A Stroke of Genius

Ok, whoever the individual is that came up with this idea has my write-in vote for President.  Genius.  Sheer genius.  And I’m mad that it didn’t occur to me earlier.

While this won’t come together in 30 minutes, it’s super simple, and I bet you don’t spend more than 30 minutes actually working on the meal, depending on what you serve with it.  Me, I stuck to some really simple sautéed corn and store bought rolls that I brushed with a little garlic butter.

The beauty of this is you can use your favorite BBQ sauce.  I stuck with my new favorite.
And while O2 is not a big fan of pork, she declared it ‘amazing’.  I’ll take it.

Oh, and while this is ‘Pulled Pork Spaghetti’, I actually used linguini since I had a box open already.

Pulled Pork Spaghetti

1 pork shoulder roast (about 3 lbs)
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp ancho chili powder
½ tsp chipotle chili powder
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp cocoa powder
¼ cup apple juice
2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce
Cooked spaghetti

Combine all of the seasonings (salt through cocoa powder).  Rinse and pat the pork roast dry.  Sprinkle all over with seasoning blend and rub in thoroughly.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and sauté just until they begin to soften.  Add the seasoned pork roast.  Sear on all sides until golden (just a minute or two for each side).  Meanwhile, add the apple juice to a slow cooker and turn on high.  When pork has finished searing, add to slow cooker and cover.  Cook on high for 3 hours.  Drain off all but about ½ cup of the liquid, being careful to leave the onions.  Add the barbecue sauce and cook for another 1 to 2 hours.   Shred the meat and add to cooked spaghetti, using a bit more sauce if needed.

Arepas!

So, I heard about these things eons ago, and even tried to make them myself for our picnic in the park with G &C (which I'm realizing now I forgot to blog about - DUH!!). But I got some bad intel from the folks at Market of Choice when I called. The product they directed me to was NOT masarepa flour, which is required to make arepas (kind of a Venezuelan sandwich), but regular masa - the kind you’d make tortillas or tamales with. I’ll use it, so it’s not a great loss, but ever since I have been OBSESSED with finding this flour. Most of my searches yielded nothing (the local Hispanic foods shops had no idea what I was talking about, and the websites I searched were prohibitively expensive).

Well, a few weeks ago, I found the stuff online, it was fairly inexpensive, and so I bought, like 4 lbs of the stuff and waited for it to arrive - which it did last week.

I wasted no time picking up a pork shoulder so I could make carnitas, which was what a good portion of yesterday was spent doing. Well, waiting for it to cook, anyway. The actual prep was very quick.

I am tickled with the results and will be using this carnitas recipe again for the tamale day that C and I have planned - sometime in the not too distant future, I hope. There was not a lot of spice here, but a whole lot of flavor, and I can only tell you how wonderful the house smelled all day.

And just as promised, the arepa flour worked beautifully.

It’s great when a plan comes together.

Carnitas

1 4 - 5 lb pork shoulder, cut into 4” slices
1 Tbs salt
2 Tbs canola or vegetable oil
1 red onion, coarsely chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
1 cinnamon stick
Peel from one orange
2 bay leaves
1 tsp ancho chile powder
1 tsp chipotle chile powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp ground oregano
1 Tbs whole peppercorns
1 bottle Mexican beer (I used Negrona)
1 Anaheim chile, coarsely chopped

Heat oven to 350º. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Rub salt into pork pieces and add to hot pan. Sear until brown on each side, about 5 minutes. Add vegetables and spices to the pork (with the exception of the Anaheim), dividing each ingredient evenly over the contents in the pot. Slowly pour in beer. Add enough water to come up to just below the top of the meat (about 2/3 of the way up the pot). Cover and place in oven. Bake for 3 ½ hours.

Remove pot from oven, and using a pair of tongs, ‘shred’ the meat, discarding any large chunks of fat and whatever whole peppercorns you run across. Also skim off any excess grease. There should be relatively little liquid left.

Sprinkle cut Anaheim over the top of the meat. Return to oven and allow to crisp up (uncovered) for about 15 to 20 minutes more.

