Artisan Bread

This recipe was sent to me from Aunt Carolyn.  Everyone likes an awesome bread recipe.  I can't wait to  give it a try.

15oz (3 cups) all purpose flour
7 oz water
3 oz beer (not a dark beer, use a pale ale, etc.)
1½ t salt
¼ t regular yeast (much less than one package of yeast)
1 T white vinegar

The recipe works best if you can measure the flour, water and beer by weight. Otherwise use 3 cups of flour and 1⅛ cups of liquid.

1. Measure flour, salt and yeast into a medium bowl.

2. Add water, beer and vinegar.

3. Mix with wooden spoon until dough make ball.

4. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise on counter for 8 to 18 hours.

5. Punch down dough.

6. Flour working surface, knead dough approximately 10 to 15 times, shaping into a ball.

7. In a skillet (approximately the same diameter of the cast iron, enamel dutch oven in which the bread will be baked) cut and place a piece of parchment paper about 2 to 2½ long. Spray the parchment paper with Pam. Place dough on parchment paper in skillet and cover with plastic wrap.

8. Let dough rise for 2 hours, then score the top of the dough ball with an “X” with a sharp knife, being careful to not deflate the risen dough.

9. While the dough is rising:
    a. After dough has risen for 1 hour and 15 minutes, preheat oven to 475ºF.
    b. When oven is up to temperature, preheat dutch oven and lid for 30 minutes.

10. When dutch oven is preheated, remove it from the oven, reduce oven temperature to 425ºF, and using the parchment sling, transfer the dough ball into the dutch oven.

11. Place the lid on the dutch oven (it’s okay for parchment paper to be hanging out of the dutch oven), put back in the oven and bake, covered for 30 minutes at 425ºF.

12. Remove the lid from the dutch oven and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes uncovered 425ºF.

13. Remove dutch oven from oven, place bread on cooling rack and cool for a minimum of two hours before cutting into the bread.

2005 Coho Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine is elegant, but has great rich tones of cherries, currants, cranberries.  Also carries a bit of chocolate notes.   Well balanced with a nice back drop of herbs and cedar.  Medium balanced.

2005 PB Hein Vineyards Trailblazer Syrah North Coast

This is a dark wine, which has hints of black cherries. Slight bit of smoke. Deep dried fruit and is medium bodied. Great balance and structure.

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.