Pork Loin with Apples-Prune Mustard Sauce, Browned Butter-Caraway Noodles and Sweet -Sour Red Cabbage

Pork Loin with Apples-Prune Mustard Sauce, Browned Butter-Caraway Noodles and Sweet -Sour Red Cabbage

I recently discovered a series of Swedish crimes novels that I'm really enjoying. I like crime novels for their intrigue and suspense but have read all of latest and greatest American authors and have grown quite tired of them. They've become formulaic, predictable and in may cases could be understood (or even written) by a third grader. Are there exceptions? Of course. My commentary is a gross generality only expressed here to highlight my love of this particular series. The Millenium Series by Stieg Larsson (1954-2004) and published posthumously are by far the best crime novels I've read since Michael Connelly's "The Poet". There are three novels in the series and unfortunately that is all there will be. I had just finished the second only to discover that  I now have to wait  for the US release of the third book until May! Arrrgh!

All of this romping around Sweden solving murders makes a girl hungry! Pork loin stuffed with apples and prunes can be found in one form or another in most Scandinavian countries and I like to think that Mr. Larsson supped on this very thing to feed his mind and his soul while writing these fantastic books.

  

I put these three separate recipes together for dinner a couple of nights ago and they went together famously! The pork roast was juicy, the sauce had a light sweetness from the fruit with a mild tang from the mustard. The noodles were warm and fragrant and the more sweet than sour red cabbage balanced the meal out perfectly. Njuta av! (Enjoy!)

Recipe: Pork Loin with Apples, Prunes, and Mustard Cream Sauce

Gourmet magazine; February 2004

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

1 (4-lb) boneless pork loin roast, tied by butcher

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 Granny Smith apples (3/4 lb total)

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 cup packed dried pitted prunes (4 1/2 ounces), quartered

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (12 ounces)

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons coarse-grain mustard

1/2 cup dry white wine

Directions

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.

Halve pork loin crosswise, then pat dry and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper(total). Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown pork, 1 piece at a time, turning occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes per piece. Transfer to a small flameproof roasting pan as browned (do not clean skillet) and roast pork until thermometer inserted diagonally at least 2 inches into meat registers 150°F, 40 to 50 minutes.

While pork roasts, peel, quarter, and core apples, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet, then cook onion in skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add apples, prunes, broth, and water and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in cream and mustard and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep sauce warm, partially covered.

Transfer pork to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes. Add wine to roasting pan and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir pan juices into cream sauce along with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper and heat sauce over moderate heat, stirring, until hot.

Discard string from pork and cut each half crosswise into 4 slices. Serve pork with sauce.

Recipe: Browned Butter Caraway Noodles

Bon Appetit; November 1995

Serves 8

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

2-1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds

16 ounces fettuccine

Directions

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. When butter foams, add caraway seeds. Reduce heat to low and cook until butter is light brown, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cook fettuccine in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Return pasta to same pot. Add browned butter; stir over low heat until coated, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

Recipe: Red Cabbage with Onions and Apples

Serves 8

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 medium sized onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1 medium head red cabbage, quartered and thinly sliced

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4-1/2 cup currant jelly, to your liking

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a deep casserole sauté the onions in the butter over a medium heat until translucent. Add the cabbage and sauté until slightly wilted (about 15 minutes). Add apples, lemon juice, vinegar and currant jelly and mix well. When this mixture comes to a simmer cover loosely and place in the oven. Cook for 2 hours.

Can be made two days ahead and reheated in the oven. (Actually it gets better after one day.)

Read more »

Flank Steak with Sauerbraten-Style Sauce, Potato Gnocchi and Red Cabbage with Apples and Onions

Flank Steak with Sauerbraten-Style Sauce, Potato Gnocchi and Red Cabbage with Apples and Onions

As a family of Germans (mostly) we love the rare occasion to make a big fuss and marinate a beef brisket for days to make the meat insanely sour and then spend half a day trashing the kitchen and getting flour everywhere making Kartoffelkloesse (potato dumplings) the size of baseballs. Oh and the gingersnap gravy! Heaven. German comfort food. {Sigh}...it is to make one weep. Unfortunately we no longer live near any of our family and are new to the Chicago area so it's totally impractical to go through all of that work and mess for two people (maybe three if Chefmikey comes for a visit). Besides, sometimes you just want your comfort food and you want it now! All of that said, I was really excited when my mom told me about this recipe that she discovered of Rachel Ray's a few years ago. Is it as fabulous as the real deal? Of course not! Is it close enough to make you happy and want to lick your plate when no one is looking? Yep! The queen of the 30-minute meal really outdid herself on this one. I'm not a big fan but I have to admit that every once in a while she comes up with a doozy.

I made this recipe even simpler and at least a little more realistic by boiling gnocchi instead of making the mashed potatoes. I have made these mashed potatoes and they are wonderful but we prefer the little dumplings. I also generally play with the vinegar/gingersnap ratio toward the end of making the gravy. A weeknight trip to Germany, what could be better? Guten Appetit!