Arepas

2 cups masarepa flour
1 tsp salt
3 cups warm water
Butter

Combine arepa flour and salt in a large bowl. Slowly pour in water. Allow to soak in for a couple of minutes, and then mix thoroughly to make sure all of the flour is incorporated.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add a pat of butter and allow to melt and start to sizzle.

Create patties of the arepa mixture about 4 - 5” across and about 1/2” thick. Place patties in heated skillet. Cook until golden brown on one side (about 10 minutes), and then flip the arepas over and continue to cook until golden on the other side.

Remove to a plate and allow to cool slightly. Slice open with a knife and scoop out part of the ‘doughy’ inside. Fill as desired.

No Grill? No Problem!

I may get run out of Blogland on a rail for saying this but my personal opinion is that if you’re not grilling over an actual fire, then it doesn’t really matter how your BBQ is being prepared. Gas just doesn’t cut it in my book. I mean, it’s a fine method of cooking, especially in hot weather when you don’t want to heat up your entire house, but taste-wise? I guess what I’m saying is that I really don’t see a difference between something cooked on a gas barbecue grill and the same thing cooked, say, in the oven.

Case in point…

I picked up a rack of baby backs but just basically wanted to throw them together and then forget all about them so I could do other things. This method is perfect for that and the results are fall-off-the-bone good.

I was able to toss these in the oven right after lunch and didn’t touch them again until dinner. To make things even simpler, I also threw some potatoes in the oven to roast at the same time. Once they were cooked through, I just pulled them out, covered them up, and when it was time to actually get dinner thrown together, I put them back in at a higher temperature to brown. Nothing could be simpler.

Oven Barbecued Ribs

1 rack baby back ribs (about 3 lbs)
1 ½ tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp celery salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ancho chile powder
2 Tbs brown sugar
¼ cup hard cider (or a light ale)

Barbecue Sauce (I used this)

Heat oven to 250º. In a small bowl, combine all seasonings and the sugar. Mix well. Lay out a strip of aluminum foil about 6” longer than your rack of ribs. Lay ribs on top of foil and sprinkle with half of the seasoning. Rub the seasoning into the meat until well coated. Flip ribs over and repeat with the remaining seasoning. Pour cider over the ribs and top with another piece of foil. Seal tightly all around. Place in oven.

Allow to cook 4 hours. Remove from oven.

Turn oven up to 425º. Remove the top layer of foil from the ribs. Coat with barbecue sauce and return to oven when it has heated. Allow to cook about 15 minutes, or just until barbecue sauce begins to caramelize.

* * *

I wanted a couple of really simple sides to go with the ribs. As I mentioned, I roasted some potatoes with the ribs and browned them at the higher oven temperature after adding the barbecue sauce to the meat.

While that was cooking, I put together a quick sautéed cabbage using some of the hard cider left from cooking the ribs (and I have a bit of a confession… since the barbecue sauce calls for apple juice… well, you wouldn’t want me to let the stuff go to waste, now, would you?).


Sautéed Cabbage

3 slices bacon
1 Tbs olive oil
½ head green cabbage, sliced into thin strips
½ sweet onion (you can substitute a yellow onion, of course), thinly sliced
½ tsp celery salt
½ tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp black pepper
½ cup hard cider

Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove from skillet, leaving the bacon drippings. Add olive oil and onions. Cook over medium heat until onions are translucent and begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add cabbage and seasonings.

Cook, stirring frequently, until cabbage has begun to soften, about 5 minutes. Add cider and continue to cook another 5 minutes until the cider has evaporated and cabbage is cooked through.

Mediterranean Night

I hope that I can fit everything into one post because I want to tell you all about the extremely post-worthy meal the other night!

So, as I've mentioned, 'Chip' (heh heh) and I have been getting together once a month (along with (my) Offspring and her hubby) and preparing themed dinners.  This month we opted for Mediterranean, and I think I can say it was a smashing success.  Probably my favorite to date.

Here are a couple of photos of 'the spread'.

