Take A Walk On The Wild Side

Media release
17 May 2011

Take A Walk On The Wild Side

It's game on for the 14th annual Monteith's Beer and Wild Food Challenge. Launching 3rd June, 79 professional chefs from Whangarei to Invercargill will fight it out for the chance to compete in the Finalists Cook Off.

The judges will be looking for a wild food and Monteith's pairing that tempts the taste buds and pushes the boundaries. Head Judge, Kerry Tyack, says that the Monteith's Beer and Wild Food Challenge not only presents an opportunity for chefs to get creative, but also for Kiwis to broaden their palate by trying something new.

"The quality of this year's entries remains remarkably high and increasingly adventurous. Monteith's strives to get chefs thinking outside the square and exploring different ways of combining beer and food. We're thrilled with the concepts behind this year's dishes," says Tyack.

"We're also looking for two people's choice nominees to join five others in the Finalist Cook Off so Kiwis need to get involved by voting for their favourite dish. To thank everyone who votes, Monteith's are shouting; every text vote will receive a reply with a complimentary Monteith's redeemable at that restaurant or bar."

Chefs across the country have approached this year's challenge with a sense of adventure and a healthy dose of good humour. These dishes and participating outlets nationwide can be unearthed at www.monteiths.co.nz.

Miss Piggy's Getting Cheeky - wild pork cheeks braised in Monteith's Crushed Apple Cider and manuka honey on a kumara and ginger mash with horopito and green apple coleslaw matched with Monteith's Golden Lager from The Dinsdale Office, Hamilton.

Celtic Braised Buffalo Blues - six hour braised buffalo risotto with a salad of wild rocket, buffalo blue cheese and roasted chestnuts matched with Monteith's Celtic Red from Basalt, Howick.

Rudolph and Skippy Have a Toke - manuka smoked kangaroo on a wild venison chorizo risotto with cress, mountain pepper and lemon myrtle, finished with pan jus and moi moi game chips matched with Monteith's Single Source from The Redoubt Bar and Eatery, Te Awamutu.

For budding home cooks who fancy their chances of whipping up something wild and worthy of acclaim, the second annual Monteith's Wild Recipe Competition invites entries from the public. The rules are similar to the Challenge; the dish must feature wild food and be precisely matched with a Monteith's beer or cider. Linda Hammond from Bulls won the inaugural competition with her Smoked Eel, Mussel and Gurnard Risotto match with Monteith's Golden Lager in 2010.

To enter a wild food and Monteith's pairing in the Wild Recipe Competition visit www.monteiths.co.nz.

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