09 Thursday Oct 2008
Posted in holidays and celebrations, pork
He had a birthday yesterday. The kind with nice, round numbers. And I wanted to give him the world, the moon and the stars. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen this year (yet again).
But I still made him dinner.
02 Thursday Oct 2008
Posted in pork, time-intensive
It’s pretty amazing to me that in a few short years I went from a person who was not a fan of pork (well other than bacon, of course), to someone who has it in fairly heavy rotation. Funnier still is the fact that Mike and I are making a real effort to seek out the “lesser” cuts and incorporate those into our cooking. After all, roasts and chops are great, but there’s a whole lot of pig left after those parts are gone, and if we’re going to choose to eat it, doesn’t it do justice to the animal to use as much as possible?
We still keep tabs on many of our favorite purveyors from our New York days, and when I got an email from Bobolink indicating they had some of their delicious whey-fed pork available, we quickly placed an order. Within days a cooler arrived at our door containing ground pork for the freezer, a bone-in shoulder roast for sausage-making, a pig tail, a bag of bones for stock, and a couple pounds of meaty neck bones.
I addressed the neck bones first, browning them heavily in a bit of rendered fatback (from our local favorite, Pat’s Pastured), pulling the pieces out of the pan briefly, then adding some shallots, carrot, garlic, a bay leaf, a whole dried arbol chile, a blob of tomato paste and a healthy glug of red wine, scraping up all of the “crud” from the bottom of the pan.
I put the meat back in, lidded it up and let the pan go over low heat for a couple of hours. When the meat was falling off of the bones, I pulled them out of the pan, let them cool enough to handle, then shredded the meat off and put it back into the pan. That mixture cooked for another couple of hours, at which point I put a pot of salted water on to boil for pasta, and scooped 2/3 of the porky ragu out to cool, divide in half and freeze for future meals.
I added a handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley to the remaining ragu in the pan, as well as a ladleful of pasta water, and when my orecchiette was nearly al dente, I tossed it with the sauce, adding a bit more pasta water to loosen it up and finish cooking the pasta. I finished each serving with a little more parsley and, of course, some freshly grated cheese. I’m still kind of tickled that such a rich and luxurious sauce came out of $9 worth of meaty pork bones (and that there are two more meals worth in the freezer).
Mike did the heavy lifting for our next porky dinner, breaking down and grinding up the pork shoulder with more of our Pat’s Pastured fatback (most of which he turned into really spectacular breakfast sausage), and, over the course of two days, making an incredibly delicate pork stock with the remaining bones we had purchased.
I turned the ground pork that he didn’t use for sausage into tiny meatballs seasoned with scallion and finely chopped wood ear mushrooms, and served them in some of that delicious stock, along with somen noodles, carrot, scallion and shredded cabbage – not the sort of thing I usually attempt at home, but the result was so good we’ll definitely do it again.
26 Friday Sep 2008
I’m still not feeling great and the weather has taken a turn for the craptastic, but it’s times like these when I’m happy to fall back on some old favorites, like Mike’s pork belly confit, our dinner Wednesday night:
I made the salsa verde, but the rest was all him. And it was delicious.
Wild salmon filets are another favorite, quick and easy to prepare for a weeknight meal.
Thursday night, I seared these in a bit of olive oil until the skin was crispy and the fish just cooked through, then topped them with a little grainy Riggwelter mustard. I served the filets over a mixture of brown and wild rice, wilted spinach and chopped walnuts.
We had originally planned to order a pizza for dinner on Friday night to eat while watching the Presidential debate, but I got a massive craving for mac and cheese midmorning, and since we had everything I needed to make it, there was no reason not to go with it.
Last night’s version had Narragansett Creamery’s Divine Providence, Grafton cheddar, Three Sisters Serena, Morbier and Crystal Brook goat cheese whisked into my standard base, along with Colman’s mustard, a couple shakes of Worcestershire and Tabasco. I added the cooked pasta right to the cheese sauce in our cast iron skillet, topped it with Panko, dried summer savory and a bit more Serena grated on top, and baked it until bubbly and browned. A salad of peppery arugula on the side provided a bit of punch to counteract the richness of the dish.
16 Tuesday Sep 2008
Posted in eggs, Italian, pasta, pork, quick and easy
We’re big fans of the chicken and pork products available from Pat’s Pastured, and when they’ve got something new available, we usually jump on it, so when we arrived at their stall at the Hope High market a couple of Saturdays ago and saw that they had smoked pork jowls, of course we bought one.
For those who don’t know, the jowl of the pig is the part traditionally used for guanciale, a delicious salt-cured cut similar to bacon or pancetta. It features prominently in two classic pasta sauces: all’amatriciana, with lots of softened onions and tomato; and carbonara, the simple but ultra-rich egg and black pepper combo.
Since Mike had cooked up a batch of all’amatriciana recently with some guanciale I brought home from the North End, we elected to use this piece of jowl in a carbonara. After trimming the skin, he cut the jowl in half and proceeded to break one half down into slices about ¼ inch thick then turned them and cut them into batons. Those went into a dry skillet to render and crisp while our pasta water boiled, and we set the rest aside for later use.
