Going Greek: Tsatsiki

I love Greek food. There is something so simple and so "of the land" about it, plus it always reminds me of the trip I took there, oh, about...uh...well, sadly it was so many years ago that it is depressing to think about. It is still one of those places I would go back to in a heartbeat. So, I get my Greek fix in other ways here in Portland. My friend dds has warmed my palate more than once with her creations. Alexis Restaurant here is still the place that reminds me most of eating in Greece. And every now and then I'll make a bowl of my all-time favorite Greek condiment, tsatsiki. It is one of those things that is so easy, and incredible satisfying. Its garlicky heat that prickles your tastebuds, only to get reined in by the cool yogurt and juicy cucumber bits. I made this version last weekend when we had some friends over. I really made for my friend Athena, whose surname of Pappas tells you all you need to know about her love of Greek food. I knew she was particular about such things, and ever up for a challenge, I couldn't wait to see if I would get the dis or the love. She took a bite, I waited.....and she was all smiles! So if you need a fresh app this summer that is fabulous spread on some pita or sliced baguette, and washed down with an ice cold glass of rosé...or better a bottle of retsina...get your Greek on with the E.D.T. Tsatsiki!
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E.D.T. Tsatsiki
makes about 5 cups
ingredients:
4 cups plain Greek style yogurt (see note at bottom)
2 pounds cucumber (about 3), peeled and chopped fine
3 or 4 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped fine
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
quartered pita loaves or sliced baguette as an accompaniment

method:
Put the cucumbers in a sieve and press out as much excess liquid as possible. In a bowl stir together the drained yogurt and the garlic paste, add the cucumbers, the mint, the oil, and salt and pepper to taste, and combine the mixture well. The tsatsiki may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Serve the tsatsiki with the pita.

Cooks note: If you can't find Greek style yogurt, which seems to be widely available these days, then do the following with plain yogurt: In a sieve set over a bowl and lined with a triple thickness of rinsed and squeezed cheesecloth let the yogurt drain, covered and chilled, for 8 hours or overnight.
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: eating around Portland: Tabla Bistro and Justa Pasta!

Toasted Hazelnut Romesco Sauce: putting the past behind me

In keeping with the "simple cooking" theme of the last post, I was reminded of how easy my entertaining life used to be as I was uploading the picture above. Before I fancied myself a sort of culinary explorer, one who was sure that any proper gathering needed some new and interesting route to satisfy the appetites of my friends, the deli aisle in the grocery store provided unlimited pleasures. Back then in my Paleolithic cooking era when I wouldn't even know how to turn on a food processor and was sure that if I did own such an extravagance that the little blade was just biding its time, waiting to add a new and gruesome dimension to whatever else might be thrown into the mixing bowl, a tub of hummus and some sliced bread for appetizers was considered high living. Why would I consider making my own salsa fresca when some multi-national corporation had so thoughtfully prepackaged some for me and priced it so attractively? And Tillamook sharp cheddar, at a premium price I might add, was just the thing to throw on some Triscuits (a current guilty pleasure I have not yet put behind me and has also been considered "dinner").

I'm not pining for the past, mind you. Time marches on and I take ever greater pleasure with every new culinary discovery. And if that new dish happens to be as delicious and easy to make as this romesco from Anya von Bremzen's The New Spanish Table cookbook (a new purchase I love), so much the better. In just 20 minutes...less if you already have the toasted hazelnuts...you can put thoughts of Reser's French Onion Dip far behind and have a complex, flavor popping spread for bread, and I'm thinking if you have extra and add a little more olive oil and some of water from the pasta pot, a pretty good pasta sauce. Now that I have long ago brought my food processor to heel, life is still quite simple, and even more satisfying!
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Toasted Hazelnut Romesco
from The New Spanish Table

ingredients:
1 medium sized dried ñora pepper or ancho chile, stemmed, seeded, and torn into small pieces
2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned (see below)
2 large garlic cloves
1-1/2 tablespoons toasted bread crumbs (panko bread crumbs worked fine- bb)
1 small, ripe plum tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon sweet (not smoked) paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons best quality red wine vinegar
Coarse salt (kosher or sea)

method:
1-Place dried pepper pieces in a small bowl, add 1/2 cup very hot water, and soak until softened, 20-30 minutes. Drain, setting aside the soaking liquid.

