Category Archives: PORK RECIPES

CARIBBEAN PORK STEW

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We recently were invited to our good friends Tim and Susie’s home for an “after gig” dinner party. And Susie fixed just an amazing Caribbean dinner for us. And the main dish she served was a pork stew. So based on the gist of the recipe Susie gave me that evening, I immediately went on line and found (I’m pretty sure) the recipe she used. (Sometimes I get tired of bugging my friends for their recipes, so I just wing it.)

Anyway, the recipe below adapted from Cooking Light magazine, Valerie’s Kitchen blog, and brought to life by Susie is so melt in your mouth good as to be worthy of a literary mention, in say, a modern romance novel. And because I have an active imagination and sometimes (sometimes?!?!) can’t help myself, the first couple of paragraphs in this fictitious novel might read something like this:

“Kathryn could not have known on that late summer afternoon how the delicious smell of her Caribbean pork stew would completely turn her life around. As the stew quietly bubbled away in the slow cooker on the counter under her open kitchen window, she was completely unaware that a change in her life was in the wind. And even though the late afternoon was hot, quiet, and heavy with languor, tiny whiffs of the stew’s delicious aroma somehow found their way through her new neighbor Jeffrey’s open den window.

Jeffrey, who had lost his wife to his best friend a couple of years before, had only lived in his new home for a month. He had moved because everything in his old neighborhood had reminded him of how he had been deceived by the two people he had trusted most in life. He had needed to put his former life far behind. He had seen Kathryn come and go from her house and of course had noticed how beautiful she was. He also knew that she had been recently widowed. His realtor had been eager to share that tidbit of information when he was showing Jeffrey the house. But Jeffrey wasn’t looking for love. In fact he had no desire to ever again become involved with a gorgeous woman. But that afternoon, as he sat at his desk putting the final touches on the article he was writing, he sensed that there was something different in the air. He couldn’t quite define what it was that had awakened his senses. But he knew for a fact, that whatever it was, it was emanating from his neighbor’s home.”

So if you too want to awaken the senses of your family and friends, prepare this dish for them. It has a bit of heat to it, but it’s not overpowering. Just delicious. And thanks again Tim and Susie for another wonderful meal at your home and of course, your friendship.

(And lest you worry, I have no intention of becoming a romance novel writer.)

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 lbs. lean pork, cut into bite sized pieces (a boneless pork roast is perfect)
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper (lots)
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 2 lg. red bell peppers, chopped
  • 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 T. hoisin sauce
  • 2 T. lower-sodium GF Tamari or regular soy sauce
  • juice of one large, soft lime
  • 2 T. creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 c. chicken broth
  • basmati rice, cooked according to package directions or follow the recipe below
  • lime wedges

Add oil to a large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add pork, salt, and pepper and sauté until the cubes are dark brown. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Place browned pork and garlic, red bell pepper, and green onions in an electric slow cooker coated with cooking spray.

Combine hoisin sauce, Tamari, lime juice, peanut butter, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, and chicken broth in a small bowl. Pour mixture over the pork and stir well to combine.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Reduce heat to LOW, and cook for 90 minutes or until pork is fork tender. (Check after about an hour.)

Serve over rice with lime wedges.

BASMATI RICE

  • 2 c. basmati rice
  • 1 T. unsalted butter
  • 3 1/3 c. water
  • 34/ tsp. kosher salt

Rinse rice in a fine mesh sieve under cold water until water runs clear. Drain well. Melt butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat; add rice and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Scoop into your rice cooker. Add water and salt. Turn rice cooker on “go”. When rice cooker turns off, rice is done. Let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.

No rice cooker?  Rinse rice in a fine mesh sieve under cold water until water runs clear. Drain well. Melt butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat; add rice and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in water and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.

 

PORK AND GREENS WITH NOODLES

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This is one of those quick and easy recipes that is perfect for weeknights. (Of course you can also serve it on the weekend, but because of its ease of preparation, I tend to think of it as an “I’m too tired to really cook” kind of weeknight dish.) I mean really, when you analyze the ingredients, you have all the essential elements associated with dinner. You’ve got your meat, your starch, and your veggies. The only difference is that they are all combined in one neat little package. So while your family might feel slighted by only one item present on the dinner table, you can relax knowing you have covered all the bases. And truly, aren’t some nights just all about you! I mean – you’ve fed them right? And something really tasty too. So I say “get over it family and cut the poor cook some slack”!

