With Summer upon us I’ve been craving the festive flavor of tacos, and I’m not talking about the kind that comes in a kit like Mom used to make on Tuesdays. I’ve been thinking of something more flavorful and authentic with tons of fabulous flavor! After experimenting with a few different recipes, I came up with this one for Chipotle... Read More
The post Chipotle Chicken Tinga Tacos! appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
With Summer upon us I’ve been craving the festive flavor of tacos, and I’m not talking about the kind that comes in a kit like Mom used to make on Tuesdays. I’ve been thinking of something more flavorful and authentic with tons of fabulous flavor!
After experimenting with a few different recipes, I came up with this one for Chipotle Chicken Tinga Tacos. The term “tinga” refers to a Mexican dish with shredded beef or chicken in a smoky sauce. In this recipe, the smokiness is imparted by chipotle peppers in adobo although tomatoes are also sometimes used. Chipotles are smoked jalapeño peppers which are usually sold in a can immersed in a delicious sauce or “adobo” comprised of paprika, oregano, salt, vinegar to preserve and enhance the flavor.
Caramelizing the Onions
During my taco bootcamp, I discovered a few things that, for me, are essential for the perfect taco: (1) limes – their citrusy deliciousness provides the perfect flavor and balance for the spicy chicken that lemons just can’t; (2) sour cream – if you like it spicy (and boy, do we!) you’ll need a little something to take the edge off while also providing amazing texture; (3) cilantro – this herb is the embodiment of Summer whether it’s used in salsa, guacamole or to garnish tacos; (4) warmed corn tortillas – warm store bought tortillas over the gas flame on your stove and get a little char on the edges for maximum flavor.
Shredded Chipotle Chicken
These Chipotle Chicken Tinga Tacos can be prepared in just under an hour and are worth every ounce and minute of effort – I promise! Feel free to experiment with whichever garnishes you find most delicious – we’d love to hear about it in the comment section below. As for what to drink with them? A cold glass of your favorite beer would be perfect or, if you’re feeling the Mexican vibe, opt for our delicious Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita with Smoked Salt.
Cheers,
“Chipotle Chicken Tinga Tacos”
Serves 6
2.5-3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 of a 7-ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
3 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar (NOT white wine vinegar)
1/4 cup canola oil
2 ripe avocados, diced
1/2 head of Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
4-5 fresh limes, cut in to wedges
1/2 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
Fresh, warm corn tortillas
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange chicken thighs in a single layer on a baking sheet and season with Kosher salt and pepper. Cook chicken until almost done but still a little pink inside, approximately 20-25 minutes. Remove chicken from oven and, when cool enough to handle, shred the meat using 2 forks.
2.) In the meantime, cut the onion in half and then slice it thinly into 1/4-inch thick half rounds. Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium sized pan over medium heat. Saute the sliced onion until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add a pinch of Kosher salt to the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for approximately 20-25 minutes, until they become golden brown but not burned.
3.) For the sauce, add the caramelized onions, chipotles with adobo sauce, garlic, vinegar, and a pinch of Kosher salt and pepper to a blender and process until smooth.
4.) Heat the canola oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Before the skillet gets too hot, add the sauce to the pan and cook until it darkens to a rusty brown and thickens slightly, 3-4 minutes. Add the shredded chicken thighs to the pan, stir to coat with the sauce and cook until no longer pink at all, 5 minutes. Season to taste with Kosher salt and pepper.
5.) Serve the shredded chipotle chicken with warmed tortillas and other accoutrements including cilantro, lime wedges, avocado, sour cream, and shredded cabbage.
"Odette is a fabled princess… a mistress…a judge…a heroine. Odette is both of antiquity and modernity. You will find her in works of fiction and tales from history. Odette encapsulates our inspiration for this property – femininity, strength and power."
How's that for an introduction? In this case we're introducing a new vinous endeavor from Napa Valley's famed Stags Leap District. Odette is the sister winery of PlumpJack and CADE, founded in Oakville and Howell Mountain respectively by the dynamic trio of Gavin Newsom, Gordon Getty and John Conover. Like its sisters, the name for the project was inspired by Shakespeare, however, Odette was also the name of a French judge from the 1976 Judgment of Paris, an event which rocked the wine world. This legendary blind tasting pitted French against American wine and was judged by some of the most respected palates on the planet; however, in a stunning defeat for the French, a red wine from California's Stags Leap District took first place, officially putting California wine on the map (Bottle Shock is a great film about this historic event). Comprised of 45 acres, Odette is a new addition to this historic appellation and is dedicated to producing full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon which represent the region's unique terroir.
