Chicken Mole to Pair with a Zinfandel Wine

I have now gotten all my ducks in a row, referring to the appetizers to pair with wines for the upcoming wine tasting event, to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Aberdeen area. I have all the appetizers tried and tested and have been making parts that can be frozen ahead of time. The event is just two weeks away, so the time will be upon me very shortly. I'd been merrily working away, making sure all the foods will pair with the wines' styles and flavors. And then Friday I was informed two of the wines I selected would not be available, and I needed to choose others!

Yikes!

I was really looking forward to the Barbera wine, as I do not believe I have actually tried one before. This is the wine I created the little Pork & Chicken Mini Sausage Sliders to pair with, specifically. Back to the wine list to try and see what might be the best pairing, as there were no other Barbera wines on that list. Ultimately, and only after a long process, I selected a Merlot. While Merlot would not necessarily have been a first choice or even second, it seemed to be the most similar to a Barbera in the types of foods to pair, the flavors associated with the wine and perhaps even the viscosity. All that aside, the other wine that was taken off my list was the Zinfandel I had chosen. This particular one was easier to replace, as there were quite a few Zinfandels on that list. 

Chicken in Mole Sauce served on Masa Corn Cakes

As it happens, the appetizer I created to pair with the Zin was Chicken Mole (pronounced MO-lay) served on Corn Masa Cakes. Obviously, not all Zinfandels (or Barberas or Cabernets or any other varietals) are necessarily created equal, but I have some confidence, after researching the new Zinfandel selection, that it should pair with the Mole equally well.

Initially I had some difficulty with settling on a base for the mole - meaning what it will be served on. I finally came up with a Corn Masa Cake concept. I did not want just a thick tortilla, though I did want corn as the flavor base. Initially, I had some Bob's Red Mill Corn Masa flour and used that mixed with some cornmeal and a little all-purpose flour. These little resultant cakes were perfect - except that I wanted to be able to cut them open, serving the chicken mole on the cut side. These little cakes were far too thin to cut open easily, though the flavor was precisely what I wanted. However when I went shopping for the actual ingredients, there was no Bob's Red Mill Masa flour available. Instead I bought Quaker brand corn tortilla flour, not realizing that this brand had lots of things added to it already. It didn't look the same or smell the same and by golly it did not act the same when mixed up, either. 

My Corn Masa Cakes

Still, once done tinkering a bit with the recipe, the results were even better than the original little cakes. They came out nearly the size of the little mini English muffins I made: similar thickness and a nice heft, certainly capable of holding a dollop of Chicken in Mole Sauce! As a matter of fact, I am planning to make them as biscuits for breakfast one of these days - they were THAT good! I proceeded to make various batches of the Corn Masa Cakes (I think calling them Corn Masa Biscuits would be more apt, but I already termed them "cakes" on my posters for the event). I sliced them and froze them. The mole is all made and ready, and I have only to shred chicken to add in for the event.

These Corn Masa Cakes or Biscuits can be made in formed cakes as I did for the wine event, though the dough is almost a batter. It can be formed, if one has nicely oiled hands when forming them. I made them much as I made the mini English muffins, baking them first on a griddle at 350 degrees and then in a 350 degree oven to finish them off. I have not yet made them as drop biscuits, but my thought is possibly to bake them in a 375 degree oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. Once I actually test this, I will note the results here.

Corn Masa Cakes / Biscuits

Very soft dough set on griddle to bake

Makes 8 small cakes, 2½ inches in diameter

1 cup Quaker Corn Tortilla flour
¼ cup yellow cornmeal (I used Quaker)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons lard or butter
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup tepid water

In a mixing bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the dry ingredients. Add in the lard and cut in or let the paddle attachment do the work, until coarse crumbs have formed. Add in the water all at once and mix for about 2 or 3 minutes. Set the bowl aside for at least 15 minutes, and up to an hour.

If forming the little cakes, Spray hands with cooking spray or have a little cooking oil on hand. With well-greased hands, scoop up a small amount. If weighing, to ensure they are all evenly sized, I weighed each ball at 1.5 ounces. Roll quickly into a ball, then set on a well-greased surface while the remainder are formed. Press the tops gently, spreading them to a relatively flat surface. When ready to make them, have a griddle handy, set to 350 degrees. Use a spatula to transfer the little soft cakes to the griddle. Bake them for about 4 minutes per side, then set them on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for another 5 minutes, to set the centers. If making these for appetizers, as for the mole recipe below, you will need more than 8, so double or triple the recipe as needed. Split the little cakes open before using.

