Casual on the Coast

Chicken Tacos al Pastor

Chicken Tacos al Pastor

We take Cinco de Mayo VERY seriously around here and wanted to create a new recipe for you all to enjoy this Thursday to celebrate.  While going to a Mexican restaurant will truly get you into the holiday spirit, everyone else has the same idea.  We much prefer to enjoy the Mexican holiday in our own kitchen/home!  For our take on Tacos al Pastor we used chicken thighs but you can easily substitute with pork if that’s what you prefer.  The best thing about this recipe is the crock pot does ALL of the work for you!  Simply blend up your sauce and pour over the chicken thighs in your slow cooker, set it and forget it!  Dress your tacos however you like them but I highly recommend the pairing we chose: grilled pineapple, pickled red onions, cilantro, radish and cotija cheese.  Tacos are a weeknight staple at our house and are our go-to for a quick and easy meal.  The possibilities are endless as far as your protein and toppings; and there’s always something for everyone to choose from.  Taco night is PERFECT for entertaining because you can prep your protein and all of your toppings ahead of time and your guests can build their own tacos!

Whenever we make any sort of Mexican dish we always head to our local haciendas.  We’re able to find the unique ingredients that we sometimes can’t find at our grocery store.  We pick up fresh tortillas from there because nothing beats a homemade corn tortilla made on an antique tortilla press that is loaded with years of flavor and love!  They make such a big difference in the overall quality of the tacos; if you can get fresh tortillas, do it!

Of course if you don’t have a Latino market/tienda near you, don’t be discouraged.  Most of the ingredients can be found in the international aisle of your grocery store.  It’s easier now than ever to find particular ingredients at your grocery store/supermarket.

How do you all plan to celebrate Cinco de Mayo?  What’s on your menu?!  I’d love to hear your ideas!

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Chicken Tacos al Pastor

Ingredients

  • 3.5 lbs skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1/2 pineapple, roughly chopped
  • 1/3 c. red onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic gloves
  • 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinear
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 3 guajillo peppers (dried & reconstituted in warm water)
  • 2 chile nuevo (dried & reconstituted in warm water)
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 1 3.5 oz can chipotle peppers in adobo
  • 1 bottle mexican beer
  • For assembly:
  • tortillas
  • grilled pineapple
  • cilantro
  • cotija cheese
  • pickled red onions
  • radish slices

Instructions

  1. Combine ingredients 2 (pineapple) through 14 (chipotle peppers) in a blender and puree until smooth.
  2. Pour in the beer and pulse a few times to incorporate to the mixture.
  3. Place your chicken thighs in one layer in your slow cooker and pour the sauce mixture over top.
  4. Cook for 3 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low; until the meat falls off the bone.
  5. Shred the chicken with two forks and place back in the slow cooker.
  6. Serve on fresh tortillas garnished with toppings
http://casualonthecoast.com/chicken-tacos-al-pastor/

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Sea Scallops with Grapefruit Beurre Blanc

Scallops with Grapefruit Beurre Blanc Scallops with Grapefruit Beurre Blanc

Scallops with Grapefruit Beurre Blanc

I’m back with another recipe & wine pairing from my giveaway winnings from Chien de Vin and the Wilmington Wine & Food Festival!  Be sure to check out Chien de Vin and sign up for their unique & fun wine club.  If you’re a local, be sure to purchase your tickets for next weekend’s festival- tickets will sell out!!

The Chinon Rosé is the wine you’ll be reaching for all spring & summer long!  Pick up this spicy yet fruity Rosé full of cherry flavors with a dry finish.  It’s the perfect wine to drink [with your girlfriends] al fresco by the pool, beach, on the porch or paired alongside this simple & tasty Scallops with Grapefruit Beurre Blanc recipe!

Scallops are a pricey protein and for that reason I’m sure most home cooks shy away from cooking them.  Despite their elevated price tag, they are cheaper to prepare at home rather than paying for them at a restaurant.  They’re incredibly easy to make and you’ll be so proud of yourself once you can execute a restaurant worthy dish for a fraction of the price!  Be sure to get your scallops from a trusty fishmonger (locally we HIGHLY recommend Motts Channel Seafood) as some cheaper mass retailers & grocers have been known to pass off skate (sting ray) as scallops.  Avoid purchasing your scallops from a grocery store or supermarket as they are typically injected with a solution called STP (sodium tripolyphosphate) which gives the scallops a longer shelf life, makes them rubbery and diminishes the sweet flavor; sometimes they’re labeled as “wet” scallops or may not even be labeled at all.  The bottom line is to get all of your seafood from a reliable fish market to ensure freshness!

Our Scallops with Grapefruit Beurre Blanc recipe sounds fancy but I assure you it is really straightforward.  Head to your local seafood market this weekend, pick up some fresh sea scallops and try your hand at this recipe!  Invite some friends over and wow them with your ability to use elevated ingredients to make a delicious meal.  And then of course, pour yourself a glass of Chinon Rosé to celebrate!  What are your favorite food and wine pairings?!

