Hot chilies in that dish? Choose a low alcohol wine

Oh, we love our chili heat. Tabasco on the omelet; giardiniera on the dog; jalapeno on the nachos. But chili heat doesn’t love wine. Alcohol is a solvent and spreads out or broadcasts the capsaicin (the organic compound in chili peppers that makes for the burn), making it seem hotter or more potent than it otherwise would be without wine. Maybe you’d want that, but you well might not. A fair amount of chili heat marks this dish (jalapeno, cayenne, chipotle), despite all the vegetable matter, cheese and starch. Just be sure whatever wine you choose is low in alcohol.

The food: Chard and Chicken Wraps

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 yellow onion, chopped; 1 jalapeno, minced; and 1 teaspoon ground cumin. Cook until fragrant and soft, about 5 minutes. Add chopped stems from 3 large Swiss chard leaves (leaves reserved); cook until stems soften, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Add 2 cups chopped cooked chicken; 2 tomatoes, diced; and the chard leaves, chopped; cook until leaves begin to wilt, 4-6 minutes. To serve, divide mixture among 4 flour tortillas; top with shredded Mexican cheese blend, 1/2 cup jarred chipotle salsa and chopped cilantro. Makes: 4 servings