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Search Results for: crown roast of pork

Date stuffed pork loin roast

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When our oldest son did an about face and invited us to his apartment for dinner for his birthday celebration, we were expecting a nice dinner … but we weren’t expecting a spectacular dinner. This was the one where I was to bring the dessert – vanilla pots.

Here’s what you get when kids see you entertain and cook and serve great food with LOVE. I don’t mean to pat myself on the back here, but I guess in a way, I do! After all, we are the teachers for our children. But this child is far surpassing me in cooking and entertaining. Lucky us, we get to be the fortunate recipients!

We arrived to a beautifully laid out cheese board with dates and grapes and a lovely variety of crackers. Great start.

He was lamenting that one of his flatmates had not returned with the shrimp while he busied himself with putting the finishing touches on his pork roast. The roommate appeared with the shrimp and before we knew it, we were each handed a small plate of rice pilaf with delicious sautéed spicy shrimp. It seemed magical in that it just appeared! I never saw him cook it. Either that or I was on my third glass of wine and didn’t know it. (just kidding).Date-stuffed pork loin roast being carved on a wooden board.

Dinner was this amazing pork loin roast, stuffed with dates, covered with an herb garlic crust. He spread broccoli florets around the pork towards the end of the roasting time, so that as they cooked, they became flavored with the wonderful pork loin juices. Additional vegetables, along with some potatoes, were oven roasted separately and served, completing a beautiful plate that was really scrumptious. The pork was divine, moist and rich, with the dates sweetening the meat and the crisp herb crust – just terrific!

DATE-STUFFED, GARLIC HERB CRUSTED PORK LOIN ROAST
– serves 8 – 10

One 4 – 5 lb. pork loin roast
10 – 12 pitted Medjool dates
1 tbs. chopped thyme leaves
5 – 6 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbs. olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and pat dry your roast. Stand it on its end and cut an X down through the middle of the roast, coming at it from both ends with a long knife. Then, take a knife sharpening stick or a long handled wooden spoon (something long and round) and shove it through the middle of your X from both ends to create a cavity. Now shove the dates in from both ends to fill the cavity.

Set the roast in a roasting pan, fat side up and score the fat. Salt and pepper the roast all over. Create a paste out of the thyme leaves, garlic and olive oil and spread all over the top and sides of the roast, shoving it in the scored crevices. Roast for about an hour, until an instant read thermometer registers 145 degrees. Let the roast rest for 10 – 15 minutes before slicing into thick 1/2” slices. Serve and enjoy!

I am not convinced my dessert of vanilla pots stood up to his meal. Aren’t we the luckiest? Vanilla pots with a birthday candle.

Christmas dinner 2012

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Crown roast of pork with sauteed apples, Italian beans, and roasted asparagus on an antique Wedgewood plate on a beautiful tableclothI wish I could have shared this with you before Christmas, just like they do in the magazines. I hope now this may guide you and be helpful for New Year’s Eve or a New Year’s Day dinner party.

A big holiday like this requires a big presentation. Last year, I made a whole beef tenderloin. This year I did a crown roast of pork. Too big really for our party of eight, but I do have some big eaters, and one of my sons and one guest had four chops each! And then the leftovers were divine. I think I’ve already mentioned that I really enjoy and truly taste the nuances of a huge meal like this the next day, as leftovers. The busyness of working to get it all right, the timing and making sure each guest is happy, preoccupies me during the main meal. However, even I could tell, this was darn good!! Impressive and beautiful to boot!

But truly, the best part about a big celebration like this is that my whole family pitches in and we work together to pull it off. They helped to set up the bar area, chop herbs and clean vegetables and yes, even helped with the clean up in a major way. Our last guests left a little after midnight. Then all four of us worked to clean up and then we stayed up talking until 3 am! For my husband and me, spending time like this with our boys is the most precious of all.

One of our guests at our Passover celebration evened remarked about how well we all worked together as a family, to get the dinner on the table and make our guests feel comfortable. I feel proud that our boys have learned to entertain and that they enjoy sharing their love of good food. Serving and sharing love and food makes everyone happy – what could be better?

