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Month: January 2010

Pork Loin with Cider and Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes

yholmes 1 Comment

Pork and apples are a classic combination. I eat most of my apples with cheese and honestly getting a nice texture from a cooked apple can be tricky. So apple cider is a welcome ingredient already full of flavor from the allspice, cinnamon and cloves.

A few months ago I made a version of this pork recipe with my Acorn Squash and Sweet Potato Ravioli. I had boneless center cut chops brined overnight in apple cider and peppercorns. This time a 6-chop pork loin roast was in the freezer begging to free up some space. Since it was on the bone I did not brine the meat but if you have a boneless tenderloin or chops I would suggest brining for a few hours to overnight.

I’ve given instructions below on how to prepare this with pork chops and skip the roasting part all together.

This was very simple to prepare and the payoff is much larger than the effort. I served with roasted cauliflower and Jerusalem artichokes (also called sunchokes).

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 sprigs rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
  • 2 sprigs sage, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • Pinch crushed red pepper
  • Salt
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 (6-chop) pork rib roast
  • 2 large yellow onions, sliced
  • 1 bundle thyme, tied with string
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 quart apple cider
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine the chopped herbs with the garlic, crushed red pepper, a generous pinch of salt and enough olive oil to make a paste. Rub the paste on the outside of the pork rib roast.

Toss the onions with olive oil, and salt, and place in the bottom of a roasting pan or large oven proof skillet. Add the thyme, bay leaves and 2/3 of the cider. Place the pork on top of the onions and place in the preheated oven. Roast the pork at 425 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pork has developed a brown crust.

Lower the oven to 375 degrees F and roast for another 30 to 35 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 150 degrees F. If the crust on the pork starts to get too dark, cover it with foil.

Remove pork from oven and transfer to a platter and cover to keep warm. Place pan with onions and cider on burner over medium-high heat. Add remaining apple cider & chicken stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce until sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in whole grain mustard and butter to finish sauce.

Cut the loin into chops & serve with the cider mustard sauce.

If using pork chops:

Rub the paste on the outside of the pork chops and set aside.

Preheat skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan. When hot, add chops to the pan and brown on both sides until a nice crust forms. Remove chops from pan and set aside. In the same pan add onions or shallots and cook until translucent and soft. Deglaze the pan with apple cider scraping the brown bits off the bottom on the pan. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce until sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in whole grain mustard and butter to finish sauce.

Place pork chops back in the pan to heat through in the sauce.

Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes & Cauliflower in Herb Butter

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 pound Jerusalem artichokes, cut into large chunks
  • 1/2 head cauliflower, broken into bite size pieces
  • Salt & pepper
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Fresh herbs of your choice: sage, thyme, oregano, tarragon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss artichokes and cauliflower in olive oil, season with salt & pepper and toss in oven proof skillet. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove pan from oven and add 2 tablespoons butter and herbs. Toss to combine. Serve warm.

Sunny Paris Cod with Crispy Capers

yholmes 3 Comments

Penzeys Spices is an incredible store with an abundance of fresh herbs, spices and original blends. Penzeys’ storefronts are a rare find. Dallas is 1 of 2 lucky cities in Texas to have a store to walk in and be wowed by the many jars full of intoxicating aromas. They also have an online store and catalog.

“Sunny Paris” is a perfect name for a blend of shallots, green peppercorns, French basil, French tarragon, chervil, bay & dill… it smells warm. This is not a cheap blend of spices and history has it they actually stopped producing it due to it’s hefty cost. Thankfully the fans spoke and it’s back on the shelves. It is wonderful sprinkled on top of egg or in a dressing and such a warm flavor for fish. To taste such a dish, all you have to do is to check on the menu to know how much does a fish cost.

If you are in Dallas head to Penzeys and peruse their incredible variety of cinnamon from around the globe, original spice blends and pick up a few vanilla beans from Madagascar at a bargain price.

A special thank you to my great friend JEN L for the introduction to Penzeys and sharing your Sunny Paris with me.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound Atlantic cod, or any white flaky fish
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Penzeys Sunny Paris spice blend
  • 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 lemon, zested
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350.

In a small bowl combine breadcrumbs, lemon zest, salt, pepper and Penzeys Sunny Paris spice blend.

Cut cod into 2 equal pieces. Pat dry with paper towel to remove any moisture and season both sides with salt & pepper and sprinkle ¼ tsp of Sunny Paris on each serving. Brush one side with Dijon mustard and top with breadcrumb mixture.

Preheat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add fish fillets and cook for 1 minute. Drizzle top of fish with a little olive oil and bake in oven for 5 minutes, or until fish is firm and done.