Recipe: Mockbraten (Flank Steak with Sauerbraten Style Sauce), Smashed Potatoes with Horseradish and Chives, Red Cabbage with Apple and Onions

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

 Ingredients

* 2 dried bay leaves

* 1/3 cup cider vinegar, eyeball it

* 3 tablespoons sugar

* 2 tablespoons grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning)

* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, eyeball it

* 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds flank steak

* 2 medium onions

* 4 tablespoons butter, divided

* 1 large green apple

* Salt and pepper

* 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or ground, eyeball it

* 3 pounds red skin potatoes, quartered

* 1 cup sour cream

* 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

* 3 tablespoons chives, chopped or snipped

* 1 (18 ounce) jar cooked red cabbage, available on specialty foods aisle

* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

* 1/2 cup dry red wine

* 1 1/2 cups beef stock, about 1/3 of a 1 quart box

* 1 rounded tablespoon Dijon mustard

* 6 gingersnaps, finely crumbled

Directions

Mix bay, cider, sugar, grill seasoning and vegetable oil in the bottom of a large food storage bag, squish it all together until evenly combined. Drop the meat into the bag and move it around to evenly coat it. Let stand 10 to 12 minutes. Preheat a grill pan or indoor/outdoor grill to high.

Thinly slice 1 1/2 onions and reserve 1/2 onion whole but peeled. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and melt it. Add the sliced onions to the pan. Peel, core and slice the apple and add it to the onions. Season the apples and onions with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook the apples and onions 5 or 6 minutes, then add cooked red cabbage and combine then reduce heat to low. Set aside and keep warm.

Place meat on grill and let a bay leaf remain stuck on each steak. As the meat cooks, the heat will infuse the flavor throughout the meat. Cook steaks about 6 minutes on each side. Then, let meat rest. Discard leaves.

While meat cooks, place potatoes in a pot and cover with water, bring water to a boil then salt it. Cook potatoes 10 to 12 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes and return to the hot pot. Mash them with sour cream, horseradish and chives and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Potatoes will be thick and spicy. If you like looser mashed potatoes, add a little milk or stock, continue to smash.

While potatoes cook, remove the red cabbage to a serving bowl and cover with foil. In the same skillet that the cabbage was cooked in, add 2 tablespoons butter. Melt butter then grate the reserved 1/2 onion with a hand held grater into the butter. Cook the grated onions 2 minutes then add flour and cook a minute more. Whisk in red wine and cook off a minute then whisk in stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in mustard and gingersnaps and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Let sauce thicken a couple of minutes.

Thinly slice the flank steak on an angle against the grain. Place a mound of potatoes on each dinner plate. Lay out some sliced flank steak along the edge of potatoes and dress with a ladle of sauer-sauce. Serve red cabbage, apples and onions alongside or in small side dishes.

Read more »

Moroccan Harissa Chicken With Orange Butter Sauce, Carrot Purée and Dandelion Greens

Moroccan Harissa Chicken With Orange Butter Sauce, Carrot Purée and Dandelion Greens

     I am notoriously bad at geography and am quite ashamed to admit it. My New Years resolution, if you want to call it that, is to become a less ignorant American and to use the recipes I make as a vehicle to exploring the world beyond the boundaries of North America.
     Being that it is already the middle of February and I'm just getting started on my travels abroad (better late than never) I needed to jump start my efforts. The first thing I did was to join Joan at Travalogue for her annual tour. Nine countries in nine weeks-South of the Border. I came into in the middle and thus far have been to Columbia for Pulled Pork Arepas and to Jamaica for Bob Marley's version of Jerk Chicken and this week we're off to Haiti for I don't know what yet.  I also participated in January's Daring Cook Challenge that took me to Greece to create a table of Greek Mezethes and have Ouzo for the first time.
     Now there are three countries that I can actually find on the map (I'm not really THAT bad but close)! As swell as that is, I realized I still am not taking the time to truly understand the cuisines of these places. I'm just pulling out one representative recipe and moving on to the next. So when I decided to make the following recipe that Saveur calls Moroccan (yes, I had to go to Google maps and find out where it was located...shame, shame) I thought I would take the time to learn something about this wonderful country. I had on my wall of cookbooks, unbeknown'st to me, a copy of "Flavors of Morocco" by Ghillie Basan. I have no idea where it came from but was thrilled to discover it (that's when you know your cook book collection has gotten way out of control). This is a beautiful and very informative book with gorgeous photographs and delicious authentic recipes. Although I may have to work a little to find some of the unique ingredients (which is part of the fun for me..you should see my spice closet!) I would highly recommend this wonderful book! After just reading the first quarter or so of this book I have already learned a great deal am so excited to start making recipes and sharing my results with you. You guys know I like bold flavors and to my delight Moroccan cuisine fits-the-bill in spades.
     Since this month's Daring Kitchen Challenge isn't much of a challenge for me I decided I would opt out this month and select a group of recipes from Ghillie's book and create Moroccan Kemia spread much like my mezethes table which will certainly challenge me in a very enjoyable way. I hope to present those recipes here in a week or two so you can share in my journey. 
     In the mean time please enjoy the recipe that follows. It really should be labeled Moroccan-style or North African-style because just adding harissa does not a Moroccan dish make as I have learned. That aside, Suzanne Goin, Chez Panise alumness and chef-owner of Lucques and AOC restaurants in L.A., created a combination here that was such a complete thought flavor-profile wise that I couldn't think of a single thing I would change about it or add to it. I had made some plain rice to have on the side and we didn't even feel it necessary to have any of it. Now that's pretty perfect! It was really fantastic so I share it with you here. You will really like this one and it's not very difficult to make either. I made my own harissa, following Saveur's recipe, but you can use store-bought if you prefer. I would call the spice level with this particular harissa barely medium. If you want it blazing you'll have to use hotter chiles but I'm afraid it would hide all of the other more delicate flavors in this dish. Enjoy!


