The joys of Spring

The weather is noticeably warmer and its finally starting to feel like spring time so we thought we'd celebrate in style with a long lunch at our Waterfall Bay Restaurant.

Seresin’s favourite Cook, Marcia Chang-Hong, will prepare a four course menu of new season local produce; Asparagus, Marlborough Sounds Scallops, Spring Lamb and Strawberries.

Marcia first cooked for Michael Seresin, while working as Chef at iconic London restaurant Kensington Place, and we have been enjoying her food since she moved to Marlborough six years ago. Seresin staff will serve lunch and matching new-release wines in the relaxed setting of the small dining room on the water’s edge.

Lunch: Sunday November 15th
Tickets: Lunch with matching wines $120 per person, water taxi $40 return from Picton.
Boat departs Picton at 11.30am, limited to 40 people.
Reservations: Contact Moir Laird: moir@seresin.co.nz or Ph +64 (0)3 572 9408

And just in time for the long weekend a spring recipe from Marcia using freshly picked artichokes from our garden and Seresin Lemon Olive oil.

Artichoke and Goat's cheese dip
6 artichokes
2-3 tbsp lemon oil
4-5 tbsp goat's cheese. You can use either a hard cheese, grated or a softer creamy one.
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 lemon

Bring artichokes to boil in a large pot of salted water. Simmer gently till artichokes are just cooked. Test by gently pulling at an outer leaf, it should just slip off with the slightest tug.

Drain and cool the artichokes. Peel off the tough outer layers till you get to the heart and use a teaspoon to scoop out the hairy centre. Puree the hearts with coarse sea salt, pepper, cheese, lemon juice and lemon olive oil. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve with crusty bread or as a spread on sandwiches. Will keep up to a week refrigerated.

Enjoy!

Seresin Lemon Oil

After the hard work of the grape harvest ends, our vineyard and winery teams quickly move into the olive harvest.

This year, the weather wasn't as kind to our olives as it was to our grapes. The coldest May in 77 years, including 20 days of frost, reduced our olive harvest volumes drastically and we spent extra time with very selective picking to ensure the best quality of fruit possible. We also timed our harvesting to work in with our bookings at Marlborough's olive press - which we own collectively with other olive growers. This meant our olives were pressed as soon as possible after picking - often within a few hours - which is very important for quality.

Our Olio Nuovo, the new season's oil which we bottle and release immediately is pungent and peppery. Our winemakers (and oil makers!) are blending up our Extra Virgin Olive Oil and co-pressed citrus oils, which we will release in September. To make the Lemon, Lime and Orange oils we cut and zest fresh, whole citrus, which we press with the olives, giving a wonderful integration of flavours. Pictured are Lisbon lemons and zest about to be pressed with olives.

Dish and Wine Match to Dive For

It has been great to see Steve Logan and Al Brown back to their on-screen best in the new series of Hunger for the Wild. In an episode a couple of weeks ago, they dived for scallops in the Marlborough Sounds and prepared a mouth-watering dish: Seared Scallops with fresh corn and red capsicum salsa. Click here for the recipe.

The chefs' recommended wine match was the 2006 Seresin Estate Pinot Gris. If you would like to try the match for yourself and need to buy a bottle or two, email us. We can also assist with the Lemon Oil called for in the recipe, but you'll have to dive for your own scallops, sorry.

And don't forget to watch Hunger for the Wild, Saturdays, 7pm, TV One.