Smoky and delicious Brined Pork Steaks (or Chops) May 13, 2013

I have to admit that I am a lazy BBQer (and clearly speller/wordsmith). The thing I love the most about BBQing is the ease and speed involved in putting a super tasty/healthy dinner on the table and I imagine I’m not alone on this one. So a recipe that involves brining your pork chops ahead of time doesn’t exactly sound like it fits the bill, but this was actually super simple and the results were the best BBQ’d pork steaks I’ve had in ages. I’ve been trying for years to recreate the pork steaks we used to get from a local butcher shop in my home town and keep failing, but I think I finally discovered their secret; it’s all in the brine. Plus, the brine takes about 2 minutes to throw together, then you go about your day until it’s time for the spice rub. I found that the 30 minutes the spice rub sits on the meat was the perfect amount of time to start the corn on the cob cooking and to throw together a salad, which meant that dinner took about 37 minutes to make, including the time it took to put the brine and the spice rub together. Not bad for a meal that my 4 year old was begging to have again two bites in.This recipe was read over the phone to me from my sister’s Fine Cooking Grilling magazine, so the instructions may not be exactly what they have, but the ingredients are the same and this is what I did, so it should work for you. Happy BBQ Season!

3-4 lbs pork chops or steaks (I used shoulder steaks)

Brine

1/4 cup each Kosher salt and dark brown sugar (if you don’t have kosher salt I would use about 2/3 of the amount indicated)

1 Tbsp molasses

1 cup ice

3 1/2 cups water

Stir together all brine ingredients except ice in a large bowl, mixing until dissolved, then add pork and ice. Put a plate on top to sink the pork into the brine and leave covered for 2-3 hours (no more than 3 for thick cut chops and no more than 2 for thin cut).

Transfer pork to paper towels to dry and mix up your spice rub.

Spice Rub

1/4 cup smoked paprika

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp oregano

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

Combine all rub ingredients in a small bowl. Rub generously all over pork and let sit for 30 minutes. Preheat grill to high. Scrape off excess spice rub then sear meat on grill. Turn to medium high and grill 3-5 minutes per side until just barely pink in the centre. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

 

Enjoy!

Ky

Venezuelan Pork Tenderloin with Passionfruit and Pink Peppercorns April 26, 2013

This was the only evidence left of this meal to photograph.  I can’t get enough of pork tenderloin – easy and quick to cook and always delicious, I am eager to add new pork tenderloin recipes to my regular rotation. This is now one of them!

The recipe comes directly from Gran Cocina Latina. The author was inspired by a Venezuelan chef who picks the pink peppercorns that grow wild around Caracas and mixes them with passion fruit juice to make a rich and buttery marinade for pork. I served the pork and juices over Israeli couscous with a salad on the side, which I would certainly do again. Rice or roasted baby potatoes (sweet potatoes, even) would also make a nice side – you just need something to soak up the extra juices.

Enjoy!
Katie

serves 6-8 (I used a 1 1/2 pound tenderloin and cut all the ingredients in half, which gave us 4 servings)

3 1/2 lbs boneless pork tenderloin
2 T pink peppercorns, plus extra for garnish
1/2 cup passion fruit juice
3 T dark brown sugar (or panela, if you have it)
1/4 cup dark rum
3 T soy sauce
3 T honey
3 T worcestershire
5 allspice berries, freshly ground in a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder
1 T dried rosemary
salt
2 T butter, cut into small pieces
optional: rosemary sprigs for garnish

Pat the meat dry and place in a roasting pan. In a food processor, combine the peppercorns with everything but the butter and rosemary sprigs – process to a puree. You will have about 1 1/4 cups. Rub 1/2 cup of the mixture on the pork, reserving the rest. Let the meat sit for at least 4 hours at room temperature (or in the fridge, if you’re nervous).

Preheat the oven to 350F. Roast the pork on the centre rack for 2 1/2 hours (far less if you’re doing a smaller tenderloin – maybe 1 to 1 1/2 hours for a 1.5lb tenderloin), or until a thermometer inserted at the thickest part reads 160F. Transfer the meat to a cutting board.

Place the pan over 2 burners on low heat and deglaze with the reserved peppercorn mixture. Bring to a bare simmer, then add the butter and swirl it into the sauce.

Slice the tenderloin into 1/4 inch thick rounds and serve garnished with pink peppercorns, rosemary sprigs and the sauce either on the side for pouring or drizzled over top.