Of course, if the gilt really becomes too much for you – throw a couple of cookies and a bowl of ice cream at them after dinner. (And no, they don’t have to be a home baked cookies. I am not the food Nazi, and I promise not to report you to Betty Crocker.)

So next time you get the urge to just go home and lock yourself in your room and to heck with feeding your hungry masses, stop at the store on your way home from work. (You know the little darlings have to be fed, so this is your way of feeding the troops, and still getting to bed early.) Pick up a couple thick, lean pork chops, a package of pre-washed greens, and any other ingredients for this dish that you don’t already have on hand. Then beat feet home, change your clothes, pour yourself a libation, and prepare my version of Martha Rose Shulman’s recipe for Stir-Fried Pork and Green with Noodles. Then relax and enjoy your meal. You’ve fulfilled your “food” obligation and in fine style too.  

One thing more – don’t forget the cookies and ice cream while you’re at the store.     

  • 2 T. vegetable oil, divided 
  • ½ lb. lean pork, cut in very thin strips
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 T. minced fresh ginger
  • pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • about 1 lb. Swiss chard, beet greens, turnip greens, spinach, or kale stemmed and washed very well  
  • 2 T. low sodium Tamari or soy sauce
  • ¼ c. chicken stock or water  
  • 8 oz. Japanese somen noodles, wide rice vermicelli, or Chinese egg noodles cooked al dente
  • ¼ c. thinly sliced green onions, garnish

Heat a large, heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat until hot enough to evaporate a drop of water on contact. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and add the pork; stir fry for about 2 minutes or until the pork is just barely cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.  

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes to the pan. Cook for about one minute or until the garlic releases its aroma. Stir in the greens and stir fry until mostly wilted. Add the Tamari and chicken stock. Cook for about a minute. Add the cooked noodles and reserved pork; stir together until heated through. Adjust seasoning, sprinkle with green onions, and serve immediately.

 

HAM, KALE, AND CANNELLINI BEAN SOUP

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I know, I know! I already have several smoked piggy, greens, and dried bean soup recipes on my blog. Can you guess why? Got it in one. I LOVE BEAN SOUP! And if the soup is reasonably inexpensive to prepare, is low in fat, contains nutritious veggies, some sort of meat as well as the dried beans, I am well on my way to nirvana. Add a couple 3 toasted baguette slices and dinner is ready! (Which is another compelling reason to prepare and serve soup. It’s really a complete meal unto itself when accompanied by some form of cracker or bread.)  

So yesterday morning when I was up to my elbows in dill pickle brine and German chocolate cake batter, (not the same recipe you realize), I got to thinking about what to fix for dinner. And calling to me from the refrigerator was a small hunk of ham and some kale that dearly needed to be eaten. Soon the cannellini beans in the pantry were offering their two bits to the conversation. So not being one to ignore what three of my favorite ingredients have to say, I jumped at the chance to write a new recipe. And the simplest preparation I could think of which included these three darling ingredients was soup.

So what you have below is the result. And considering that I was very busy in the kitchen all day yesterday working mainly with ingredients that have no relationship to a bean soup, you are darn lucky the recipe doesn’t include cucumbers or melted chocolate! Enjoy  

  • 2 c. dried cannellini, small Navy, or Great Northern beans OR 3 (15-oz.) cans cannellini or white beans, rinsed and drained (see recipe variation)
  • 8 c. water
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1½ c. diced ham
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-2 T. fresh minced sage or 1-2 tsp. dried sage
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 c. (2 qt.) chicken broth
  • 6 c. chopped kale

In a covered sauce pan, add the dry beans and water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for at least 2 hours. Or cover the beans with water and let sit in the refrigerator overnight. In both cases, drain and rinse the beans before adding to the soup.

Heat the olive oil in a large covered pan over medium-high heat. Add the ham, onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the onion is translucent. And the garlic, sage, bay leaf, salt, and pepper; cook for 1 minute, or until the sage and garlic are fragrant. Add the chicken broth and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered for about 1½ hours or until the beans are tender. Stir occasionally. Add kale and cook for about 3 minutes or until the kale is wilted. Adjust seasoning.

