Tag Archives: chili

Skylark Red Belly

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Down Home Dig-in Chili

© Bewitching Kitchen

© Bewitching Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 2 green bell peppers, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 1/2 lbs stewing beef, chopped
  • 2 lbs pork shoulder (Boston butt), chopped
  • 4 cans (14 1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 bottle pale ale (12 ounce)
  • 7 Tbsp chili powder
  • 4 jalapeno chilies, seeded
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • Hot pepper sauce (Tabasco type), to taste

DIRECTIONS:

  • Heat the oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add finely chopped onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Remove vegetables using slotted spoon and set aside.
  • Increase heat to high. Add beef and pork; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until browned, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Return vegetables to pot. Add tomatoes, ale, chili powder chilies, cayenne and cumin. Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer 2 hours, adding reserved tomato liquid if chili appears dry. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Uncover and simmer until thickened and meat is tender, 2 more hours.
  • Season chili with hot pepper sauce. Serve with green onions, cheddar cheese, avocado and sour cream.
  • © Photo courtesy of Bewitching Kitchen; Recipe from Bon Appétit, 1988

DECEMBER WINE CLUB:

Mellow style logoSkylark Red BellySkylark Wine Company
Red Belly
North Coast, California

MELLOW WINE STYLE

Purple in the glass. Aromas of black cherry, plum, black licorice and a violet floral top note completes the engaging and complex nose. The red and black fruits on the palate turn creamy, silky and supple; as the medium-bodied palate is polished with lovely fruit viscosity buffered by inner mouth perfume. This is an eminently drinkable vintage for Red Belly, enjoyable now and for the next decade.

Red Belly is Skylark’s ode to the South of France where blending varietals to create a unique synergy is the way of life. Blending compatible varietals together is a centuries old tradition, and the Skylark team loves the challenges and complexities that come with that tradition. The Red belly is comprised of 40% Niemi Vineyard Carignane, 36% Ashurst Vineyard Syrah and 24% Sawyer Vineyard Grenache. Each varietal is fermented separately, then after secondary fermentation in barrel, the cepage is finalized after multiple blending sessions. The goal for Red Belly is juicy fruit, integrated tannins and early accessibility with mid-term aging potential. Skylark has definitely have achieved that here.

John L and Robert P

Photo by Skylark Wine: John L. and Robert P.

Varietal: 40% Carignan, 36% Syrah, 24% Grenache
Analysis: 14.5% alcohol / volume
pH: 3.61
TA: 6.2
Aging: Native yeast vinification of individual varietals in neutral French oak
Harvested: Hand-picked
Vineyards: Niemi Vineyard – Ashurst Vineyard – Sawyer Vineyard
Produced: 37 barrels – 925 cases

“While we continuously explore the fertile California landscape for red wine vineyards that excite us, our current releases are native to the Rhone Valley in France. Our single vineyard Syrahs are inspired by the Northern Rhone wines of Cote Rotie and Hermitage. Our Grenache is reflective of the great wines produced in the south of France in tiny villages such as Chateauneuf-du-Pape. We love the style of these wines and have discovered vineyards in Northern California that allow these varietals to truly shine.”

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January Wine Club Pairing Recipe

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Chicken Chili with Red BeansChicken and Red Bean Chili

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 pounds chicken (boneless chicken breasts or thighs, diced)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium green bell pepper (diced)
• 1 medium red bell pepper (diced)
• ½ cup onion (chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 (14-ounce) cans red beans (small red beans or kidney beans)
• 1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes (diced)
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 (4-ounce) can green chili peppers (chopped, mild)
• 1 cup chicken stock (preferably unsalted)
• optional: 1 teaspoon sugar
• optional: 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
• kosher salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:
• Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or kettle over high heat. Add the chicken to the hot oil and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked and tender. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken to bowl; refrigerate it until you are ready to add it back to the chili.
• Add butter to the same pan over medium heat; cook the green and red peppers, onion, and garlic until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add the chili powder and cumin; stir to blend and cook for 1 minute. Stir in kidney beans with their liquid, tomatoes with their liquid, tomato paste, green chili peppers, and chicken stock. Add the sugar and cayenne pepper, if using. Bring the chili to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken back to the pot and continue cooking for 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and add kosher salt and ground black pepper, as desired.
• Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish as desired. You can top the chili with sour cream, chopped green onions, cilantro, or shredded cheese if you like. It goes great with cornbread or crackers on the side.
• Makes 8 servings. Leftovers can be refrigerated or freeze in individual airtight containers.
© Recipe courtesy of The Spruce Eats

JANUARY WINE CLUB PAIRING:

Casas del Toqui SyrahBold wine Style logo
Casas Del Toqui
Gran Toqui
Syrah
Cachapoal Valley, Chile

BOLD WINE STYLE

In 1994, Château Larose Trintaudon, a major French wine producer from the Bordeaux region, partnered with traditional wine producers from the Totihue region in Chile and together they founded Casas del Toqui. Recently, their legacy was recaptured by a Chilean family with a great passion for wine, contributing with their own unique and distinctive mark. The Cachapoal Valley is renowned worldwide for its Mediterranean weather, where the Coastal Range and the Andes create one of the best soils in the region to produce high quality wines. The terroir of Casas del Toqui includes a wide range of soil types. Each plot of land is handled individually according to the unique characteristics of the terroir, producing a rich harvest with balanced maturity.

Winemaker Vicente Johnson“Very intense purplish red color. Aromas of red fruits, spices, cassis, and leather. Full-bodied on the palate, with an interesting marriage of fruit and wood, it is a very complex wine. Long finish and great persistence. Serve with roast lamb and goat cheese.” – Vicente Johnson, Winemaker

Winemaker: Vicente Johnson
Appellation: Cachapoal Valley, Chile
Varietal: 100% Syrah
Analysis: 14% alcohol / volume
Critical Acclaim: Reviewed & approved by Doug Frost, Master Sommelier and Master of Wine.

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