Jill's Award Winning Brownies

(Best of Class at California State Fair)

1/3 cup Dagoba cocoa powder

½ cup boiling water
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur

2 ounces Dagoba unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

4 tablespoons (½ stick, 2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted 
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2½ cups (17½ ounces) granulated sugar

1¾ cups (8¾ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon sea salt

6 ounces semi-sweet Dagoba chocolate, cut into ½-inch pieces

Parchment paper
1 teaspoon melted butter for pan
9 x 13 metal pan
Sifted powdered sugar for garnish

1. Position oven rack to lower third of oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving about a one-inch overhang on all sides. Brush bottom of parchment lined pan with melted butter.  Combine eggs and yolks in a small bowl and lightly beat with a fork.

2. Whisk cocoa, coffee liqueur and boiling water together in large bowl until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled.) Add beaten eggs and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix with rubber spatula until combined. Fold in chocolate pieces.

3. Scrape batter into prepared pan.  Tap pan on counter several times to evenly distribute batter.   Bake until toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached and brownies just feel firm to the touch, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool 1½ hours. 

4. Using parchment paper overhang, lift brownies from pan. Return brownies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into 2-inch squares.  Makes approximately 24 brownies. 

Wine pairing with dark chocolate brownies

One rule to cherish is that the wine you serve should be as sweet if not sweeter than the dessert. With brownies, the rich qualities of red wines with more sweetness will fit the bill best.  This is not to say that some of the sweeter white wines will not work, but the harmony of the fuller bodied reds will typically win out. Keep in mind that the qualities of good chocolate in brownies are not far removed from wines as they sport their own complexities; a happy marriage of fruitiness, acidity, bitterness, and last but not least, sweetness.  So what happens if you try a drier, but still full bodied red wine like a cabernet sauvignon?  The result will not be terrible, but you will have done no favors to the integrity of the wine; especially if it is an expensive, more complex wine. The sweeter dark chocolate brownies will dominate the palate, which is not a bad thing in and of itself. But for the wine, the same cannot be said.  The red wine alone may possess a rich, mouth filling character with body and complex notes, but much of this will be neutered as the sweeter brownies will overtake, causing the red wine so seem even drier and its complexities now missing in action

Port - the Old Reliable

Several recommendations come to mind, though for so decadent a chocolaty orgasm as Jill's brownies, it is hard to beat a good port. Many ports are available, ranging to quality affordable offerings such as the Portuguese Dow Ruby Port or Cockburn's offering in the $10 to $15 to $100-plus for aged classics.  Spectacularly aged ports that fetch a much higher price are so interesting in their own right that pairing them with brownies, while still delicious, may cause you to lose focus on the better characteristics of the port.  It is similar to using a top shelf, aged blue agave tequila in a margarita. What unique qualities the tequila possesses alone in a sipping glass get lost in its role as an adjunct in a margarita.  If you like Californian port style wines, consider several good offerings between $10 and $20 dollars.  Sobon's Zinfandel Port from the Amador area is a good choice as is Ficklin Port from the central valley near Madera.

Try a Madeira

Madeira  offers a good alternative to port as a wine to pair with chocolate brownies.  Broadbent Malmsey 10 years old is a good suggestion that typically can be found for just under $20 a bottle.

Champagne or Sparkling Wine - Careful!

How often do you hear of Valentine's Day accompaniments of champagne or sparkling wines with rich, chocolaty desserts?  Pretty often. Sad indeed as this combination is even more eviscerating to the goodness of the champagne or sparkling wine than the aforementioned pairing with a dry red. The sweetness of the chocolaty dessert entirely dominates.  The champagne or sparkling wine now tastes more like Fresca, most of its goodness lost. Now to be fair, Fresca has a place in the grand scheme of things, but this is not it. So enjoy the bubbly with some oysters and strawberries. When the brownies come out later, put the bubbly away (assuming there is any left). A sweeter offering like an Asti Spumante may get a little closer to pairing bliss, but this sort of heavy lifting is best left to the dessret wines.