Serve with crusty baguette slices that have been toasted. (I like to drizzle the baguette slices with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with finely ground Parmesan cheese before placing in the oven to toast at 425 degrees for about 7 minutes.)

Variation using canned beans:

Heat oil in a large covered pan over medium-high heat. Add ham, onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the onion is translucent. And the garlic, sage, bay leaf, salt, and pepper; cook for 1 minute, or until the sage and garlic are fragrant. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered for about 30 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Add the beans and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add kale and cook for about 3 minutes or until the kale is wilted. Adjust seasoning.

Serve with crusty baguette slices that have been toasted. (I like to drizzle the baguette slices with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with finely ground Parmesan cheese before placing in the oven to toast at 425 degrees for about 7 minutes.)

 

TÖLTÖTT KÁPOSZTA (HUNGARIAN MEAT AND RICE STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS)

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There are several ingredients seemingly indigenous to Hungarian cuisine that are among my favorites. I love the flavor of paprika, adore sour cream and dill, and think caraway is fabulous. So when I can prepare a dish that contains all of these favorites, I know I am going to be in culinary heaven.

So when I decided I wanted to update my 40 year old recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls, I kept each of these ingredients in mind as I concocted my new version of this Hungarian classic.

While I was at it, I also wanted my cabbage rolls to be low in fat and reasonably easy to prepare. And to be made with fairly inexpensive ingredients. I also wanted a dish that even people like my husband, who are not as fond of cruciferous vegetables as I am, to be able to enjoy the dish and even look forward to eating it again.

So this recipe is my take on Töltött káposzta. And for all of you out there who have lovely Hungarian grandmothers who would be deeply offended by my use of sour cream in the sauce rather than as just a garnishment, who would not be caught dead not including sauerkraut or smoked pork shank in their version, I humbly offer my apologies. But as in all things, it’s really just all about me. And of course, what can you expect from a person who has only French and German blood running through her veins? Remember: not everyone is lucky or smart enough to be born with a Hungarian grandmother. (Next time around, I will be smart enough to get my request in early for an Italian mother and a Hungarian father. Or visa/versa would be fine too.)

If you need more apology than the aforesaid, please ask your grandmother to contact me personally! Speaking of which, don’t hesitate to “leave a reply” if you like a recipe or want to share some insight into the recipe with me. If your comment is not too derogatory, I will gladly add your comment to the blog for all the world to see. Thanks and I hope you enjoy this recipe. Oh, and also – Happy Spring! Yea sunshine!

  • 1 small head green cabbage
  • ¼ c. long grain rice
  • 1 c. water 
  • 1 T. vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp. marjoram
  • ½ tsp. caraway seeds
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper  
  • 3 T. sweet Hungarian paprika, divided (and yes, use real Hungarian paprika)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 lb. ground pork*
  • 1 lb. ground beef*
  • 1 small can (14-oz.) chopped skinless tomatoes plus juice (canned Italian tomatoes are the best)
  • 1 c. sour cream, plus more for passing at the table
  • fresh dill weed, garnish, opt.

Remove core from cabbage with a paring knife. Place whole head in a large pot filled with boiling, salted water. Reduce heat and simmer the cabbage until leaves are softened enough to pull off individually. Then using a pair of tongs, gently remove the leaves as they become tender and set aside to drain/cool. (Don’t worry if you tear a leaf. It will mend during the baking process. Well, it won’t really mend, but once anyone takes a bite, believe me, no one will notice any tiny presentation imperfections!) Save the cabbage water for use later on in the recipe.    

Meanwhile place the rice and 1 cup of water in a small covered pan and bring to a boil.  Stir, reduce heat, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, remove lid, and set aside to cool. (If you have leftover rice, by all means use it.)  

While the cabbage leaves cool, place the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and gently sauté for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool. When cooled, add the marjoram, caraway seeds, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon of the Hungarian paprika, and the eggs. Mix thoroughly. Add the partially cooked rice, ground meat, and combine just until the spice/onion mixture is evenly distributed throughout the meat. (Clean hands are your best tool for this process. Note: take your rings off first!) Place a handful of the meat mixture inside each cabbage leaf and wrap up like a burrito. Place folded side down in a lightly greased deep sided casserole or baking dish.