2012 marks the inaugural vintage of Odette and winemaker Jeff Owens is off to a smashing start with the new label. His 2012 Odette Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve was extremely well received, garnering a perfect score of 100 points from esteemed wine critic Robert Parker, the first winemaker to do so in his inaugural vintage. Owens was originally poised for a career in landscape architecture but became smitten with wine, graduating as a member of Cal Poly's first class in Wine & Viticulture. After completing an internship at Cakebread, he made the move to the smaller, boutique PlumpJack winery where he began as a cellar worker. Owens rose quickly through the ranks and became assistant winemaker at PlumpJack in 2008, and then made the move to CADE in 2010 where he remained until being tapped for the Head Winemaking position at Odette in 2012.The land for Odette was purchased from the Steltzner family who established their eponymous winery in the Stags Leap District in 1965. The family sold 49 acres to the PlumpJack group while retaining 30 acres on which they will continue to make their own wine. The Stags Leap American Viticultural Area (AVA) is the first in the United States to be approved based on the uniqueness of its soils, which include both loam and clay sediments from the Napa River, as well as volcanic soils from eruptions which took place millions of years ago. These soils are coarse and retain little water, which produce fruit of great intensity and flavor. The Odette team takes their role as "stewards of the land" very seriously and is currently building a LEED Certified winery on the property while also pursuing a rigorous, organic certification for its estate vineyards.
I recently had the pleasure of meeting the affable (and young!) Owens and tasting through the Odette wines at Ft. Lauderdale's Capital Grille. We began with Odette's second tier of wines, Adaptation, which consists of a Chardonnay, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon made from fruit sourced from the Napa Valley:The 2013 Adaptation Chardonnay ($32) was pleasantly crisp and refreshing, the result of being fermented and aged primarily in stainless steel - no oak monster here! This wine had delightful notes of white flowers, green apple, and pear complemented by a food friendly acidity and dry finish making it an excellent pairing for the Crab & Lobster Burger.The 2012 Adaptation Petite Sirah ($36) exhibited this grape's hallmark, inky purple hue which had my wine glass looking like a stained glass window. Heady aromas of black fruit and spice followed through on the palate with mouth-filling flavors of juicy blackberry, ripe plum, and baking spices. Appreciable tannins and a lengthy finish made this wine a perfect match for the Grille's juicy Signature Cheeseburger.The 2012 Adaptation Cabernet Sauvignon ($46) is a "celebration" of classic Napa Cabernet which was aged in 50% new French oak and 50% used for 20 months. The result is a full-bodied red with aromas of bright red fruit, vanilla and spice while on the palate, red currant, cranberry, mocha and smoky oak predominate. Chewy tannins and a lively acidity make this wine an excellent partner for grilled meats such as the Filet Mignon with Cipollini Onions and Wild Mushrooms.Our final wine of the flight was the 2012 Odette Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($98), a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc from one of Napa's most acclaimed vintages. This wine had an opaque, purple hue and fragrant aromas of black fruit, cassis and spice. On the palate, this full-bodied beauty revealed layers of black cherry, raspberry, violet, and licorice while tannin and acid struck an elegant balance which persisted through the lengthy finish.The Adaptation and Odette wines provide wonderful representations of their respective grape varieties as seen through the unique prism of California terroir. I hope you enjoy experiencing them and next time you're in wine country, be sure to stop in for a visit!Odette 5998 Silverado Trail, Napa Telephone: (707) 224-7533 Website: www.odetteestate.comCheers,
“Odette is a fabled princess… a mistress…a judge…a heroine. Odette is both of antiquity and modernity. You will find her in works of fiction and tales from history. Odette encapsulates our inspiration for this property – femininity, strength and power.” How’s that for an introduction? In this case we’re introducing a new vinous endeavor from Napa Valley’s famed Stags Leap... Read More
The post Producer Profile: PlumpJack & CADE Welcome Sister Winery Odette appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
“Odette is a fabled princess… a mistress…a judge…a heroine. Odette is both of antiquity and modernity. You will find her in works of fiction and tales from history. Odette encapsulates our inspiration for this property – femininity, strength and power.”