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Sea Scallops with a Grapefruit Beurre Blanc

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb fresh sea scallops
  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • salt & pepper
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/3 cup clam juice
  • 2 tbsp sliced shallot
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2/3 cup fresh grape fruit juice
  • 1 tsp grape fruit zest
  • 1 tsp agave nectar
  • 4 tbsp cold, unsalted butter pieces
  • Chives for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tbsp canola oil over high heat in a non stick pan. Rinse & dry your scallops well. Season scallops with salt & pepper. Make sure oil is hot and add scallops.
  2. Cook scallops for 2 minutes on each side to create a nice sear. Remove scallops & set aside.
  3. Add the wine to deglaze the pan being sure to scrape up the browned bits.
  4. Stir in the clam juice, shallot, garlic, grape fruit juice, zest & agave. Bring liquid to a boil and simmer about 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced by half.
  5. Strain the mixture through a sieve and set saucepan over low heat and whisk in the butter pieces, 1 at a time.
  6. Add the scallops and their juices to the sauce and allow the scallops to warm through, about 2 minutes.
  7. Serve the scallops with sauce and garnish with chives.
http://casualonthecoast.com/sea-scallops-grapefruit-beurre-blanc/

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Short Rib Ragu with Papardelle

short rib ragu papardelle short rib ragu papardelle short rib ragu papardelle

I was fortunate to win an Instagram contest hosted by the Wilmington Wine and Food Festival and Chien de Vin– winning two bottles of wine from Chien de Vin (pronounced shen-duh-ven, means “wine dog” in French)!  Chien de Vin is an innovative wine delivery club with 5% of profits going toward animal rescues.  They are focused on bringing boutique wines selected by certified, experienced sommeliers straight to your door!  I thought it’d be a fun idea to feature a recipe to pair with the wines!  Today I’m sharing this amazing short rib ragu with papardelle to showcase the Cercius Cotes du Rhone red.  Stay tuned, next Wednesday I’ll be sharing a seafood pairing with a Rosé!

The Cercius Cotes du Rhone is an aromatic, spicy red bursting with licorice, cherry & tobacco flavors- it is acidic yet smooth.  This bold, robust wine needed an equally strong and rich meal to pair with.  Zak, owner of Chien de Vin suggested we pair it with a stewed meat and we came up with this recipe!  Chef Q and I both agreed that this is one of the best meals we’ve ever created.  It paired perfectly with the Cotes du Rhone and we are highly impressed with the selection of wines Zak has to offer.  Short ribs are incredibly EASY to cook and prepare; the fool proof combination of  beef, red wine and mushrooms is amazing.  The pappardelle noodle is thick and flat, making it the perfect vessel to be drenched in the short rib ragu.

We used both ruby port as well as cabernet sauvignon to cook with; the port added a unique flavor to the dish.  Short ribs may seem like a lot of work or an intimidating ingredient but in all reality, they’re actually super simple.  This recipe does require a bit of prep work but most of the work is done in the oven while you can relax & pour yourself a glass of wine to enjoy!

If you’re interested in joining Chien de Vin, check out their website and sign up for delivery!  Also, if you’re a local, check out the schedule for the Wilmington Wine & Food Festival and get your tickets before they sell out!

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Short Rib Ragu with Papardelle

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours

serves 4-6

Short Rib Ragu with Papardelle

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 2 lbs beef short ribs
  • Salt & pepper
  • 2 small carrots, sliced
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 1 small white onion, diced
  • 4 large garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup ruby port
  • 2 cups cabernet sauvignon
  • 4 cups beef stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 5 sprigs thyme
  • 2 sprigs flat leaf parsley
  • 1/2 lb of papardelle
  • chopped parsley
  • freshly grated parmesan

Instructions

  1. Heat canola oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven. Season short ribs liberally, on all sides with salt & pepper. Brown the short ribs on each side about 2-3 minutes. Place them in a large bowl and set aside.
  2. Lower the heat to medium and add all of your vegetables including garlic into the dutch oven, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender and fragrant- about 10 minutes.
  3. Add flour and tomato paste and stir to combine. Add the port and scrape up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the dutch oven. Add red wine and simmer until liquid is reduced by half.
  4. Pour in the beef stock, add the fresh herbs and browned short ribs. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, cover the dutch oven and place it in a 325 degree preheated oven. Cook until ribs are extremely tender about 2-3 hours.
  5. Remove ribs from the dutch oven. Bring the liquid mixture to a simmer over medium heat to thicken the sauce.
  6. Once the ribs are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and shred into small pieces.
  7. Degrease the sauce and fish out the garlic cloves and any of the fresh herb sprigs.
  8. Return the meat to the dutch oven and simmer to reduce sauce by half.
  9. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and add the pasta to the sauce to coat. Garnish with fresh parsley and parmesan.
http://casualonthecoast.com/short-rib-ragu-papardelle/

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