makes 4-5 pizzas

400g strong bread-making flour
100g semolina
300mL warm water
2 sachets dried yeast
2t sugar
1t sea salt
1t sea salt

Place flour, semolina and salt in a large bowl. Combine sugar and water in a smaller bowl and sprinkle over yeast. Allow to stand for a few minutes then make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in liquid and the oil. Stir to create a sticky dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and sprinkle over more flour. Knead adding more flour as required until you have a smooth dough that is just past being sticky.

Divide dough into 4-5 smaller balls approx 150g each and place on an oiled oven tray leaving enough space in between. Cover and stand in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about an hour. If your dough has doubled before you’re ready for it pop it in the fridge to slow the yeast down. You could also freeze the balls individually at this stage for later use.

On a work surface dusted with semolina and a little flour flatten balls into rounds about 25cm in diameter. I like to make them nice and rustic thicker at the edges. Transfer to a pizza peel dusted with semolina and you’re ready to top.

By Jules Clancy

Serves 4

Bastille Day wouldn’t be complete without a French classic. And the Domaine du Vieux Chene Haie aux Grives Cotes du Rhone 2003 is the perfect match. Remember always cook with the wine you intend to serve with the dish!

Feel free to play around with the cut of chicken you use. I prefer to joint a whole chicken so you get some leg and some breast but if you're not up for that you could always stick to a mixture of thighs and drumsticks. Traditionally the bacon and mushrooms are added early on in the process but cooking them separately at the end makes for a nice contrast of flavour.

1.5kg chicken, cut into 8 pieces or 4 chicken thighs and 4 drumsticks
2T olive oil
6 baby onions, peeled and halved
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs thyme
1 bunch baby carrots
6 cloves garlic, peeled & smashed
1 stick celery, diced
3T tomato paste
2C red wine
1C chicken stock
100g smoked spec, or bacon cut into batons
180g small button mushrooms, halved
2T olive oil, extra
handful flat leaf parsley, leaves picked
crusty sourdough baguette, to serve

Preheat oven to 150C. Meanwhile heat oil in a large stove top proof casserole dish and brown the chicken on all sides over medium high heat until golden. Remove chicken and add onion. Cook for 10 minutes over low heat, then add garlic and cook for another minute or two.

Return chicken to the pan and add bay leaves, thyme, carrots, celery, tomato paste, wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Bake uncovered for 1hr to 1.5hrs or until chicken is well cooked and the sauce has slightly reduced. Season the sauce.

Heat extra oil in a small frying pan over high heat and cook bacon for a few minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook stirring occasionally until bacon is crispy and browned and the mushrooms are golden and cooked through.

Divide chicken and sauce between 4 plates. Top with parsley leaves and the bacon mushroom mixture. Serve with crusty sourdough bread and a bottle of rouge!

By Jules Clancy

Jules has come up with the perfect winter dish to complement our rich and spicy Wine of the Month - Harewood Shiraz 2005

Serves 6

If you don’t have the inclination to soak chickpeas, you could always go for the canned variety and just drain and add 2-3 400g cans to the pot about half an hour before everything is done.

3T olive oil
375g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (or as long as you’ve got)
6 lamb shanks
3 brown onions, peeled & quartered lengthwise
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
3 medium carrots quartered lengthwise
1 x 400g tin tomatoes
4C (1L) chicken stock
2C (500mL) white wine, red wine, beer, more stock, or just water
3 sprigs rosemary, optional
3 sprigs thyme, optional
crusty bread, to serve

Preheat oven to 160C. Place shanks in a large oven proof casserole dish. Add onion, garlic, carrots, tomatoes and their juices, stock, wine or other liquid and herbs. Drain chickpeas and scatter over the top. Season with approx 1 teaspoon salt and plenty of black pepper. Cover with a lid or foil and place in the oven.

Bake for 4-5 hours or until shanks are meltingly tender and the meat is starting to fall off the bone. Serve hot with crusty bread and a green salad.