In the empty frying pan (I hate to make more dishes dirty than necessary), whisk together the tomatoes, remaining 2 tablespoons of paprika, 1 cup sour cream, salt and pepper to taste, and 1 cup of the reserved cabbage cooking water. Pour over the cabbage rolls and tightly cover the pan with foil. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 90 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 45-60 minutes or until the sauce is almost gone. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before serving with a nice rustic bread, baked Yukon gold potatoes or garlic mashed potatoes, and additional sour cream and fresh dill as garnishes.

*If you want to use another pound of ground beef instead of ground pork – go for it. You could also substitute ground chicken or turkey with wonderful results.

 

CREAMY PASTA WITH PANCETTA AND PEAS

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Usually when I make a creamy sauce, I use cream. Sounds reasonable, right? But in an effort to reduce the number of calories and amount of fat in the dishes I prepare, I decided to use chicken stock and 2% milk instead of cream when I prepared this dish last evening. (OK, I did use 2 tablespoons of butter, but that’s just a fraction of the amount I normally would use!) So of course the resulting product was not as rich as a regular Alfredo sauce. (How could it be without a half cup of butter and 2 cups of heavy cream?) But regardless, it was still quite delicious. And without all the fat, it just had a fresher taste to it. Perhaps it was because the other ingredients were forced to shine on their own without relying on the cream to carry the day.

Whatever the reason, we were very happy to chomp away on this pasta sans the guilty feeling we usually experience when we are eating a creamy pasta dish. Not to say, we won’t ever eat a true Alfredo again. But I think I will be adapting my other standard Alfredo type dishes too, so that we can enjoy them more often without our cholesterol numbers shooting into the stratosphere!

And the first one I am going to adapt is one of our favorite pasta recipes – Chicken and Broccoli Fettuccine. So look for this recipe in the near future. And for those of you who have no cholesterol worries or don’t ever have to concern yourself with putting on weight, I will also post the “real” recipe. Which just happens to be Derek and Rebecca’s (two of my grandchildren) favorite food. (Poor kids. They unfortunately inherited their grandmother’s love of sauces.)

So if you too love pasta with a creamy sauce, give this dish a try. It takes no time to whip up. And I’m sure your whole family will love it. And miss all those calories in a traditional Alfredo sauce? I think not!

  • 2 T. unsalted butter, divided
  • ½ c. diced pancetta
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 2 T. dry white wine
  • 2 T. flour
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • pinch ground nutmeg
  • ¾ c. chicken broth
  • ¾ c. milk (I use 2%)
  • 8-oz. penne pasta, cooked al dente (keep some of the cooking water*)
  • ½ c. uncooked frozen petite peas, thawed
  • ½ c. finely grated parmesan cheese + more for passing (or use part Parmesan and part Pecorino Romano)
  • 2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large fry pan. Add the pancetta and fry until crisp. Remove the pancetta from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the garlic to the pan. Cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until no liquid remains. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the flour. Whisk together and cook for about 2 minutes.  Add the salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, nutmeg, chicken broth, and milk; stirring until the sauce boils and thickens. Remove from heat and add the cooked pasta, peas, cooked pancetta, ½ cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add some of the pasta cooking water if the sauce seems too thick. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese.

Please note: If doubling the recipe, use only 3 tablespoons of flour, but double all the remaining ingredients.

*Something I had thought for a long time just came out as being accurate. You really don’t need to use seemingly gallons of water when you cook pasta. In fact, you only need to use enough so that the pasta has room to expand and not stick together. This not only saves water and energy, but the resulting cooking water has a higher percentage of residual starch, which makes it perfect for adding to the sauce if more liquid and/or thickening is required. For more information, search Serious Eats; The Food Lab; A new way to cook pasta?

 

 

 

GRILLADES (CAJUN MEAT STEW) AND CHEESE GRITS

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Until I read the latest issue of Southern Living, I had never heard of Grillades. (Remember, I live in the Northwest corner of the US, so dishes like Grillades are not indigenous to our area.) But through the years I have learned to absolutely adore many of the dishes that have their roots in the South. (Thus my subscription to Southern Living!) So when I read the ingredients in the Grillades recipe, I was hooked immediately.

Grillades (pronounced ɡree-yahds) is a kind of meat stew typical of French regional and Cajun cooking. And at least in Cajun country, Grillades is most often served with grits. And since I am a true believer in the merits of grits, you can bet your best Squirrel Perlo recipe that if grits are even mentioned in conjunction with any given dish, I will be fixing them too!

