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You are here: Home / Wine Pairings / Top 10 Must Try Foods from the Mudgee Wine Region

Top 10 Must Try Foods from the Mudgee Wine Region

Published: Oct 24, 2019 · Updated: Oct 31, 2020 · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

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Braised mushrooms with poached egg and truffle oil

The next hottest food and wine destination down under is a hop, skip, and kangaroo jump away from Sydney in a town called Mudgee. Get inspired by these ten mouthwatering morsels.

lamb ragout on taglietelle with rocket salad on the side

In the Mudgee wine region of Australia, fine dining restaurants still manage to serve the very best food in a relaxed, countryside atmosphere.

Much like the Granite Belt where wine tourism developed as a way to get people to the tasting room, so do the restaurants in Mudgee beckon Sydney-siders and other out of towners to their wine region.

Pronounced MUH-JEE, it is about a 3 hour drive from Sydney, Australia.

cultured butter, olives, and pate on a wooden board

One should always start a meal with homemade cultured butter, local olives, and homemade pork rillette too if possible.

In particular, two restaurants in Mudgee stand out:

  1. Pipeclay Pumphouse at Robert Stein Vineyard and Winery, and
  2. The Zin House at Lowe Wine.

Both source local ingredients and serve up fine dining fare in a relaxed, countryside atmosphere.

In addition, these are “hatted” restaurants, which is the country’s reigning restaurant rating system given by the Australia Good Food Guide.

Zin house restaurant kitchen

The Zin House is a family affair with the winemaker’s wife as the chef and son as the sommelier.

Since it is a wee bit far to travel all the way there, tickle your tastebuds and get inspired with these top 10 fine dining dishes.

Fine Dining Fare From The Zin House

#1 Make a Vegetable Tartare

Beetroot tartare

Beets are finely chopped, molded into a disc, and topped with shaved fennel and asparagus with a drizzle of hazelnut oil and hempseed granola.

#2 Move over meat pie; make room for Green Goddess pie

2 slices of kale pie on a wooden cutting board

This vegetarian pie could put a meat pie to shame. Stuffed with kale, spinach, arugula, garbanzo beans, feta cheese, hummus, eggs, and topped with sesame seeds, it is just as filling and oh so wholesome.  Served here with aioli and tomato-olive tapenade for garnish.

#3 Make a Sesaonal Ragu

Lamb ragu noodles being pulled with 2 forks

Pasta dishes can be very elegant with a seasonal ragu.  This spring inspired one has braised lamb, asparagus, and peas, spilled over fresh tagliatelle pasta.  No thick sauce required, just the jus from the cooked lamb and vegetables.

2016 Lowe Merlot in front of lamb ragu

Pasta would be remiss without wine. This lamb ragu came paired with an organic merlot, decanted for 2 hours for full aroma and flavor.

Inspiration from the Pipeclay Pumphouse Restaurant

#4 Curry Mussels for a Crowd

Curried mussels with a glass of red and white wine

Mussels steamed with red curry paste, chili and coconut milk are easy to make in a big pot to serve family style.

#5 Get your game on

Kangaroo tartare with sweet potato chips

Kangaroos are considered pests in Australia, due to their abundance. Their meat is rather lean and makes a very clean tasting tartare.  Served here with sweet potato chips and puree.

#6 Cook potatoes in a liter of butter

 

Potato confit with crispy potato strings

Go big or go home, on the butter that is. Potatoes are confited in a healthy amount of butter and topped with crispy potato strands.

#7 Scallop Boudin Blanc look just like scallops

scallop boudin blanc

What look like full size dayboat scallops are actually a French style white sausage made here with scallops.

#8 Never say “no” to Gnocchi

Gnocchi braised with lamb and microgreens

Sauteed gnocchi topped with succulent braised lamb.

For the vegetarian version, top sauteed gnocchi with a fresh whipped lemon ricotta cream.

#9 Poach in truffle oil

Braised mushrooms with poached egg and truffle oil

Sauteed wild mushrooms with an egg poached in truffle oil.

#10 Top with tempura

Steak fillet with onion rings

Tempura onion rings on top of seared steak with a sprinkle of onion ash.

I dined at these restaurants as part of the Wine Media Conference in October 2019.  Unfortunately, we did not have time to talk to the chefs, but the food was so good, I had to make this brief photo essay to remember and share.

Perhaps you will be inspired to try one of these ideas too. 🙂

More Food & Wine Ideas from Down Under

25 Australian Winemakers Reveal their Favorite Food & Wine Pairing

Lovebirds and Strange Birds in Queensland Wine Country

Flames of Climate Change for Granite Belt Wineries

Do you love mouthwatering morsels of food?  Spread the ♥, and please share!

« 25 Australian Winemakers Reveal their Favorite Food & Wine Pairing
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