BLOODY SHIRAZ GIN MADE FROM GIN RECIPES
One of the great parts about making gin at Four Pillars is that we get to experiment with amazing flavours. No bigger experiment has paid off than when Cam stole a bunch of grapes off our ex-landlord and Bloody Shiraz Gin was born.
This phenomenal purple liquid took Australia – and then the world – by storm. But as makers, we wanted to find more ways for people to enjoy the bloody deliciousness of Bloody Shiraz Gin. And so, with the help of cracking chef Matt Wilkinson, we got to start experimenting with making delicious things to eat.
Which is how we ended up with these two amazing creations.
Yarra Valley Bloody Shiraz Gin Caviar was a team effort between Wilko and Nick Gorman (Co-owner of Yarra Valley Caviar). After more than 25 trials, they figured out soaking roe in Bloody Shiraz Gin for 24 hours made a caviar with a beautiful deep purple colouring and gin flavour. We think it’s probably the world’s first gin-infused salmon caviar! You won’t find this one in our online store because it needs refrigeration on the road, best to pop over to Yarra Valley Caviar or see us in person at our Surry Hills and Healesville Gin Shops.
We also launched a limited-edition Bloody Shiraz Gin Grape & Quince Paste. Our friends and local Yarra Valley neighbours, A Bit of Jam & Pickle took the gin-soaked grape skins left behind from making Bloody Shiraz Gin and preserved them into a paste, which goes amazingly with cheese.
If you’ve got either of these products, Wilko has created some recipes below to help you get the most out of them. Taste tested by us (we love our lives), you’re in for some winners!
WELSH RAREBIT (SERVES 4)
No rabbits to be found here. This fancy cheese on toast was originally created in the 18th-century so the ends and scraps of cheese didn’t go to waste. Eat it for supper, brunch, or as a snack.
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INGREDIENTS
- 4 tbsp Bloody Shiraz Gin
- 2 tbsp Grape & Quince Paste
- 5 tbsp pouring cream
- 250g grated cheddar cheese (or whichever cheese you have available at home)
- 2 egg yolks, beaten
- 2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 4 thick slices of good sourdough bread
- Salt and pepper
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METHOD
- In a small heavy pan, simmer the gin for one minute
- Add the cream and reduce it by half, then let it cool
- Mix all remaining ingredients together, except for the bread
- Toast the bread on both sides using a grill or salamander
- Once fully toasted, spread the mixture evenly across the four slices and place back under the grill
- Grill until nicely browned and serve
NOT-SO-POSH SANDWICH (SERVES 1)
Finger sandwiches live somewhere in the past, but we’re bringing them back with a simple yet super luxe creation. Wilko’s tip: Use the whitest bread you can find, the kind championed by sausage sizzles all over Australia.
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INGREDIENTS
- 2 slices white bread
- 1 tub white taramasalata (you might need to hunt around to find one that’s not pink or look up how to make your own)
- 85g tin Yarra Valley Caviar Bloody Shiraz Gin Caviar
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METHOD
- Spread your taramasalata heavily and evenly across your slices of bread (pretend you’re layering mortar on a brick… that thick)
- Now, add as much caviar as possible without going onto the crusts
- Cut off the crusts and cut the brad evenly into three fingers
- Enjoy with a glass of Bloody Shiraz Gin poured over ice with a wedge of lemon, or try one of our signature cocktails like a Bloody Spritz, proper luxury!
