Rubber Chickens Are For Pranks

Hello everyone! Dave here, thrilled and delighted to present a new wine with one of my favorite culinary creations. I was asked the other night to make chicken. "We want chicken for dinnah" was the actual request.

Now, chicken in and of itself is boring. If not made with love, chicken is often flavorless, dry and best reserved for your dog. But with a little endorsement from the international department of flavor, your chicken can go from dog food to award winning masterpiece.

In fact, being asked to make chicken is kind of a gift. Chicken is a lot like tofu because it tastes like whatever you pair it with. Weather it be fruit, vegetables, herbs or spices, chicken will always taste as good as what you put into it.

With that said, when asked to make chicken I got really excited. I wanted to incorporate big flavors and make it really good. I also knew that I wanted an interesting red to go with it. I went shopping for the wine first (which I don't always do) and decided on a red from Sonoma County made by Ferrari Carano. The wine is called "Sienna" in reference to Tuscany where Sangiovese is the big boy grape of choice, most famously used to make Chianti. Sienna is a blended wine composed of mostly sangiovese with malbec and syrah added to the mix. The wines are vinified seperately, then blended and aged in a combination of French oak and Hungarian puncheons (which are like big casks). Because of this type of fermentation, the wines are rich, complex and incredibly supple.

I decided to pair this wine with a robust Orange and Rosemary Chicken. It has become one of my favorite dishes and I know you will love it also. I chose bone in chicken thighs for this preparation because they are one of the best kept culinary secrets. Everyone wants the expensive boneless chicken breast, but really the thigh is where its at. The flavor is delicious and the price is low. Trust me, this chicken will knock your socks off.

Orange and Rosemary Glazed Chicken

4 bone in skin on chicken thighs
olive oil (doesn't have to be the best but don't use the cheap crap either)
2 big cloves of garlic (or 3-4 small ones)
2 oranges, 1 zested, both juiced
1 sprig of rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375. Salt and pepper the chicken thighs. Heat up a large flat pan with enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan plus a little extra. Make sure its good and hot (a little smoke is ideal). Add your chicken thighs to the pan skin side down and sear until brown (2 minutes or so). Remove and place on a sheet pan and roast for 10 minutes or until cooked through. While the chicken is roasting, take the pan you seared the meat in and pour off some of the fat, leaving enough to coat the pan. Turn the heat on to medium and add the garlic and rosemary. Sautee until fragrant (1 minute) then add the orange juice honey and orange zest. Stir everything together then add the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and add the butter. Cook until the sauce thickens. Taste for salt and add as needed. Take your cooked chicken thighs and coat them with the sauce. Serve with Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage and Brown Butter. Add a simple green salad for color and nutrition and poof....like magic....dinner is served!

Butternut Squash with Sage and Brown Butter

1 Butternut squash, peeled and diced
1/2 a stick of unsalted butter (life is too short to deal without. Just go to the gym for an extra hour)
1/2-3/4 cup of milk and more if needed
a handful of sage leaves, chopped
salt to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the squash and boil for 12 minutes or until very tender. Drain the squash and put back in the pan. Meanwhile, add the half stick of butter to a sautee pan and cook on medium heat until the color starts to brown and the aroma starts to smell nutty and aromatic. Add the chopped sage and let it sizzle for a few seconds. Then add the milk slowly off the heat, stirring vigorously. Add to the squash and mash everything. Add salt to taste and more milk if it seems dry. The amount of milk depends on how big the squash is. I also like to add freshly grated parmesan cheese on top. Make sure you use a good quality cheese like parmigiano reggiano. Enjoy!


Dave