Category Archives: PORK RECIPES

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.

PORK CHOP AND BROWN RICE BAKE

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OK, either I’m getting lazy, old (nah) or there are just too many exciting things to do in the summer for me to spend long hours in the kitchen. (I know you can’t believe I am actually writing this down for the entire culinary world to read. But none-the-less, it’s true! Patti Carr, the person who loves to cook more than attending hot yoga kick-boxing classes, avoids long hours in the kitchen at this time of year as if the area was plague infested. And if truth be known, I don’t even appreciate going to the grocery store when it’s beautiful outside.)

But, as crazy as it sounds, it’s usually summer when I come up with some of my best recipe ideas. My inventive juices really start to flow, when, like yesterday morning, I knew I was going to be busy all day long. (I wanted to watch at least 2 of the World Cup games, grout a mosaic piece, and post my recipe for Hunk of Beef Chili on this blog.)

So, not having the time or inclination to drive to the grocery store, I paid a visit to my local freezer to see what delectable ingredient presented itself to me. What I found were 2 thick pork chops. I immediately placed the chops on defrost mode.

So while I was grouting my new vase, I thought about how I could prepare these 2 little beauties. I knew I had about 20 minutes to do my prep work, and that whatever concoction I came up with had to include about 2 hours in the oven while I watched the US/Ghana game that started at 3:00pm. (We won BTW!) I also knew that Mr. C. had to be out of the house by 6:00pm for an evening rehearsal. So that left me almost no time after the match to do any real cooking. (Does this time pressure thing I’m describing sound all too familiar? If so, this is the recipe for you!)

So I came up with this simple and pretty darn tasty recipe. Like many of the dishes I dream up, this one includes fairly simple ingredients. And yes, there is the little step of baking the chops for 2 hours and 15 minutes.  So for many of you this recipe is probably not going to help you out on a weeknight. But come Saturday or Sunday, between doing loads of laundry, changing all the bed linen, cleaning the bathrooms, etc. etc., find a few minutes to whip up this dish and tuck it safely in the oven while you continue slaving away. Then when all your work is done (like housework is ever really done!), whip up a simple salad, pull the chops and rice out of the oven, slice up a crunchy baguette, open a bottle of nice wine, and look like the local hero to your family and friends. And, if by some unforeseen chance your family and friends start calling you “Martha”, take it as a compliment. Of course, if your name actually is Martha, then that’s a whole different matter. I have no advice if that’s the case. Enjoy!

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 thick bone-in pork chops
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 can mushroom soup
  • ¾ c. water
  • ½ c. low fat sour cream
  • ½ c. chopped onion
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/3 c. Madeira
  • ¼ tsp. dried thyme
  • slightly rounded ½ c. uncooked brown rice
  • paprika

Heat the oil in a medium sized covered fry pan. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt and heavily with pepper. Fry the chops until golden brown on both sides. Meanwhile, combine the soup, water, sour cream, onion, Worcestershire, Madeira, thyme, and brown rice. When the chops are brown, pour the rice mixture over the chops. Cover the pan and bake in a pre-heated 275 degree oven for 2 hours. Remove the lid, sprinkle with paprika, and return uncovered to the oven for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven and cool for about 4 minutes before serving.

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Note: this recipe can easily be doubled, tripled ad nauseam……………..

RED (ROJO) POSOLE WITH PORK

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Something you should know about me is that I am a wuss, at least when it comes to really hot (as in spicy) food. I can’t, for example, go into an Indian or Thai restaurant and order a dish with 5 stars. Yikes, I might end up in a hospital if I ever went that far. But a nice polite 2 stars is quite alright with me. You see, I have this old fashioned belief that a person should actually be able to taste the ingredients in a dish, not just consume a mouth full of fire. (I know, how “yesterday” is that?)

But seriously, when you add too much “hot” to a dish, you might as well be eating Kibbles and Bits for all the actual ingredients matter. And I have listened to people order incredible dishes that feature prawns or lobster for example, pay an arm and a leg for the privilege, and then tell their waiter they want a 4.5 or 5 star spice level. Now if they told me they could actually taste either of those two costly ingredients, I would stand right up and yell “liar, liar, pants on fire” at them, even in the most prestigious of restaurants! (I have my standards to uphold, after all.)

So when I tell you that this dish is amazing in the fact that it is spicy, but all of the ingredients are featured players and that this dish is not the least bit too spicy, I want you to trust me. This is one of the dishes I firmly believe God sent us to prove that chilies were at the top of his list when he thought of how best to flavor food. And really, isn’t flavor what it’s all about? Granted, there are those who merely eat to stay alive. But most of us stay alive to eat! What better reason, after all? Oh well, there might be better reasons, but this a cooking blog, after all! I’m not advocating storge (look it up), I’m touting good flavorful food!