Wine Pairing Suggestions for Chicken, Potato and Carrot Empanadas

Pairing wines with Jill's ground chicken, potato and carrot empanadas leaves lots of open territory for wine pairing options. One thing to note is that though chicken (or turkey) plays by certain pairing principles, there is a spicy component to these empanadas (cumin and cilantro) that will play a central role for honing on the right types of wines.  The options are vast and the following suggestions are highly "Cliff-noted"; mainly a good starting point for you.

White wines to pair with this empanada recipe need to have certain characteristics to avoid being overtaken by some of the evident spice. One clear choice is a Pinot Gris, a wine that is at its best from the Alsace region of France, but also excels in Oregon's wine country. Here are a few suggestions.

·         Marc Kreydenweiss "Clos Rebberg" Pinot Gris (Alsace, France - may be difficult to find and costs a little more, but worthwhile)

·         Adelsheim  Pinot Gris (Oregon)

Dry Rose wines are a good bet .Their mouth filling pink fruit, typically somewhat sweet to the nose, but dry on the tongue, make them versatile pairing wines. Here are a few suggestions.

·         Chateau du Rouet Cotes du Rhone (France)

·         Hoya de Cardenas Rose (Spain)

·         Francis Ford Coppola Winery Sofia Rose (California)

Many red varietals and blends can pair well with this recipe, though two strong choices are Rioja Region wines from Spain, made with the Tempranillo varietal, and Malbec varietal wines from Argentina . Rioja wines for pairing need not be the longer aged reserva and gran reserva selection, though the extra aging of the higher tier Riojas will be more complex. The younger and affordable Rioja Crianza wines will be fine for pairing. Malbec hails from the Cahors and Bordeaux area of France, best known in the Bordeaux area as a lesser significant varietal component. Cuttings sent to Argentina really took off, and Argentine Malbec wines can be spectacular easy drinking reds, priced much lower than Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot offerings from France's Bordeaux region or California's Napa Valley.

Rioja 

·         Bodegas Muriel Crianza (Spain)

·         Capay Valley Tempranillo (California)

Malbec

·         Ben Marco Malbec (Argentina)

·         Finca Lalande Malbec (Argentina)

Ground Chicken, Potato and Carrot Empanadas

1 recipe of basic empanada dough

1 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound of ground chicken or turkey

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, pressed

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 small uncooked potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice, about 1 cup

2 medium carrots cut into ¼-inch dice

1 tablespoon freshly ground cumin

2 tablespoons of Amore tomato paste in the tube

2 cups of Imagine chicken broth

2 teaspoons of salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped

½ cup all purpose flour for rolling

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1 egg lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon of water

2 lined cookie sheets

1.  Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat until hot.  Add the olive oil to heat.  Add ground chicken and break into small pieces with a metal spatula.  Add onion, jalapeno, and garlic.  Cook chicken, stirring until chicken is cooked through, but not browned.     

2.  Add potato, carrot, and cumin.  Cook mixture, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes, just to bring out the flavor of the cumin.  Add tomato paste and stir to combine.  Add broth, salt and pepper. 

3.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  If there is any liquid remaining in bottom of the pan, increase heat and cook until liquid has evaporated.  Allow mixture to cool and stir in cilantro before filling empanada pastry.  Serve with Chimichurri sauce.




Flaky Cream Cheese Dough

5 ounces, (1 cup) all-purpose unbleached flour

1/8-teaspoon salt

1/8-teaspoon baking powder

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

¼ cup cream cheese, cold

2 tablespoons ice cold water

1½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar

1.  Cut the butter into small (about ¾ inch) cubes.  Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until frozen solid, at least 30 minutes.  Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.  Place the flour, salt, baking powder, in a re-closable gallon-size bag and chill for at least 30 minutes.