Recipe: Moroccan Harissa Chicken With Orange Butter Sauce, Carrot Purée and Dandelion Greens
A mix of spicy, sweet, and bitter flavors gives this dish its distinctive character. 
The recipe comes from chef Suzanne Goin as published in Saveur; Issue #127
SERVES 6

Ingredients
6 boneless skin-on chicken breasts,
   pounded 3⁄4" thick
16 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,
   to taste
4 cups chicken broth
2 lbs. carrots, cut into 1⁄4" rounds
1 large white onion, minced
1 1⁄2    cups fresh orange juice
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 peeled oranges, segmented
3⁄4 cup plus 2 tsp. harissa
2 tsp. sherry vinegar
3 oz. dandelion greens
3⁄4 cup pitted oil-cured black olives,
   roughly chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced

Directions
1. Put chicken into a dish; drizzle with 3 tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Bring broth to a boil in a 6-qt. pan over medium-high heat. Add carrots; cook until tender, 15–20 minutes. Drain. Heat 1⁄2 cup oil in a 4-qt. pot over high heat. Add onions; cook until soft, 4–5 minutes. Add carrots; cook for 6–8 minutes. Purée in a food processor with 2 tbsp. oil. Season with salt and pepper; keep warm.

2. Heat orange juice in a 2-qt. pan over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced by half, 12–15 minutes. Whisk in butter; season with salt and pepper. Add orange segments; set sauce aside.

3. Heat oven to 400°. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Working in 3 batches, add chicken, skin side down; cook until crisp, 8–10 minutes. Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a baking sheet. Brush with 3⁄4 cup harissa. Bake until cooked, 6–8 minutes.

4. In a bowl, whisk together remaining oil and harissa with sherry vinegar. 
Add greens, olives, and shallots; toss. Divide carrot purée between 6 plates; 
top each with salad with a chicken breast. Spoon orange sauce for each.

Recipe: Harissa
This North African condiment is based on a recipe in A Mediterranean Feast by Clifford Wright (William Morrow, 1999). Published in Saveur; Issue #117
MAKES 1 CUP

Ingredients
8 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed
   and seeded (about 2 oz.)
8 dried new mexico chiles, stemmed
   and seeded (about 1 1⁄2 oz.)
1⁄2 tsp. caraway seeds
1⁄4 tsp. coriander seeds
1⁄4 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. dried mint leaves
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil,
   plus more as needed
1 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
5 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions
1. Put chiles into a medium bowl, cover with boiling water, and let sit until softened, about 20 minutes. Heat caraway, coriander, and cumin in an 8" skillet over medium heat. Toast spices, swirling skillet constantly, until very fragrant, about 4 minutes. Transfer spices to a grinder with the mint and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.

2. Drain chiles and transfer to the bowl of a food processor with the ground spices, olive oil, salt, garlic, and lemon juice. Purée, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the paste is very smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a sterilized 1-pint glass jar and fill with oil until ingredients are submerged by 1⁄2". Refrigerate, topping off with more oil after each use. Paste will keep for up to 3 weeks.

Read more »

Jamaica: Bob Marley's Chargrilled-Jerk Chicken with Creamy Cucumber Dipping Sauce

Jamaica: Bob Marley's Chargrilled-Jerk Chicken with Creamy Cucumber Dipping Sauce

For this week's Travalogue we were off to Jamaica, mon. I went digging way back into my archives for a family favorite and saw this very stained print out with the Food Network label on it and knew I had to make this.

I knew that "to jerk" a piece of meat was to slather it with a spicy marinade and smoke it or grill it. But I learned that it is not just a flavorful way to enjoy pork or chicken but that the indigenous peoples of Jamaica actually use this technique to preserve meats. The word charqui (dried meat) gave the name to both the Caribbean term jerk and the North American term jerky. Makes sense once you read it but I never put the two together.


Also if I were to make a truly authentic jerk chicken it would be "smoked over aromatic wood charcoal or briquettes. The wood ("pimento wood"), berries, and leaves of the allspice plant among the coals contribute to jerk's distinctive flavor."-Wiki 

Street vendors in Jamaica who sell jerked meat (usually chicken or pork) are able to smoke the meat because of an invention in the 1960's of making portable smokers from oil barrels cut in half lengthwise with hinges added and holes drilled into them for ventilation.

My recipe, or any Americanified version cannot come close to reproducing the flavor of the above smoking method so all I can do is make my favorite recipe and hope to get to Jamaica one day and have the real thing. 