So whatever you do, give this recipe a try. It’s low in fat, and a complete meal unto itself. And like I said, the flavor is simply amazing! I mean really, would I share it with you if it weren’t amazing? People, you know me better than that!

  • 2 (15-oz.) cans drained and rinsed hominy or ½ c. dried white corn posole (hominy)*  
  • 20 dried chiles de arbol, stems and seeds removed and cut up with a scissors
  • 2 dried ancho chiles or 1 guajillo chili (or a combination), stems and seeds removed and cut up with a scissors
  • 1 c. boiling water
  • 6 cloves garlic finely chopped, divided
  • kosher salt
  • 1½  lbs. boneless pork chops or pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 T. corn or vegetable oil
  • 1 large white onion, chopped (save a small amount to use as a garnish)
  • 8 c. water
  • 8 tsp. Knorr Caldo de Pollo (chicken flavor bouillon- located in the ethnic food section of most grocery stores – yellow label, green lid) or regular chicken stock
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 T. dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
  • 2 small bay leaves
  • 2 avocados, diced, opt.
  • radish slices, opt.
  • lime wedges, opt.
  • warm flour or corn tortillas, opt.

*Use canned hominy if in a hurry, but taste and texture are just not as good as when you start with dried posole.

If using dried hominy, place it in a non-reactive container and cover with water; soak overnight. Next day, boil in salted water for approximately 2-2½ hours or until tender. Drain.

Meanwhile, place the de-seeded and chopped chilies in a bowl and cover with the boiling water; soak until soft, about 30 minutes. When soft, carefully pour the chilies and soaking liquid into a blender or food processor. Add 1/3 of the chopped garlic and 1 teaspoon salt; blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pushing the sauce through with a rubber spatula; discard the solids. Set aside. (This sauce is very hot (as in spicy), so even the fumes can be overpowering. Be very careful handling this precious liquid. Think hazardous waste!)

Meanwhile, liberally sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper.  Heat the vegetable  oil in a Dutch oven or covered pot over medium heat. Add the pork and cook until browned on all sides. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining 4 cloves of chopped garlic and cook for about a minute.

Stir in the 8 cups water and chicken flavored bouillon (or 8 cups chicken broth), cumin, oregano, bay leaves, and ½ cup of the reserved chili sauce or more as desired. (If you are extremely sensitive to spicy food, you might actually want to start with ¼ cup of the hot sauce.) Bring the stew to a boil, partially cover pan, reduce heat and maintain at a simmer until meat is tender, about 1½ hours.

Stir in the hominy (either canned or re-hydrated dry posole) and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the pork starts falling apart, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.  Adjust seasoning and serve with avocado, reserved chopped onion, radish slices, remaining chili sauce, and warm tortillas. Oh yes, and a nice cold beer is great with the posole too!

Note: This recipe is my interpretation of the recipe for Posole Rojo on the Food Network site. (A great site BTW.)

 

 

 

CARNE ADOVADA (MEXICAN PORK AND RED CHILI STEW)

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When I started my latest mini-series on stews, the rain was beating down and snow was imminent. Today however, the sun is shining, the water in Port Susan Bay is a light dusky blue, and Mt. Baker*, Three Fingers, and Glacier Peak are out in all their glory. (I love the term “out” in connection with a mountain being visible. As if when it’s not visible it’s “in” or “gone”? Yet another example of the vagary consistent within the English language.) But back to the recipe. (Sometimes it’s almost impossible for me to stay on track.) Now, where was I? Ah yes – stew.

I came across this recipe (or my take on a combination of adovada recipes) while I was researching stews from around the world. What interested me the most about this dish was the use of different and totally unfamiliar chilies. So I went on line and ordered the chilies I needed from a specialty site. I patiently waited until they arrived, and taking the advice of several people who had made comments on the recipes I lifted, I began my journey into adovada land. It was wonderful, but I had used all the guajillo chilies I had ordered in just my first batch of this stew. So just for grins and giggles I decided to see if I could purchase more at one of my local grocery stores. Low and behold, I had no trouble finding them in Stanwood. Yeah team! Needless to say I was delighted.

Now something you should know. This is a very rich stew, and a small portion goes a long way. In fact, the next time I serve it, I am going to think of it as a side dish. Actually, a small serving would be just perfect, not to mention economical served with Refried Beans, Classic Coleslaw, warm flour or corn tortillas, and a Margarita or cold beer.

So next time you are hungry for traditional Mexican food and don’t want to make a trip to your local Mexican restaurant where pretty much everything tastes the same regardless of what you order (oh oops, did I say that out loud), give this dish a try. I promise you that it will have the authentic Mexican taste we all crave and typically can’t find at a restaurant. OK, if you live in Denver, New Mexico, or Texas you can probably find great Mexican food on every corner. But not so much in many parts of the US.

