Pan-seared local foie gras

The first straw

A drizzling of dessert wine over breakfast may sound unusual, but Zachary's Geoffrey Murray is all about the unexpected, writes Nikki Lordan.

 

Dessert wines are commonly served with, well, dessert, but tasked with finding a perfect match for Hazendal's The Last Straw 2007, chef Geoffrey Murray of Pezula restaurant Zachary's suggests one have it with breakfast.

Geoffrey likes to surprise everyone with each bite - hence the foie gras on French toast and bacon drizzled with maple syrup, "which must come from my American side!" The recipe centres around the quince purée, says Geoffrey, to match the floral notes in the quince with the floral notes of the wine.

The smoky, salty flavours of the foie gras and bacon will "help you to get through the sweetness of the wine, into the floral", he says. It doesn't stop there, though. He's also all about finding different layers of textures and flavours with which to work. "It's crunchy on the outside," he explains as I try my first bite, "smooth on the inside".

"Any dish," he continues, "should, just like wine, be complex in character with a multitude of different flavours that you basically peel off, layer for layer." The first bite shouldn't be what the rest of the meal will taste like.

With a dessert wine, it's about complementing the perfect balance of sweetness and the acidity of the wine. "That's why I chose a savoury dish," he says. More often than not a sweet dessert will only eradicate the intricate balance of a dessert wine, overpowering the sugar, leaving nothing left on your palate.

Geoffrey prefers seasonal, local and organic food in his recipes. "Except for the maple syrup, everything is from here and in season." Winter is drawing in which makes this perfect for a cosy Sunday brunch. If foie gras is not your cup of tea, omit and serve with a good vanilla-bean ice cream, Geoffrey suggests. Less adventurous, but just as good!

Pan-seared local foie gras
2007 Hazendal The Last Straw, poached quince purée with brioche French toast, crisp organic bacon and maple syrup. (Serves four)

QUINCE PURÉE
2 medium-sized quinces, peeled, cored, diced
1 cup Hazendal The Last Straw 2007
1 cup water
Juice of half a lemon

FRENCH TOAST
4 one-centimetre slices brioche bread
2 organic eggs, beaten
¼ cup full cream
2 tablespoons organic unsalted butter
8 thin slices of organic bacon, baked crisp
4 50-gram slices fresh, local foie gras
sea salt to taste
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 sprig savoury thyme, leaves only

1. Place all of the ingredients for the quince purée in a pot over medium heat, bring to a simmer, reduce heat, cover and continue cooking for about 40 minutes until tender.

2. Remove from stove and allow the fruit to cool completely in the liquid, then purée with half the liquid, adding more liquid if necessary, to a smooth paste. Set aside.

3. For the French toast, mix together the beaten egg and cream, dip the brioche bread slices in the mixture being sure to coat well on all sides.

4. Melt the butter in a flat-bottomed pan over medium heat and brown the brioche, about two minutes on each side. Keep warm.

5. Season the foie gras slices with sea salt and sear in a hot flat-bottomed pan, about one minute on each side, until browned.

6. To plate, smear a tablespoon of quince purée on each of the four plates. Set the French toast next to the purée. Rest the seared foie gras on the French toast. Drizzle each with maple syrup, sprinkle with thyme leaves, both on the foie gras and around the plate. Top each with two slices of crisp bacon and enjoy immediately with a glass of Hazendal The Last Straw wine!

Zachary's Restaurant, Pezula, Knysna. Tel 044 302 3410, www.zacharys.co.za