Sweet and sour Brisket in the slow cooker April 17, 2013

I have recently had my life changed by a cookbook. It was given to me for Christmas, but I knew long before then that I would love it, I just didn’t know how much I would love it. It’s the Smitten Kitchen cookbook and I have made at least 10 recipes from there with resounding success. I have not taken pictures of everything, sadly, because I wanted to share some mind blowing short ribs with you, but they were consumed before any pictures could be taken. As was the granola, and the maple bacon biscuits. Oh, and the fried egg on potato latkes, and the cucumber dill coleslaw that tasted like a big bowl of  dill pickles, and the flat roasted chicken on tiny potatoes that made surviving a two week cleanse completely bearable. Are you getting the impression that you should buy this cookbook and then go through it page by page and make EVERY recipe? Good, because that is precisely what I am suggesting. But don’t take my word for it, make this brisket, put one bite in your mouth (whereupon it will instantaneously melt), and then go buy the book.

PS Read through the recipe and plan ahead as the brisket needs to rest. The good news is you can make it a day ahead of time for easy dinner parties, the bad news is it’s not going to be tonight’s dinner.

 

4 -5 lb piece beef brisket

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 cup beef stock

3 Tbsp tomato paste

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup each, balsamic and white wine vinegars

4 tsp paprika

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp red chili flakes

1 tsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp onion powder

1. Season brisket all over with salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix all remaining ingredients together in a medium bowl.

2. Place brisket in slow cooker, pour sauce over and cook for 10 hours on low.

3. Rest the brisket in an oven proof dish with all the sauce in the fridge for several hours. I put the brisket on before bed the night before, popped it in the fridge in the morning and then had it for dinner.

4. While cold, remove the fat from the top of the sauce, then place the brisket on a cutting board and slice into 1/2″-1″ slices. Place back in sauce and heat the brisket, tightly covered, either with a lid or tinfoil, in a 300 degree oven for 1 hour or until the sauce is bubbling at the edge. Serve immediately. We had ours with buttermilk mashed potatoes and fresh veggies.

 

Enjoy!

 

Ky

Tagliatelle with Prosciutto and Orange April 14, 2013

Pasta is the ultimate treat-night meal to me. I gravitate to pastas that use simple ingredients and are light on the sauce, but big on flavour. Don’t get me wrong, I like a big bowl of saucy spaghetti and meatballs as much as the next person, but I most often seek out recipes that come together quickly and rely on one or two key ingredients to make the meal sing.

I came across this Bon Appetit recipe a couple years ago, bookmarked it, and finally made it last night. It sounds a bit unusual – the two key flavours are orange and prosciutto – but fear not, the result is a salty and ever-so-sweet pasta that tastes interesting rather than unusual.

My tips are this: (1) Go to your nearest Italian market and buy a great quality, egg based tagliatelle. It doesn’t need to be expensive – mine was $2. (2) Find a super ripe, fragrant orange. (3) You want to serve this as soon as it’s ready. Once you get to the last step, call your husband/wife/kids/guests to plant around the table and fill their plates the minute the pasta is done.

Did I mention this is really easy? There’s hardly any chopping, the sauce only cooks for about 5 minutes and all the ingredients are easily sourced. You can have dinner on the table in the time it takes to boil your pasta. Hope you love it!

Katie

serves 4

12 oz egg tagliatelle or fettuccine (fresh or dry will work, just get a great quality pasta)
2 T butter
2 oz prosciutto OR 3 stips of bacon, sliced/torn into small pieces
zest and juice of 1 orange
1/2 cup whipping cream
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt, add pasta and cook until 1 minute before al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto/bacon; sauté until browned, about 3 minutes.
To the saute pan, add half the reserved pasta water, orange juice, half of zest and cream; bring to a boil. (Now it’s time to get everyone gathered around the table.) Add pasta and cook, stirring, until the sauce coats the pasta and the pasta is al dente, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Working quickly, stir in cheese and taste – add more salt and pepper as desired. You can add more pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. Divide among warm bowls and sprinkle with remaining orange zest.

Steelhead Trout and Baby bok Choy on the BBQ April 10, 2013

I love weeknight dinners that come together in 10 minutes and then leave me with nothing to do for 25 minutes while they cook. By the time I serve it, I always feel like someone else made me dinner. That’s what this recipe is like, except it’s like someone made me a super healthy, tasty dinner that I feel good about both eating and giving my family; yay! This came from my new Epicurious cookbook and all I changed was the type of fish (they used salmon, which would also be lovely). I might try this again in the future with some Napa cabbage leaves instead of the bok choy, just to switch things up, but this is officially on the fish rotation at our house.

