Kailua Pork....

While here in Florida, I am making nightly dinners usually with a meat and two sides. Using the local supermarket, Publix, for last night’s dinner I had an old family favorite - we call Kailua Pork. This terrific recipe came out of the wonderful cookbook ~ Tea Time at The Masters® ~ and is so easy to prepare. For the sides I sautéed some fresh spinach and roasted a few fingerling potatoes.

I wanted to utilize some dill I had in mom’s fridge and saw a recipe in the community paper with dill, buttermilk with the roasted potatoes. So, I picked up some fingerling potatoes at Publix and gave it a try. If you haven’t tried fingerling potatoes yet, you really need to ~ they have a wonderful creamy and nutty flavor. Let me tell you, this recipe was delicious. I am thinking of using the dill sauce for other dishes as well. The sauce was creamy but light, earthy yet extremely flavorful.

Sautéed spinach is my favorite side dishe and I knew that my parents love spinach in any form. While sautéing the spinach, I put a touch of lemon zest knowing that the flavors go really well together.

Definitely give these recipes a try ~ they may become your family's favorite, too!



George's Kailua Pork

Ingredients:
5 pound center-cut pork loin roast
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons cooking sherry
1 large clove garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon thyme
¾ cup peach preserves
¼ cup chili sauce
1 cup water
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained

Marinate roast in sauce made from soy sauce, sherry, garlic, cinnamon and thyme for 2-3 hours, turning often. Place on rack in shallow pan and roast at 325 degree F for 30 to 35 minutes per pound. In a saucepan, combine reserved marinade, peaches, chili sauce and ½ cup water. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Baste pork and cook 10 additional minutes. Add remaining water and scrape up brown bits. Add pan juices and water chestnuts to sauce and heat through.

Let pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing, ladle sauce over slices.

Serves 6




Fingerling Potatoes with Sour Cream Herb Sauce
Recipe from Venice Herald-Tribune

Ingredients:
1 pound fingerling potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons minced garlic

Preheat oven at 350 degree F
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place the potatoes. Add the olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper; mix well. Cover the potatoes with another sheet of aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Take the cover off and bake for another 15 minutes. Take out and mix the minced garlic. Cook for another 6-7 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn’t burn.

Sour Cream and Herb Sauce
Ingredients:
½ cup low fat sour cream
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
Zest of one lemon
Juice of half a lemon
2 teaspoons salt
Pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl and keep aside. Right before serving, mix the potatoes with the sauce.

Serves 6

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George's notes:

• Fingerling potatoes are a family of heritage potatoes which naturally grow much smaller than conventional potatoes. They also tend to be elongated and slightly knobby, making them very finger-like in shape. The unusual looking, flavorful potatoes can be used just like regular potatoes in an assortment of roasted, broiled, baked, grilled, or boiled dishes. Many grocers stock fingerling potatoes in season, and they can also be grown at home, in temperate climates.
• The Kailua in the name of this recipe is in "name only" ~ there is no Kahlua in this recipe, nor is there any Hawaiian affiliation. Maybe long ago, the sweet southern lady who developed this recipe thought water chestnuts were Hawaiian.
• The Masters® Golf tournament is played annually at the Augusta National Golf Club, in my hometown of Augusta, Georgia. This year it will be held April 8 thou 11, 2010.
• Roasting a boneless pork loin roast slowly will guarantee moist, tender meat. Loin refers to the type of cut.

Clip art of pork cuts from Ask The Meatman™

Celebration Pork...

I descend from a long line of entertainers. My family believes that the best way to demonstrate our affection for others is to throw a dinner party. From the time I learned to walk, I've passed hors d'oeuvres and daydreamed about the menus I would serve when I ruled my own roost.

Over the years, as I've experimented with any number of world cuisines and seasonings, the beef tenderloin has proven infinitely versatile. Another crowd-pleasing favorite is my pork roast stuff with apples & apricots and basted in a apple cider.

No matter whether I've given the roast a Hawaiian or a traditional Southwest makeover, it never fails to cast an aroma-therapeutic spell over the guests. The savory smells that waft into the living room over cocktail hour have the bewitching effect of advance-hyping the meal and inspiring chef-assisting offers that can carry over the whole night from plate running to bussing and dishwashing.

For a final and virtuously thrifty hurrah, there is no more appropriate way to honor the previous night's leftovers than to give it a second life as a homemade barbeque pork sandwiches; the added sweetness of the fruit really gives the barbeque sauce a tweak.

So, breakout the fine china & stemware give the house a quick clean and invite your dearest and nearest over for an evening of relaxed fine dinning and let the fun begin.