As a starter, I prepared this mezze platter along with some crackers and flatbread (recipe for that below).  It included:  Moroccan and Italian olives, Baba Ganouj, Toasted hazelnuts, Medjool dates, and Fresh ricotta with lemon zest and honey.

Then we really got serious about eating....

On the menu, from yours truly:

Toasted Parmesan Flatbread and Mezze Platter
Slow-braised Pork with Grapes and Balsamic
Saffron Rice with Pignolis
Flourless Lemon-Almond Cake

And, courtesy of "Chip":

Meyer Lemon Gelato (which paired very nicely with the cake)
Fried Eggplant Balls with Rigatoni (hands down my favorite dish)
Green Beans with Almonds, Onions and Parmesan
Fish Sautéed with Lemon and Olives

I will be using all of these recipes again, most definitely!

Toasted Parmesan Flatbread

1 cup lukewarm water
1 Tbs + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 - 2 cups AP flour (next time I think I'll substitute all whole wheat)
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/4 tsp salt

Whisk the water, 1 Tbs of oil, sugar and yeast in a mixing bowl bowl. Let sit about 5 minutes, until it starts to get a little foamy.

While the yeast is sitting, assemble dry ingredients (the 1 1/2 cups AP flour, wheat flour, Parmesan and salt).

Add the dry ingredients to the yeast mixture and stir to combine (I used my stand mixer and the dough hook). If it is too sticky to work with, add a little of the remaining 1/2 cup of the flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed (I used very little).

Add the remaining tsp of oil to a large bowl, shape the dough into a ball, and place in the bowl, coating with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down the dough and divide into six equal balls (it makes a lovely, soft dough that contracts very little when rolled out). Roll out each ball onto a floured work surface until it’s about seven inches in diameter (and about 1/4" thick).

Preheat a skillet (I used a cast iron grill pan, which added nice markings) over medium heat until it is very hot. Add a very small amount of olive oil (just enough to coat the pan).  Place a dough circle on the heated pan and cook until it starts to bubble up, about 2 minutes.  Rotate to create markings if you're using a grill pan.  Flip over and repeat.

Transfer to a plate or a wire rack and repeat with the remaining dough. You might have to adjust the heat a bit if the bread starts to brown too quickly.
 
Baba Ganouj
 
2 medium eggplants, sliced in half lengthwise
Olive Oil
Sea salt
 
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. tahini
2 cloves garlic, coursely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
 
Preheat oven to 375º.  Place eggplant halves on a baking sheet, and drizzle the flesh with a good amount of olive oil (a couple of glugs for each).  Season with salt.  Roast for about 20 - 30 minutes, or until meat is cooked through.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.
 
In a blender, combine olive oil, lemon juice, tahini and garlic.  Peel the skin from the eggplant halves and roughly chop.  Add to blender and season with salt and pepper.  Process to desired consistency.
 
Green Beans with Almonds, Onions and Parmesan
 
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 cup whole raw almonds
1 tsp fleur de sel or other medium-course sea salt
1 lb. green beans, trimmed
5 oz. Parmigiano Reggiano, cut into 1/3 - 1/2" irregular chunks
1 small red onion, thinly sliced or shaved on a mandoline
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
 
Heat 2 Tbs oil in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add almonds and cook, shaking the pan back and forth, until almonds are cooked and starting to pop, about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt, and stir.  Remove nuts with slotted spoon and drain on paper towel, then coarsely chop.
 
Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to a boil.  Add beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain, transfer to a large bowl, and immediately toss with remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.
 
Add cheese, onion and parsley; toss well.  Let sit for a few minutes, then toss with almonds and serve.
 
 
** These were fantastic, by the way.  Loved the crispness of the veggies and crunch of the almonds.
 

Saffron Rice with Pignolis

1/2 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
1 32 oz. carton low-sodium chicken stock (or the homemade equivalent)
About 1/4 - 1/2 tsp saffron threads (just use a decent pinch)
2 cups jasmine rice
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, toast the pine nuts just until golden (these tend to burn fast, so keep a close eye on them).  Remove from pan and set aside.

