10 posts tagged “pork”

Doing my morning blog rounds I was over at Peter’s site (Kalofagas) longingly looking at his Eggs Benedict recipe (by the way, go and check that out you guys…it is seriously killing me I want it so badly), and realized there was a post just below that one that I hadn’t seen!  WHAT?  He had posted a delicious Chinese Take-out menu, and mentioned that it was part of a round up to be found at Mochachocolatarita’s Website.  I am SO glad he posted that, because her website is fantastic!  It’s so cool how we bloggers network and find each other through others’ blog posts.  I had never seen Mochachocolatarita’s site before.  That is a sin right there…her site is awesome.  No, more like AWESOME!  And Right now she’s hosting an event celebrating her 88th post, called, “Chinese Take-Out Party,” where each entrant submits their take on Chinese take-out. 

I think that this might be sheer luck on my part, because I had planned to post this anyway, but to come in just under the wire like this and be able to participate in a fun event?  Even better!

This recipe was something I came up with after having taken out a loin roast, and began wondering what to do with it.  The weather has been pretty warm, so regular roast with mashed potatoes didn’t really seem to fit the bill.  Avocados are currently at over 11 euros a kilo (that’s like $8-9 a pound), so Tex-Mex was out (you know it’s illegal to eat Tex-Mex without guacamole, don’t you? )…what to do?  Hmmm.  Why not go Asian with it?  Yes!  That was the answer I was looking for. 

 

For the recipes, please visit: http://canarygirl.com/?p=179

So, as most of you already know, yesterday was Chinese New Year.  While I’m not Chinese, I must admit I’ll look for any excuse to celebrate! LOL  So, I made some Asian treats in honor of this special day.  Chuck over at Sunday Night Dinner posted his mom’s top secret recipes for Nuoc Cham (dipping sauce) and Cha Gio (Spring Rolls) recently, and I just couldn’t go another day without making some of my own…my Gawd that stuff is good!  It’s also been a while since I’ve made fried rice, and my dear hubs really loves a chicken curry version that I do, so it was set…spring rolls and fried rice would be our menu for the day.  I realize that my menu doesn’t have all of he traditional elements of a Chinese New Year menu, but heck, it’s the sentiment that counts, right? lol  I decided to do a step by step for the spring rolls, like Chuck (sheesh I’m such a total copycat!), for those of you who might not have rolled them before…I know that before I tried to make them the first time I was a little intimidated by the idea.  But, it’s really very simple, as you’ll soon see. Go and check out my site for the step by steps and recipes: http://canarygirl.com/?p=147

First of all, the Curry Chicken Fried Rice:

 

And now the Spring Rolls (Cha Gio)….I was much inspired by Chuck’s recipe, though I just had to make some changes (you know me!)…I sort of morphed his mom’s recipe with mine, and the resulting roll was just fab.

One of the foods I miss most living here in the Canary Islands is Mexican and Tex-Mex foods.  Sure, we have a couple of restaurants, but the food is nowhere near that which I’m used to having lived in the States.  While the Canaries are very diverse ethnically, there aren’t very many Mexican immigrants.  The majority of Spanish speaking immigrants are Cuban, Colombian, Argentinian and Venezuelan.  Basically, the demand for Mexican and Tex-Mex foods is very low, so ingredients are difficult to find or very expensive.  That’s beginning to change now, but still, the variety is minimal, so I have to make do with what’s available.  The other day I almost starting jumping up and down in the grocery when I stumbled upon corn tortillas.  Corn tortillas!  OMG!  Flour tortillas are fairly common, corn chips are fairly common, but the ever elusive corn tortilla is a rare treat.  I immediately bought them and planned an enchilada meal.  As luck would have it, I had 1 remaining can of tomatillo salsa (salsa verde) in the pantry, and pork roasts were on sale as well.  Good deal!  Enchiladas were in our future. *insert happy dancing here*

Recipe is here: http://canarygirl.com/?p=138

For It's all about food & wine...I guess I probably wouldn't serve wine with the enchiladas, I'd go for a lime margarita or a Coronita with lime...something cool and refreshing to cut the heat a bit. :)

With all the holiday prepping and shopping I’ve been doing lately, my meals have been rather uninspired.  The other day, though, the idea of caramelized leeks on a chop occurred to me, and I had been craving it ever since.  I’m really pleased with the way these turned out!  The picture doesn’t do them justice.  These are pretty quick to make, and very easy…the leeks and mushrooms practically make themselves, just a quick stir now and then while you’re preparing the rest of the meal is all they need.