The flavors in the following recipe from Bob Marley's Restaurant does a beautiful job of melding together the jerk spices for what is the best jerk marinade I have ever used (homemade or store bought). You get a lovely citrus flavor from the habanero, without a lot of heat, combined with warm spices like allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon, a bit of salt from soy sauce and sweet from atouch of sugar. You can up the heat level as much as your heart desires by adding more habanero or scotch bonnet if you can get them. The cucumber sauce is much creamier than a Greek tsatziki sauce because of the addition of mayonaise and is a marvelous contrast to the jerk spice. In all these years I have never changed a thing about this recipe so you know it must be pretty darn perfect. Enjoy!

Bob Marley's Chargrilled-Jerk Chicken with Creamy Cucumber Dipping Sauce

Original Recipe courtesy Bob Marley’s Restaurant, in Orlando, Fl., 2000

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Jerk Marinade:

* 1 onion, finely chopped

* 1/2 cup finely chopped scallion

* 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 2 teaspoons white sugar

* 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

* 1 teaspoon ground allspice

* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

* 2 habanero chiles or scotch bonnets if you can get them

* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

* 3 tablespoons soy sauce

* 1 tablespoon cooking oil

* 1 tablespoon cider or white vinegar

* 2 pounds dark meat chicken pieces

* 1 recipe cucumber sauce, recipe follows

* Crispy Sweet Potato Chips

Directions

For the marinade:

Mix, in a medium size bowl, onion, scallion, thyme, salt, sugar, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, hot pepper, black pepper, soy sauce, oil and vinegar. Place the chicken pieces in a shallow baking dish and cover with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Place the chicken onto a hot grill and grill until done (165 degree internal temperature.

For the cucumber dipping sauce:

*2-1/4 cups cucumber, finely diced

* 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream

* 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

* 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

* 3/4 teaspoon salt

* Pinch cayenne pepper

* 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

* 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic

Peel and seed cucumbers and roughly chop. Place in a medium size bowl with remaining ingredients. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Thanks to Wikipedia for the use of their information.

Read more »

Bread Pudding with Pralines and Bourbon-Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Bread Pudding with Pralines and Bourbon-Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Emeril's Bread Pudding, Paula's pralines and my bourbon-vanilla bean ice cream...my homage to the great state of Louisiana during this week of Mardi Gras celebrations and religious observances.  Enjoy!

Recipe: New Orleans Style Bread Pudding

Emeril Lagasse, "Emeril's Potluck"

HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 2004

Serves: 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

* 12 to 14 cups 1-inch cubes day-old white bread, such as French or Italian

* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

* 2 cups heavy cream

* 4 cups whole milk

* 6 large eggs

* 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

* 4 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

* 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the bread in a large bowl. Grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with the remaining tablespoon of butter and set aside. Combine the heavy cream, milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to mix. Pour the cream mixture over the bread, and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes.

Transfer the bread mixture to the casserole dish and bake until the center of the bread pudding is set, 50 to 60 minutes.

Garnish the bread pudding with confectioners' sugar and serve warm with warm.

Recipe: Pralines

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups sugar

* 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

* 1/8 teaspoon salt

* 3 tablespoons dark corn syrup

* 1 cup evaporated milk

* 2 tablespoons butter

* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

* 2 cups pecan pieces or halves

Directions

Butter the sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Place the sugar, salt, and corn syrup,

milk, and butter in saucepan. Over medium heat, stir mixture constantly with a

wooden spoon until sugars have dissolved and mixture comes to a boil. Continue to

cook to a soft ball stage on a candy thermometer (238 degrees F). Add pecans. Continue cooking until hardball stage (245 degrees F).

Remove from heat and add the vanilla. Beat with a spoon by hand for approximately 2 minutes

or until candy is slightly thick and begins to lose its gloss. Quickly drop heaping

tablespoons onto waxed paper. If the candy becomes stiff, add a few drops of hot

water.

Recipe: Vanilla Bean-Bourbon Ice Cream

Adapted From Ina Garten

"Barefoot Contessa Parties!"; 2001

Yield: 1 quart

Ingredients

* 2 cups half-and-half and 1 cup heavy cream

* 2/3 cups sugar

* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

* Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean

* 2-4 tablespoons bourbon, to taste

Directions

Heat the cream, sugar, vanilla, and vanilla seeds in a small saucepan only until the

sugar is dissolved. Be sure the sugar is dissolved - you will no longer feel any

grittiness from the sugar if you rub some cream between your fingers. Strain into a

bowl, cover, and chill very well. Add the Armagnac and freeze the mixture in an ice

cream freezer according to the manufacturer's directions. Spoon into a freezer

container and allow to chill in the freezer for a few hours before serving.

Read more »

Carrot Cake Pancakes with Honey Butter From Cooking Light Magazine

Carrot Cake Pancakes with Honey Butter From Cooking Light Magazine

I don't tend to blog much in the way of breakfast foods mostly because I'm not a morning person (brunch is more my style) but also because I spend so much time worrying about the big fabulous dinner that I can make that will hopefully be "blogworthy" that I don't even think about it. Well by no fault of my own I was wide awake at 5 a.m. this morning. The horror! The horror! I decided to make the best of it and make Manly and I breakfast while he was getting ready for work. Manly adores carrot cake. I make him one every year for his birthday. So when I came across this recipe in last month's issue of Cooking Light I saved it for that one or two times a year I am actually capable of making an early breakfast. We loved them! They're delicious and they don't leave you feeling like you have just eaten a ton of lead like regular pancakes do. For those morning people out there this is a great breakfast!