So take the time some rainy Saturday to create a Mexican fiesta for your family and friends. Good Mexican food takes time to build, but it is well worth the effort. Buen provecho!

*For those of you not familiar with the glorious northwestern part of Washington State, Mt. Baker is in the most northern part of the Cascade Range or North Cascades. Mt. Baker is the mountain shown at the top of my home page (using the zoom feature on my camera) as it appears from my kitchen sink. And yes, I do know how lucky I am!

  • 9 dried guajillo chili peppers* (about 2-oz.)
  • 4 dried chile de árbol **
  • 4 c. chicken broth
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
  • 2 lb. pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes (extra fat and silver skin removed)
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 T. corn or vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 T. dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano

In a dry skillet, toast the chili peppers over medium high heat until they are slightly puffed and fragrant. (Be careful not to burn the pods or they will become bitter.) Let cool. Rip off the stems of the dried chili peppers and empty out all of the seeds. (Feel free to cut a slit into each chili if it helps to remove the seeds.) Pour 3 cups of the chicken broth into a pot; add the cumin, cloves, and the toasted chilies. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until both types of chili pods are fully rehydrated. Remove from heat and cool. When cool, carefully pour the liquid and re-hydrated chilies into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Set chili sauce aside.

Meanwhile pat the meat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a heavy covered Dutch oven. Add the meat in single layers and brown thoroughly on all sides. Remove meat to a bowl. (Add more corn oil during the browning process if required.) When all the pork is browned and removed from the pan, add the onion and cook until soft. Next add the garlic and oregano and cook for about a minute or until the garlic releases its aroma. Add the browned meat back into the pot along with the chili sauce. Use the last cup of chicken stock to “wash out” the blender or food processor bowl and add liquid to the Dutch oven. Stir well to bring up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring stew to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and place in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender. Stir after one hour, taste and adjust seasonings; add a small amount of water if necessary. (You want the stew to be moist but not so soupy that it can’t be served on a regular plate. See picture above.)  When the meat is fork tender, remove the pan from the oven and serve.

Note: Carne Adovada is also wonderful when used as a filling for burritos, enchiladas, or tacos.

*The Guajillo Chili Pepper is the most common chili in Mexico after the Ancho. The flavor is distinct, slightly fruity with a strong piney, berry under taste. The chili measures 3 to 5 inches in length and is about an inch wide. The color is a brick red with deep burgundy tones with a smooth, shiny skin. Dried Guajillo Chili peppers can be located in the ethnic food section of most grocery stores.

**The Chile de árbol is a small and potent Mexican chili pepper also known as bird’s beak chili and rat’s tail chili. These chilies are about 2 to 3 inches long, and ¼ to 3/8-inch in diameter. They can be purchased in most good sized grocery stores.

 

HERB CRUSTED PORK LOIN ROAST WITH FIGS AND PORT

Since it’s just a couple of days before Thanksgiving, it’s once again time to start thinking about Christmas. (Like the Christmas decorations that have been up in stores since before Halloween could let anyone forget that Christmas is just around the corner!) But until about this time of year, I try real hard not to get hooked into the whole Christmas “thing”.

Now don’t get me wrong. I love Christmas, but not until after Thanksgiving. And no, I am not one of those people who spend the Friday after Thanksgiving spending thousands of dollars at the local mall. There actually isn’t enough money to get me to even go to a mall on the day after Thanksgiving. I’m just too old and dislike people enough to want no part of that scene. And no, I don’t really dislike people, but you know what I mean!

Anyway, the whole point of this rant is to tell you that I am starting a series on Christmas recipes, many of which, like this recipe for pork roast, are perhaps not traditional Christmas dinner fare, but are never-the-less delicious and fairly inexpensive to serve to a crowd. And since I’m sure you too have noticed that Christmas is an expensive holiday, I hope one or more of these recipes can help you serve up a wonderful holiday meal without spending too much of your children’s college fund or inheritance.

So this year instead of ordering that fabulous spiral cut ham, serve this delicious and festive pork loin roast. Your guests will love how succulent the meat is, and the sauce and drizzle are simply amazing. Trust me, no one will miss the spiral cut ham or feel somehow cheated by its absence. And you – you may be able to eat the rest of the month!