We had a Rioja wine with this...El Coto Crianza...delicious deep red goodness. :)

Recipe is at: http://canarygirl.com/?p=121

 

I’m so sorry for the lengthy time in between posts…things have been crazy busy around the canary abode of late…and…something tragic happened to my laptop.  :(  My darling son decided it was thirsty, and poured a glass of water into the keyboard.  Can you just hear it sizzling and crackling from there?  Yes.  It was completely destroyed in the incident.  The worst thing about this, of course, is all of the photos that I haven’t uploaded either to Flickr or Snapfish have been lost…all the videos we’ve shot of the kids….(I know–I should have backed them up)  Terribly terribly sad.  And to add insult to injury, the pc is in my bedroom–not exactly accessible to someone who spends most of her waking moments in the kitchen/living area…so posting has been very limited for me until I can get a new laptop.  Today I’ll try and post at least two recipes, for even though I haven’t been able to post, I’ve still been cooking and clicking away on my camera!  :)  First of all, the purple beans…I was so thrilled to find them at my organic grocer!  I mean, how cool are THEY?!  The kids might even eat them–I mean, come on.  They’re purple!   So I thought, lightly steam and add just a drizzle of evoo, lemon juice, salt and pepper….but, much to my dismay, while steaming, they turned green, with purpley spots, so that they looked like regular old green beans past their prime.  Sigh.  So much for that.  They were pretty though…I think the next time, though, I’d toss them into a salad raw, celebrate their beauty and crunchy goodness just as they are.

For the recipe, please visit: http://canarygirl.com/?p=96

 

See?  Pretty, huh?  Just don’t cook them.  LOL 

The pork roast is something I had all the time growing up….Good old fashioned comfort food.  And while it wouldn’t be considered gourmet, it is definitely delicious, and makes a fabulous gravy, too.

 

I probably don’t have to tell you that Spain is famous for their “tapas,” (appetizers) but the variety never ceases to amaze me.  Many times we make a meal of several different kinds of tapas…especially when going out to local places.  I’m particularly lucky, because here, we pretty much have year round outdoor tapas places…what could be better than eating a variety of appies with a view of the beach?  Even without the beach, it sounds pretty good.  lol  The recipes I’m posting today are fairy typical throughout Spain, but remind me particularly of my travels to Madrid…the tapas bars there are unsurpassed.  Just amazing.  Something else that I loved about Madrid?  If you order a beverage, they normally bring a small portion (tapa) of something (free)…be it olives, hazelnuts, bread with a slice of chorizo…whatever they’re serving that day…to eat with your drink.  There’s also usually a selection of the day’s tapas in plain view, and more on the menu, which you can order in various serving sizes depending on what you want.  We have a definite “tapas culture.”  Each region has their own particular additions to it, though several dishes are common throughout the country. 

Saffron is one of those ubiquitous ingredients here…like salt and pepper…it’s used very extensively in Spanish cooking. Thankfully the price isn’t as prohibitive here as it is in the States. The price of saffron goes for about $1500 a pound, due to it’s labor intensive harvest and it’s need for large crop acreage. Saffron is actually the stigma (dried) of crocus flowers, which are hand harvested. If you find it difficult to find saffron, you can omit it.

For the recipes, please visit: http://canarygirl.com

 

Saffron:

 

Pinchos Morunos:

 

Papas Bravas:

 

Grana Padano is basically the same thing as Parmeggiano-Reggiano, it’s just made in a different region of Italy.  If you have trouble finding it, Parmeggiano or Romano or Asiago are all good substitutes.  The other day, Elly posted a recipe for Pork Tenderloin Milanese, with Pecorino Orzo and Tomato topping….I had been craving it ever since she posted, so yesterday I made a similar meal.  So I whole heartedly give credit to Elly for the recipe….I can’t follow a recipe to save my life, though….so I posted my version too. ;)

You can find my version at http://canarygirl.com .