2-Place the hazelnuts in the food processor and pulse until they are ground medium-fine. Add the pepper pieces, 1/3 cup of soaking liquid, and the garlic. Bread crumbs, tomato, paprika, and cayenne, and process until fairly smooth but still with some texture from the nuts. With the motor running drizzle the olive oil in until it is completely incorporated.

3-Scrape the sauce into a bowl. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt to taste. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Taste the sauce before serving, adding more vinegar and cayenne if desired. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Makes about 1-1/2 cups.
note: The vinegar is the key here. It really makes the flavors pop so it definitely pays to use a high quality vinegar.- bb

Toasted Hazelnuts....preheat oven to 350*. Spread nuts on rimmed cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minuets until skins start to darken and blister. Remove from oven and wrap in dish towel and let cool for 5 minutes. While nuts are still in the towel, rub vigorously to remove as much skin as possible. There will still be a fair amount of skin attached to nuts, but it doesn't matter in the finished dish. -bb
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: 1999 Pommard from Burgundy, aka "real" pinot noir!

A VERY happy ending!

I told you there'd be a part three to my "babysitting" story. To me, any good story needs a happy ending, and since my particular story ends with me slathering spoonfuls of Denise's sensually satisfying crème caramel into my mouth that was honestly THE BEST I HAVE EVER HAD, this is nothing less than a deliriously delicious denouement. Like a good crème brulée, crème caramel is perhaps one of the most abused desserts. Rarely does it transcend the "just okay" category, and with all things custard being one of my favorite ways to clog my arteries, I have had uncountable disappointments. Last Saturday "just okay" wasn't an option. These ramekins of creamy delight didn't even glance in that direction and rocketed directly into the rarified "oh-my-fucking-god" category. D&K, this was a crazy finish to an amazing dinner...thanks....I've never felt so well-cared for! Although next time if you could arrange a driver home.........
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The verbiage is all Denise. She said I could edit it, but when it's so fun, I wouldn't dare!-bb
Creme Caramel for 6
(all the recipes I found were for 4...but seriously, why would you just make 4?)
(I combined a few recipes by erring on the side of a richer custard...mmmm, eggyolk...though less sweet. Egads...it was still plenty sweet. From what I can tell this is a VERY forgiving dish since ingredients and techniques vary wildly online.)

Caramel:
- 1 c sugar
- 4 T water

Custard:
- 3 c milk (any combo will work as far as I can tell so use whatever you have / want. I used 1 c whipping cream and 2 c lowfat milk)
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch salt
- 2 eggs plus 6 egg yolks, beaten

Caramel:
Put a frying pan on medium heat. When hot add 1 c sugar and enough water to moisten the sugar. Swirl / stir as it melts to ensure all the sugar is wet. In about 5 minutes it will start to bubble; stir / swirl to brown evenly all over, and when it reaches a nice caramel color, remove from heat. (Depending on the heat retention of your pan it will keep cooking, so take it off the heat / keep swirling accordingly.)

Evenly distribute the caramel among 6 ramekins. (Next time I'd try a squirt of Pam...or a heavier pan for my bain marie...because while there was plenty of liquid caramel, there was also a thick sheet of candy stuck to the bottom.)

Custard
While your sugar's carmelizing, break and beat eggs into a large bowl. Add 1/4 c sugar to the eggs and whisk until frothy and color lightens.

Heat the milk/cream combo, add vanilla, remaining 1/4 c sugar and salt, stirring until it comes to a boil. (Unsure of the logic of half the sugar in the milk and half in the eggs. Some recipes put it all in the egg; whip a bit longer.)

Slowly pour the milk mixture though a sieve into the eggs, starting with just a little to temper the eggs. Once the egg mixture is warm you can add the rest of the hot milk quickly. Stir, divide between the ramekins.

Place the ramekins into a pan with hot water 2/3 up the ramekins, bake for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees, checking and rotating the bain marie halfway through the cooking time. Remove when custards are jiggly but set. Remove from the hot bath, cool, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.