What's the difference between pancakes and flapjacks? In the UK, flapjacks are made out sugar, butter, oats, honey etc, and pancakes are battered things that you fry. In the U.S., the names are used interchangeably and mean the same thing. Now we know. Enjoy!

 

Recipe: Carrot Cake Pancakes with Honey Butter

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2010

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 pancakes and about 2 teaspoons honey butter)

"These cakey flapjacks feature warm spices and bright carrot flavor. Our lightened version uses low-fat buttermilk and a small dab of honey butter to top the pancakes."

Ingredients

5.6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Dash of ground cloves

Dash of ground ginger

1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups finely grated carrot (about 1 pound)

Cooking spray

3 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons honey

Directions

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through ginger) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and next 4 ingredients (through eggs); add sugar mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in 2 cups carrot.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Spoon 4 (1/4 cup) batter mounds onto pan, spreading with a spatula. Cook for 2 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 1 minute or until bottoms are lightly browned. Repeat procedure twice with remaining batter. Combine butter and honey in a small bowl; serve with pancakes.

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 315 ; FAT 13.3g (sat 4.8g,mono 4.4g,poly 3.3g); CHOLESTEROL 78mg; CALCIUM 177mg; CARBOHYDRATE 41.6g; SODIUM 381mg; PROTEIN 7.8g; FIBER 2.2g; IRON 2.3mg

Read more »

Lamb Siu Mai With Spicy Tomato Sauce

Lamb Siu Mai With Spicy Tomato Sauce

I'm always on the look out for recipes that take the usual suspects and give them an interesting twist. This recipe certainly delivered and then some! Siu Mai are typically made with pork and, on occasion, shrimp. The recipe I've always made uses ground veal and has your basic soy based dipping sauce. I love them and therefore never ventured to try anything else. When I saw this recipe though, I just had to make them. Martin Yan said in his cookbook "Martin Yan's China" that Siu Mai is a very popular dim sum offering in Cantonese teahouses. This recipe is a Northern Chinese twist where the spicy tomato sauce complements the stronger flavor of the lamb. I couldn't agree more. These really blew me away. Can you have flavors that are both subtle and bold? Maybe what I mean is bold and harmonious...yeah that's it. Oh and did I mention that they are ridiculously quick and easy to make? What more could you ask for? Enjoy!

Recipe: Lamb Siu Mai with Spicy Tomato Sauce

From "Martin Yan's China" (Companion Volume to the Public Television Series)
Chronicle Books; 2008
Makes 12-14 dumplings, About 4 servings

The Filling

8 oz. ground lamb

2 whole water chestnuts, minced

2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

2 teaspoons oyster sauced

1 teaspoon cornstarch

12 wonton squares

The Sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoon water

2 lettuce leaves

1 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 green onion, chopped

To make the filling:

Combine the lamb, water chestnuts, rice wine, oyster sauce, and cornstarch in a bowl until well mixed.

To make the dumplings:

Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of the wonton wrapper. (Keep the remaining wrappers covered with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying). Bring the sides of the wrapper together, bunching them around the filling and smoothing any pleats. Flatten the bottom of the dumpling by tapping it against a flat surface, and squeeze the sides of the dumpling gently so the filling plumps out of the top. Keep the formed dumplings covered with a damp towel to prevent them from drying.

To make the sauce:

Heat a wok or stir-fry pan over high heat until hot. Add the oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir-fry until the excess liquid is evaporated, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the broth, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce an sesame oil. Bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring, until the sauce boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Keep the sauce warm over low heat.

Prepare a wok or stir-fry pan for steaming. Line steaming basket with the lettuce leaves. Arrange the dumplings without them touching one another, in the prepared basket. Cover and steam over high heat until the filling is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.

Pour the sauce onto a serving plate. Arrange the siu mai on top of the sauce. Sprinkle the cilantro and green onions on top and serve.

I saw this picture during a Google search for Chinese teahouses and saw this amazing photograph that made me want to hop on a plane and head straight to Shanghai. Can you imagine having tea and dim sum at this place? maybe someday...

 

Yu Yuan Tea House and City Skyline, Shanghai, China.

Photo courtesy of Squidoo (dot) com

Read more »

Pork Chops With Grilled Pineapple Salsa and Poblano-Cilantro Rice

Pork Chops With Grilled Pineapple Salsa and Poblano-Cilantro Rice

I think I've decided that I no longer like pork chops. I've brined, marinated, seared, baked and grilled them any which way I could conceive of and they are always always dry. Pork loin? Good. Pork Butt? Good. Pork tenderloin? Good. Pork chops? BAD. It's probably just me but that's how I feel about it. Unfortunately, Manly saw a lovely looking package of pork chops while he was at the grocery store and couldn't resist. Sigh. So I decided to make the best of it and tried them with this grilled pineapple salsa to counteract dryness. The salsa was phenomenal. The pork chops were still dry. But at least it gave me an excuse to make my all-time favorite Mexican rice. I've been making it for years and it goes so perfectly with anything Mexican you'll never make that sticky, tomato sauced "Spanish" rice ever again. Make the salsa, skip the pork chops please, and serve it over some pork tenderloin, chicken, fish or just with some tortilla chips. The poblano-cilantro rice as the side dish will make you very happy indeed. Enjoy!