How’s that for an introduction? In this case we’re introducing a new vinous endeavor from Napa Valley’s famed Stags Leap District. Odette is the sister winery of PlumpJack and CADE, founded in Oakville and Howell Mountain respectively by the dynamic trio of Gavin Newsom, Gordon Getty and John Conover. Like its sisters, the name for the project was inspired by Shakespeare, however, Odette was also the name of a French judge from the 1976 Judgment of Paris, an event which rocked the wine world. This legendary blind tasting pitted French against American wine and was judged by some of the most respected palates on the planet; however, in a stunning defeat for the French, a red wine from California’s Stags Leap District took first place, officially putting California wine on the map (Bottle Shock is a great film about this historic event). Comprised of 45 acres, Odette is a new addition to this historic appellation and is dedicated to producing full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon which represent the region’s unique terroir.
Odette Winemaker, Jeff Owens, & Moi
2012 marks the inaugural vintage of Odette and winemaker Jeff Owens is off to a smashing start with the new label. His 2012 Odette Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve was extremely well received, garnering a perfect score of 100 points from esteemed wine critic Robert Parker, the first winemaker to do so in his inaugural vintage. Owens was originally poised for a career in landscape architecture but became smitten with wine, graduating as a member of Cal Poly’s first class in Wine & Viticulture. After completing an internship at Cakebread, he made the move to the smaller, boutique PlumpJack winery where he began as a cellar worker. Owens rose quickly through the ranks and became assistant winemaker at PlumpJack in 2008, and then made the move to CADE in 2010 where he remained until being tapped for the Head Winemaking position at Odette in 2012.
The land for Odette was purchased from the Steltzner family who established their eponymous winery in the Stags Leap District in 1965. The family sold 49 acres to the PlumpJack group while retaining 30 acres on which they will continue to make their own wine. The Stags Leap American Viticultural Area (AVA) is the first in the United States to be approved based on the uniqueness of its soils, which include both loam and clay sediments from the Napa River, as well as volcanic soils from eruptions which took place millions of years ago. These soils are coarse and retain little water, which produce fruit of great intensity and flavor. The Odette team takes their role as “stewards of the land” very seriously and is currently building a LEED Certified winery on the property while also pursuing a rigorous, organic certification for its estate vineyards.
I recently had the pleasure of meeting the affable (and young!) Owens and tasting through the Odette wines at Ft. Lauderdale’s Capital Grille. We began with Odette’s second tier of wines, Adaptation, which consists of a Chardonnay, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon made from fruit sourced from the Napa Valley:
The 2013 Adaptation Chardonnay ($32) was pleasantly crisp and refreshing, the result of being fermented and aged primarily in stainless steel – no oak monster here! This wine had delightful notes of white flowers, green apple, and pear complemented by a food friendly acidity and dry finish making it an excellent pairing for the Crab & Lobster Burger.
The 2012 Adaptation Petite Sirah ($36) exhibited this grape’s hallmark, inky purple hue which had my wine glass looking like a stained glass window. Heady aromas of black fruit and spice followed through on the palate with mouth-filling flavors of juicy blackberry, ripe plum, and baking spices. Appreciable tannins and a lengthy finish made this wine a perfect match for the Grille’s juicy Signature Cheeseburger.
The 2012 Adaptation Cabernet Sauvignon ($46) is a “celebration” of classic Napa Cabernet which was aged in 50% new French oak and 50% used for 20 months. The result is a full-bodied red with aromas of bright red fruit, vanilla and spice while on the palate, red currant, cranberry, mocha and smoky oak predominate. Chewy tannins and a lively acidity make this wine an excellent partner for grilled meats such as the Filet Mignon with Cipollini Onions and Wild Mushrooms.
