Category Archives: HOMEMADE ADDITIVES

LEFTOVER PORK TENDERLOIN PAPRIKÁS (PAPRIKA) OVER CREAMY PECORINO ROMANO PULISZKA (POLENTA)  

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I love Hungarian food. And this is a quick and easy recipe for a really delicious Hungarian paprikás. The combination of sweet and smoked paprika lends an amazing flavor to this creamy, savory, meat studded sauce. And when served over polenta containing a sheep’s milk cheese, the result is a mouth full of heaven.

For this recipe, based on a recipe from katlynskitchen.com, I used leftover pork tenderloin medallions which worked really well. But if you don’t happen to have leftover pork, you can start with uncooked pork with the same result. (Instructions included below for starting with uncooked pork.)

But don’t skip making the polenta. If you don’t happen to have Pecorino Romano in your fridge, you can certainly use Parmigiano-Reggiano. But if you have never tasted Pecorino Romano, this is a great time to learn about this amazing cheese. We love it! And I always have a big old hunk of it (thank you Costco) in our fridge. It is perfect in all kinds of dishes, and it routinely displays the longevity of a Twinkie. (It doesn’t get blue fuzz around the edges even after a couple of months.) For those of you unfamiliar with this marvelous cheese, a bit of information from the Spruce Eats site:

“Pecorino Romano is an ancient Italian cheese made from 100% sheep’s milk. The milk comes from sheep bred in the wild and fed on natural pastures in Lazio, the province of Grosseto in Tuscany, and the island of Sardinia. It is one of four Italian sheep’s milk cheeses that benefits from protected designation of origin (P.D.O.) status and continues to be made using only traditional methods in its areas of origin.

Pecorino Romano is a hard cheese with a smooth, thin, natural rind. It’s white to pale straw in color, and it’s distinguished by its crumbly texture and an intense salty flavor which increases with age. While Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese have similar uses, they are different. Parmigiano-Reggiano is a hard cow’s milk cheese. It’s nuttier and sweeter than Pecorino Romano, which is decidedly saltier. Depending on the recipe, Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano can be interchangeable or combined, and they are both ideal grating cheeses.” 

So, I guess there’s nothing else to say about this recipe. So, I’ll close for today and go make some granola. Dinner is already prepared. Leftovers. (I’m really learning to love leftovers.) Just a simple green salad to complete the meal, and dinner will be on the table. No fuss, no muss. It’s my lucky day!

As always, be happy and stay healthy.

Peace and love to all.

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ sm. onion, chopped

6 oz. button or cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 (14.5-oz.) can tomatoes, plus juice (preferably Italian tomatoes)

½ c. chicken stock  

½ lb. (plus or minus) leftover* pork tenderloin or pork roast, cut into ¾ inch cubes

1 T. sweet (regular) paprika (use Hungarian or Spanish paprika in a tin for best flavor)

½ tsp. smoked paprika 

¼ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. dried caraway seeds, crushed

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2/3 c. sour cream

1 T. freshly chopped parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large, covered pan. (I use my Le Creuset Dutch oven.) Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the canned tomatoes, chicken stock, diced cooked pork, sweet and smoked paprika, thyme, caraway seed, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 90 minutes, or until the meat is fork tender. Stir periodically. If more liquid is required, add a bit more chicken broth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Just before serving, remove from heat and stir in the sour cream.

Great served over polenta or hot al dente noodles if you prefer. Just before serving, garnish with fresh parsley.

*If you don’t have leftover pork, simply chunk up some uncooked pork tenderloin or roast and brown the meat in a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, covered pan. Then add the onion and proceed as directed.

CREAMY PECORINO-ROMANO POLENTA (PULISZKA)

3 c. chicken broth

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

¾ c. polenta (coarsely ground cornmeal) (not instant or fast cooking variety)

2-3 T. unsalted butter

½ c. freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or your favorite hard sheep’s cheese)

Bring broth, salt, and pepper to a boil in a medium-sized, covered saucepan. Whisk the dry polenta slowly into the boiling broth until all of the ground corn is stirred in with no lumps remaining.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking continuously until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. (Polenta mixture should still be slightly liquid.) Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 7 minutes or so. (When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon.) Polenta is done when the texture is creamy, and the individual grains of ground corn are tender.