Recipe: Pan-Grilled Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Cooking Light, MARCH 2010

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chop and about 1/2 cup salsa)

Ingredients

4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, divided

4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices pineapple

1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 tablespoon minced jalapeño pepper

Combine pork and 1 tablespoon juice; let stand 10 minutes. 

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pineapple and onion; cook 4 minutes on each side or until onion is tender. Coarsely chop pineapple and onion; combine in a medium bowl with remaining 2 teaspoons lime juice, jalapeño, and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Sprinkle pork with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Heat grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done.

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 215 ; FAT 7g (sat 2.5g,mono 3.1g,poly 0.5g); CHOLESTEROL 70mg; CALCIUM 42mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.9g; SODIUM 416mg; PROTEIN 26.4g; FIBER 1.4g; IRON 1mg

Recipe: Poblano Pepper-Cilantro Rice

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2005

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

* 1/2 cup chopped white onions

* 2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped

* 2 teaspoons chopped garlic

* 1 teaspoon ground cumin

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish

* 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves

* 1 3/4 cups chicken stock

* 1 cup long-grain white rice

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and chiles and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, salt, cilantro and parsley, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender with 1/2 cup of the stock. Process on high speed until smooth.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the puree and cook, stirring, to evaporate most of the liquid, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining stock, stir and cover, and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer without stirring, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit without stirring for 10 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve, garnished with additional cilantro.

Read more »

Columbia: Pulled Pork-Sofrito Arepas With Black Beans and Fried Plantains

Columbia: Pulled Pork-Sofrito Arepas With Black Beans and Fried Plantains

This week on my Foodalogue journey I got to take my taste buds on a quick trip to Columbia. 

So I decided to investigate Arepas because Manly had them on a recent trip to New York at a place called Caracas and was just raving about how fantastic their Venezuelan versions were. During my investigation I tripped over a segment from Throw Down with Bobby Flay on You Tube that had him competing with the owners of Caracas! So I figured the stars were lining up and telling me I was headed in the right direction. You can view the video here if you'd like:  It looks like a lot of fun was had by all.

So what are Arepas?

Arepas are simple corn cakes first made by the Indians of Colombia and Venezuela. They were an important part of their diet, like corn tortillas were to the Aztecs. Over the centuries, the poor people of Colombia and Venezuela continued to use them as inexpensive, easy-to-prepare source of nourishment. Today, these humble corn cakes are a comfort food for the rich and poor alike, a heart-warming tribute to simplicity, tradition, versatility, and good taste. Originally, arepas were made from dried corn kernels that were soaked overnight in water and lime to remove the skins, then cooked, drained and ground into masa (dough). Thanks to modern technology, a pre-cooked harina de masa is now available at most Latin American markets. An instant masa can be made by simply mixing this corn flour (either white or yellow) with a little salt and enough boiling water to make a stiff dough. The dough is then shaped into flat round cakes of varying thicknesses, depending on the intended use, and cooked on a griddle or deep-fried. In parts of Colombia, arepas are cooked atop a flagstone slab that is first heated and then brushed with fat. Another Colombian specialty -- arepas de chocolo -- are made from fresh corn and cooked on top of banana leaves. Colombian arepas are generally thinner than their Venezuelan counterparts.

Here is my version that were happily devoured at an alarming rate. Enjoy!

Recipe: Pulled Pork-Sofrito Arepas With Black Beans and Fried Plantains

For the black beans

In a sauce pan add:

1 small ham hock

1 small onion, coarsley chopped

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1-1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

Water to cover

Simmer covered for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until the meat comes easily off the bone. Remove all the meat and discard the bone. Add the meat back to the saucepan with 2-15 oz. cans black beans that have been drained and rinsed. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes.

For the pulled pork:

1-1/2 lbs. pork shoulder

salt and pepper

drizzle of olive oil

chicken stock or water

Put your pork roast into a baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Pour in enough stock or water to come about half way up the sides of the roaste. Cover tightly with foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for approximatly an hour-and-a half or until the pork shreds easily. Shred the pork and set aside.

For the Sofrito:

Adapted from Michelle Bernstein

1 strip bacon

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup each red and yellow bell pepper, diced

1 cup red onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic

1/4 teaspoon habanero, minced

1/4 teaspoon jalapeno, minced

pinch of saffron

6 oz. dry sherry

In a skillet, cook the strip of bacon in the tablespoon of oil until browned. Then add the peppers, onions and garlic to the pan. Cook until softened, 4 or 5 minutes. Add chiles and saffrom. Cook 1 minute. Pour in sherry and cook reducing liquid by a quarter. Pour everything into a blender and puree. Pour the sofrito back into the skillet and add the pulled pork. Reheat just before serving.

