Lamb with Simonsig Redhill Pinotage 2004

First things first, Emily's is associated with innovative food and a celebration of South African flavours but Peter Veldsman has always managed to do it with a twist. Johan Odendaal, who refuses to be typecast by a label of head chef or anything else, followed suit by preparing a dish that almost defies description...The creative culinary team of Veldsman, Odendaal and head chef Andrew Whelan tasted the wine first, finding concentrated berries and woody spice.

"It called for a dish that was robust enough to stand up to the flavours without dominating the wine.

"Perhaps the lamb was an obvious choice - but deliberately so," said Odendaal.

He admits he hesitated to use his "wonderful, new-in-my repertoire" beetroot paint "for about a second"!

This beautiful purple schmear is alive with licorice and floral olive oil which contrasts with the berry and earthy chocolate wine flavours.

"The meat is a whole saddle of lamb, boned, flavoured with dry Karoo-bossie, wild herb and allspice rub, tied and roasted - and then well-rested medium doneness."
Another counterpoint is the potato bouchee, circles of potato rings, poached in a light stock, stacked and filled with berry sambal of red onion, radish, berries and just a hint of chilli. "The sambal, a fresh, cold element, echoes the wine and enhances, rather than duplicates the flavour."

"Pure naughtiness from my side," is how Odendaal describes the fresh oyster resting on top of the meat.

"The idea behind this oyster, dressed with truffled bitter chocolate vinaigrette, is to use this as a starting point. Before tasting the wine, first enjoy this oceanic morsel - experience the combination of a smooth and velvety chocolate oyster with the accent on salt and earth. This coats the palate and prepares it for what's to follow. A sip of wine overlays a second coating on the palate - then the serious meat-and-potato and all the nuances of flavour."

Odendaal admits that this is for "the adventurous diner" but feels that the engagement of flavours could lead to marriage - or even just a light and tantalizingly enjoyable dalliance!

Simonsig's Redhill Pinotage 2004 was one of the top performers in WINE's annual tasting of the category. Fiona McDonald reports on the dish matched to it by Johan Odendaal of Emily's in Cape Town's Waterfront.

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Oyster dressed lamb with beetroot paint
(6 portions)

Beetroot paint
2 medium beetroots, washed, wrapped in foil and baked at a low temperature until soft
125ml light vegetable stock
25ml Balsamic vinegar
5ml Black Zambuca
5ml Pernod
salt and ground ginger to taste
25ml lemon oil
floral olive oil to emulsify

Cube the beetroot and liquidize with the stock. Add the vinegar, Zambuca and Pernod and blend. If necessary, add same distilled water to obtain a smooth puree. Taste and season with salt and ginger. Keep the blender running and first drip in the lemon oil and then enough olive oil to obtain a glossy "paint". Refrigerate until needed.

The meat:
Ask the butcher to cut the saddle with about 100mm extra of the rib bones attached. Debone. Use the fillets and place into the cavity between the two loins. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and allspice; and a blend of fresh or dry herbs. (We use Karoo bossies like koorsbos - substitute using some lemon thyme, oregano and a little rosemary - all chopped up finely). Roll up and tie with string. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 160°C. Season the meat with salt and pepper and place on a rack over an oven-roasting pan. Place in the preheated oven to roast for 50-60 minutes. Preheat the warming drawer. Place the cooked meat (with the pan) in the warming drawer and REST for 60-90 minutes before cutting into 50mm slices.

The sambal:
½ small red onion, cut into thin slices and coarsely chopped
12,5ml raspberry vinegar
12,5ml castor sugar
a pinch of salt
½ red chili, seeded and finely chopped
125g raspberries
125g blueberries
2 large radishes, cut into brunoise

Place the onion, vinegar, sugar and salt into a bowl and mix. Cover with cling film and refrigerate. Just before serving, add the radish, berries and chilli and mix. Warm the potato and fill the potato bouchee. (As a shortcut, you could use baby potatoes, roast them and spoon some of the sambal over.)

To plate:
Using a paint or pastry brush, dip it into the "paint" and paint a stripe over the plate. Place the cooked meat on one side of the stripe and the potato-and-sambal on the other. Drizzle some moskonfyt reduction in between, also a bit of saffron oil and then the oyster -- ice cold, drizzled with some chocolate and truffle vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Emily's, V&A Waterfront, Clocktower precinct. Tel 021 421 1133.