So yesterday I decided it was the perfect day to tackle Grillades. But as some of you know, I almost never try a recipe until I have researched other recipes for the same dish. Especially if the dish is one that I have not previously tasted. I simply like to read what other cooks have included or excluded in their recipes so that I can better judge what might work best for our tastes. As a result, I didn’t change a thing in the Southern Living seasoning mix recipe. (Well that’s not entirely true. I did reduce the amount of cayenne from 1½ teaspoons to ½ teaspoon because I thought the original amount might be just too spicy for me. And I’m glad I did. The amount of cayenne I used was perfect for both of us.)

I did however change a couple of amounts and cooking methods from the magazine recipe based on other recipes I perused. For example, I changed thinly sliced pork to pork cubes. (Much easier to deal with.) But all in all, the recipe is basically as reported in the September 2015 edition of Southern Living.

Now comes the best part. When we sat down to dinner last evening, and each of us took our first bite, almost simultaneously we looked at each other and uttered the same three little words. OMG! We both exclaimed that this dish was one of the best things we had ever tasted.

So if you too are fans of Cajun cuisine, you have simply got to try this recipe. It is an all time winner at Chez Carr.

  • 7 tsp. Creole Seasoning Mix for Grillades, divided (see recipe below)
  • 2 lbs. boneless pork roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
  • 7 T. vegetable oil
  • 1 med. yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 c. chopped celery
  • 1 lg. green bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 lg. garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 3 c. beef or chicken broth
  • ½ c. dry red wine
  • 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • hot cooked Cheese Grits (see recipe below)

Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix on all sides of the pork cubes in a large bowl. In a gallon size freezer bag combine ½ cup of the flour and another 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mix together. Add pork to bag (don’t wash the bowl) and shake until all the cubes are coated.

Heat oil in a large heavy covered Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork, and fry for about 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. (You will probably need to fry the pork in 2 batches.) Using a pair of tongs, transfer the browned pork back to the bowl where you coated the meat originally and reserve the drippings in the Dutch oven.

Sprinkle remaining ½ cup flour over drippings. Cook over high heat, whisking constantly, about 4 minutes or until mixture is medium brown. Immediately add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic, and stir with a wooden spoon until well blended. Add bay leaves and the remaining 4 teaspoons of seasoning mix. Reduce heat slightly and continue cooking, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes.

Add the broth to vegetable mixture, stirring until well incorporated. Add wine, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and browned pork; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring often, about 90 minutes or until the meat is tender. Midway through, taste to check seasoning. Add additional salt and/or seasoning mix to taste. (I had to add more salt to mine.) Just before serving, remove bay leaves.

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To serve, ladle a large serving of Grillades into a shallow bowl. Add a heaping spoonful of Cheese Grits on top and to the side. Serve immediately. (At our home, this is a meal unto itself. Nothing else to eat required. Of course a nice glass of wine to go with the Grillades is always welcome. Mr. C. recommends a hearty Cabernet-Sauvignon.)

CREOLE SEASONING MIX FOR GRILLADES

  • 1½ tsp. onion powder
  • 1½ tsp. granulated garlic
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. white pepper
  • 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • ½ tsp. dry mustard
  • ½ tsp. dried thyme
  • ½-1½ tsp. cayenne (depends on how much heat you like or can tolerate)
  • ½ tsp. gumbo file

Combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight container.

CHEESE GRITS

  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 5 c. water
  • 1 c. hominy grits (I use Quaker brand Quick cooking grits)
  • 3 T. unsalted butter
  • 2 T. cream cheese
  • ¼ c. grated Gruyère, Swiss, or Edam cheese

In a large saucepan over high heat, bring salt and water to a boil. Slowly whisk in the grits. Reduce the heat to low; cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the grits don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. (Grits are done when they have the consistency of smooth cream of wheat.) Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, cream cheese, and grated Gruyère. Season with salt to taste and serve warm.

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PORK TENDERLOIN WITH A DIJON COGNAC CREAM SAUCE

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I’ve always said I loved pork, so here goes with yet another recipe for pork tenderloin.