To serve, run a knife around the outside and invert on a plate. I pulled mine from the fridge a few hours ahead and put the ramekins back in a hot bath so the custard wouldn't be ice cold.

(I used 6 1 c ramekins, but use whatever you have, adjusting cooking time based on how deep / shallow your cups are.)
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: little effort, high reward Indian-style with this amazing Goan Shrimp Curry!

A dinner party in four days. Day One: cocktails and apps

So you want to have a dinner party, do you? And let me guess...you need inspiration? I thought so. That's why we read these food blogs isn't it? I mean besides the obvious "killing time at work" reason. Well, since you have a need (and mouths) to fill, let me help you out, because last Sunday I had a kick ass post-holiday dinner party for those who work at the wine shack. Everyone was left full, happy, and drunk, so I guess it was a success. Here's what's going to happen: each day for the next four days I'm going to lay this out for you with apps/cocktails, first course of soup, entrée, and dessert. By Monday you'll be fully ready to wow your friends and earn much love from those who are fortunate enough to be graced with an invite to your table!

I know my friends well enough to know that when they walk in the door, and after the hugs are spread around, they want something in their hands. Hopefully liquid and with a little kick. Here's a list of cocktails and links to the recipes that will give everyone the proper pre-dinner glow:
- Hendrick's Gimlets
- Campari Aranciata Cocktail
- Negroni
- Manhattan Cocktail
- Margarita
- Sidecar Cocktail

You might also want to stash a bottle or two of prosecco and white in the fridge, too, just in case anyone pulls the unexpected and decides on a grape based drink. w tends to roll this way, so it's best to be a good Boy Scout and be prepared. Of course with alcohol beginning to course through their systems, it's incumbent on you, the responsible host, to have something for your guests to eat. Do yourself a favor...make it easy and have them ready when you pour the drinks. You'll be too busy with the greetings and tending to dinner prep to be whipping up last minute apps. You can take the easy way and do the cheese thing, which isn't ever a bad idea. But with a bare minimum of extra effort, you can make the two starters I laid down that absolutely nail it, are delicious, can be made a couple of hours ahead, plus they look pretty damn good on the serving platter.....
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Piquillos con Atun
A classic Spanish tapas, these are fabulous. Use good canned tuna in olive oil. I love the Ortiz brand from Spain.

ingredients:
1 Jar (7.6oz) Piquillo peppers
1 tin Bonito tuna in olive oil
Extra Virgin olive oil
1⁄4 cup Capers
Lettuce, washed and drained (optional)

method:
1. Combine tuna in a bowl, draining off about half of the oil. Replace about half of the drained oil with extra virgin olive oil.
2. Break the tuna up into large chunks and add the capers.
3. Hold the peppers so that they form a cone in your hand and stuff with the tuna mixture.
4. Place each stuffed pepper onto the bed of lettuce (if using) or platter. Sprinkle the whole platter with capers and drizzle with olive oil.
Chorizo Deviled Eggs w/ Chorizo Chips
Who doesn't love deviled eggs? Throwback food at its best. And very open to imaginative interpretation! I wanted to stick with a Spanish theme for our apps, so chorizo was the natural choice. Figure at least 2 egg halves per person.

ingredients:
8 eggs
1/4 cup Spanish chorizo, finely chopped
16 thin slices chorizo for chips.
Mayonnaise
Smoked Spanish paprika to taste

method:
1- Put eggs in saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil. When water comes to a boil, remove pan from heat and cover. After 15 minutes carefully place eggs into ice water bath to cool. Let cool for 20 minutes or so.
2- While eggs cook, crisp the chopped chorizo in a small non-stick skillet. Set aside on a paper towel to drain. Add chorizo slices to skillet and cook to crisp, turning once or twice. Set aside on a separate paper towel to drain. (oh, you may want to make more chorizo chips than you need, because they're really fucking good and once you nibble one, you'll want more. FYI, ya know?)
3- Slice eggs in half lengthwise (a really sharp knife is very helpful here) and place yolks in small mixing bowl. Set egg white halves aside. Add mayonnaise to yolks and mash to desired consistency (I like my egg yolks a little stiff). Add paprika to taste; add chopped chorizo, and mix together. Salt to taste. Carefully fill each egg white half with yolk mixture and add chorizo chip on top. Arrange on platter and serve.
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: Pernil is the pork shoulder that dreams are made of!