Apple-Apricot Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients
2 medium apple, chopped
2 cup, dried apricots, chopped
¾ cup bread crumbs
½ cup celery, finely chopped
4 tablespoons golden raisins
4 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
4 tablespoons scallions, chopped including greens
¼ teaspoon Cardamom
¼ cup apple cider
2 pork tenderloin about 12 ounce each, trimmed
6 stripes of applewood cured bacon

Sauce:
1 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup dried apricots, finely chopped

Stuffing: Combine the apples, apricots, bread crumbs, celery, raisins, walnuts, scallions and Cardamom together. Stir in the apple cider. Set aside.


Butterfly the pork tenderloin - make a single lengthwise cut down the center of the narrow edge, cutting to within ½ inch of the other side. Spread the meat open. At the center of the tenderloin, make one perpendicular slit to the right of the V and one to the left. Cover the meat with plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to ½ inch thickness.

Spread the stuffing over the meat. Roll up and wrap wit bacon stripe; then tie with string to secure. Brush the meat with apple cider.

In a 350 degree oven, place the meat in a roasting pan, uncovered, and roast for 1 hour or until meat is no longer pink. Baste the meat once after 30 minutes of cooking.

Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the apple cider, cornstarch, cinnamon and apricots. Over medium-high heat cook; stirring until thickened and bubbling.

Serve 3 one-inch slices with the sauce over top.

Serves 6

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George’s notes:

• As with all animals that walk on four legs, the tenderloin refers to the muscle along the central spine portion, which more or less hangs between the shoulder blade and hip socket. This is the most tender part of the animal, because the muscles that support the inner organs are not used for locomotion.
• Although often thought of as a "subtropical" fruit, this is actually false – the apricot is native to a continental climate region with cold winters, although it can grow in Mediterranean climates very well. The tree is slightly more cold-hardy than the peach, tolerating winter temperatures as cold as −30 °C or lower if healthy.
• Dreaming of apricots, in English folklore, is said to be good luck. But for American tank-driving soldiers, apricots are taboo, by superstition. Tankers will not eat apricots, allow apricots onto their vehicles, and often will not even say the word "apricot". This superstition stems from Sherman tank breakdowns purportedly happening in the presence of cans of apricots.

Scrapple...

It has been said, “To each, their own” - local tastes differ by regions.

If you look at the picture to the right, you'll see a platter of a substance that looks like sausage. At the mere mention of this product people have been known to shudder, gag, and deny its right to exist.

I am speaking of Scrapple ~ traditionally known as a Pennsylvania Dutch dish made of pork scraps and trimmings combined with cornmeal and flour, often buckwheat flour and spices. The mush is formed into a semi-solid congealed loaf, and slices of the scrapple are then pan-fried before serving. The meat is finely minced and seasoned typically with sage, thyme, savory, black pepper and others spices. Scrapple is best known as a regional American food of the Mid-Atlantic States.

Unless you are from this area, you possibly have never even heard of scrapple - and when I first did, I thought it was a joke. Turns out people actually eat that stuff...

Some people confuse its name with the word scraps, but scrapple was never made from scraps, i.e., defined as waste. At the time the name was given to the then new pork product. It meant small bits or pieces, leftovers or "remnants of value".

It's for this reason that scrapple is looked upon with much disdain. It is of my own opinion that those who do the disdaining have never sat down and actually eaten the stuff. It is typically eaten at breakfast in place of other pork products ~ such as bacon or sausage. It is often cut into thin slices, fried until the outsides form a crust.

Scrapple tasted so good, was so easy to serve in so many different ways, that it soon became a favorite dish, growing in popularity as the country grew. Benjamin Franklin refers affectionately to Philadelphia's scrapple in his first writings. George Washington's cook was Pennsylvania Dutch, and the first President's fondness for scrapple lasted his life-time.

What does scrapple taste like? Think bacon and sausage mixed with corn meal, and you'll have a good start. Typically salty like most cured pork products with a fair amount of pork fat mixing ever so lovingly in the corn meal. Depending on who makes it, you can taste everything from sage and Hungarian paprika, to the more basic salt and ground pepper. It's one of those dishes that you have to taste before you truly understand just how good it is. I am one that loves Scrapple ~ lightly fried and serve with scrabbled eggs with crispy toast.

It was a great way to start the day...

Ingredients:

"Everything but the squeal"

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George’s notes:

• Scrapple is probably the first All American pork food. It was "invented" in Chester County, Pennsylvania's oldest settlement--and was the logical result of thriftiness and love of good eating that characterized Chester's early Dutch settlers.
• Vegetarian scrapple, made from soy protein or wheat gluten, is offered in some places. It tends to be sweeter in flavor than typical meat scrapple.