 

More Canary food! :)  This recipe is my mother in law's, she makes thee best "Pata" around.  Tender, juicy, and a hint of spice around the edges.  She gets it nice and crispy on the outside too, which for some reason, I can't seem to manage, but nonetheless the flavor is out of this world.  "Pata" is normally served very thinly sliced on baguettes with a bit of salt sprinkled on, and can be either a breakfast or a main meal when served with fries and a salad.

 

Ingredients:

3 lbs pork sirloin roast (bone in, the roast should have a fair amount of fat on top) 

1/4 cup olive oil 

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika (I like smokey) 

3-4 cloves garlic 

sea salt 

1/2 teaspoon thyme 

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 

2-3 crusty French baguettes, sliced lengthwise 

salt

Preparation: 

Using a mortar and pestle, mash garlic and salt.

Once creamy, add paprika, thyme, oregano, cumin and oil, and combine well.

Rub roast all over with this mixture and let marinate for several hours or overnight.

Place (uncovered) in a  430ºF (225ºC) preheated oven.

After 15-20 minutes, reduce heat to 390ºF (200ºC). 

Bake 1 1/2 hours.

Turn oven off, and allow roast to rest in oven (don't open the door) for an hour more. 

Remove from oven and allow to stand 15 minutes before slicing.

Slice into very thin slices, and serve on crusty baguettes, lightly salted.

 

Slow cooked, spicy shredded pork.....Prep for the meat only took about 3 minutes, if that, and after cooking, another minute to shred it.  The sauce is really simple too, and the addition of freshly chopped cilantro at the end just really livens it up.  I used the carnitas in burritos this time, but I think it would be great in tacos, empanadas, taquitos, pretty much anything, really.

 

Ingredients:

3 lb pork loin roast

salt and pepper to taste

garlic powder (a generous amount)

1/4 cup chili powder

ground cayenne to taste

a sprinkle of oregano

1 large red onion, minced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jar tomatillo salsa (10 ounces)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 bunch chopped cilantro (about 2/3 cup after chopping)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300ºF (150ºC).

Place roast in an oven proof dish with a cover.

Season roast with salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne and oregano.

Cover and bake for 5-6 hours, until shreds easily.

Drain off juice, reserving for the sauce.

Shred meat, cover and reserve.

Make sauce:

Sautee onion and garlic in a splash of oil just until tender.

Season with cumin and add tomatillo salsa.

Add about a cup and a half (or more) of the reserved meat drippings.

Simmer about 10 minutes, then toss in cilantro and adjust seasonings.

Pour over pork and toss to coat.

The pork may be a bit soupy, but the juice really gives great flavor...just use a slotted spoon to prepare burritos.

 

 

It's been a while since I've made an Asian inspired meal, so today I put on my apron and fastened it tight, and got bizzy in the kitchen.  Most of these recipes I've been making for quite a while, they're all pretty easy, albeit a bit putzy.  Most of the time I just eyeball the ingredients, it makes prep time a lot quicker--and prep time is the main portion of preparing any Asian meal.  Once the prep is done, the dishes come together fairly quickly.  The fried appetizers can be made in advance and frozen (raw or cooked) and thawed before deep frying or reheating in the oven.  The temperature of the oil when frying should be quite hot--about 375º F (190º C).  And I find the best recipient for making fried rice is a wok.  Be sure that for the rice, you start with *cold* cooked rice, it'll make all the difference in the world (hot rice causes the rice to stick together and become unmanageable, not to mention unappetizing).

So why don't we start with the Wontons?

 

Ingredients (for about 20 wontons):

1/2 pound ground pork

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 geen onions, chopped

1 egg (size small)

salt and pepper to taste

a few drops of sesame oil

20 wonton wrappers

Preparation:

Mix all filling ingredients in a bowl and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

Fill each wrapper with a small amount of filling and pinch the top, forming little packets.

Deep fry at 375ºF/190ºC for 7-10 minutes or until golden.

Drain on paper towels.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

The Dumplings are similar to prepare, but instead of frying, we steam them.