Add chicken broth and saffron to saucepan.  Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat and allow to steep for about 15 minutes.

Return the saucepan to a medium-high heat, and when it begins to boil, slowly add rice, stirring gently.  Season with salt and pepper.  When the broth comes back to a boil, turn the heat down to medium to medium-low, cover, and cook for 16 - 18 minutes.  Allow to sit for a few minutes, then gently fluff the rice.

Just prior to serving, stir in pine nuts.

 
Fried Eggplant Balls
 
2 large eggplant (about 2 3/4 lbs)
1 large egg
2 cups medium-ground fresh breadcrumbs
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish
3 Tbs chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
Extra-virgin olive oil for shallow frying
 
Preheat oven to 375º.  Prick each eggplant several times with a fork.  Roast until cooked through, about an hour.  Allow to cool.
 
Scoop flesh from eggplant halves and place in a fine sieve set over a mixing bowl.  Discard skins.  Drain for 4 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
 
Transfer eggplant to food processor (discard juices).  Add egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, garlic and salt.  Pulse to combine; transfer to a plate or bowl.  Form into 1-inch balls (makes about 40).
 
Fill a large skillet with 1/4" oil and heat to about 360º.  Using a slotted spoon, add several eggplant balls to oil and cook until golden on all sides, about 5 minutes.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  Repeat with remaining balls.
 
 
** "Chip" served these with rigatoni and some olives with just a bit of olive oil and more Parmesan, I think.  Simple, but man, was this good.  And the perfect dish to serve if you have vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike.  You'll make each happy.

The cooked pork with sauce simmering away in the background

Slow-Braised Pork with Grapes and Balsamic

1 4-pound boneless pork shoulder
4 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 large shallots, halved, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 cups seedless grapes
2 Tbs sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 large fresh sage sprigs
4 large fresh thyme sprigs
2 large fresh rosemary sprigs

Preheat oven to 325°F. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbs oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add pork to pot and cook until browned on all sides, about 13 minutes total. Transfer pork to plate; discard fat in pot.
 
Heat remaining 2 Tbs oil in same pot over medium heat. Add shallots and grapes; sauté until shallots are golden, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add sugar; sauté 30 seconds. Add vinegar; bring mixture to boil and cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Add broth, all herb sprigs, and pork with juices from plate. Bring to boil. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Braise pork 1 hour. Using tongs, turn pork over and continue braising until meat is very tender, about 45 minutes longer. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to platter; tent with foil.

Remove herb sprigs from pot and skim fat from surface of cooking liquid. Boil cooking liquid over high heat until thickened, about 7 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Pour over pork and serve.


** Leftovers make a really good version of 'pulled pork', Italian style on a ciabatta roll.

And lest you think we had no room to spare for dessert, au contraire!

Flourless Lemon-Almond Cake

1 1/3 cups blanched slivered almonds

8 Tbs sugar
4 large eggs, separated
5 tsp packed grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pan with waxed paper. Finely grind almonds with 2 Tbs sugar in processor. Combine yolks, 2 Tbs sugar, lemon peel, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in almond mixture. Using clean beaters, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 4 Tbs sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold large spoonful of whites into almond mixture (start with a medium sized one and mix well since the almonds and yolks get pretty thick). Gently fold in remaining whites.

Transfer batter to pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Turn out onto platter. Remove waxed paper.

Once cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

I served this with an Amaretto Whipped Cream (basically just whipping cream beaten with a bit of sugar and then Amaretto added to taste).


"Chip" had some Meyer Lemons fresh from California and made this gelato, which was fantastic (if I've used that too much here, sorry, but everything was just... fantastic :-)))  ).


Meyer Lemon Gelato

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh Meyer Lemon juice (from 5 or 6 lemons)
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup whole milk
2 large egg whites
pinch of sea salt

Whisk together sugar, lemon juice and water in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves.  Add milk and whisk to combine (it will curdle; this is ok).

In another bowl, whisk egg whites and salt until whites hold a soft peak.  Fold egg whites into lemon juice mixture.

Churn mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.  Serve, or pack into a container and freeze.