2.  Place the flour mixture in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine.  Set the bag aside.  Add cream cheese the flour.  Process about 20 seconds until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until butter pieces are about the size of an oatmeal flake.  Remove the cover and add the water and vinegar.  Pulse until moistened and dough begins to holds together.  Pour into the plastic bag.

 

3.  From the outside of the bag, press the mixture together with your hands, until the mixture holds together.  Press and form into a disc.  Seal bag and refrigerate for at least one hour,  preferably overnight.  (Using the link below, go to tips and techniques to watch Jill's pie crust video.  http://www.sacfoodcoop.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1332%3Apie-making-season-is-here-and-nothing-adorns-a-holiday-table-like-a-freshly-baked-pie-&catid=124&Itemid=55

  

Four Herb Chimichurri Sauce


2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves 


2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves 


1 tablespoon freshly chopped basil leaves 


1 tablespoons freshly chopped oregano leaves 


2 tablespoons minced white onion 


2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper 


2 tablespoons minced garlic 


1 teaspoon salt 


1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper 

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 


2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

1 tablespoon roasted red chili paste

 
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1.  Mix all ingredients lightly in food processor or blender until a coarse sauce is formed. Chill until ready to serve to let flavors combine.  Let stand at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

Wine Pairing with Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

When thinking of chicken pot pie, milk seems to be the most obvious beverage accompaniment. But what if you want to enjoy a glass of wine along side?   No problem. Big, mouth-filling chardonnay styles come to the rescue here. This style of Chardonnay is most commonly from California and Australia, products of malolactic fermentation and oak exposure. To critics, there is some loss of acidity with some of these styled chardonnays, limiting their versatility as a wine accompaniment to wide array of recipes.   Though in spite of some degree of criticism, these big chardonnays continue to be popular. Here, the success of the pairing is aided by mouth feel as well as taste. The warm comfort food drive of chicken pot pie is well complimented by the oak-imparted butterscotch notes and unctuousness that the malolactic and oak exposure add to otherwise fairly neutral chardonnay grape.  

The following wine suggestions are a either very general or a highly abbreviated list. The number of good options is way beyond the scope of this comentary. One may wonder if "spending up" for a pairing chardonnay is warranted with chicken pot pie, a meal many associate with a mass produced frozen dinners. The choice is yours, but keep in mind that the end result of this chicken pot pie recipe will be delicious and fresh, and a quantum leap better in quality. In most cases, the higher priced chardonnays (in this case $20 or up/bottle) will have better overall balance and aftertaste.

Here is a very short list from California, generally listed from higher priced to lower priced in order of mention - Rombauer Vineyards, Frank Family Vineyards, La Crema, Kendall Jackson, Edna Valley, J Lohr and Meridian.

If you want to check out some Australian Chardonnays, several low priced, large volume imports are likely familiar; Yellowtail, Wyndham Estate Bin 222 and Lindeman's.   Though the not be as easily found, as the aforementioned, Leeuwin Prelude - Margaret River Chardonnay is a good choice as well

Though French selections are seldom of this style, mention should not be neglected since France's Bourgogne (Burgundy) region is the benchmark and home base of the chardonnay varietal. White (chardonnay varietal) wines from this area can vary significantly in taste, even in the case of vintners and growing areas in surprisingly close proximity to each other.   The common denominator will be a more acidic, terroir-driven wine that is more true to the essence of the chardonnay grape. It is a cooler climate here than in many California growing areas.   If you are casual aficionado of wines and accustomed   to big California chardonnay's, most white burgundy wines will be quite different. But there are a few French options that get into the ballpark of some of the California chardonnays, and can pair very well with chicken pot pie.   Look for a Pouilly Fuisse or a Meursault, both of which demonstrate a greater oak influence.   Be forewarned that some of these wines are on the expensive side, though the base for Pouilly Fuisse can be just beneath $20 per bottle.

Chicken Pot Pie with Quick Puff Pastry.