Meanwhile, heat a thin layer of olive oil in a small saucepan or skillet. When hot add capers and fry until crispy – about 2-3 minutes. Place on paper towel to drain. Note: STAND BACK – they will pop.

Remove fish from oven and top with crispy capers and fresh lemon juice.

Vegetable Omelette with Pecorino Romano and Aged Balsamic

yholmes 1 Comment

My most recent indulgence is a bottle of aged balsamic vinegar… it was worth every penny. The problem is I am now hooked and can’t stop putting it on EVERYTHING. It lacks the acidic hit its younger and cheaper sister is known for and is the perfect accessory to bring excitement to some pretty boring food.

Try it on a salad of arugula & spinach topped with figs, Pecorino Romano and a hard boiled egg. Or for dessert: vanilla ice cream topped with strawberries and a drizzle of balsamic.

I realize there are worse addictions to have… and I will hold out on that second job until I see just how long this little bottle lasts on my counter top.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large whole egg
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1/2 cup roasted broccoli, chopped
  • 1 cup fresh spinach
  • 1/2 tomato. diced large
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • Pecorino Romano
  • Mozzarella

 

DIRECTIONS

 

Preheat oven to 450±.

In a small nonstick skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Add broccoli and spinach and season with salt & pepper. Sauté until spinach has wilted. Add tomato and sauté for 2 more minutes.

Add eggs on top of vegetables and cook until egg whites are almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Top with a few pieces of mozzarella and shaving of Pecorino Romano cheese.

Bake in oven for just a few minutes for cheese to melt. Top with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar.

 

Bok Choy with Shiitakes and Oyster Sauce

yholmes 1 Comment

I can’t say enough about my friend Catherine… whom I adore. Not only is she the kindest person with the sweetest smile, she is not afraid to give anything a try in the kitchen. We had a girls night in to catch up, drink wine and cook some things on our “blog list”.

She brought Mark Bittman’s Bok Choy recipe and I did my mom’s Beef Stroganoff (recipe coming soon). As an appetizer we devoured brussel sprouts glazed in maple syrup with bacon and for dessert we munched on squares of dark chocolate. Life is good.

Recipe by Mark Bitten for The New York Times

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 1/2 pounds bok choy, trimmed
  • 1/4 cup peanut oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (optional)
  • 1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup commercial oyster sauce

 

DIRECTIONS

Soak shiitakes in one cup of very hot water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid. Trim mushrooms and chop. Separate leaves and stems of bok choy; cut stems into 2-inch lengths and slice leaves into ribbons.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. When oil is hot, add bok choy stems, garlic if you are using it, reconstituted mushrooms, and about 1/4 cup reserved mushroom water. Cook, stirring frequently, until stems are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil; sauté fresh shiitake mushrooms over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until they begin to brown and crisp on edges.

Into the large skillet or wok, add bok choy leaves and oyster sauce and toss vegetables gently to combine; continue cooking until greens wilt, about 2 more minutes. Serve immediately, topped with crisp mushrooms.

Brussel Sprouts with Shallots, Bacon and Maple Syrup

yholmes 3 Comments

This past weekend I took my beautiful friend, Jen from upstate NY, to one of my new favorite restaurants in Dallas: Neighborhood Services. I’ve dined at Neighborhood Services several times and am always impressed with the creativity of the chef & owner: Nick Badovinus.

I’m a lover of brussel sprouts IF they are roasted in the oven. I do not care for the boiled to death green balls of bitterness. These were so fabulous and the entire table raved about how delicious they were. So I set off to recreate them as best as possible and they are almost as tasty as Nicks.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 shallot, cut into thin strips
  • 1 tbsp. maple syrup: Grade A Vermont preferred
  • 1 tsp. brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • salt to taste
  • 2 strips thick cut bacon
  • brussel sprouts (as many as you want)

DIRECTIONS

Cut bacon into small dice – about 1/4 inch. Place in saute pan and cook over low heat. When crispy, drain bacon on paper towels set aside to cool. Keep bacon fat in saute pan for later.

Boil pot of water. Drop in whole brussel sprouts for 2 minutes. Remove from pot and place into bowl of ice water. Cut brussel sprouts in half, and spread onto flat baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil and lightly salt. Place on high shelf in oven and broil for about 7- 10 minutes or until lightly blackened.

In the saute pan with the remaining bacon fat, add 1 tbsp. of butter and melt over over medium heat. When melted, saute shallot until tender. Add maple syrup, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar and stir until slightly thickened. Toss in brussel sprouts and toss until coated.