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 T. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • freshly ground black pepper
  •  1 (2-3 lb.) boneless pork loin roast
  • 2 c. chicken broth, divided
  • 1 ¼ c. port
  • 4 dried mission figs or 2 dried Turkish figs
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • ½ stick cinnamon
  • 1 ½ tsp. honey
  • 2 T. butter

Stir the oil, rosemary, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and pepper in a small bowl to blend. Place the pork loin in a heavy roasting pan. Spread the oil mixture over the pork to coat completely. Roast in a pre-heated 425 degree oven until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees, turning the pork every 15 minutes to ensure even browning, about 45 minutes total. Meanwhile, in a heavy medium saucepan, combine ¾ cup chicken broth, port, coarsely chopped figs, rosemary sprig, cinnamon stick, honey, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Discard the herb sprig and cinnamon sticks (some of the rosemary leaves will remain in the port mixture). Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Blend in the butter. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Re-warm over medium heat before using.) When the pork has reached the desired temperature, transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Let the pork rest at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the remaining 1 ¼ cup chicken broth into the roasting pan. Place the pan over medium heat, and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring the pan juices to a simmer. Adjust seasoning and reduce sauce by about a half. Cut the pork crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange the pork slices on plates. Spoon the jus over. Drizzle the warm fig sauce over and around the meat and serve immediately. Thanks Giada for another wonderful recipe. This roast is lovely served with Refrigerator Mashed Potatoes, Creamy Caramelized Pearl Onions and Petite Peas, and Waldorf Salad with Dried Cranberries and Orange Zest.

 

 

SMOKED DRY-RUBBED RIBS

I like to get messy. I love to work in the dirt, play with grout when I make one of my mosaic pieces, mix meatloaf ingredients with my hands (sans wedding ring), and eat BBQ until my fingers are so sticky I can’t pry them apart. No dainty knife and fork action for me when I’m eating BBQ. I want the full BBQ experience, sticky hands that adhere to my napkin(s), BBQ sauce on at least one of my ears; the full meal deal! And eating these ribs dipped in Bourbon BBQ Sauce is guaranteed to make you just about as messy as it gets. A little information about BBQ sauce: There are many styles of BBQ sauce, but basically they all fall into 4 “general” types. Style number 1 (going back literally hundreds of years) is very simply a combination of vinegar and pepper (maybe a little brown sugar). The 2nd type is a mustard based sauce, commonly served in South Carolina. Not a bit of tomato to be found. Type number 3 is referred to as a light tomato sauce (basically tomato ketchup with vinegar and pepper). And number 4, the most common sauce of all – heavy slightly sweet tomato sauce. (BTW – Bourbon BBQ Sauce under This & That Recipes definitely lives behind door number 4!)

Now, you may be wondering why I am telling you about different BBQ sauces on a recipe for ribs, but there is a method to my madness. These ribs are absolutely fantastic with nary a sauce in site. And many people prefer to eat their ribs with no embellishment. I personally don’t understand why anyone would eat naked ribs, but who am I to question other peoples’ food choices. All I can say is that (A) these ribs + (B) Bourbon BBQ Sauce = (C) Heaven. Now that’s my idea of a perfect standard form linear equation! 

2-3 racks baby back or spareribs (we prefer baby back)

Dry Rib Rub:

  • 2 T. paprika
  • 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 T. kosher salt
  • 2 tsp. granulated garlic
  • 1 tsp. cayenne
  • 1 tsp. ancho chili powder (found in most upscale grocery stores in bulk)
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 tsp. dried thyme

Combine all Rib Rub ingredients. Spread the rub liberally over the meaty side of the ribs. Then either wrap or cover the meat and refrigerate overnight.

The next day place the ribs in a smoker with hickory or alder wood chips on low heat for about 3½ hours. (If your smoker only has two temperatures (on or off), no problem. You are not cooking the meat; you are merely adding a lovely smoky flavor.) (Of course, if you have a Traeger or similar fancy  outdoor appliance for both smoking and cooking the meat, knock yourself out. Just make sure the internal temperature of the meat reaches 190-degrees before it goes on the grill.) But for those of us with less exotic equipment, after the meat smokes, bake the ribs in a covered pan* at 275-degrees for a couple of hours, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 190-degrees. (Check after an hour.) Why 190-degrees? Because 190 is the temperature at which the fat and collagen start to melt, making for a tender and better tasting rib.

*Use a high sided pan when you bake the ribs because there will be a considerable amount of liquid accumulated in the pan while they bake. Remove from oven. At this point, the ribs can be set aside until needed.

When ready to serve, heat your grill to 400-degrees. Cut the meat into individual ribs, and heat on the grill for 4 minutes on each cut side. Serve with Bourbon BBQ Sauce.

BOURBON BBQ SAUCE

¼ c. unsalted butter

¼ c. minced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ c. brown sugar

2 tsp. whole grain mustard

1 c. ketchup

1/3 c. Worcestershire sauce

¼ c. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. hot sauce, or to taste

¼ tsp. cayenne

2 T. bourbon

Melt butter in a medium sized covered saucepan. Sauté onion until translucent; add garlic and cook until garlic releases its aroma, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer gently for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Basically, cook the sauce until you it reaches your desired thickness. (Sauce will thicken as it simmers. If the sauce is still too thin after 60 minutes, remove the lid. But be warned – simmer at a very low temperature or you will have BBQ sauce all over you and your kitchen!) Serve sauce warm or at room temperature.