With long bank holiday weekends, warmer weather and the promise of summer on the horizon, May is a perfect month for cooking some extra special meals and pairing them with a brilliant bottle of wine. We've partnered with Laithwaites to pick some of our favourite seasonal recipes to make this month, and discover the wine to pair them with. From a sunny salmon matched with a chilled glass of fizz, to a grilled lamb served alongside a fruity red, these are the pairings worth trying. Plus, save 20% at Laithwaites when spending £75 using code 20OFF.
For more wine recommendations, check out our expert tried-and-tested reviews of the best rioja to buy, best rosé to buy or the best prosecco.
1. Antipasti salmon
While you might not associate a whole side of salmon with antipasti, this summery dish takes the cut and adds on Mediterranean ingredients like basil, capers and olives to create an antipasti-inspired centrepiece. Simply bake in the oven or cook on the barbecue for a great summer dish.
Pairs with: Ribolla Gialla Spumante, a creamy-mousse fizz from northeastern Italy. Made with majority Ribolla Gialla grapes – picked early for freshness – and 15% Chardonnay, when well chilled it's a perfect accompaniment to light summery dishes and its orchard fruit and zesty lemon notes will shine through.
Available from:
Laithwaites (£10.99)
2. Tomato & mascarpone risotto
This is perfect comfort food for any cooler spring evenings. Mascarpone makes the risotto super creamy and rich (you could use cream cheese instead, if you've already got that in the fridge) with pops of juicy cherry tomatoes and plenty of fresh basil.
Pairs with: San Severo is a sleepy town producing excellent wines in Italy's deep south that are rarely seen outside of the region. This Notte di Scintille is an excellent example – made mostly with Montepulciano, with splashes of Merlot and Nero de Troia for a rich wine bursting with berry freshness. It would also pair well with good steaks and roasted meats in summer.
Available from:
Laithwaites (£15.99)
3. Lamb & garlic bread salad
Yep, we've made garlic bread into a salad! Torn chunks act like upgraded crunchy croutons to soak up the juices from charred tomatoes and cucumber, making a great summer side to the juicy lamb cutlets. It makes the perfect al fresco lunch – you could even cook the lamb on the barbecue.
Pairs with: Altos de la Guardia Gran Reserva Rioja is produced from mature vines that lie above 700 metres – the highest in the region. After being aged for a year in oak, the result is a silky, elegant red with notes of ripe fruits, violet and subtle spice.
Available from:
Laithwaites (£18.99)
4. Greek feta traybake
Make this Greek-inspired traybake with feta, olives, pitta bread and tomatoes for an easy midweek meal, then use the leftovers for lunch the next day – packed with butter beans and fresh seasonal veg you'll easily get a couple of your five a day.
Pairs with: Melpo by Muses Estate Greek Rosé, from a family estate in a region that has been making wine for 1,000 years, so they know what they're doing. This fresh pink combines Syrah, for its peppery red fruit, with Greece’s pink-skinned Roditis Alepou variety, which adds lovely lemony freshness.
Available from:
Laithwaites (£14.99)
5. Griddled chicken with quinoa Greek salad
For an easy midweek meal that still looks and tastes impressive, this light dish of grilled chicken fillets and vibrant salad will do the trick. Adding Kalamata olives, feta, tomatoes and mint to the quinoa gives texture to every bite.
Pairs with: Jim Barry Clare Valley Assyrtiko, from a wine-making legend's vineyard now run by his children and grandchildren in one of Australia's oldest wine regions. After importing Greek vines in 2012, they now produce a crisp, pure fruit white with zesty freshness, making for a delightful accompaniment to this griddled chicken dish.
Available from:
Laithwaites (£25)
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