To my mind, pork tenderloin is the gourmet meat of the masses. For the two of us in our golden years (whatever that means), one pork tenderloin is the perfect amount for 2 meals. So when I can buy a 4 pack of tenderloins at Costco for just under $20, that’s enough meat for at least 8 meals. That is really, really good, both cost wise and not coincidentally, nutrition wise.

What I like best about pork tenderloin, aside from the fact that it’s a delicious and tender cut of meat, is that it is extremely versatile. You can prepare it almost any old way. Plus nutritionally, it’s a good source of riboflavin (essential for metabolic energy production), phosphorus (a major component of bone), zinc (constituent of insulin and involved with the sense of smell), thiamin (necessary for normal neural activity and carbohydrate metabolism), niacin (helps lower cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood), vitamin B6 (essential for metabolism of amino acids and starch), selenium (vital to immune system function), choline (helps in the synthesis and transport of lipids), magnesium (needed for nerve signaling, the building of healthy bones, and normal muscle contraction), potassium (regulate blood pressure and normal water balance), and of course, a great source of protein (energy source and essential component of muscle, skin, and bone).

Now I know the above mini treatise is probably more information than you ever wanted to know about a simple piece of meat. But sometimes I get so darned excited about an ingredient that I just can’t help educating you as I educate myself.

But truthfully, I feel every good cook should be excited about pork tenderloin. (Caveat: If pork is prohibited in your diet for religious reasons, then you shouldn’t be reading this post anyway, so I don’t expect to get any disagreement from you!) As for the rest of you, if you haven’t previously prepared pork tenderloin, I firmly believe now is the time to give it a try. Just don’t over-cook it. The days of contracting trichinosis from eating under cooked pork went away at about the same time the Dodgers left Brooklyn! So don’t hesitate to cook your pork with a little pink still showing. (Proves you know what you’re doing in the kitchen.) And since pork is a very lean meat, if you over cook it, it tends to get tough.

And BTW, if you don’t believe me about it being OK to eat “under cooked” pork, please go onto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site for their OK. And if you don’t believe them, well then there’s nothing I or anyone else can do to lead you out of the dark ages. Wilmaaaaaaaa!!!

  • 1 room temperature pork tenderloin, trimmed of all fat and silver skin, and patted dry with paper towels
  • 3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 T. whole grain Dijon mustard
  • 1 T. coarse ground Dijon mustard (Grey Poupon calls it “Country Dijon”)
  • 1 T. butter
  • 1 med. shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 T. drained whole capers
  • 2 T. cognac
  • 2/3 c. whipping cream
  • 1 T. chopped fresh parsley, divided

On a shallow sided small baking pan, slather the pork tenderloin with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover the entire surface with a mixture of the whole grain and coarse ground mustards.

Heat the butter and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan until little bubbles start to appear. Add the coated tenderloin (don’t wash the small baking pan) and fry until the mustard grains are dark brown and the meat looks white. Remove from the frying pan and place back on the small baking pan. (Don’t clean the fry pan.)

Bake the tenderloin in a pre-heated 375 degree oven until the internal temp is 135-140 degrees, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a platter; tent with aluminum foil. Let the tenderloin sit at least 15 minutes before thinly slicing on the diagonal. (There should be a little pink when you cut the meat. That’s good!) Also, pour any juices that gathered while the tenderloin was resting into the sauce.

Meanwhile add the shallots to the fry pan over medium heat and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in the capers and cognac. When all the liquid has evaporated, stir in the heavy cream. Simmer until the sauce is thickened. Adjust seasoning. Just before serving, stir in most of the fresh parsley.

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(Save a tad bit to sprinkle on top of the plated meat.) Plate the tenderloin, garnish with a small amount of the sauce, and top with the remaining fresh parsley. Serve immediately. Pass the remaining sauce.

 

 

SPICED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH COGNAC SAUCE

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You know, pork tenderloin is just a wonderful and efficient piece of meat. And I love it because not only is it flavorful, it’s terribly versatile. I can BBQ it, braise it, bake it, fry it, sauce it, you name it. It cooks in a heartbeat and tastes like a million dollars. And it can be purchased in a four pack at Costco for a reasonable price. (Yes!)

But of course the main reason I love it – its pork! And I have yet to find any pig products that I don’t like. (Actually there are a couple of piggy products I can’t abide, pickled pig’s feet and fried pork rinds, but I have conveniently chosen to consider them inedible and therefore non pig related.)