Remove from heat and gently stir in the butter until partially melted. Then add in the Pecorino Romano until the cheese too has melted.

Cover and let stand 5 minutes to thicken. Stir, then taste to see if additional salt or pepper is required.

HOMEMADE BLACK GARLIC AND PRESERVED LEMON

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Now I know what you’re thinking. Can’t I just buy these two items and forget about making them myself? Well of course you can. But what is the fun in that! And, how much are you willing to pay for these items? They ain’t cheap!

So this is a twofer recipe. For the price of just one of these recipes, you are going to get the second one free! Wait – there is no charge for either of the recipes. (I just wanted to use the word twofer!)

Actually the main question you should be asking me is why I would want to use either of these ingredients in the first place? Well I’m really busy today, so I’m going to make my answer short and sweet. You would want to use one or both of these two lovely ingredients because they add just an amazing flavor to almost any kind of savory dish.

For example, the other evening I steamed some fresh green beans. After I drained them, I put them back in the pan and added a wee bit of unsalted butter, some finely chopped preserved lemon, a finely chopped clove of black garlic, and a couple grinder turns of black pepper. And I’m here to tell you, the beans were fantastic! For two other recipes on this site that use one or both of these items, check out Black Garlic Vinaigrette (2 ways) and Fried Chicken Breasts with a Kale, Black Garlic, Preserved Lemon, and Provolone Cheese Topping. More recipes to come.

For a bit more information on black garlic and preserved lemons, please see the paragraphs at the end of this post. For an added bit of adventure in your cooking, try these two ingredients at your earliest convenience.   

BLACK GARLIC

  • rice cooker with warm setting
  • whole unpeeled heads of garlic, gently “wiped” with a not-too-damp paper towel
  • covered outdoor area with electricity (or garage if all else fails)

Place the whole garlic heads in the rice cooker insert. Place the rice cooker on the warm setting (not the cook setting) outside in a covered area or in your garage. Leave on the warm setting until the cloves are soft and black, 10-14 days. Check periodically.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Peel the cloves before using.

PRESERVED LEMONS

  • 2-3 whole organic (if possible) lemons
  • 2 T. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. sugar
  • 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 6 peppercorns
  • fresh lemon juice, as much as needed

Wash the lemons briefly but thoroughly in hot water. Cut off both ends, slice, de-seed, and chop into small pieces. Place lemon pieces in a lidded glass jar or bowl. Add the salt, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, and peppercorns. Cover and set on counter for at least 3 hours; refrigerate overnight.

The following day add enough fresh lemon juice to barely cover the lemon pieces. Cover container again, place back in the refrigerator, and walk away for at least 2 weeks. (Of course if you have absolutely no patience like me, which by the way is one of my greatest failings, you can finally chop up a bit of the lemon, or use a bit of the brine before the 2 weeks is up. After all, it’s your kitchen and no one will be the wiser. But truly, waiting is the best course of action.)

Preserved lemons should be fine in your refrigerator for up to 6 months. (Like they’re going to last that long – Just sayin’)

Black garlic is a type of aged garlic often used in Asian cuisine. It is made by heating whole heads of regular old fashioned store bought garlic slowly over the course of 10 to 20 days. The taste is earthy and somewhat similar to roasted garlic, but with sweet and syrupy hints of balsamic vinegar and molasses. Much more mellow than raw or cooked garlic. The texture is kind of sticky and spongy like you would imagine if it were a clove of garlic disguised as a black gummy bear. (At least that’s what it reminds me of. Not the flavor of course, but the texture and appearance.)

Black garlic is rich in phytonutrients and disease-fighting compounds. It also contributes to other health benefits including anti-inflammatory effects, immune system support, and improved cardiovascular function, plus it’s packed with antioxidants. Black garlic is perfect in salads, pastas, sauces for various meats, ice cream (just kidding), and any other dish that would benefit from a mellow, kind of sweet essence of garlic. In other words – it’s a perfect ingredient!

Preserved Lemons are fresh lemons preserved in salt and lemon juice. (Or in the case of my made-up recipe, a couple of additional ingredients.) Great in Moroccan dishes and any savory recipe calling for lemon zest/rind or lemon juice. Perfect in salads, salad dressings, pasta dishes, main dishes, you name it!