We wanted an ultra-rich carbonara, so four gorgeous Wishing Stone Farm eggs went into a big serving bowl, where they were joined by about ¼ cup each of finely grated Parmagiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano and several grindings of pepper. Our pantry is filled with pasta of all shapes and sizes, but somehow we were out of spaghetti, so I decided to substitute chitarra, figuring the rough texture of the pasta would really help the sauce to cling to the strands. When it was al dente, we added it straight into the serving bowl with the egg and cheese mixture, a little at a time, stirring gently after each addition of pasta. The browned jowl and all its fragrant rendered fat went in next, with a little splash of the pasta water added to lighten it, and again we tossed the pasta gently so everything was evenly coated.
While Mike got our wine ready, I plated, adding some of the pasta to our bowls, grating a bit more cheese over the top, and placing a single egg yolk in the middle of each serving. I finished each plate with a bit of chopped fresh parsley and another dusting of black pepper, then served them. That extra yolk was perhaps a bit over the top, but so worth it – every bite was creamy and rich, punctuated by the occasional sharp bite of pepper and nuggets of sweet, earthy pork.
11 Thursday Sep 2008
Posted in Mark Bittman, pork, quick and easy
Mike cooked the pork, searing it twice, a la Mark Bittman, and making a delicious pan sauce with stock and herbs and a butter/flour base. I smashed the potatoes with plenty of butter and cream, and sauteed the green beans (some of many I’ve blanched and frozen before the season ends) in a bit more butter.
Kali approved. As did we.
31 Saturday May 2008
I love a good Caesar salad, which for me pretty much requires a homemade dressing with garlic and anchovy and fresh egg yolks, but as others have pointed out, main dish Caesars topped with grilled chicken or shrimp can be pretty boring. I spotted this recipe in Bon Appetit recently and fell in love with the idea of topping a Caesar with egg rather than mixing it into the dressing, but I wanted a dish with a little more oomph. I remembered the tub of Mike’s pork belly confit we still had in the fridge, and it seemed like just the thing: I’d do a “bacon and egg” Caesar – a little Bon Appetit, a little Ruhlman, a whole lotta yum.
I had Mike pull the confit out of the fridge in the afternoon and cut some crouton-like chunks for me, and when I got home from work, I prepped the romaine, whizzed up a dressing (lots of garlic, anchovies, sea salt, fresh lemon juice and our best olive oil), and set up my breading station:
After a dip in flour, beaten egg, and panko, I carefully lowered the cubes into some very hot fat – in this case, some of Mike’s rendered leaf lard. When the cubes were golden brown, they came out of the fat and onto a paper towel to drain.
I went back and forth about how I’d do the eggs for this dish, but settled on sunny-side up for cosmetic reasons. I cracked two eggs into a pan with lots of butter, put a lid on and let them cook gently until the whites were just set, then I took a ring mold and very carefully cut out little rounds. I held my breath as I moved them from pan to plate, and happily, I didn’t destroy either one.
I finished the plated salads with shards of Parmagiano Reggiano and plenty of freshly ground pepper. And then we got to the best part:
Yes, friends, breaded and deep fried pork belly confit is every bit as good as you’d think, and on a Caesar, it’s stellar.
02 Friday May 2008
Posted in bacon, pasta, peas, pork, quick and easy
We love our pasta, but it’s rare that we have it two nights in a row. However, my week turned pretty hectic, and as a result I’ve been feeling tired and uninspired. I still wanted to get a home-cooked meal on the table Wednesday and Thursday nights, and these pasta dinners were just the ticket.
We brought a package of Simmons Farm bacon and a big bag of pea tendrils home from the farmers’ market last weekend, and had some (non-local) fresh peas from Whole Foods, so I decided to combine them for Wednesday night’s meal. I chopped up six slices of the bacon, cooking them until crisp, draining the pieces on a paper towel, and using a tablespoon or so of the fat to sauté a cup or so of chopped shallot. I blanched the shelled peas in my boiling pasta water, and then removed them to an ice bath before dropping half a package of bucatini into the water.
While the pasta cooked, I beat four eggs in a warmed serving bowl and added copious amounts of grated Parmagiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, and cracked black pepper. I roughly chopped several handfuls of the pea tendrils and added them and the blanched peas to the pan with the shallots along with some fresh thyme leaves, cooking it all until the peas were warmed through and the pea tendrils slightly wilted. I added the pea mixture and bacon to the beaten eggs, and then added the bucatini a little at a time, tossing gently.
When everything was combined and the sauce slightly thickened, I plated the pasta in shallow bowls, adding additional grated cheese and cracked pepper on top. I used as many eggs as I normally would have for a full package of pasta so this was a bit eggy for my liking, but it was still good, with the sweet peas, smoky bacon and slightly peppery pea tendrils playing well off each other.