Our final wine of the flight was the 2012 Odette Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($98), a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc from one of Napa’s most acclaimed vintages. This wine had an opaque, purple hue and fragrant aromas of black fruit, cassis and spice. On the palate, this full-bodied beauty revealed layers of black cherry, raspberry, violet, and licorice while tannin and acid struck an elegant balance which persisted through the lengthy finish.
The Adaptation and Odette wines provide wonderful representations of their respective grape varieties as seen through the unique prism of California terroir. I hope you enjoy experiencing them and next time you’re in wine country, be sure to stop in for a visit!
Odette
5998 Silverado Trail, Napa
Telephone: (707) 224-7533
Website: www.odetteestate.com
Cheers,
Mother's Day is fast approaching and I'm sure you'll be treating Mom to a feast fit for a Queen! If you're looking for the perfect wine pairing for your festivities here's 5 Fabulous Wine Recommendations from some of our favorite "Women of the Vine":
GIFFT Pinot Noir Rosé, Monterey, California, 2014 ($16): This wine is the newest addition to Kathie Lee Gifford's GIFFT line of wines created in partnership with Scheid Vineyards (for more information, please click here). This delightful dry rosé is crafted from 100% estate grown Pinot Noir from the Scheid family's Mesa del Rio vineyard in Monterey, California, a region known for producing beautiful Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The grapes were fermented entirely in stainless steel to preserve the fresh, fruity flavors of watermelon, strawberry, and raspberry. A crisp, food-friendly acidity and lengthy finish will keep you coming back for more.
Elena Walch Pinot Grigio Castel Ringberg, Alto Adige, Italy, 2013 ($22): Elena Walch is a leading wine producer in the Alto Adige region of northeastern Italy. She runs her eponymous winery with the help of her two daughters, Julia and Karoline, and together they produce an array of acclaimed wines. This wine is 100% Pinot Grigio from the Castel Ringberg vineyard. 85% is fermented in stainless steel while the remainder is fermented in used French oak barriques. The result is a lovely incarnation of this grape with ripe aromas of pear, sage and spice with a creamy mouthfeel, zippy acidity and lengthy, clean finish.
Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills Valley, Oregon, 2012 ($44): Maison Joseph Drouhin was established in Burgundy, France in 1880 and the family expanded to Oregon in the late 1980's upon realizing the potential of the Willamette Valley to produce world class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Véronique Boss-Drouhin is the family's fourth generation winemaker and is responsible for crafting the family's wines from both Burgundy and Oregon terroirs. This Pinot Noir is a lovely example of her expertise with enticing notes of violet, earth, pomegranate and cherry pie with supple tannins and a deliciously lengthy finish.
Hall Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, 2011 ($48): Kathryn Hall is the proprietress of Hall Winery and has been involved in the California wine industry since her family first purchased a vineyard there over thirty years ago. Known for her eponymous Cabernets, this wine is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc which spent 20 months in 55% new French oak. The resulting wine has delicious notes of red currant, plum, tobacco, mocha and spice and is the perfect choice for Moms who crave big, bold reds with oodles of tannin.
Veuve Clicquot Demi-Sec Champagne, France, NV ($70): Barbe Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin (aka Veuve Clicquot or Widow Clicquot) assumed the reigns of her husband's Champagne House in 1805 at the age of 27. Her contributions to Champagne were many including this delicious Demi-Sec, which is slightly sweeter than your standard Brut Champagne, but balanced by an elegant acidity. This blend of all three Champagne grape varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) exhibits notes of peach, honey and toasted brioche which will make the perfect accompaniment to a lighter, fruit-based dessert.Please join us this Thursday, May 7th for our Mother's Day Wine Tasting featuring Kathie Lee Gifford's GIFFT Wines at Linen Closet in downtown Delray Beach. Come sip, sample and shop with us and for more information, please click here. I'd also like to wish all you fabulous Moms out there a very Happy Mother's Day!Cheers,
Mother’s Day is fast approaching and I’m sure you’ll be treating Mom to a feast fit for a Queen! If you’re looking for the perfect wine pairing for your festivities here’s 5 Fabulous Wine Recommendations from some of our favorite “Women of the Vine”: GIFFT Pinot Noir Rosé, Monterey, California, 2014 ($16): This wine is the newest addition to Kathie... Read More
The post 5 Fabulous Mother’s Day Wine Recommendations! appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
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