Spicy Tarragon Yogurt Grilled Chicken – This One is for the Haters

I’m not sure exactly when it’ll happen, but at some point this spring or summer, you’re going to start hating every one of your go-to grilled chicken recipes. Those recipes are delicious, but after decades of the same old, same old, you just get fatigued. Hopefully when that happens, you’ll remember this spicy, tarragon yogurt chicken recipe.

And you don’t even need to remember the specific ingredients. Except for the plain yogurt, the other components are completely adaptable. The endless varieties of vinegar/citrus options, fresh herbs, and hot sauces, means there’s an endless number of ways to personalize this recipe.

Imagine writing all your favorite herbs down on cards, and throwing them in a hat. Then, doing the same thing with your favorite vinegars and citrus juices, as well as hot sauces and salsas. When ready, close your eyes, and randomly picks cards to see what tasty version awaits you. It’s like a Mad Lib, only useful, and not stupid.

Here, let me try...[picks cards from old beaver skin hat]…okay, next time, along with the yogurt I’ll be using…[drum roll]…Sambal, lime juice, and basil…hey, that sounds awesome! See, it totally works.

As usual, I insist on you sharing any particularly amazing combinations you stumble upon. Anyway, I hope you give this super-easy, always juicy, and infinitely adjustable, grilled chicken recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Marinade ingredients, enough for 4 large breasts:

1 bunch picked tarragon, leaves only

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 hot sauce or salsa (amounts will depend on spiciness, of course)

1 tbsp cumin

2 tsp kosher salt

2 peeled garlic cloves

2 tbsp vinegar or citrus juice

*Blend and marinade, chilled, for 2 to 3 hours before grilling.

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An Almost Cinco de Mayo Salsa Cruda

Cinco de Mayo, or as I like to call it "Mexican St. Patrick’s Day," is almost here, and as everyone knows, the cornerstone of any great CDM celebration is the salsa cruda. It has to be homemade, and it has to be awesome. Actually, if you serve enough margaritas you could get away with store-bought, but for the sake of this post, let’s just go with it.

Salsa cruda simply means a raw sauce, and that’s really the only rule. This is also commonly called “pico de gallo,” which means “rooster's beak,” apparently because it was originally eaten by “pecking” or pinching small portions from the bowl with your thumb and forefinger. I’m going to ask that you please use a chip.

I’d say my formula is fairly standard, except for the cherry/grape tomatoes and the mint. Unless you’re blessed with a bounty of real, sweet, vine-ripened tomatoes, your best bet for a world class salsa is cherry tomatoes. While not a perfect substitute, they'll have the most similar flavor to the aforementioned summer treat. The mint brings a subtle, sweet twist and even more refreshing finish.

One word of warning: make twice as much as you think you are going to need…this stuff is seriously addictive. By the way, as I just informed my faithful followers on YouTube, I pronounce, “salsa,” “sal-za,” simply because I find it more festive. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, cut into a small dice

1/2 cup finely diced white onion

1 or 2 large jalapenos, seeded, minced

1 serrano pepper, seeded, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

About 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste

2 tbsp minced mint leaves

1/4 tsp dry oregano

1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped

pinch of sugar

pinch of cayenne

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

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Our 2012 Passport to Dry Creek Menu

As promised, here's the menu we served at the gorgeous Frick Winery for this weekend's "Passport to Dry Creek Valley." We got rave reviews, and a great time was had by all. I'd like to extend an extra special thank you to Edward and Karen from Dehesa Foods, who not only created three of the proteins you'll see below, but also worked alongside us the whole weekend. Just some amazing food by some very talented, passionate people!

By the way, if you're into Rhone varietals, be sure to check out the Frick Winery website. In our humble opinion, Bill produces some of the most exquisite wines in Northern California. A sincere thanks to everyone there for again hosting such an amazing event. Enjoy!

Dehesa's Local Rabbit Pate with Pistachios on Toasted Brioche topped with
Castelvetrano Olive Tapenade and Carrot “Threads.”
Paired with Grenache Blanc and Viognier.

Ripe Cambozola Cheese on Fig Bread with Fresh Strawberries.
Paired with Cinsaut and Cinsaut Rosé.

Wild Mushroom and San Marzano Tomato Spread on Croccantini
topped with Grilled Beef Tenderloin and Baby Italian Herbs.
Paired with Counoise and Grenache.

Dehesa's Duck Breast Pastrami on Savory Pecan, Raisin, Rosemary Toasts
topped with Micro Mustard Greens.
Paired with Syrah and Carignane.

“Tonno del Dry Creek” – Dehesa’s “Tonno del Chianti” (Pork Confit)
with Pickled Red Onions and “Hearts of Fire” Greens on Baguette.
Paired with C3 and Cotes du Dry Creek.

This Asparagus, Ham, and Ricotta Pizza Has a Really Nice Personality

That’s what I’d say about this delicious asparagus, ham, and ricotta pizza if I were trying to fix it up on a blind date. Every once in a while I get a craving for a non-tomato sauce, or “white” pizza, and when I do, I’m forced to choose between béchamel and an olive oil base.

I love both styles, but was in the mood for something different, so I decided to use some ricotta and olive oil to make a spread, which I topped with smoked ham, asparagus, white cheddar, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. It tasted great, but I found its appearance to be somewhat unsightly.

I knew the ricotta and olive oil would separate somewhat in the extra hot oven, but I thought with the other cheeses on top, it wouldn’t be noticeable, but as you can see, it was. The good news is, no one seems to mind, and it did taste great. By the way, you can certainly do a less rich, lower cal version by just using seasoned ricotta without the oil.

Anyway, “new pizza ideas” is always a popular food wish, and I hope this ricotta spread inspires lots of pizza experimentation in your kitchen. If you need a pizza dough recipe, I used this great no-knead version, but if you prefer something faster, this Wolfgang Puck-inspired recipe is also a winner. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the spread:

1/2 cup ricotta

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp cream or milk

2 cloves minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

red pepper flakes

fresh herbs if so desired

pizza dough for one medium pizza

1 cup asparagus pieces

1/2 cup diced smoked ham

1/2 cup shredded white cheddar

1 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano as needed

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