While Wednesday night’s pasta was at least spring-like, last night’s pasta dinner was not exactly what I’d have planned for the first of May. Since I didn’t have anything planned, Mike’s request for ragu Bolognese was a welcome suggestion, and it turned out to be just the thing to take the chill off on a damp, cold night. I put together a quick version of my standard sauce when I got home and tossed it with chunky rigatoni, topping each serving with a dollop of Narragansett‘s creamy Renaissance ricotta (one of my favorite ways to finish a serving of meat-sauced pasta since my lunch with Claudia at A Voce). This may not have been the most exciting dinner around, but it hit the spot, and I’m always happy to be able to whip out a meal without too much thought or effort.
We’re meeting good friends for dinner and a movie tonight, which should be just the boost I need. Enjoy your weekend, everyone!
14 Monday Apr 2008
Whew! I am bruised, scraped, and generally banged up from packing and shifting boxes around the apartment. I think I broke every fingernail (not that they were long to begin with). We accomplished a lot over the weekend, but we also made time to eat well. Here are a few photos:
So did I mention I sent my husband to a butchering demo at the Brooklyn Kitchen last week? And that he got to bring home some amazing pork?
Oh, yes. (You can read his thoughts on it here.)
We spent a nice block of time on Saturday enjoying the 76 degree weather, hanging out with the outdoor kitties and slow smoking the beautiful pork shoulder he brought home. We ate a good chunk of it for dinner that night, simply sliced and served with my first potato salad of the season.
I turned the rest of it into Sunday brunch, browning it in our cast iron skillet with onions, potatoes and red bell peppers, and serving this smoky pork hash with a couple of fried eggs alongside.
We went for a lighter dinner on Sunday night to balance out our rich morning meal: wild Alaskan salmon, quickly seared in a hot pan and served over a salad of mixed baby greens and thinly sliced cucumbers and radishes. I had the rest of a container of Greek yogurt in the fridge, as well as more fresh dill, so I combined them with some minced shallot, lemon juice and zest to make a tangy sauce for the fish.
As much as we got done over the weekend, we still have a lot to do, and I’m trying hard not to feel overwhelmed. I can’t promise consistent posting until after the move, but I’ll do my best. Cheers!
02 Sunday Mar 2008
Posted in holidays and celebrations, pork
Did you know that March 1st is National Pig Day?
I didn’t find out until recently, but once I did, I knew that as such big fans of the pig and her gustatory gifts, it was our duty to celebrate. Luckily, the fridge and freezer were well stocked will all manner of porky goodness, and the pantry with tasty accompaniments, so we put together our plan: Rancho Gordo Marrow beans, slow cooked and studded with chunks of Mike’s pork confit; center cut whey-fed pork chops from Bobolink, lovingly rubbed with a mixture of smoked paprika, fennel seeds and ground chipotle then seared to perfection; and chard wilted down in the same pan the chops had cooked in, lightly glazing the leaves in rich and smoky pork fat.
Dinner was set, and in the end it was delicious, but we had no intention of putting off our celebration until the evening – oh, no. Pork is fantastic any time of day, and we wanted some sooner rather than later. Bacon and eggs would have been a great choice, as would biscuits and good sausage gravy, but I was really craving Mexican, so we made our way to the Fort Greene outpost of Bonita for a hearty, pork-centric brunch. With full bellies and satisfied smiles, we drank a toast to the pig – a truly magnificent beast.
22 Friday Feb 2008
This post was going to be all about my love affair with Anson Mills grits, and how excited I was to finally get my hands on some and cook them at home, but then a little something weird and wonderful happened.
See, I wanted to approximate the creamy texture of the grits I get at places like iCi and egg, so I decided cooking my grits in plain water just wouldn’t do. I got out a heavy bottomed pot and put in a little over 2 cups of Evans Creamery milk, a healthy dollop of their butter, and a cup of good old Brooklyn tap water. I covered the pot and turned the burner to medium heat, then turned my attention to prepping the rest of our meal.
I turned back to my pot after a few minutes and gave it a stir to incorporate the melted butter, and it looked a little strange. For some reason that I still can’t quite figure out, the milk had separated into curds and whey, and when I stirred it the curds stretched and came together to form a mozzarella-like ball. I was curious so I pulled it out of the pot with a slotted spoon and tasted it. To my surprise and delight, it was good, very fresh and milky. I set it in a little ramekin to cool, and later wrapped the ball tightly in plastic wrap and set it in the fridge while I finished making dinner.
I went ahead and cooked the grits in the remaining liquid in the pot, and they turned out beautifully. I stirred in a little grated cheese (Mecox Bay Sigit and Evans Chenango Jack) at the end and spooned them into bowls, topping them with some of the pork shoulder Mike made earlier in the week, which I shredded and reheated in some of its braising liquid along with a splash each of rye whiskey and sherry vinegar.
This was a good, hearty meal on a cold night and a great use of leftover pork, but I have to say the highlight of the night for me wasn’t a successful first go at making cheesy grits at home – it was the accidental cheese.
