Graphic: How to perfectly match your meat (+recipes)

How to perfectly match your meat. Photo / Thinkstock

I'm sure there are times when you follow a recipe to a T, other times you customise it to your own taste, and then occasions when you might make it up completely. This is a handy guide to flavours that work well with each other. So if you're ever staring into your fridge wondering what you might serve with that piece of left-over pork, you can find inspiration here.

Ingredients that love chicken

* Herbs like parsley, tarragon, coriander (cilantro), chives, thyme and rosemary.
* Vegetables such as carrots, celery, potato, pumpkin (winter squash), leek, mushrooms, fennel, Asian greens and peas.
* Chicken loves being cooked with, or wrapped in, salty ingredients; bacon or olives work perfectly.

Ingredients that love lamb

* Herbs like thyme, oregano, mint and rosemary. (Don't buy rosemary! I guarantee someone you know has a big bush of it in their garden.)
* Vegetables such as asparagus, green beans, zucchini (courgettes), parsnips, carrots and peas.
* Salty ingredients like olives and anchovies work brilliantly with lamb, as do sweet ingredients such as currants, pomegranates and honey.

Ingredients that love fish and seafood

* Herbs like coriander (cilantro), chives, parsley, thyme and oregano.
* Vegetables like celery, fennel, leek, leafy greens, cucumber, broccoli and tomatoes.
* The flavours of aromatic ingredients penetrate beautifully into fish. Try lemongrass, lime leaves, star anise, citrus fruits, ginger, garlic, white pepper and dill.

Ingredients that love beef

* Herbs such as thyme, tarragon, coriander (cilantro) and parsley.
* Vegetables such as chillies, potato, pumpkin (winter squash), tomatoes, dark leafy greens, mushrooms and onion.
* Other hero ingredients such as red wine, bacon, horseradish, mustard and black pepper are perfect for bringing out the best in a beef dish.

Ingredients that love pork

* Herbs like sage, rosemary and thyme.
* Vegetables such as fennel, cabbage, celery, radishes, parsnips, tomatoes, Asian greens and bitter leaves.
* Cider and dry white wine are both great ingredients for pork recipes needing a splash of liquid.
* Spices like cinnamon, star anise and fennel seeds love pork.
* And for a hint of sweetness, pork also loves all types of fruit: apples, pears, figs and cherries all cut through rich pork dishes beautifully.

* Extract from I'd Eat That, by Callum Hahn. The book, published by Murdoch Books, is available now. RRP $29.99.

Browse our handpicked recipes from Food Hub by clicking on each tab to give you some inspiration

- www.nzherald.co.nz