September Recipe - Chipotle & Black Bean Chili.

Chipotle & Black Bean Chili.

The recipe calls for a “gallon of tomatoes” and we use frozen roma tomatoes from our garden. This incredibly simple technique will save you plenty of time and effort. Simply pack the fully ripened tomatoes into a one-gallon zip-lock baggie and put it in the freezer – no washing is required. Then, when ready for use, fill a sink with cool water (60-70°) and dump the frozen tomatoes into the water. Stir them around until the skins start to loosen. Using a paring knife, cut off the stem end and squeeze the tomato so that it squirts out of its skin. If there are any bad spots on the tomato, they can be cut out at this point. The tomatoes are ready to use and do not need to be thawed for cooking. If you desire seedless tomato sauce, the thawed tomatoes or the sauce will need to be run through a food mill.

• 1 large onion – coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 gallon whole tomatoes, preferably with skins removed.
• 1 Tbsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp dried pepper flakes
• 5 Tbsp minced garlic (prepared), drained
• 2-4 Chipotle peppers packed in Adobo sauce, finely chopped.
• 1 Tbsp ground coriander
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 3 Tbsp chili powder
• 4 cups cooked black beans (1½ c. dried beans cooked according to package directions*)

Sauté the onions in the olive oil in a 12 inch skillet over med-high heat for 10-12 minutes until the onions are soft but not caramelized. Add the gallon of frozen tomatoes and the dried Thyme, through the Chipotle peppers. Use 2 Chipotle peppers for a milder chili and 4 or more peppers for more spice.

Reduce the tomato sauce over medium-high heat until it has the desired consistency, stirring as required to prevent scorching. Chop the tomatoes with a spatula as the sauce cooks. When the sauce is about ¾ reduced, add the coriander, cumin, chili powder, and the black beans. Finish reducing the sauce and serve, either by itself or over rice. Serve this flavorful chili with Fenn Valley Riesling (semi-dry) or Edelzwicker. The slight sweetness of the wine will compliment and temper the spice of the chili peppers.

Serves 3-4.

* The black beans can be quick-cooked in a pressure cooker. Soak the dried beans in water for 6 or more hours. Drain and rinse. Bring to a boil in the pressure cooker with 2 quarts of water. Seal and cook under full pressure for 55 minutes. Cool, open, drain and rinse the beans.

August - Stuffed Grape Leaves

Stuffed Grape Leaves

Preserved grapes leaves are available in most large grocery stores in the “International” aisle, or prepare your own from fresh grape leaves using the recipe below.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, minced (about 1½ cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup short or medium-grain rice

[1]
½ cup pine nuts
¼ cup golden raisins
¼ cup regular raisins
2 Tbsp (packed) chopped fresh curly-leaf parsley
¼ cup finely chopped Kalamata olives
1 Tbsp capers
1 Tbsp dried dill weed (or 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill weed)
1¼ tsp ground allspice
1 tsp turmeric

1/3 can tomato paste

20 preserved Grape Leaves
2 lemons, thinly sliced
1 can tomato sauce

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions & garlic. Saute until tender. Add rice. Saute until rice is glazed. Add [1]. Mix well. Remove from heat. Add the tomato paste and mix well. The mixture should be slightly pasty.
Place a layer of grape leaves on the bottom of a 10 X 10 glass dish. Arrange ½ of the thinly sliced lemon slices over the layer of leaves.
Place each leaf shiny-side down on a flat surface. Spoon about 1 tablespoon rice mixture onto center of each leaf. Roll up, tucking in ends as you roll. Stack rolls seam-side down in an even layer over layer of grape leaves & lemon slices in the glass dish. Arrange remaining lemon slices over rolls. Pour in the can of tomato sauce and 1/3 can of water over the rolls. Bake covered at 350°F for 30 minutes, uncover, and bake for an additional 45 minutes (1¼ hour total). Remove and allow to stand for 1 hour or until the liquid is absorbed by the rice. The leaves should be tender but chewy. Cool slightly. Arrange stuffed grape leaves on a platter. Garnish with the cooked lemons.
Makes 14-16 appetizers. The bold taste of the allspice and the lemon character allows this wine to pair well with cool climate reds with moderate alcohol, mild tannins, and firm acidity. Try Fenn Valley Cabernet Franc, Meritage, or Capriccio.


Preserved Grape Leaves
50 to 70 grape leaves
¾ cup lemon juice
¾ cups vinegar

Select large, thick grape leaves that have been well exposed to the sun and have not been sprayed with pesticides. Remove the stems. Pour 2 quarts water into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add grape leaves. Boil 30 seconds. Drain, discarding water in pan. Let leaves stand until cool enough to handle. Place the cooled, blanched leaves into a gallon ziplock baggie. Combine the vinegar and the lemon juice in a pan. Bring to a boil. Pour over leaves in the baggie and expel all the air before sealing. The leaves may be stored in refrigerator up to 3 months.