So when I wanted a new pork tenderloin recipe to serve at our upcoming cooking club dinner, I stumbled on to this recipe. A short note: In our cooking club, there are four couples. And in the case of the other three couples, it’s the guys who are the passionate cooks. (Not meaning that the ladies are not good cooks too, just that they are not the ones who tend to gravitate to the kitchen like mice do to cheese.) And these guys are especially great when it comes to big hunks of grilled and/or smoked meat and seafood. So not being a taco short of a combination plate, I know better than to try and compete with these guys in the grilled meat arena. (Not that the club is a competition, because it’s not. I simply know my limitations, and therefore stick to the dishes I know how best to prepare. It’s called self-preservation!)

So in preparation for the meal this weekend, I fixed this recipe last evening for just Mr. C and me. Well, it was a wonderful success. I also found another recipe that I thought sounded delicious, so I plan to try it out tomorrow night. If it’s as good as this recipe, I am going to have a very hard decision to make come Sunday morning. (And yes, I usually try new recipes out on guests without first having prepared the recipe. But with this formidable group coming for dinner Sunday evening, the meat and side dishes need to be perfect. So along with the tenderloin, I’m serving one of my favorites – Gruyère Cheese Soufflé. Recipe to be posted in the next few days.)

And in case you’re worried about me becoming too circumspect when serving these guests (or any other guests for that matter) I’m going to try a new bread recipe on Sunday that I found on the Cooking Light web site. The brioche baked in muffin tins recipe caught my eye immediately because the dough is prepared one day and baked off the next. (My favorite way to prepare bread when time is limited and there are other dishes to prepare.)

So wish me luck on the new brioche recipe as well as the other two dishes I am going to prepare. If the bread recipe work out and the rolls are delicious, I’ll be posting the recipe in the near future. And I hope you enjoy this wonderful, slightly modified recipe from the Taste of Home website. It’s just amazingly delicious and easy as can be to prepare.

  • ½ c. Cognac or bourbon
  • ¼ c. packed brown sugar
  • 3 T. white wine vinegar
  • 3 T. tamari soy sauce (I use GF tamari)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp. chili powder
  • ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp. ground allspice
  • 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
  • pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 room temperature pork tenderloin, silver skin and fat removed, cut into 12 slices and slightly flattened with your fingers

In a small saucepan, combine the Cognac or bourbon, brown sugar, vinegar, Tamari, garlic, and pepper. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until liquid is reduced to about ½ cup, stirring occasionally.

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Meanwhile, combine the chili powder, cinnamon, allspice and salt; rub over pork slices.

In a large non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook pork over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or until tender. (Pork should still be slightly pink.) Serve with sauce.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH MUSTARD CORNICHON CREAM SAUCE (PORC NOISETTES AVEC CHARCUTIÈRE SAUCE)

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Well as you can see, I am still on my French food kick. And will be for the next few blog posts. But I’m thinking you probably aren’t minding my foray into French cuisine, because if you too live in a rural area there are undoubtedly no French restaurants anywhere near you either. For us, there is a wonderful bistro in Arlington, (Bistro Sam Martin) about 45 minutes away. (Not really French cuisine, more world inspired regional cuisine.) And although we would love to eat there on a regular basis (the food is outstanding), it’s just a little out of our price range as a regular place to dine. (It’s one of our “special occasion” places.) So that leaves it up to me to go back to my French lineage and fix dishes that evoke wonderful memories of meals I have previously enjoyed. Or try out new dishes like this wonderful pork tenderloin recipe that I adapted from the Flavor Mosaic blog.

Actually, that brings up a question about the food choices Americans are making these days. For every French restaurant (at least in the greater Puget Sound area) there must be 2,000 Mexican restaurants. Now, I am not putting down Mexican food, because I too love good Mexican food, but why aren’t there more French restaurants? There are plenty of good Italian restaurants (thank God), so Italian cuisine is alive and well. And Thai – we’ve got Thai coming out of our ears. But a good French restaurant? Nary a one for miles and miles. (It’s depressing, as far as I’m concerned!)

So since I happen to love French food, I guess my only recourse is to fix it myself. And of course, share what I learn with you. So come along all you latent Francophiles and we will travel to the land of Pâté, Pissaladière, Aligot, and Céleri Salade (to name a few) together.But hang on tight; it’s going to be a fast ride! (Fun too!)