Unhulled Sesame and
Green Pumpkin Seeds, toasted

If anyone is unfamiliar with Mole sauce, it is most often thought of as Mexican, and often called Mole Poblano. I learned to make mole sauces when I lived in Guatemala, and the mole sauce in Guatemala is different, though it can be altered in any number of ways to personalize it. Generally, it is sauce made with a base of tomatoes, tomatillos and red bell pepper and/or dried red chilies. Seeds such as sesame and pumpkin are toasted, ground and added, generally along with some cinnamon and possibly other things like cloves, allspice and pepper, also toasted and ground. Chocolate is the final defining characteristic of this sauce. I have not made a Mexican Mole sauce, but have seen various chefs on TV and read in books and online where sometimes raisins and/or peanuts are also added in. Not in Guatemala though, and I really love the Guatemalan sauce. I did decide on adding in raisins. My reasoning was that I wanted just a hint of sweetness. I initially thought of adding in just a little sugar. But when thinking further, I felt that the raisins would give that little hint of sweetness far more naturally. 

Be advised, you will need to go to a Health Food store or online to find the unhulled sesame needed for this recipe (as well as the pumpkin seeds). The seeds need to be toasted lightly to bring out their flavor, and it is impossible to toast the shiny little hulled sesame seeds found in spice jars on shelves in the store. These, without the hull, are shiny and the oils come out immediately, causing them to burn in the hot pan.

For this huge event, I want making the food as easy as possible, so I am using a store-bought rotisserie chicken, removed from skin and bones and well shredded. This Chicken and Mole sauce can be eaten as a meal. Serve over rice, with a side of tortillas! This will serve 4 to 6 as a meal. So...

Chicken in Mole Sauce

Chicken in Mole on Masa Corn Cakes

SAUCE:
3 tablespoons green pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons unhulled sesame seeds
1-inch true cinnamon stick, crumbled
2 whole cloves
3 allspice berries
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
3 tomatillos, husk removed
3 or 4 Roma tomatoes
1 red bell pepper
1 Pasa or Ancho (dried) chile
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 slices bread
2 tablespoons lard or butter
1 ounce unsweetened bakers chocolate
-----

1 whole rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed, shredded
cilantro for garnish

Heat a dry skillet very hot. Add in the sesame seeds and stir quickly and constantly for a couple of minutes, or until they are lightly toasted and have been making tiny little snapping noises as they pop from the heat. Once toasted, turn them out to a plate to cool. Return the skillet to the burner and add in the pumpkin seeds. Stir quickly and constantly until they pop and have lightly browned in spots. Do not over brown! Turn out to the plate. Add the cinnamon, cloves, allspice and peppercorns and stir quickly and constantly until they are very fragrant, just a minute or so, and turn them out to the plate to cool. Set aside.

If you own a Vita-Mix blender, all the sauce ingredients can go into the same blender container with the vegetables in the next step. If not, the spices should be ground very finely in a mortar with pestle or in a spice grinder.

Size of the little appetizer portion

In a saucepan with water, cook the tomatoes, tomatillos, red bell pepper (seeds, stem and membranes removed), Pasa chile and the raisins until all the ingredients are soft. With a slotted spoon, remove the Pasa chile to a plate. Add the remaining ingredients to the blender with the slotted spoon and then add in the salt. To the remaining water, add the bread to soak, then add the bread to the blender. Discard the remaining water and wipe the pan dry. Remove the stem and seeds from the Pasa chile, then add this chile to the blender. Puree all the ingredients until very smooth.

Place the lard or butter in the saucepan and set it back on the burner on medium low heat. Pour in the blender ingredients and the ground spices (if not blended together). Stir to combine, and add in the chocolate to melt. The mixture will be thick and will spatter and burn. Be extra cautious and have a lid handy. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and combined. Allow the sauce to boil for a few minutes to meld the flavors.

Add the shredded chicken and stir. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

If using this Mole recipe for appetizers, use about a tablespoon of the chicken mole per corn masa cake.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

That Wine Tasting Time of Year

Lemon Thyme Chicken Fillo Cups

Up here where I live, this seems to be the time for wine tasting events. The larger wine tasting event that will come in late March this year hasn't even started its planning yet, but I was asked to make a few appetizers for a smaller event on the 18th of this month. Less formal, this get-together takes place in someone's home, for about 25 people. I have not much information on what all will be taking place there, though I was given a list of the 9 wines to be served. The wines range from very light white to deep, dark and bold. Trying to pair 3 appetizers to cover all these wines (all but two are reds), well, I have been poring over my wine and food pairing charts to try and make my appetizers pair with the most wines possible. 

Yesterday I made 2 new appetizers, which I served as our dinner last evening, to get opinions on flavors and how things could be improved. I was the only wine drinker at the dinner table and I was not drinking any of the wines to be paired, though I believe for all intents these appetizers were great as is and will work well with the wines they were created to pair with. One little change will be made on the meat roll-ups. It will not change flavor, but only make it easier to roll and skewer. But I will get to that recipe when I finalize them with the changes I am making. 

Lemon Thyme Chicken Fillo Cups

When I am asked to make appetizers to pair advantageously with particular wines, I spend a lot of time in research before ever beginning the creation of the food. I want the food to taste good with the wine, and hopefully also enhance how the wine tastes. For example, some things I research:

• What flavors are associated with the particular wine? Some possible adjectives: smoky, fruity, dark berry, strawberry, citrus, herbal, pepper, earth, leather, and the list is nearly endless. I use these to gear the foods towards these flavors or aromas.
• What does the vintner suggest as a food to pair with the wine? The vintner knows best how his wine was made, and what flavors are involved, so he has the best idea. Many others also will comment on food pairings for particular wines also.
• Are there particular herbs or cheeses that are recommended to pair with the wine? Not every site will get this involved, but there are many places that even have full recipes attached. I do not use these recipes, but I read them to become familiar with the thought process behind the pairing.