Pork Tenderloin Adobado...

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to eat a variety of meat & fish and not just fixing beef & chicken. It is so easy to fall into a rut when it comes to cooking.

As you have noticed, I am using more spices and cultural cuisine to meet this challenge. Last night I decided to fix my favorite cut of pork ~ tenderloins. The Spanish term adobado in my dish refers to "any meat that has been marinated and that generally contains chilies." I had come across a recipe from Cooking Light while browsing the net ~ that sounded good, but was somewhat complicated. So, I changed it up a bit and cut out some of the steps & ingredients. Sometimes, I just want guidelines and ideas, when I see a recipe I like. I also used a cast iron grill pan and did not venture out into the cold night air. I think the results are equal.

Pork Tenderloin Adobado
My adaptation of a recipe from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
2 whole pork tenderloins
½ cup brown sugar
⅛ cup chili powder
1 tablespoon lime juice
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon olive oil



Combine all ingredients except pork and mix into a paste. Rub the paste on the pork and marinate at least half an hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

Spray your grill pan with a light coat of Pam.
Preheat your grill pan to the highest heat and just beginning to smoke. Place the pork tenderloins in the pan and cook for three minutes per side, until the thickest part reaches 145 degrees.

Remove the pork to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for five minutes. Slice the tenderloins at an angle about ½ –inch thick. Serving 4 to 5 slices to each guest.

Serves 4

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George’s notes:

• I like to use some of the leftover pork for sandwiches the next day.
• Pork tenderloin is a great lean cut of meat that I find easy to work with and more flavorful than a chicken breast.

Pork, Chorizo & Bean Stew...

This stew was inspired by Pam @ For the love of cooking, who posted an incredible Beef, Black Bean and Chorizo Chili last week. I had never using Chorizo sausage before, so I decided to try them in a stew I usually cook in my Dutch oven. The idea was to just throw everything in and let their flavors meld together. The stew was sensational, due to the heat from the chili flacks, paprika and a depth of sweetness from the sherry. I did use two types of beans because I liked the different textures they would bring to the stew. But you could use potatoes to achieve that, as well. I served it with plenty of freshly baked bread, a salad and wine.



Pork, Chorizo & Bean Stew

Ingredients:
8 ounces pork tenderloin, cut into ½ -inch cubes
6 ounces Chorizo Sausage cut into ½ -inch cubes
¾ cup dried butter beans (soaked overnight)
¾ cup dried chick peas (soaked overnight)
1 large onion finely chopped
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 teaspoon of dried chili flakes
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 (14.5) oz can diced tomatoes
½ cup pitted black olives
2 cups vegetable stock
¼ cup dry sherry

Using a Dutch oven, gently sauté the garlic and onion with the spices in a little olive oil. Add the chorizo sausage and pork tenderloin to brown; about 3 minutes. Then add the butter beans, chick peas, tomatoes, olives, vegetable stock and sherry.

Cover and place in a pre-heated oven at 375 degree F for 1 hour.
Serve with fresh baked bread and a salad.

Serves 2

What’s for dinner tonight?

It’s always a challenge to come up with what to have for dinner night after night. I go through stages of what I like and dislike. Right now, for example, I love grilled steak and light simple fare. But with the cold nights and shorter day, one does not want to be outside grilling. So I need to come up with meals that are simple, fast, nutritious and hearty.

The recipe below is one I have made on several occasions and it can be made in advance. So, when I get home dinner is just minutes away from the table. Whatever I don't eat is another meal for another day.

Enjoy, and remember that the secret to good meatballs is top-quality ingredients, from the meat to the garlic, cheeses and herbs. If you like spicy foods just add more chili flakes.

Spaghetti and Meatballs with meat sauce

Ingredients:
For the meatballs
1 pound lean ground pork
1 pound lean ground beef
3 garlic cloves crushed and chopped finely
½ cup chopped Italian parsley
½ cup chopped basil and sage
⅔ cup bread crumbs
½ cup parmesan
½ cup ricotta
Zest of one lemon
One whole egg
1 teaspoon chili flakes
Salt
⅓ cup of olive oil

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients and add a touch of salt. Mix together and let rest in the fridge for up to one hour.