Osso delicious!

There are certain things that get me swooning like a lovesick teenager. A steaming bowl of cassoulet. New York Steak, perfectly medium-rare at Jack's Bar & Grill. And of course one my all time obsessions, savory, saucy, veal-a-rific osso buco. Oh, in case you're wondering, there are several non-food things that make me all giddy, too, but this is a food blog, ya know?!

As mentioned previously, we had our friends J&K over the other night on a cold, blustery evening. In the kitchen math that I practice at home, cold weather + good friends = slow braising. To ward off the chill, I knew it was time to the pull the Cadillac of cookware (aka my beloved Le Creuset) off the shelf, and properly inspired by The Bible, it was and time for my first ever osso buco. I had lusted after the veal shanks (right) at our local Zupan's Market on many an occasion. Each time their pale, beefy flesh would call out to me, but until I got hold of Molly Steven's All About Braising (aka The Bible), I had never heeded the siren song. Now as alluded to above, in my Deliciousness Hall of Fame, osso buco...I'm talking a tender, fall off the bone osso buco with a side of classic risotto Milanese...would absolutely be in my top five things that get my food wood on. I always order it out when I get the rare opportunity. But after making (that's the osso buco right before its oven time at lower left) this amazing creation from Steven's book that was as good as ANY osso buco I've ever had, now I know that instead of drooling all over the meat case at Zupan's, all I need to do is grab some shank and whip up this way easy, get-the-crowd-raving dish in the comfort of the kitchen at 1309, which is always my favorite place to eat!

Wine choice: I've gotta agree with Molly that this classic of Italian cooking calls for your best Italian red. I popped that 2000 Barbaresco that killed, but a good Barbera or Chianti Classico would also work.

Also, don't worry about the long list of ingredients or length of the recipe, it really does come together quickly!
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Osso Buco alla Milanese
From Molly Stevens "All About Braising"

What, no recipe below? Hey, in her book it covers three pages, so transcribing it seemed a bit daunting with my fifth grade level typing skills. I'll get the recipe up eventually, I promise. But trust me when I say BUY THE FREAKING BOOK and make it yourselves (she also has a very good risotto alla Milanese recipe right after the osso buco recipe). It is absolutely an awesome, show-stopping dish. Plus this book is jammed with temptation cover to cover. I bought one copy at Powell's here locally for $35 for a friend's birthday, and grabbed my copy online at Amazon for $24.
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: a simply fabulous Lamb Stew with Figs!

Sea Scallops on a Pea-Mint Purée: simple genius!

Let me repeat myself: I am so damn lucky to have the friends I do. Especially because so many of them have genius cooking skills. I'm not talking molecular gastronomy/sous vide/foaming everything/mad kitchen scientist (aka Grant Achatz) sort of genius. I'm talking the genius of people who just appreciate good food, mostly prepared simply, and who also love sharing what they know. The following recipe is a perfect example of what I call simple genius.

The other night w and I had friends over, and since it was a Monday (when I'm off work), I was looking forward to a day of shopping, prepping, setting the table, all those things that build the anticipation for a great evening and I happen to LOVE doing. Even more so than usual this time because I was being joined by my author pal DOR, who just got back from the India/Nepal border region on a research trip for a new book, suggested we hang out cooking together in my kitchen. Nothing could have sounded better. The night's main course was going to be my, if I may shamelessly prop myself, stellar butternut squash risotto. After apps and cocktails, I wanted to start with a first course of scallops, and DOR mentioned he had a recipe for seared scallops on a pea-mint purée that he was feeling pretty smug about. He has fed me enough incredible food, so there's no need for debate. As you can see from the photo, his dish is beautiful to look at and even more delicious to eat (we decided together that a few fried pancetta bits could only help things). And it was so simple to prepare. The best part is it uses frozen peas, so you can get all food-porny year round. DOR thought it was an old Bittman recipe, but he couldn't remember for sure. Wherever it came from, it left everyone gasping for superlatives. Again, simple genius!