Serve topped with bacon.

Louisiana Shrimp Salad

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Not exactly a “winter” dish but a refreshing break from the warm and filling soups and sides on the menu. Gulf shrimp has been a steal for the past month. I’ve been buying a pound a week and keeping them cooked in the fridge for snacking and salads.

This recipe is another from a friends grandmother, Pat Lacy. Simple and beautiful. This would make a beautiful appetizer served in endive leaves.

Tip: When cooking your shrimp, add some Old Bay and lemon juice to the cooking liquid for added flavor.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound cooked and cleaned shrimp
  • 2 hard boiled eggs, small dice
  • 1 cup celery, small dice
  • 1/2 cup red onion, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped dill pickle
  • 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Dash of Tobasco or hot sauce
  • Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

 

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve on lettuce. 4 servings.

Beef Bourguignon

yholmes 1 Comment

It is the coldest it’s ever been in Dallas (in my tenure anyway). So I settled into my -2 degree wind chill day with no intentions of exiting the house and it was like my little snow day. Good movies, a blazing fire and a steaming bowl of Beef Bourguignon.

My mom made a beautiful beef stew when I was a kid… and then I would destroy it by mashing the potatoes and shredding the beef until it looked like a bad brown bowl of mush… but it tasted glorious. As I got older I always added a few dashes of Tabasco to my bowl but I was out! The half bottle of Sriracha in the fridge was actually a better substitute and will be the new trend in my bowl of stew.

This recipe was adapted from Barefoot Contessa and serves 10 easily. Chuck the leftovers in the freezer or make some neighbors happy.

 

Beef Bourguignon

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tablespoon good olive oil
  • 8 ounces bacon, diced
  • 3 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 pound small white potatoes, quartered
  • 2 yellow onions, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
  • 1/2 cup Cognac or Brandy
  • 3/4 bottle red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (1 teaspoon dried)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 pound frozen whole onions
  • 1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the potatoes. Add the wine plus enough beef broth to cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.

Serve with crusty bread.

 

Dark Chocolate Bark with Fruit & Nuts

yholmes 1 Comment

Shoes for chocolate… WHY NOT? My original plan was to make a fabulous chocolate tart with dried fruits and nuts and a bottom layer of raspberry preserves. I came to my senses.

What the hell was I going to do with an entire tart worth a nice pair of shoes in 72% dark French chocolate?

Make something cheaper AND buy Italian leather shoes in celebration of 2009 being my favorite year thus far.

I had a bag of nuts & fruit with the ingredients below… but use whatever nuts & fruit you have on hand for an antioxidant packed treat.

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped pistachios, walnuts and almonds
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, cherries and blueberries

DIRECTIONS

Melt the chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, about 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Pour the melted chocolate over the paper and spread to form a square. Sprinkle the nuts and fruit over the chocolate. Set aside for 2 hours until firm. Cut the bark in pieces and serve at room temperature.

Beef Kofta with Harissa Yogurt Sauce

yholmes 1 Comment

In a recent issue of Bon Appétit, meatballs made the list of favorite foods in 2009. I seemed to miss that trend on menus and magazines but nonetheless was inspired by the ethnic versions in the issue.

Kofta, in simplest terms, is a Middle Eastern meatball. The Bon Appétit recipe called for lamb but the beef roast in my freezer was begging to be used. So after a few whirls in the food processor my lean beef was meatball worthy. I saved myself some time and threw the onions in for a few spins. If you have lean beef the onions are key to keep the beef moist.

This yogurt sauce was also begging for something – my new favorite fiery ingredient – harissa. The paste of chili peppers, garlic, coriander and caraway took this sauce from blah to bold.

Servings: 6

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1/2 cup minced fresh mint
  • 1/4 cup coarsely grated onion
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons paprika
  • 1/2 tablespoon coriander
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 6 Whole Wheat pitas (warmed in oven or microwave)
  • 2 large onions, halved through core, cut crosswise into 1/4- to 1/3-inch slices

Yogurt Sauce:

  • 1 cup Greek Yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon prepared Harissa
  • 1/2 Lemon, juiced
  • Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

For the Harissa Yogurt Sauce:

Stir all ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Cover and chill.

For the Beef Kofta:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer onions to a bowl and set aside.

Gently mix beef and next 9 ingredients in large bowl. Using 2 tablespoonfuls for each, roll meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs (24 total).

Add 1 tablespoon oil to same skillet used to cook onions; heat over medium-high heat. Sauté half of meatballs until just cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet in oven. Repeat with remaining meatballs.

Top warm pita with yogurt sauce, onions and meatballs.

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