12-14 baby bok choy (about 12 oz), halved or quartered if they are fairly large

1 Tbsp each, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and mirin (sake could be used instead of rice vinegar and mirin)

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1, 1 inch pice of ginger, peeled and minced

2 lb fillet of Steelhead Trout (or salmon or artic char, use what you can get)

1. Heat your BBQ to medium high.

2. Whisk together sesame oil, rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, garlic and ginger.

3. Lay out a large piece of tinfoil (if it’s not wide tinfoil you may need 2 pieces perpendicular to each other). Place trout on it skin side down and pour over sauce. Arrange the bok choy on top and seal the tinfoil. Place the package on the grill and let cook for 15 minutes.

4. Let the package sit and steam itself for another 10 minutes before opening the tinfoil. Serve immediately, preferably over some nice fluffy Jasmine rice.

 

Enjoy!

 

Ky

 

Dark Chocolate and Brandy Pots de Creme April 7, 2013

This is your fast track to a rich, silky dessert tonight. It took me all of about 5 minutes to whip these up.

Pots de creme are a custard of sorts, traditionally composed of eggs and cream, then baked in a water bath.  This recipe ditches the cream and opts for hot coffee, which you blend with the chocolate and eggs. The heat from the coffee thickens the eggs, giving you the same result you would get whisking the eggs and cream over heat. Did that make any sense? What I’m trying to say is that this is even less work than a traditional pot de creme and the result is still silky smooth deliciousness.

I grabbed the recipe from Pioneer Woman, where you can find step by step photos of the process. I adapted the recipe to suit my preferences – more booze, brandy instead of Grand Marnier, a little more salt and a smaller batch (because it’s dangerous for me to have 12 of these sitting in the fridge). I hope you love them!

Katie

makes 6 reasonable sized servings or 4 indulgent ones

6 oz good dark chocolate (I used Lindt), chopped
2 whole eggs
1 T Brandy (or Grand Marnier or whatever you feel like), possibly more to taste
generous pinch salt
1/2 cup HOT strong coffee
unsweetened whipped cream, for serving
optional: candied orange peel or thinly sliced fresh orange peel, for serving

Place the chocolate in your blender. Crack in the eggs, then pour in the Brandy and salt. Blend for a few seconds until the chocolate is busted up and everything is thoroughly mixed.

With the blender running, slowly pour your super hot coffee in a thin stream through the blender lid until it’s all added. Blend another few seconds until smooth. Taste and add more Brandy or salt if desired.

Pour mixture into small cups or jars. Throw them in the fridge until set – it will take about 2 hours. You can easily make these ahead and keep them in the fridge for a day or two.

Top with a big dollop of whipped cream and garnish with sliced orange peel. Dig in!

Tip: I like making these in jars so that I can easily screw on a lid and store them for a few days. Even the whipping cream will stay fresh stored like this for 2 days.

Smoky Eggplant and Pickled Beet Sandwich April 4, 2013

I have so many new recipes to post! I will try to get them all on here, but today you’re getting a sandwich. It’s simple, it’s vegetarian, it’s packed with fresh herbs, it’s healthy, it’s satisfying….and it’s a fantastic way to use up your pickled beets before the next crop is ready to be pickled! I used golden beets and brioche burger buns – any variety of pickled beet will work and you just need to find a bun or sandwich bread that is soft (a chewy crust would not be ideal here). Potato buns, focaccia, brioche and soft dinner rolls would work well. I also used a tahini sauce in place of the garlic mayo….it worked, but I think the mayo would be better. If you’re mayo adverse, a tapenade with extra garlic would be really nice.

Enjoy!
Katie

makes 4 hearty sandwiches, barely adapted from Bon Appetit

Eggplant and Mayo:

1 large eggplant (1 1/2 pounds), sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds
1-2 T  olive oil
1/2 t smoked paprika
salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 t Sherry vinegar

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then spread 1 T oil right onto the foil covered pan. Place eggplant slices on the pan in a single layed and rub the top side of each slice with a little extra oil (or spray with Pam). Season with paprika, salt, and pepper. Roast until golden and tender, 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Whisk garlic, mayonnaise, and vinegar in a small bowl; set aside.

Do ahead: the eggplant and mayo can be made one day ahead and refrigerated.

Beet Salad and Assembly:

6 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup mixed tender fresh herb leaves (such as flat-leaf parsley, dill, and mint), chopped
1/2 cup chopped pickled beets
1/4 cup chopped olives
2 T capers, drained
1/2 T olive oil
4 buns or 8 slices bread
6 ounces feta, thinly sliced

Toss scallions, herbs, beets, olives, capers, and oil in a medium bowl to combine.
Spread cut sides of bread with garlic mayo (or tapenade). Top one slice of bread with eggplant, feta, beet salad and a second slice of bread.