Wine choice: to me this cries out for a crisp, all stainless fermented sauvignon blanc. Maybe a fresh Sancerre from the Loire Valley, or if you can find it (I know where), what I consider the finest sauvignon blanc made in the U.S., the 2007 J. Christopher "Willamette Valley".
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Seared Scallops on a Pea-Mint Purée
Serves 8
ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
16 sea scallops
2 small bags frozen peas
1 cup fresh mint leaves
4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved.
2 small shallots, sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces pancetta, finely diced (optional....but really good!)

method:
1- In a large non-stick skillet on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons butter and one tablespoon olive oil. When butter has melted, add peas, garlic, and shallots. Sauté until peas have thawed and heated slightly. Remove from heat. While peas are heating, put diced pancetta in a small non-stick sauté pan and cook until crisp. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
2- Place pea mixture in a food processor. Add half on mint leaves. Pulse until peas and mint form a coarse purée. Taste, and if minty enough, don't add any more, If not, have at it with more mint leaves. Drizzle in olive oil with motor running until mixture is slightly viscous (about the texture of pesto). Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
3- Rinse scallops, pat dry, and lightly salt both sides. In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add one tablespoon butter and one tablespoon olive oil. When butter melts and foam subsides, add scallops and sear for about 2 minutes per side until a light brown crust forms (see picture). If pan is too crowded, do in batches, and keep finished scallops warm in a 170* oven (they won't be in long enough to cook more).

4- On small plates (if you have white plates, use them because the color just jumps off of them) add a dollop of pea-mint purée, spread slightly, top with two scallops, and sprinkle with pancetta bits. Serve immediately. Feel the love!
Cooks note: DOR also says he uses this as an edibly attractive base for halibut, salmon, and other fish.

Your next dinner party: part 1- Appetizers

You might want to get your guest lists together for dinner this weekend, because by Friday you'll have a kick ass dinner party to thrown down that will garner you much love and appreciation. How do I know? Because I did this just last Sunday, and it was an absolute home run!

Apps, entrée, salad, dessert, and boatloads of wine. All the ingredients for a successful soirée, don't you think? There wasn't really a theme for the dinner. Just things I like and wanted to share. I can say everything worked together fantastically. Today I'll start with the appetizers which I've mentioned before in previous posts over the last couple of years, but since I have hundreds more readers, they both bear repeating because the are both so freakishly good and way easy.
First up is the best, easiest guacamole you will ever have! No shit, it really is that good. I've pulled this out several times over the past year or so, and every time people do the classic one bite, eyes go wide, then the "Oh, that's really good" comment always follows up without fail. The recipe is from Saveur Magazine. The one thing I think is indispensable here is a good mortar and pestle (here's the one i have. a serious piece of equipment that i LOVE!) to grind the initial onion, cilantro, jalapeno, and salt together which makes the paste that is the flavor base and is the key to the depth of flavor here. Also leaving the avocado in chunks is really a nice textural thing, so their innate creaminess and flavor really makes its full impact. Scooped out with my new favorite tortilla chips,, the Kettle Chips Blue Corn Tortilla Chips (I wonder if they'll send me a coupon for a free bag for mentioning them?!), these will disappear instantly!

Also on the table were my summer snack addiction I discovered last year at the Portland Farmer's Market. These little Pimientos de Padron are simply too good. It's spicy, salty food crack. I just spotted them at Viridian Farms booth last week, and my heart instantly started beating faster, my hands got sweaty, my eyes got a little wild, and I'm sure I looked like some meth addict when I handed them my money with shaking hands, scurrying off with my three little boxes. That first bite before dinner, when I hadn't had them for a year, was sublime. Use the stems for a little handle, and eat away. I don't know if you have these wherever you are, but if you don't they are worth seeing if you can have them shipped. The more addicts I have around me the better I feel about my "problem"!

