Food Pairing | Jack Squat Shiraz with Cheddar and Fig Jam
Jack Squat Shiraz with Cheddar and Fig Jam
The no-fuss one. Gently dealcoholised from our organic Shiraz, so everyone gets to join in. A board, a knife, and no cooking required.
Gently dealcoholised from our premium organic Shiraz. No added sugar. Best consumed the day of opening.
Vintage Sharp Cheddar with Fig Jam and Crackers
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 250g vintage sharp cheddar
- 4 fresh figs, halved
- Seeded crackers
- A handful of roasted almonds
For the fig jam
- 400g dried figs, stems removed, roughly chopped
- 250ml water
- 100g caster sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cinnamon quill
Method
- For the jam, put the dried figs, water, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer.
- Cook gently for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the figs are completely soft and the liquid has reduced to a thick syrup.
- Remove the cinnamon and blend to a coarse jam, adding a splash of water if it is too stiff. Cool. It keeps in the fridge for two weeks, so it is worth making ahead.
- Take the cheddar out of the fridge an hour before serving.
- Build the board: cheddar cut into rough wedges, a bowl of fig jam, the fresh figs, crackers and almonds.
Why it works: sharp aged cheddar needs sweetness and fruit to balance it, and this wine brings blackberry and plum without any alcohol warmth to compete with the salt.
Not cooking tonight? A burger with the lot
Beetroot, egg, cheese, the whole architecture, with chips on the side. Blackberry, plum and warm pepper with no alcohol warmth means this handles a big salty burger without turning heavy halfway through. It is the everyday table where everyone is welcome, and nobody has to feel like they drew the short straw.
