Signature Recipes

The First Annual Hall Cabernet Cook Off was held in May at Hall Winery in St. Helena, CA. Amateur and professional chefs from around the country were asked to create a dish made primarily of organic and sustainable ingredients for the event’s 250 guests.

The It’s a Family Team won first place in the amateur division with this savory paring.
 

Chipotle Chocolate Short Rib Tamales
with Red Wine Sauce

Makes 20 tamales

3.5 lbs short ribs, cut and bone in
1 750 ml bottle red wine
Mirepoix: ½ lb chopped yellow onion, ¼ lb carrots, peeled and chopped,
                ¼ lb celery, chopped
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tbl black peppercorns, toasted and cracked
2 qts beef or veal stock
Salt and pepper
2 chipotles in adobo
1 tsp adobo sauce
1 tsp unsweetened chocolate
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chile powder
Masa
Dried corn husks, soaked in warm water for at least 2 hours to soften.

In a large container, mix the wine, mirepoix, peppercorns,and thyme. Soak the short ribs in the mixture overnight.

The next day remove the ribs from the mixture and pat dry. Reserve the soaking liquid

Heat a large braising pan with a little olive oil on medium heat. Salt and pepper the short ribs on all sides. Sear the ribs in the pan on all sides. Remove the ribs from the pan and set aside. Deglaze the pan with the reserved soaking liquid. Reduce by a third and add the stock. Reintroduce the ribs into the mix and bring to a boil. Cover tightly with foil and put in to a 300 degree preheated oven. Cook slowly for 3-4 hours. The meat should be pulling away from the bone easily. When done, remove from the oven, remove the ribs and strain the sauce discarding the vegetables.

Place the liquid in a pot and reduce by 2/3. The sauce consistency should be be thick enough to lightly coat the back of a metal spoon.

Pull the meat from the bones and shred. Season the meat with some of the cooking liquid as well as the chipotles, adobo sauce, cumin, chili powder and chocolate. Reserve.

Make masa according to package instructions.

To make tamales, lay out one corn husk, pointed edge pointing up, spread prepared masa making sure that it goes to the right edge and leave a space on the left. Put the prepared filling in the middle. Roll the right edge to the middle, bring the left edge over the middle, fold up the bottom and fold down the top and your all set.

Steam for 45 minutes. To serve, remove from husk, drizzle with sauce.