Saturday Event - April 24th

Saturday, April 24th

A Taste of Winemaking Seminar - A Taste of Spring - Callaway Vineyard and Winery
10 - 12:30 pm - Begin with a meet and greet continental breakfast with the winemaker.  Then take a walk through the vineyard where you get to "adopt" a vine.  Followed by an educational wine tasting on the patio.  At the end of the event, you will get to take home a collection of recipes that pair great with wines.
http://www.callawaywinery.com/callaway-winery-events.html

Chipotle Chicken Tacos

I made these tacos with whole wheat tortillas, but they would also be great corn tortillas.

olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced
salt and pepper for seasoning
tortillas
1 avocado, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 tsp lime juice
Store purchased salsa (optional)
cotija cheese crumbled for garnish
chopped cilantro for garnish

While you prepare the below, wrap tortillas in foil and heat in oven (or toaster oven) at 350 degrees.

Drizzle sauté pan with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Season chicken with cumin, oregano and salt and pepper. Add to sauté pan and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chipotle chili and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and to keep warm.

While chicken is cooking, mix avocado, tomato, lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Do not mash, but mix together into a chunky creamy mixture.

Top warmed tortilla with chicken, salsa (optional), avocado mixture, cheese and cilantro. Serve and ENJOY!!!!

Wine pairing.....Pinot Noir or Viognier.....or go with a good Mexican beer.

Southwestern Shrimp and Rice

I used brown rice for this recipe. You could easily serve this with cous cous too.

1 tbsp unsalted butter
olive oil
salt and pepper for seasoning
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp southwestern seasoning
shrimp, cleaned, peeled and deveined (pat the shrimp dry after cleaning)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 - 14.5oz diced tomatoes with green chili’s
6 green onions, chopped
rice of your choice

Cook rice according to package directions.

While rice is cooking, heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Melt butter and drizzle pan with olive oil. Add shrimp, season with 1 tsp of the southwestern seasoning and with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes are so, just until shrimp are completely cooked through. Remove shrimp and place in a bowl to rest.

Add onions, bell pepper, season with salt and pepper and the rest of southwestern seasoning. Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add tomatoes to the vegetables and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add shrimp and green onions, mix well letting the shrimp to heat up. This should only take a couple of minutes.

Top rice with shrimp mixture. Serve and ENJOY!!!

Wine pairing........Chardonnay or Rioja.

Braised Pork Tacos with Chipotle Black Beans (Part II)

This is a great way to use the left over braised pork from the braised pork ragu recipe. All you have to do is heat up the pork, make the black beans and heat up some tortillas. I used whole wheat tortillas in this recipe.

left-over braised pork ragu
tortillas
olive oil
1 - 14.5 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced
1/4 cup chicken stock/broth (you can sub out for vegetable stock/broth if you like)
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper for seasoning
1 tomato, diced
diced cilantro for garnish
sliced avocado for garnish
salsa verde for garnish

In a medium sauce pan, drizzle with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add garlic and chipotle chili and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add black beans, stock/broth and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. You want mixture to start to thicken.

While black beans are cooking, wrap tortillas in foil and bake in a toaster oven or the oven to warm up. Also, heat up pork ragu mixture.

When black beans are done, top a tortilla with the pork ragu mixture, black beans, salsa verde, tomato, avocado and cilantro. Serve and ENJOY!!!!

Wine pairing.......Sauvignon Blanc or Rioja.

Sunday Supper - Braised Pork Ragu with Mashed Potatoes (Part I)

Here is another one that takes some time and patience, but is well worth it.

olive oil
1 boneless pork shoulder
salt and pepper for seasoning
2 cups chicken stock/broth (you can sub out for vegetable stock/broth if you would like)
1 red onion, diced
2 celery, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 cup white wine
1 - 14oz diced tomatoes with green chili’s
1 - 14oz diced tomatoes
shredded parmesan for garnish (optional)
russet potatoes, cubed, and set in a pot of water for cooking.
unsalted butter
milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Drizzle large dutch oven with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper. Fat side down; render fat off until you have a nice brown crust. Flip pork over and brown the other side. Add 1/2 cup stock/broth. Place in the oven with fat side up on pork, uncovered and cook for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes of cooking time, reduce oven to 350 degrees. Cover dutch oven and continue to cook for 1 hour.

After 1 hour cooking time, add onions, celery, carrots, garlic, fennel, wine, the rest of the broth (1 1/2 cups of broth) and diced tomatoes with chili’s. Season with salt and pepper and stir ingredients. Cover and cook for 1 hour.

After 1 hour cooking time, remove dutch oven and start to break up pork while mixing juices together with the pork. Add the other can of diced tomatoes, cover and return to the oven and allow to finish cooking while you prepare the mashed potatoes.

While the pork is back in the oven, bring water and potatoes to a boil. Cook until fork tender. Drain, add desired amount of butter, milk and season with salt and pepper. Mash until you have the consistency you like.

Once potatoes are done remove pork from the oven. Give it one last good mix, breaking up any large pieces of pork.

Top mashed potatoes with pork ragu and garnish with shredded parmesan (optional). Serve and ENJOY!!!

Wine pairing......Pinot Noir of Cabernet Franc.

2005 Two Hands Angels Share Shiraz

Another favorite of mine.  I just love these deep full bodied wines.  Dark plum and bright deep hue of purple.  Nice dark licorice on the nose.  Blackberry with a bit of chocolate and spice that hit the palate.  Gives you a mouthfull of full rich ripe fruit and is all well balanced.

Shrimp Scampi and Spinah with Fettucine

This would also be great with Arugula. You can serve with garlic bread or just the past by its self would be perfect too.

olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, chopped
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock/broth (you can sub out for vegetable broth)
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper for seasoning
1 lb shrimp, cleaned, peeled, deveined and patted dry
fettuccine (I used whole wheat fettuccine)
2 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup Italian dressing (balsamic based)
shredded parmesan for garnish

Start cooking water for pasta and bring to boil.

Drizzled large sauté pan with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add shallots and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes, just about starting to brown. Add garlic and continue to sauté for about 5 minutes. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and add to sauté pan, then add red pepper flakes. Cook shrimp until completely cooked through, about 5 minutes or so. Add butter, melt and continue to cook for about 2 minutes. Remove shrimp and set aside in a bowl.

Start cooking pasta according to package directions

While pasta is cooking, add wine, stock/broth, lemon juice and shrimp to shallots in the sauté pan. Reduce heat to the lowest setting. Keep simmering while pasta cooks, stirring frequently.

Once pasta is done, remove shrimp and set aside in a bowl. Add pasta to sauté pan and toss to coat. Add spinach, tossing to coat. Add dressing and toss to coat. Turn off heat.

Plate pasta topped with shrimp and shredded parmesan for garnish. Serve and ENJOY!

Wine paring............Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc.

2005 Montes Folly Syrah

This wine was so awesome!  This is my type of wine.  It was a dense wine that carried a lot of fig, current and a slight bit of mocha and licorice.  The flavors were rich in ripe fruit.   Nice deep finish.