Quick Puff Pastry

While you won't have the clean, distinct layers formed as in the classic method, the final dough still forms amazingly light — and numerous — crisp and flaky layers. Because the butter is cut in before folding, the final layers are more random — like stacked puzzle pieces. You might notice the dough rising a little unevenly in places, but this will be minimal.  You will have puff pastry in about 90 minutes.
Pastry 
18 Tablespoons (2 sticks + 2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch cubes (a high-fat European-style butter, such as Sierra Nevada Cheese Company, Pamolie, Plugra or Strauss should be used)

1 1/2 cups, dip and sweep method,  (6.5 ounces) all-purpose flour (King Arthur flour is recommended)

1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon (1.25 ounces) cake flour

3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup ice water, and just a little more to bring dough together

1 teaspoon cold lemon juice
Equipment Recommendations:
Food processor with a metal blade
1 baking sheet
Heavy duty wooden rolling pin
Wooden, granite or marble surface for rolling
Scale, Ruler, Pastry Brush, Plastic Wrap, Pastry/Board Scraper, Spray bottle with water, pizza cutter, serrated knife, and scissors
Extra all purpose flour for rolling


Making the Dough:   Cover and freeze the butter and flours for 30 minutes to chill thoroughly.  Chill metal blade of food processor in the refrigerator. In the bowl of a food processor inserted with chilled metal blade, combine the flours, along with the salt. Pulse to combine. Add half of the frozen butter pieces and pulse until the butter is reduced to the size of small lima beans.  Add the remaining half of the pieces, and continue to pulse until the size of small lima beans.  Note:  Between pulses, periodically check the size of butter pieces. Stir contents with a fork to check. 

Remove the cover and add the ice water and lemon juice.  Pulse until moistened and continue to pulse just until the dough begins to clump together.  (If the dough does not come together, add more ice water by the teaspoon.)

Forming and Turning the Dough:  Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. It will be very crumbly. Using the plastic wrap, shape the mass into a rough rectangle. There will be large chunks of butter showing, and it will look rough and crumbly, but should stick together in a solid mass. Unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 8 by 10 inches.  Using a board scraper, fold the dough into thirds as you would fold a business letter.  See diagram illustrations 6 and 7 below.

Clean the work surface, flour it lightly, and position the dough making a quarter turn, so that the closed side is now toward your left -- like a book.  This is the first turn.  Note:  Before each subsequent turn, position the dough so that the closed side is facing to your left.  See diagram illustration 8 above.  The puff pastry will be given a total of 6 turns.  When rolling out the dough into a rectangle, use a board scraper to square off the edges.  If at any point the dough starts to soften and stick, slip it onto a cookie sheet, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it until firm (but no longer than 30 minutes), to keep the butter from getting too hard, as it will not soften evenly at room temperature until at least 4 turns have been accomplished.


Lightly flour the surface of the dough, and roll the dough into a rectangle about the same size as before.  Fold the dough into thirds as before, clean and re-flour the work surface, and place the dough so that once again the closed end is to your left.  Repeat these steps two more times. Mark the 4 turns by lightly pressing your fingertips (or knuckles if you have long nails) into the smooth surface of the dough to create 4 shallow indentations.  Tightly wrap the dough with plastic wrap and place on a baking sheet.  Refrigerate for a minimum of 40 minutes and a maximum of 1 day before completing the last 2 turns.

Store:  Refrigerated, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 1 year. Serving:  Puff pastry cuts best with a serrated knife.

Baking:  Preheat oven 20 minutes before baking.  Place oven rack in the upper third of the oven to avoid overbrowning the bottom.  Baking the puff pastry directly on a moistened baking sheet helps the dough adhere to the sheet, keeping it from sliding and distorting during baking.  Do not use a black baking sheet, as it will overbrown the bottom crust.

Tips for Success: 
Butter:  High-fat European-style butter makes it a lot easier to produce a quality puff pastry.  Because the butter is more pliable even when cold, it’s easier to roll the dough.

Food Processor:  The easiest method for combining quick puff dough is in a food processor. A few whirls in a processor makes quick work of the dough, the pulses bringing everything together before the ingredients can begin to warm.