The best things about both of these is you can make them last minute (in fact you want to plate the peppers hot right out of the sauté pan when your guests are there) in less than 20 minutes. We washed these down with a bottle of my favorite prosecco rosé and a couple of crisply delicious bottles of white.
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The World's Greatest Guacamole
adapted from Saveur Magazine

ingredients:
3 medium hass avocados (firmly ripe)
3 tablespoons finely chopped onions
2 tablespoons packed chopped cilantro
4 tablespoons chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno
1 teaspoon salt

method:
1-In large mortar and pestle or molcajete, grind salt, one tablespoon onion, one tablespoon cilantro, and jalapeno into a paste.
2-Half avocados, carefully remove pit, and score each half four times both directions being careful not to cut through peel. Then scoop out meat from each half into mortar and carefully fold into paste, keeping avocado as intact as possible.
3-Fold in remaining ingredients, mix well, season with more salt of necessary, and serve!
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Sautéed Pimientos de Padron

ingredients:
1 dozen, more or less, pimientos de padron
olive oil
coarse sea salt (available at most markets. I get mine at Trader Joe's- BB)

method:
Pour olive oil to barely coat bottom of nonstick sauté pan, then add a smidge more. Heat oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add peppers, toss some sea salt on top, and sauté until brown and white marks appear, about four or five minutes. Serve immediately, using the stems as convenient little handles.
Cooks not: the coarse sea salt is essential. It's worth huntng down!

Mom knows best: Vintage Chicken

There are some things in life that just feel so comfortable...you know, those special things that just make you feel good. A pile of blankets on top of you as you snuggle in bed on a chilly late winter morning. A conversation with a trusted old friend. The soft feel of our dog Chopper's fur after he's just had a bath. Spending $80,000 on hookers over a six month span if you're the governor of major northeastern state. Everyone has their thing that does it. Mine of course tend to skew heavily toward the food side of the comfort scale. Luckily most of my friends feel the same way, and so it was that w and I found ourselves over at our good friends J&K's house a couple of nights ago, where they put together a fabulous meal. I'm always so glad I have the friends I do. Everyone in our circle, without exception, is a great cook. Talk about comfort. No need to lie about how good that overcooked pork loin was. Anyway, J made a fantastic braised chicken dish that his mother used to make when he was a kid. He still uses her original hand-typed recipe card. Recipe cards....man, I LOVE the old school! When I asked him what was for dinner, he said "Vintage chicken". Hm....okay. I emailed him back saying that while I had ultimate faith in his culinary prowess, that would usually be two words..."vintage" and "chicken"...that I don't like to see together. He assured me it referred to the wine that goes in the dish, not the bird...he was kind enough not to add "dumbass!" All I know is one bite of this dish (served over egg noodles) and you'll be having visions of mom, home, warmth....and a very satisfied belly!

Our host providing for our happiness!









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Vintage Chicken
courtesy of J's mom

ingredients:
4 or 5 meaty pieces of frying chicken
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
6 tablespoons butter (divided in to 4 and 2 tblsp. portions)
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup minced scallion
1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

method:
Mix flour, garlic salt, and rosemary in a small bowl. Dust chicken pieces with flour mix. Heat 4 tablespoons butter in heavy skillet, brown chicken pieces until golden on all sides. Add 3/4 cup white wine, turn heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté scallion and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter until soft. Add to chicken, cover and continue cooking for 10 minutes more. Only a very small amount of pan gravy will remain. Add a small amount of chicken stock to boost the sauce if needed. Serve chicken topped with pan gravy and sprinkle with parsley.
cooks note: j served this with egg noodles (pappardelle to be specific). It would also rock with mashed potatoes.

Pernil...aka pork shoulder love!

Not to go all Apocalypse Now on you, but I love it when people get all shot up, blood splatters all over the landscape, and general emotional and physical mayhem ensues.........oh, wait, what I meant to say is "I loooove the smell of pork in the evening". Especially a huge honking chunk of pork product slowly roasting in the oven . In this case the star of my little production was an 8-1/2 pound piece of bone-in pork shoulder, and it turned out to be everything Mark Bittman promised in a recent NYT article. Thank god Marlon Brando wasn't around to shove it all in his gaping maw.


The pernil after (top left) and before cooking (left), all rubbed up and ready to go.









