Say Hola To A Great Cabernet!
Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Cancun, Mexico where I was able to sample some of the regional Mayan cuisine. This was a new experience for me, and approached each new dish with a little trepidation. Imagine my surprise when I ordered the Pibil Pork and found it tasted just like barbequed pork, which has always been one of my favorite foods. My husband had the Pork with Tomatoes, which was a spicier version of Hungarian Goulash.
Since I was in Mexico, I thought I'd try a Mexican red wine to go with my newfound favorite cuisine. Casa Madero Cabernet Sauvignon has a black currant aroma with a full-bodied flavor that stands up to the sturdiest of foods. I did a little research when I got home and found that this wine is imported into the US, but is not available everywhere. Therefore, I found the next best thing; the Stone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon by Beringer, and decided to try it with some of my favorite dishes.
This little gem is delightful with Mexican Goulash:
A fusion of Hungarian and Mexican cuisines creates this spicy stew.
Ingredients
2 lb. stewing beef
2 Tbs. oil or shortening
1 1 lb. can tomatoes
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 envelope chili mix
1 envelope enchilada mix
1/2 C. sour cream
Directions
Brown beef in oil in large skillet; pour off excess fat. Stir in tomatoes, contents of chili and enchilada mixes and carrots. Cover and cook over medium heat until tender, stirring often. Stir in sour cream just before serving. Serve in flour tortillas with beans and rice.
You can also try it with the following dishes:
The Stone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon is also great with BBQ such as Country Style Ribs:
Vinegar, chili powder, and garlic season these ribs while they cook on the grill.
Ingredients
4 lbs. country style ribs
BBQ Sauce
salt and pepper to season
1 C. vinegar
1 C. water
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
Directions
Combine the vinegar, water and spices in a shaker bottle or a bowl (use brush to baste). Cut ribs into 1-rib portions. Place a large piece of foil over the coals to catch drippings. Place ribs on grill about 6 inches above coals, or gas grill unit. Season with salt and pepper. Close hood and cook for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the ribs, turn them, and sprinkle or baste the other side. Repeat this every 10 minutes; closing the hood in between basting. Cook a total of 50 minutes, then brush on the bottled BBQ sauce the last 15 minutes or until the ribs are done. Makes 8 servings.
BBQ Chicken With Sesame-Chili Sauce
If you're really ambitious, try this delicious Chicken Paprikash by Wolfgang Puck
Ingredients
1 tsp. whole caraway seeds
3 lb. (1.5 kg) bone-in chicken breasts, with or without skin, as you like
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs. sweet paprika
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/4 C. (60 ml) peanut oil
4 C. (1 l) thinly sliced onions
2 Tbs. minced garlic
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 C. (250 ml) peeled, seeded, and chopped tomato
2 Tbs. minced marjoram leaves
1 tsp. minced thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 C. (250 ml) dry white wine
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 C. (500 ml) chicken stock or good-quality canned chicken broth
1/4 C. (60 ml) heavy cream
2 Tbs. creme fraiche
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, cored, and seeded, 1 cut into 1-inch by 1/4-inch strips
2 Tbs. minced parsley leaves
Directions
First, toast the caraway seeds. Put them in a small, dry sauté pan over medium-low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and stir until cool. Grind the seeds to a powder with a mortar and pestle or an electric spice mill. Set aside. With a sharp, heavy knife, cut each chicken breast crosswise into 3 pieces. Sprinkle all over with salt, pepper and 1 Tbs. of the paprika. Spread the flour on a plate and lightly roll the pieces in the flour.
Heat a large, straight-sided shallow braising pan over high heat. Add the peanut oil and, when it is hot, shake off excess flour from the chicken pieces and add them to the pan. Sauté them until they are seared golden brown all over, 7 to 10 minutes. With tongs, remove the chicken from the pan to a plate or bowl and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and sauté them until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ground caraway seeds and sauté 1 minute more. Add the tomato paste, tomato, remaining paprika, and stir until well blended. Add the marjoram, thyme and bay leaf. Pour in the wine and vinegar and stir and scrape with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan deposits. Add the chicken broth and season to taste with more salt and pepper.
Bring the liquid to a boil. Add the reserved chicken pieces. Partially cover the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and continue to simmer until the chicken is tender, about 10 minutes more. With tongs, transfer the chicken pieces to a large sauté pan. Remove and discard the bay leaf from the braising pan; pour the remaining contents into a blender or a food processor fitted with the stainless-steel blade. Add the roasted pepper that has not been cut into strips.
Covering the lid of the processor or blender, and leaving the blender lid slightly ajar or the processor feed tube open to avoid any dangerous rush of steam, process the mixture to form a thick, smoothly pureed sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour the sauce over chicken and cook over medium heat just until heated through. Reheat until warm. Serve over rice or noodles, garnished with dollops of creme fraiche, bell pepper strips, and parsley.
Yield: 4-6 servings
(Chef Wolfgang Puck's new TV series, "Wolfgang Puck's Cooking Class," airs Sundays and Wednesdays on the Food Network. Write Wolfgang Puck in care of Tribune Media Services Inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY. 14207.)
©2004 WOLFGANG PUCK WORLDWIDE, INC.
DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
If you are ever in sunny Mexico, I'd recommend trying a bottle of Casa Madero Cabernet Sauvignon. In the meantime, enjoy this great Stone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon with your next meal. Have a tasty week!
