamb is flavoured and tenderised with red wine reduction

Dry aging is the first step to support a tender cut of meat. Wine acidity and more so wine reductions tenderise your steak. Depending on the cut, WineFood reductions are spiked with aromatics and spices to intensify the taste. We often cook the meat 'sous vide' to maximise tenderness and intensify the wine supporting flavour!

Fish and chicken pre-poached in white wine and aromatics

Poaching is the most gentle method of cookery for fish and chicken. WineFood uses aromatics like herbs, leek, shallots and citrus to produce a tasty poaching liquid, or a intense reduction to prepare fish for sous vide cooking. The acidity of dry wine reduction acts similarly to the use of lemon juice. We like to finish fish dishes with aromatic herbs, brown butter or olive oil.

Sausages poached in mulled wine before grilling

French chacuterie, German and polish sausages are often poached in water before grilling. Here at WineFood we poach or steam sausages in wine first. This process delivers wine aromatics and the wine acid softens the sausage skin. The wine also adds to the caramelisation on the grill or in your frying pan.

Aromatic shiraz reduction and chardonnay citrus reduction

Reductions play a vital part in all methods of WineFood cookery. Wine can be reduced to any density from a light 25% reduction to pickle fruit up to a 85% reduction for parfait or semifreddo. Most WineFood reductions are reduced by 70%, with added aromatics, herbs and spices. Flavour goodness is extracted and dissolved with the help of alcohol and wine acidity. We often use wine reductions to finish or garnish your meal.

Shiraz mousse

A classic French 'mousse aux chocolate' recipe has undergone a WineFood transformation. Half of the rich crème is replaced by a red wine custard. We use finest Belgian Callebaut® Chocolate and Shingleback shiraz.

Red wine brûlée

Less cream and more wine is the secret of this dessert. WineFood brûlée is flavoured often with herbs, coriander or cinnamon instead of vanilla and we use less sugar. However, the top is lightly caramelised. ;-) 

Iced red wine parfait

The Italian call it semifreddo. It is made with a 85% red wine reduction and flavourful spice mix. We often add a dark chocolate casing to this dessert.

Fortified berries 

Hamburger Rote Grütze is a regional German Red Fruit Pudding, made with a variety of berries. WineFood uses blueberries, raspberries and Shingleback fortified shiraz to create a wine-friendly abbreviation of the Rote Grütze.

Dark chocolate ganache

WineFood has winesised the classic sauce ganache by replacing cream with a shiraz reduction. This brings the sugar level down to a wine friendly level.

The WineFood dessert

In the early days of WineFood, we often served chocolate mousse, parfait or wine brûlée as individual dishes. Now we save ourselves the trouble of making a decision and serve all five WineFood desserts at once on your shiraz and chocolate dessert plate.

WineFood has prepared a wine-delicious menu using Shingleback wine to produce wine and flavour reduction for sauces, dressings, to marinate food and tenderise your steaks.

The Tasting Kitchen at Shingleback will offer the same wine-friendly cooking methods known from the chef’s table. We incorporate WineFood principles like infusing meat and fish with aromatic wine reductions before finishing your meal with tasty sauces and seasonal side dishes. The weekend menu is synchronised with the chef’s table menu next door. We also offer a Tasting menu, WineFood dishes to share or add to platters and other local produce from our display fridge in the Shingleback Tasting Room.

We like you to come as a guest and leave as a friend of WineFood!