For the Arepas:

Ingredients

3 cups water; boiling
1 teaspoon salt
2 c pre-cooked masa flour
Butter, softened 

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Add water, stir with a wooden spoon to make a soft dough. Let stand for 5 minutes, then knead for 3 minutes. Dough is ready to be shaped into standard arepas, or to be mixed and kneaded with other ingredients such as cheese, chicharrones (pork rind), etc. To shape arepas: The standard Venezuelan arepa is 3 inches in diameter, 3/4 inch thick. Columbian arepas are larger and thinner, about 4 inches in diameter, 1/4 inch thick. To make arepas, oil or wet hands lightly and shape dough into balls. Place between 2 pieces of wax paper or plastic wrap and flatten into a circle; shape the edges to form a smooth disc. To cook arepas: Heat a griddle or cast iron skillet over medium heat; grease lightly and cook arepas on both sides, turning a couple of times until a crust is formed. Colombian arepas are ready to be served at this point, spread with butter. Venezuelan arepas have to be baked in a preheate 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. To check for doneness, tap the arepa lightly -- if a hollow sound is heard, its ready. Split open, add butter and serve hot. Arepas freeze well if frozen while still warm. Freeze in layers separated by plastic wrap. Reheat frozen arepas wrapped in aluminum foil in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until heared through.

 

For the fried plantains:

Ingredients
4 plantains, each peeled and cut on the bias, 1/2-inch thick
2 to 3 cups vegetable or peanut oil
Salt
Cilantro, chopped for garnish, optional

Directions
In skillet, heat oil to 350 degrees. Fry plantains, turning until all sides are lightly golden. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt and sprinkle with cilantro.
To assemble: 
Place an arepa on a plate put some of the pork mixture on it. Add 2 slices of tomato, 2 slices of avacado, and sprinkle with queso fresco or feta cheese. Serve with lime wedges if desired. Fold up like a taco and eat em up. Serve the beans and plantains on the side.

Read more »

Greece: Daring Cooks Greek Mezethes and Ouzo...OPA!

Greece: Daring Cooks Greek Mezethes and Ouzo...OPA!

The Menu:

Homemade Pita Bread Served with Roasted Garlic-Red Pepper Hummus
Feta, Mint and Cucumber Stuffed Peppadews
Roasted Walnut Filled Prunes Wrapped in Canadian Bacon
Pork Skewers with Cayenne, Raw Onions and Greek Yogurt
Olives in Harissa, Garlic and Orange-Lemon Dressing
Pistachios and Metaxa Ouzo

Blog checking lines: The 2010 February Daring COOKs challenge was hosted by Michele of Veggie Num Nums. Michele chose to challenge everyone to make mezze based on various recipes from Claudia Roden, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Dugid.

I started with the pita dough because that was going to take the most time. I had attempted making my own years ago with very disastrous results so I was feeling less than confident about this aspect of the challenge but to not attempt it would be to defeat the purpose of these monthly challenges. We had to use this exact recipe with no changes made to it what so ever.

But first? Some Ouzo of course!

This was a first for me but boy could I get used to having a snort of this on a daily basis. Many people say that it tastes like Anisette or Sambuca and while there is a licorice/anise flavor it's mild and is complimented by other flavor components that come from mastic (an extract from the Greek mastic tree. "A tonic which promotes appetite, and therefore only increases the misery of a hungry man") and badian (Chinese star anise). Ouzo is also much less sweet and has a stronger alcohol taste. Since the 1930's it has been in small batches in traditional copper stills according to a time-honored recipe from Asia Minor. Ouzo is traditionally served with water or on ice as an accompaniment to mezethes. It is also said to have healing properties but what those are I do not know. I put our lovely bottle in the freezer and served it straight up in chilled glasses. This may just be my new favorite aperitif or digestif.
 
To toast or to say cheers whilst hoisting your glass one might say in Greek "γεια μας" (yiamas) or "στην υγειά μας" (stin iyia mas) meaning "to our health". I also learned that the ever popularized "opa!" yelled after a shot of ouzo has been consumed is not a word that has a specific meaning. It is used as an exclamation of pleasure or high feeling.

Recipe: Pita Bread

Adapted from "Flatbreads and Flavors

by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

Note: This is a wonderful dough and the pitas actually puffed and made the pockets like they're supposed to. I should have left mine to bake for a few more minutes but even if you don't get yours to poof the result is still delicious so don't despair.

Ingredients
(2-3 hours from start to finish)

2 teaspoons dry yeast (not quick rise)

2-1/2 cups lukewarm water

5-6 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon of salt

2 tablespoons of Olive Oil

Directions
In a large bread bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Stir to dissolve. Stir in 3 cups flour, a cup at a time, and then stir 100 times, about 1 minute, in the same direction to activate the gluten. Let this sponge rest for at least 10 minutes, or as long as 2 hours. 

Sprinkle the salt over the sponge and stir in the olive oil. Mix well. Add more flour, a cup at a time, until the dough is too stiff to stir. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Rinse out the bowl, dry, and lightly oil. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until at least doubled in size, approximately 1 1/2 hours.
  
Place a pizza stone, or two small baking sheets, on the bottom rack of your oven, leaving a 1-inch gap all around between the stone or sheets and the oven walls to allow heat to circulate. Preheat the oven to 450F.

Gently punch down the dough. Divide the dough in half, and then set half aside, covered, while you work with the rest. Divide the other half into 8 equal pieces and flatten each piece with lightly floured hands. Roll out each piece to a circle 8 to 9 inches in diameter and less than 1/4 inch thick. Keep the rolled-out breads covered until ready to bake, but do not stack.

