Take comfort in your weekend dinner plans this winter, with a three course menu designed for coddling.

Winter gives us permission to stay indoors and be comforted by food. Hearty dishes rich with flavour, readying us for an evening curled up by the fire (or heater). Bring your friends in from the cold.

The Starter

The ultimate comfort food, and we love chef Rick Stein’s version.

Drinks writer Mike Bennie says, “Warm and hearty meals tend to work best with big, cuddly red wines. Australia has a wealth of these fuller-bodied red wine styles so selecting for your dishes shouldn’t be too hard.”

Drink match: McLaren Vale grenache (Samuel’s Gorge Grenache)

The Main

About as hearty as a meal can get, and we “heart” it.

Drink match: Big Barossa Valley red blend (try Soul Growers Equilibrium GSM)

The Dessert

It’s as though pudding met a jar of marmalade, and lived happily ever after.

Drink match: Coffee liqueur (try Patron XO Coffee Tequila)