The next step in my process is to make a list of the flavors and foods to incorporate in the appetizer, things that will play well with the wine involved. To that end, in the last couple of years I have spent innumerable hours compiling lists of the particular foods

mini fillo shells

(meat/fish, nuts, cheese, herbs, sauces and even desserts), that will pair with particular grape varieties. I add to these lists as I find new information. At this point in time I have lists for these white wine varietals:  Albarino, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Gruner Veltliner, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Torrontes and Viognier. I have lists for these reds: Bordeaux type blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Chianti blends, Gamay, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Mourvedre, Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Shiraz, Tempranillo and Zinfandel.

Made into a cheese ball

For possible pairing with a full flavored Chardonnay and also for the Pinot Noirs to be served, the appetizer I created would use bacon and well flavored chicken. Some of the online suggested food pairings for these wines included things like curried dishes. Thyme was specifically mentioned as an herb to use. I prefer to make appetizers that need no utensils, so I chose to use Mini Fillo Shells to hold the mixture. While creating this recipe, I had very fixed ideas of how these would taste, and I geared my process to use flavors that would coincide with my mind's "taste-buds". I wanted a sort of lemon and pepper chicken concept as a base. I included bacon in the mixture to boost flavor and bring in a smoky note. Cream cheese and Chevre would bind the mixture. Thyme added that herbal note I was looking for. 

Individual bites rolled in almond meal & thyme

I am extremely happy to report that the flavors came out tasting precisely as I imagined they should. I have no changes to make to this recipe. It is simple to make and can be made in advance. The actual filling of the mini fillo shells should take place last minute, but this part takes little time at all. I used a pastry bag with a large open star tip, but filling the little shells can be easily accomplished with a couple of small spoons. If refrigerated, the mixture could also be rolled into small balls - these little balls could be placed in the mini fillo shells (shown above), or on a cracker, or rolled in herbs or nuts and set out as individual bites, or even made into one large "cheese ball" to be served with crackers or pita chips. 

I used my own Pickled Red Onion as a garnish for these. I liked the pop of color and the pieces give just that tiny piquant bite. It takes about half an hour to make the pickled onions but requires at least 3 days for them to come to best flavor. If using these, plan ahead. They are a wonderful accent to most any dish and great to have around at any time. If not using the pickled red onion, other options might be slivers of scallion, thin slices of gherkins or just some more tiny thyme leaves sprinkled over the whole plate. The Tandoor Spice called for is my own mixture (find recipe here) and the flavors are great. You might easily substitute 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, or the full teaspoon of your favorite Curry Powder or Garam Masala (find one recipe here).

Making the mixture up to 3 days in advance helps with do-ahead planning.

Lemon Thyme Chicken Fillo Cups

Lemon Thyme Chicken Cups

50 - 60 appetizer bites

6 ounces meaty bacon, fried
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 ounces Chevre (goat cheese), softened
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large)
1 teaspoon Tandoor Spice
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 boxes (15 each) mini fillo shells

Finely chop the fried, drained bacon. You should have at least a half cup. Set this into a large bowl. Add in the 2 cheeses with the lemon zest and thyme leaves and set aside.

Cut the chicken into approximately ¾-inch cubes. Place them in a bowl and sprinkle on top the Tandoor Spice, salt, garlic and pepper. Toss well to coat and let set for about 20 minutes.

cheeses, thyme, bacon & zest in bowl  |   chicken browned   | cooked through with lemon juice  |        chopped chicken   

Heat a large non-stick skillet on high or medium high heat. Add in the olive oil and then the chicken pieces. Toss the chicken quickly and constantly to brown completely on all sides, about 4 - 5 minutes (You will need an extractor fan going for this!). Lower heat to medium low and add in the lemon juice, stirring often for another 4 - 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Once you are able to handle the chicken, either chop it by hand into very small bits, or pulse in the food processor. Do not pulse too finely. Add the chicken to the bowl with the bacon and cheeses and with a mixer, beat until all ingredients are well combined. At this point the mixture can be refrigerated for up to 3 days if needed.

No need to thaw or bake the fillo cups before using. They are delicate, so do not apply pressure to the cup itself while filling. If using a pastry bag, the chicken mixture will have to come to room temperature first, or it will not pass through the piping bag. You will need a large tip with a wide opening for the mixture to pass through. Pipe mixture into shells. Conversely, use two teaspoons to drop bits of the mixture into the shells. Or, form balls and press the balls gently into the shells. Top with your preferred garnish. Even a small cilantro leaf would be lovely. Do not fill the cups too far in advance or they will lose their crispness and become soggy. 

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.