 

Ingredients:

For Dumplings:

1/2  lb ground pork 

3  green onions, finely chopped 

1  clove garlic, minced 

1/4  teaspoon sesame oil 

salt and pepper 

1  package dumpling wrappers or wonton wrappers, about 20 

For Sauce:

1/4  cup soy sauce 

2  tablespoons rice vinegar 

1/4  teaspoon sesame oil 

2  tablepoons sugar   

2  cloves garlic, minced 

1/2  teaspoon grated ginger (or more to taste) 

3  tablespoons water (optional) 

1  tablespoon cornstarch (optional) 

Preparation:

In a small bowl combine pork, onions, garlic, sesame oil, salt and pepper.

Fill each wrap with a small spoonful of the pork mixture and seal with water, pressing edges and folding a bit to"ruffle" them.

Heat water to boiling, and place bamboo steamer (or seive) lined with a large cabbage or lettuce leaf (to prevent sticking) over the pot.

Reduce heat to medium.

Place dumplings in a single layer (not touching each other) on leaf, cover and steam for 20 minutes or so--until cooked through.

Meanwhile, make sauce.

In a small sauce pan,  heat soy sauce, vinegar and sugar, then add garlic and ginger.

Cook until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.

If desired, whisk cornstarch and water to make a slurry and use this to thicken the sauce.

Thickening the sauce allows for better coating of the dumplings while dipping, but is not necessary.

Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.

Serve hot dumplings with sauce. 

The Spring Rolls are probably the most time consuming, but they are easy to do, and freeze well (I like to make a double batch and freeze half for later.)

 

 

Ingredients:

1 lb ground pork

1 (4  ounce) package rice vermicelli, soaked in cold water for 15 minutes,drained and chopped 

1 egg 

1 green onion, minced 

1 small onion, minced 

2 cloves garlic, mashed

2 tablespoons grated ginger 

1/4 cup finely grated carrots 

1 cup finely grated cabbage 

1/2 cup bean sprouts 

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped 

2  tablespoons white wine  

salt 

white pepper 

20  spring roll wrappers (I like the frozen ones, though the dry rice wraps are good too, just more difficult to work with) 

oil (for frying) 

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients except wraps and oil in a bowl.

On a damp tea towel, place a wrap, and fill with a couple of tablespoons of the pork mixture in a sausage like shape at one end of the wrap.

Fold sides in, then begin rolling spring roll at the mixture side.

Seal roll by moistening edge with water.

Heat oil over medium-high heat.

Fry rolls, turning frequently until cooked through and golden, about 5-7 minutes.

Drain on paper towels, and serve with Spring Roll Sauce (Nuoc Mam).

Keep warm in heated oven.

Note: The spring rolls may be made ahead, and frozen, and then fried when thawed.

Spring rolls may be kept in fridge until ready to fry too, up to a day or two in advance.

Ground chicken may be substituted for the pork, and chopped shrimp or crabmeat may also be added.

The Spring Roll Sauce is really quick to make, and really rounds out the flavor of the rolls.

 

Ingredients:

4  tablespoons nuoc nam (fish sauce) 

2  cloves garlic 

2 1/2  tablespoons powdered sugar 

3  dried red peppers (the tiny ones) 

1/2  lime, juice of or lemon, juice of 

1/4  cup water, maybe a little less

Preparation: 

Using a mortar and pestle, mash garlic and cayenne peppers together with the powdered sugar.

Add fish sauce, water and lime (or lemon) and mix well.

This recipe can easily be doubled.

Add finely shredded carrot and thinly sliced cilantro and green onion for garnish.

And the Fried Rice...a recipe which I tried to recreate from a Japanese restaurant we go to, by watching the Teppanyaki Chefs do their thing....it's pretty good (if I do say so myself).

 

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked and cooled rice

3 tablespoons peanut oil

2 eggs, previously beaten, fried and chopped

3-4 tablespoons butter

2-3 cloves garlic

chopped vegetables to your liking...this time, I added a piece of red pepper, green onions and bean sprouts

1/2 cup soy sauce (maybe less, I eyeballed it)

3 tablespoons white wine (or Mirin)

sesame oil to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

First of all, it's very important to start with pre-cooked and cooled rice--if your rice is still hot, it will get sticky.

Heat oil and butter in a wok over fairly high heat.

Add garlic and sautee until golden, but not burned.

Add vegetables and toss until brightly colored, then immediately add rice, soy sauce and wine, tossing constantly.

When the rice appears to be well coated, toss in a bit of sesame oil and season with salt and pepper.

Remove from heat and serve immediately.