The occasion for this big bit of hog heaven (and tiresome cinematic references) was my sis's birthday dinner, which she kindly consented to let me cook for her. I already had my main course agenda planted in my mind ever since reading Bittman's story about a dish called Pernil, which is Puerto Rican spice rubbed, slow roasted pork shoulder. As soon as I read about it (and watched this video), I knew I had to make it....and soon! I really do love large hunks of animal, and luckily I have a large number of enablers who are always more than willing to help me explore this passion. With side dishes consisting of Puerto Rican rice and a bacalao and onion salad (which were both perfectly stunning accompaniments) provided by our friends J&K, this was can't miss. Although I had never cooked this particular meatiness before, I had to believe Bittman's comment that "the process is beyond easy and incredibly impressive, it feeds as many people as a medium-size ham, and the flavor is unbelievable." And it was. Crazy tender, succulent, beautifully flavored from the spice schmear and the fat that had been rendering into the meat for the six hours it spent in the oven. I don't care if I ever see another lean, bland pork loin, because it doesn't even come close to the flavor of the shoulder. Plus, our 8.5 pound piece of piggy cost a mere $17.00!! The bang for the food buck is off the charts. For those of you who have a hard time accepting compliments, this might not be your dish. But for those who love the lotion like me, try this at home next time you have a table of six or eight waiting to be wowed, and let the food love wash all over your deserving ego.

J's fab Puerto Rican rice with sneaky bits of pork loin!







Oh, and did I mention the wine we had with dinner? No? Well, wait until tomorrow.......
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Pernil
from Mark Bittman/NYT
Time: At least 4 hours

ingredients:
1 pork shoulder, 4 to 8+ pounds (or use fresh ham)
4 or more cloves garlic, peeled
1 large onion, quartered
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves or 1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ancho or other mild chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil as needed
1 tablespoon wine or cider vinegar
Lime wedges for serving.

method:
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Score meat’s skin with a sharp knife, making a cross-hatch pattern. Pulse garlic, onion, oregano, cumin, chili, salt and pepper together in a food processor, adding oil in a drizzle and scraping down sides as necessary, until mixture is pasty. (Alternatively, mash ingredients in a mortar and pestle.) Blend in the vinegar.

2. Rub this mixture well into pork, getting it into every nook and cranny. Put pork in a roasting pan and film bottom with water. Roast pork for several hours (a 4-pound shoulder may be done in 3 hours), turning every hour or so and adding more water as necessary, until meat is very tender. Finish roasting with the skin side up until crisp, raising heat at end of cooking if necessary.

3. Let meat rest for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting it up; meat should be so tender that cutting it into uniform slices is almost impossible; rather, whack it up into chunks. Serve with lime.

Yield: At least 6 servings.

The Anti-Turkey!

After last Thursday's turkey fest, about the last thing I wanted to consider for our Sunday dinner party with friends was something fowlish. I figured what would take the taste of too much turkey out of my mouth better than an old fashioned meatloaf? Meatloaf...the anti-turkey! Perfect. One of the greatest inventions ever, ground beef, paired with ground veal, chopped veggies, herbs, and bread crumbs. Plus for a crowd this is one of the best make-ahead dishes that you can pop in the oven an hour ahead of time so you have plenty of time to prepare snacks and make sure there's enough alcohol around to slake the seemingly unending thirsts of your friends. Or maybe that's just the unending thirsts of my friends (btw- our recycler hates dinner party night at 1309. It's like how many empty wine can fit into one recycling bin!!). You know what I mean. This was a hit, with some garlic mashed spuds and pan roasted brussel sprouts, plus we had a first course of apple-fennel soup and w made a fabulous pumpkin mousse for dessert....more on those tomorrow!

Okay, I know it's a half-assed picture, but the meatloaf is fucking awesome, I promise!!






This recipe is adapted from Alton Brown of Food TV fame. It is a regular in our home rotation, and the best thing? It makes killer meatloaf sandwiches the next day!!

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Good Eats Meat Loaf
adapted from Alton Brown

ingredients:
6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and broken
3 whole cloves garlic
1/2 red bell pepper
18 ounces ground beef 15% fat
18 ounces ground veal
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg

For the glaze:
1/2 cup catsup
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon honey

method:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Place on middle rack in oven. The meatloaf is done when an instant read thermometer reads 155*.

Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.

** cooks note: the meatloaf can be made several hours ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Take out 45 minutes before baking.