Let's do lunch

Take the colours and flavours of autumn as inspiration, and create an elegant afternoon of food and wine for friends.

Let's do lunch

John Paul Urizar

Menu for 8

Main

Dessert

Walnut caramel tart

Cheese

Blue cheese panna cotta with pear

Time plan

Up to 1 day ahead

Make the roasted garlic & tomato soup with parmesan crisps.
Make the walnut caramel tart.
Make the blue cheese panna cotta.

Up to 6 hours ahead

Prepare the figs with almonds & feta to the end of step 2.
Prepare the lamb with pistachio crust to the end of step 2.
Prepare the baby rocket, bean & bacon salad to the end of step 3.
Make the basil oil (step 1) for the parsnip & ginger puree with basil oil.

Up to 2 hours ahead

Continue making the lamb with pistachio crust from step 3.
Continue making the parsnip & ginger puree with basil oil from step 2.

30 minutes before your guests arrive

Make the warm spiced wine.

Just before serving the appetiser

Finish making the figs with almonds & feta.

Just before serving the main

Finish making the baby rocket, bean & bacon salad.

What to drink

A glass of zesty white is a great way to start this elegant autumn lunch. Try Brokenwood Cricket Pitch White 2002, $19 (a lovely blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon) or MadFish Premium White 2003, $21 (a zippy unwooded chardonnay with a splash of verdelho from Western Australia). They both have plenty of tropical tang to liven up the party and will go down a treat with the figs with almonds & feta and the baby rocket, bean & bacon salad.

The slow-roast shoulder of lamb makes my mouth water and definitely calls for a full-bodied red. Try a robust cabernet sauvignon, which will have more of a savoury flavour than its sister, shiraz. You can't go wrong with Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2001, $31. It's an elegant drop from Coonawarra with intense varietal aromas and flavours. The finish is long and lingering so don't expect your guests to be in a rush to go home! -- Rhys Connery of the vine press

Prices and information in this article correct at time of first publication.