Place 2 breads, or more if your oven is large enough, on the stone or baking sheets, and bake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until each bread has gone into a full balloon. If for some reason your bread doesn't puff up, don't worry it should still taste delicious. Wrap the baked breads together in a large kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft while you bake the remaining rolled-out breads. Then repeat with the rest of the dough.

Then on to the hummus where we had a little more creative latitude as far as adding flavorings of our choice to the basic mandatory recipe. Here's what I ended up making and it was really really flavorful!

Recipe: Hummus

Adapted from "The New Book of Middle Eastern Food"
by Claudia Roden

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups canned chickpeas (1-19 oz can is perfect)
2-2-1/2 lemons, juiced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced (I substituted a head of roasted garlic)
Salt to taste
4 tablespoons tahini paste
Flavorings to taste such as:
     1/4 cup roasted red pepper strips
     1/4 cup parsley, chopped
     1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and chopped

Directions 
Drain and boil the soaked chickpeas in fresh water for about 1 ½ hours, or until tender. Drain, but reserve the cooking liquid.

Puree the beans in a food processor (or you can use a potato masher) adding the cooking water as needed until you have a smooth paste. 

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Recipe: Feta, Mint, Cucumber Stuffed Peppadews 
From Vegetarian Times; February 2010

 

Ingredients

24 fresh mint leaves

24 Peppadews, rinsed and drained

1/2 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cutinto 1/4-inch dice

4 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese, divided

Directions

Slide one mint leaf into each peppadew. Fill with one or two cucumber cubes, then stuff 1/2 teaspoon feta. Repeat with remaining peppadews. Garnish with extra mint leaves.

Recipe: Pork Skewers with Cayenne and Raw Onions

From "Meze: Small Plates to Savor and Share From The Meditteranean Table"

by Diane Kochilas
Harper Collins; 2003

Ingredients 

(4 hours of marinating)

For the marinade:

3/4 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bay leaf, cracked
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1-1/4 lbs. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-1/2-inch cubes

4 12-inch long skewers


cayenne pepper to taste
1 red onion, sliced paper thin
3/4 cup greek yogurt

Directions

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and let the pork cubes steep in the liquid, covered and refrigerated, for 4 hours.

Heat a grill or broiler. Thread the pork cubes onto the skewers.patting dry slightly with paper towels. Grill the pork 4 or 5 inches from the heat source for about 5 minutes per side (for a total of about 20 minutes). Remove.

Place the pork skewers on a platter. Dust generously with cayenne and top with the raw onions. Serve with yogurt on the side.

Recipe: Roasted Walnut-Filled Prunes in Bacon Blankets

From "Meze: Small Plates to Savor and Share From The Meditteranean Table"

by Diane Kochilas

Harper Collins; 2003

Ingredients 
(6 hours marinating time)
12 large pitted prunes
3/4 cup dry red wine
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper corns
12 walnut halves
12 thin strips of canadian bacon
3 slices whole wheat bread, crusts removed, cut into quarters

Directions

Place the prunes in a bowl and marinate at room temperature with the wine and peppercorns for 6 hours. Remove and drain. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a stainless-steel baking pan, large enough to fit the bread squares in one layer.


Stuff each prune with one walnut half. Wrapone strip of bacon around each prune and palce on a bread square. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the bacon has crisped and the bread is golden.

Recipe: Olives in Harissa, Garlic, and Orange Lemon Dressing

Adapted from "Mediterranean Hot And Spicy"
by Aglaia Kremenzki
Broadway Books; 2009

Ingredients 

(1-2 days marinating time)

14 oz. Olives (green, black, pepperoncini, whatever you like)
1/4 cup roasted red pepper strips, optional
2 teaspoons harissa sauce
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 orange, cut into strips
2 (or more) garlic cloves, quartered lengthwise
1 tablespoon fresh rose mary or 1 teaspoon dried
Aleppo pepper, to taste (optional)

Directions

Wash the olives and red pepper strips thoroughly under running water. Drain and press dry on paper towels.


Mix the harissa with the lemon and orange juices in a bowl. Add the olive oil and whisk well. Pack the olives and peppers in layers in a 3 cup jar, placing orange zest and pieces of garlic between layers of olives. Pour the olive oil mixture over them. If the olives are not completely covered, top with a little more olive oil. Seal and set aside at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. Store in the refrigerator. One hour before serving, take out as many as you need and let stand at room temperature. The olives will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.

This last recipe is theonly one that didn't work well although it still tasted great. It's for Greek fried cheese (saganaki) that gets tossed together with lemon juice, capers and oregano right after it comes out of the oil. The recipe I used came from saveur magazine and now after looking at authentic recipes and cooking methods I can now assure you that their recipe was just plain wrong. What I had hoped to achieve were these lovely brown cubes of fried cheese but when the cheese hit the oil the cubes just blew apart. We ate it anyway because hey it's still fried cheese but as you can see from the picture below it did not make for a very attractive presentation. I stll have some of the kefalotyri cheese so I will have to experiment and get back to you with a recipe that actually works.

Thanks to all at the Daring Kitchen for holding these challenges. It's a great way to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to try new things. If your interested in joining in on the fun go over to the site and sign up. It's free and it's only one challenge a month which makes it very manageable to fit into your busy schedule.

Read more »