When ready to go, preheat oven to 375 degree F. Roll 2 tablespoon of mixture into balls. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and over med high heat. Add balls and brown on both sides. Transfer to the oven and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Hold until ready to serve.
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For the meat sauce
½ cup of olive oil
½ pound lean ground pork
½ pound lean ground veal
¼ teaspoon White pepper
½ teaspoon Salt
1 medium carrot peeled and diced
1 celery stalk diced
½ white onion diced
2 garlic cloves crushed and chopped
¼ cup of white wine
4½ cups chicken stock
¼ cup of tomato paste
One can of peeled plum tomatoes
¼ cup of sage leaves finely chopped
¼ cup of basil leaves finely chopped
1 lb of spaghetti (whole wheat if you prefer) cooked al dente
¼ cup of grated Parmesan
¼ cup of pancetta diced

In a large heavy pot heat half of the olive oil over a med high flame. Add the pork and the veal, season with white pepper and salt. Cook until browned, using a wooden spoon to break up the lumps. Remove from the heat and drain all fat through sieve. Reserve meat and discard the fat. Place the same pot over a medium high flame once again; you do not have to clean it as there is a lot of flavor still in there. Put 1 tablespoon of olive oil in and place the carrot, celery, onion, pancetta and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the cooked meat, wine, chicken stock, tomato paste, canned tomatoes and herbs and simmer for one hour.

When ready to serve take warm pasta in a large pan add sauce and toss over a low flame with the parmesan. Place on a large plate put the warm meatballs on top, add some more basil, more cheese if you wish and drizzle with a touch of olive oil.

Come to dinner... for Beer Braised Pork

This crowd pleasing Beer Braised Pork Roast is extremely tender and delicious. Braising has always been one of my favorite ways to cook. The secret to this technique is to always make sure you brown the meat first. This seals in all the juices and adds great flavor to the sauce while cooking.

Braised Pork Roast can be made a variety of different ways but I love braising in beer. I usually serve this with red cabbage and fingerling potatoes ... and of course with a glass of my favorite Irish beer.


Beer Braised Pork

Ingredients:
6 pounds boneless pork center cut loin, well trimmed & rolled
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
¼ cup canola oil
3 12-ounce bottles Guiness Stout or a dark beer
1 cube vegetable bouillon, crushed
4 large dried sage leaves

In a food processor, coarsely chop the salt, peppercorns and caraway seeds. Lightly coat pork loin with canola oil on all sides and rub ⅔ mixture over the top and sides of pork loin.

Place fat-side-up, in a sauté pan, sear the meat on all sides in ¼ cup of oil until brown. Remove the meat to a large roasting pan. Place roasting pan in a preheated oven set at 450 degrees F and roast for 15 minutes.

Remove roasting pan from oven and pour 2 bottles of beer into the pan. Add vegetable bouillon and sage leaves.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and place roast back into the oven for 1 hour or until meat thermometer reads 155 degrees. During the hour that the roast is cooking, baste pork loin several times, adding beer if necessary.

Remove roast from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Pour juice through a strainer and add remaining beer, spice mixture. In a small saucepan, reduce sauce until thickened.

8 to 10 servings

This roast is near perfect. It just needs good friends & family to help you eat it. So, come to dinner...

Chili-Orange Glazed Ribs...

Barbecued pork ribs are a favorite of mine for a weekend evening dinner. But this year you might pass on pricier baby back and St. Louis-style ribs and use a tasty alternative that can cost as little as half the price per pound. Flavorful country-style pork ribs, which are loin chops that have been cut into two pieces, have enough fat in them to make them suitable for slow cooking, yet are tender enough to cook relatively quickly on the grill. They are a great value because compared to baby backs and spare ribs; they offer far more meat than bone. They are sold boneless as well, which makes them well suited for stewing and braising. Look for this style of rib to be on sale for less than $2 a pound.

The pork ribs in this recipe are par-cooked in simmering salted water. This step ensures the meat will be moist and that the ribs will cook quickly on the grill without the sweet glaze getting too burnt. Make sure the grill isn't too hot, and be sure to turn the ribs every few minutes while basting constantly with the glaze. The results will be super tender, as well as perfectly browned and glossy.

Chili-Orange Glazed Ribs
Serve these succulent grilled ribs with corn on the cob or a hunk of corn bread and perhaps a heaping spoonful of creamy potato or pasta salad.

Ingredients:
4 pounds country-style pork ribs, bone-in
1 teaspoon salt ½ cup orange marmalade
½ cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil

Place the ribs and salt in a large pot with a cover or in a Dutch oven. Add enough water to just cover the ribs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the glaze, in a medium bowl, whisk together the marmalade, chili sauce, soy sauce, vinegar and oil. Set aside.

Preheat a gas grill to medium or prepare a charcoal fire. Oil the grill grates. Transfer the ribs to the grill and cook, turning and basting with the glaze often, until the ribs are well-browned and glossy, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a platter to serve.

Serves 8