Hope you enjoy this recipe.

  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small pork sirloin roast or 2 pork tenderloin, trimmed of all fat and silver skin
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 T. butter
  • 1 lg. shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ½ c. white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
  • 2 tsp. herbs de Provence
  • ½ c. heavy cream
  • 2 T. whole grain Dijon mustard (Maille brand is wonderful)
  • ½ tsp. regular Dijon mustard
  • 3-4 cornichons, not too finely chopped
  • 1-2 T. chopped fresh parsley, garnish, opt.

Pour the olive oil into a deep oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Dry off the sirloin or tenderloins and lightly season with salt and pepper. Place the seasoned pork in the skillet, turning it about every 2 to 3 minutes to brown on each side.

Place the roast in a preheated 325 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the pork reaches 135-140 degrees F. Remove from oven, move to a platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for at least 15 minutes. While the pork is resting, prepare the sauce in the same skillet as the pork was baked. (Don’t clean the pan first.)

Over medium heat, melt in the butter. Reduce heat and add the shallot and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Pour in the white wine and turn up to medium low. Cook until about half of the liquid is evaporated. Stir in the herbs de Provence and a small amount of black pepper. Reduce heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, mustards, and chopped cornichons. Adjust seasonings. (Not too much salt.) Let burble for a few minutes over very low heat. (The flavor doesn’t really develop until the sauce has cooked for a few minutes and thickens.)

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When ready to serve, slice the tenderloin on a cutting board and place on platter. Add any accumulated juices from the resting pork to the sauce. To serve, drizzle a small amount of sauce over the sliced pork and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.

BISCUITS WITH SAUSAGE GRAVY

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As promised, this is one of my retro dishes that I mentioned I would share with you. I make this every once in awhile because I love a good biscuit and gravy breakfast more than just about anything else I can set on my plate before 9:00a.m. And I am definitely not alone.

When it comes to biscuits and gravy, there are very few people I know who don’t break out in spontaneous giggles at the very mention of this tantalizing combination. OK, there are some who would never touch a biscuit, much less a cream gravy. But for those of us who once in a while allow ourselves a taste of heaven, this decadent yet exceedingly simple recipe has all the right components.

First of all, the gravy is high in fat. (Any mouth worth its teeth loves the feel of food rich in fat.) Then of course, this recipe is loaded with bad carbohydrates. (Who in their right mind doesn’t adore the taste of bad carbohydrates to begin with, and especially when they come presented so deliciously?) Then of course, there are the idle calories. (Who among us doesn’t put idle calories into our bodies once in a while when life gets rough or we feel the need to celebrate?) The only thing this delightful combination doesn’t have going for it is an over abundance of refined sugar. (But no recipe’s perfect!)

So next time you feel the need to celebrate life or treat your family and friends to one of life’s little guilty pleasures, or just go wild and do something fairly innocuous for which you will still probably hate yourself the next morning, bake a batch of biscuits (see my recipe for Buttermilk Biscuits on this site) and stir yourself up some sausage gravy. Then sit back and savor every single solitary morsel of fat, bad carbohydrate and empty calorie. After all, we only have one life to live and once in a while it just feels good to break all the nutritional rules and simply enjoy the moment. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it! Cheers!

  • 2 T. butter, divided
  • 1 lb. bulk breakfast sausage, either pork or chicken – as lean as possible (if you buy breakfast sausage from a good butcher shop it will be leaner than Johnsonville or Jimmy Dean, for example)
  • 3 T. flour
  • 1½ c. milk, plus more if needed (I use 2% milk because the gravy is rich enough without using whole milk, half & half, or cream)
  • 1½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp. dried thyme
  • ¼ tsp. seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper (not too much)
  • fresh parsley, garnish, opt.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium sized pan. Add sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, and fry until good and caramelized. (That means it’s a nice dark brown and there are tasty meat bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.) Add the remaining butter to the pan and whisk in the flour lifting the browned bits off the bottom as you stir the mixture. Let burble for a couple of minutes. Slowly pour in the milk and Worcestershire sauce (gently whisking the entire time) and when thoroughly blended add the thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (The sauce will thicken nicely during this time.) Add milk if the consistency is too thick.

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When ready to serve, adjust the seasoning and serve dolloped over warm biscuits and sprinkled very lightly with fresh parsley.