Lemon Juice:  By adding a little lemon juice to the dough, you won't taste the lemon juice itself, but baked into the pastry, the acid brings out the flavor of the other ingredients, intensifying the taste of the butter.

Cake Flour:  The addition of lower-protein cake flour gives the dough structure without making it too "elastic" to roll.  The result is a delicate puff pastry.

Keep everything cold:  Like classic puff pastry, quick puff pastry relies on cold ingredients for its characteristic puff.  Here, the dough rises, by the steam created by the butter layers as the dough bakes. If the butter softens and is absorbed into the dough, you will lose the layers.  By keeping all of the ingredients chilled, not just the butter, but the flours too, this will help to keep the overall dough cold as it is worked together.  If you find that the dough is softening as you fold or roll it, or you're working in a warm kitchen, wrap the dough and refrigerate it as often as needed to keep it chilled and firm.


Chicken Pot Pie with Quick Puff Pastry

For chicken

1 recipe of quick puff pastry

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup white wine (La Vielle Ferme)

4 medium boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 pounds)

1 celery stalk, cut into three pieces

1 carrot, cut into three pieces

1 yellow onion, quartered

5 whole pepper corns

Veloute Sauce

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour

3 cups reduced chicken stock

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup whipping cream, more if needed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

A squeeze of fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely chopped tarragon (optional)

1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Vegetables

1 cup shelled English green peas

16 small yellow potatoes, scrubbed, boiled until just tender, cooled and cut in half

4 medium yellow carrots, lightly peeled and cut into a 1/3 inch slices on the diagonal

2 leeks, cleaned and cut into 1/4 inch slices

2 tablespoons butter

1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water

1.  In a 2- to 3-quart saucepan, bring chicken stock, wine, aromatic vegetables and pepper corns just up to a low boil. Add chicken breasts and simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and cover, then let stand until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and cool. Finely chop or shred.

2.  Rapidly boil down the cooking liquid until it has reduced to about three cups.  In a separate sauce pan, melt the butter, blend in the flour, and cook slowly, stirring, until they foam and froth together for two minutes without coloring.  Beat in 3 cups of the boiling cooking liquid.  Boil, stirring for one minute.  Blend the egg yolk and cream in a small bowl.  Whisk in some of the hot sauce into the egg-cream mixture to temper.  Add egg mixture to sauce in pan.

3.  Return the sauce to the pan and boil, stirring, for one minute.  Thin out with more cream if necessary.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.  Strain into a bowl until ready to use.

4.  Drop the peas into boiling salted water and boil rapidly, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Immediately drain in a colander. Run cold water over them for 2 to 3 minutes to stop the cooking and to set the color. Put aside until ready to use.

5.  Roll puff pastry out on a floured surface to 1/4 inch.   Invert pie plate on pastry and using a sharp knife, cut a circle around the outside slightly larger than the pie plate itself.  Cut an additional circle.  Place dough circles on a cookie sheet and place in refrigerator until ready to use.

6.  In a medium sauté pan, melt 1 ounce butter and add carrot and leeks.  Sauté for about  6-8 minutes.  Add the potatoes, peas, tarragon, and chicken; season with a little salt and  pepper.  Remove to a large bowl.  Pour sauce over filling mixture.  Divide filling into two 9-inch pie plates filling about 3/4 of the way full.   Brush edges of dish with egg wash.

7.  Carefully top each pie dish with a pastry circle pressing the dough around the rim to form a seal.  You do not want the pastry circle touching the filling.  Using a paring knife, cut two to three slits in the pastry to allow steam to escape.  Brush top with egg wash.

8.  Place on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for approximately 35 minutes, or until crust is puffed and golden and filling is bubbling.

9.  Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.  Serves four to six.

Variation:  Make individual pot pies using ramekins, soup crocks or oven proof bowls.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until crust is puffed and golden and filling is bubbling.  Add other seasonal vegetables to pot pie mixture such as mushrooms and/or green beans.