Red Wine Appetizers, Part Three

I really can't believe it's taken me this long to get all of these recipes posted. I apologize...we hosted the party, then came Thanksgiving, then I travelled to Red Mountain for 11 days the day after Thanksgiving. I just got back last night, and was so happy to see my puppy and my house again!

So finally, the ending portion of recipes for a party that pair well with red wines.

(I also just realized that I forgot to add the "why it works" segment to the recipes posted last week. I've amended those recipes with added pairing points.)

Asian BBQ Chicken Skewers

makes about 30 skewers

Try with the 2007 Fidelitas Malbec
INGREDIENTS
for the sauce
1 c hoisin
½ c sweet chile sauce (Mae Ploy is my favorite)
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tbs sesame oil
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs water
2 tablespoons ginger, finely minced
2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
for the skewers
4” bamboo skewers (about 30)
3 lbs chicken tenders, cut into small chunks
2 tbs vegetable oil
¼ tsp each: cardamom, cinnamon, ground ginger
Salt and freshly ground pepper
DIRECTIONS

Soak the bamboo skewers in a shallow baking dish filled with water.
In a blender, combine all ingredients for the bbq sauce. Puree until smooth, then transfer to a small saucepan. Simmer the sauce until it has thickened. This part can be made a day in advance. Slowly reheat before serving.
Preheat the oven broiler. In a large mixing bowl, combine the vegetable oil with the cardamom, cinnamon and ground ginger. Add the chicken tenders, season with salt and pepper and toss well to coat. Thread the chicken onto skewers, about three per skewer. Arrange the skewers on a baking sheet that has been lined with foil. Broil the chicken until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes, turning once.
Remove the skewers from the oven. Brush them liberally with the bbq sauce before transferring to a serving platter. Serve with additional sauce for dipping.

WHY IT WORKS: The Fidelitas Malbec is another wine that is nothing but fun to pair with food. I think that it more closely resembles a French Malbec (vs. those from South America) in that it has ripe fruit and full flavor, perfectly balanced by spice and a medium-full body. The tannins are not overwhelming and the acids are in balance, making this a great food wine. I chose chicken skewers for two obvious reasons - they are easy to make and are a great finger food. I chose an Asian BBQ sauce to compliment the ripe fruit (pluminess in the wine and pluminess in the hoisin) and the exotic spice notes (I really get some pungent cardamom and clove the aromas of the wine).

Chocolate Bark with Walnuts and Cherries
INGREDIENTS
9 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
2 cups walnut halves, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
DIRECTIONS
Melt the chocolate according to package directions.
Once melted, stir in the walnuts and cherries and coat with the chocolate.
Spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then freeze for at least 10 minutes. Remove from the freezer, break (or cut) into chunks and serve.
WHY IT WORKS: I personally am not a red wine and chocolate fan. There are so many things wrong in the basic wine/chocolate pairing that will ruin both a good glass of wine and a nice piece of chocolate. However, I think that there are a few pairings that can work in this arena. Bittersweet chocolate is definitely the best option. I doesn't have the sweetness that can make a wine taste sour like some other chocolates. Adding walnuts adds a tannic component while the cherries are a nice compliment to the ripe fruit in most red wines. These little chocolate chunks, along with those dates I mentioned earlier, were two of the easiest things to make and brought in the most compliments. Funny how that works sometimes...