Google AI
The Times Australia

Times Media

The Perfect Champagne Day Pairing: Luke Nguyen’s Chargrilled Lemongrass Beef Skewers



Celebrate Champagne Day on October 24th with this delicious recipe and elegant pairing from Luke Nguyen, Australian Lanson Ambassador.

This special day is the perfect moment to savour the harmony of fine food and exceptional champagne with Maison Lanson - one of the world’s oldest Champagne houses, founded in 1760. Renowned chef Luke Nguyen has crafted a dish that captures the vibrant spirit of French–Vietnamese fusion: Chargrilled Lemongrass Beef Skewers.

Bursting with bright, aromatic flavours, these skewers pair beautifully with Le Black Création 258 from Champagne Lanson, showcasing the beverage's signature freshness and elegant character.

Chargrilled Lemongrass Beef Skewers by Australian Lanson Ambassador Luke Nguyen:

Pairing: Lanson Black Creation 258

500g wagyu beef skirt, finely sliced
12 bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water for 20min
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Marinade 

25g finely chopped lemongrass
10g finely chopped shallots (white part)
3 cloves garlic, diced
25ml soy sauce
20ml fish sauce
25g white sugar
½ tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp five spice powder
2 tsp annatto oil
25ml vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl with a hand blender and blend for 2 minutes.

Tamarind Sauce 

125g tamarind pulp (soaked in 500ml warm water for 15 mins, then strained)
250g palm sugar
125g white sugar
125g sliced onions
50g fried garlic
1/2 tsp salt
¼ tsp chili flakes
75g fish sauce

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan & simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.

Cooking Method

Thread the sliced wagyu beef onto the skewers (40g per skewer)
Chargrill each skewer 2 minutes per side on high heat

Lay the cooked skewers on a serving plate, then brush the beef with the tamarind sauce generously.

To finish, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds & serve. 

Pair the dish with the refreshing Le Black Création 258 from Champagne Lanson

Food & Dining

Healthy Eating: What Does a Science-Based Diet Actually Look Like?

After years of changing food trends—from low-fat to low-carbohydrate, detoxes and "superfoods"—it can be difficult to know what healthy eating really means. The encouraging news is that nutrition science has become more consistent. While researche...

Ultra-Processed Foods: The Hidden Ingredient in the Modern Australian Diet

Walk through almost any Australian supermarket and much of what fills the shelves has one thing in common: it has been processed. Processing itself is not the problem. Freezing vegetables, pasteurising milk and baking wholegrain bread are all form...

Is Red Wine Good for the Human Body?

Red wine has long enjoyed a reputation as the healthiest alcoholic drink. From the vineyards of France to dinner tables around Australia, it has often been associated with heart health, longevity and the so-called Mediterranean lifestyle. But does...

Masterchef's Flat Iron Steak available at Coles

Coles is giving customers the chance to cook like a MasterChef, launching a new 100% Australian No Added Hormones Beef Flat Iron Steak, following its starring role in Monday night's episode of MasterChef Australia. Featured in a challenge set by C...

Times Magazine

Still Want to Change Gears? The New Cars Keeping the Manual Alive in Australia

For decades, learning to drive meant mastering the clutch pedal, selecting the right gear and find...

SpaceX changed spaceflight. Now China is proving reusable rockets are the new battleground.

When SpaceX first landed a Falcon 9 booster vertically on a floating drone ship, many experts desc...

Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid or Electric? Understanding the Differences

Buying a new car has become more complicated than choosing between petrol and diesel. Today's buye...

Technology

SpaceX changed spaceflight. Now Chi…

When SpaceX first landed a Falcon 9 booster vertically on a floating drone ship, many experts desc...

Local News

Fremantle Ports to trial project to…

Fremantle Ports has partnered with Byssal and DevelopmentWA to trial an innovative nature-based pilo...

Culture

Healthy Eating: What Does a Science-Based Die…

After years of changing food trends—from low-fat to low-carbohydrate, detoxes and "superfoods"—it ...

Travel

Santorini: Is Greece's Most Famous Islan…

Whitewashed villages perched on volcanic cliffs. Blue-domed churches overlooking the Aegean Sea. S...

The Times Features

IKEA: More Than Furniture—A Complete Design System for …

For many Australians, IKEA is simply a place to buy affordable furniture. Look more closely, howe...

Healthy Eating: What Does a Science-Based Diet Actually…

After years of changing food trends—from low-fat to low-carbohydrate, detoxes and "superfoods"—it ...

Healthy Living: Can Exercise and Good Nutrition Help Yo…

Most people begin exercising or improving their diet with a specific goal in mind. It may be to lo...