Here’s my whole menu:

– Straight up martinis with great olives for many of us at cocktail hour
– Homemade cheddar cheese straws – finally I found a stellar recipe for these from The New York Times – make ahead and they will keep for a while – recipe to come
– Texas smoked salmon tartare on blue corn chips
– Warm artichoke dip with red pepper, celery, fennel strips and crostini crackers
– Bowls of mixed olives, toasted corn nuts and lightly salted cashews

THE DINNER:
– Roasted butternut squash soup with bourbon, served with homemade Polish bread
– Crown roast of pork with fennel, sage, garlic and lemon
– Italian beans – the best – recipe to come!
– Sautéed apples in a little butter with cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of lemon
– Roasted asparagus with olive oil and lemon zest

– Homemade Christmas cookies – all recipes are here on the blog plus special bakery cookies
– Fantastic coffee from our older son

I’m noticing here that it might seem as though I had a lot of lemon going on, but the meal did not taste that way at all. Everything worked together beautifully and was delicious!!
Crown roast of pork with fennel, lemon and garlic paste/marinade.Crown roast of pork with succulent chop cut from first cut.CROWN ROAST OF PORK WITH FENNEL, LEMON AND GARLIC – adapted from Melissa Clark and The New York Times
– serves 12 – 16

2 heaping tsp. fennel seeds
Rosemary leaves from 4 – 5 bushy sprigs
7 – 8 large cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup fresh sage leaves and tender sprigs
Lemon peel strips from 1 lemon – thinly peel the lemon with a vegetable peeler
2 tsp. fennel pollen (optional)
1 heaping tbs. plus 1 pinch coarse kosher salt
1 heaping tsp. cracked black pepper
7 tbs. extra-­virgin olive oil
1 crown roast of pork (18 ribs)
4 large onions, peeled and sliced into ¼” slices

In small skillet, toast fennel seeds until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Place toasted fennel seeds, rosemary, garlic, sage, lemon peel, fennel pollen (if using) and all of the salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse processor to chop everything up, then add olive oil slowly, and blend until the mixture becomes a paste, scraping down sides occasionally with a rubber spatula.

Wipe pork very dry with paper towels, then smear the herb paste all over the meat, making sure to coat the middle and the crevices on the sides of the chops.

Wrap in plastic wrap and let marinate for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Bring the meat to room temperature for at least 1.5 hours before roasting.

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Put a thin film of olive oil in the bottom of your roasting pan and spread it around with your fingers. Place onion slices down to form a rack for your roast. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top of the onions and salt and pepper them. Place your roast on top and roast for 20 minutes at 450 degrees, then turn heat down to 350 and continue roasting until meat registers 145 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer. Let rest 20 minutes before carving.
Sauteed apples in butter with cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon; roasted asparagus with olive oil and lemon in a red holiday bowl.Christmas/holiday cookie platter with Cognac sugarplums, hello Dolly Squares, date bars, sugar cookies, pecan crisps, and special bakery cookiesStarting at eight o’clock we enjoyed Cognac sugarplums, pecan crisps, Hello Dolly squares, cut-out sugar cookies, date bars and special bakery cookies that a guest brought. With a great cup of joe, this is a very nice way to end a big meal.

Last of the lettuce and a beautiful pork roast

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So you saw my beautiful bounty of lettuce last week. This past Sunday I went out to cut the lettuce again for the week and some animal ate it all!! Except for one plant leaning over the mint on the left, my crop was decimated! Gone!! Overnight! So frustrating. I had put down dried blood as a fertilizer and animal deterrent in the middle of May. I guess it had all worn off by now. Bummer!When animals attack your garden, this is what it looks like.

But let me tell you about the gorgeous pork roast I made on Sunday night. First, I started marinating it on Saturday afternoon. I love marinades. Because you do the work the day before, the day you roast it becomes a breeze. This is very good for us because we like to stay late in the country on Sundays, till 5, so we give ourselves a full day there. That puts us back in the city at around 7 pm. But if your roast is ready to go in the oven, you can still have dinner on the table by 8:30, even with unpacking a weeks worth of groceries on top of everything.Herb, garlic and olive oil marinade on a pork loin roast.

Roast Pork in a ziplock bag from Jul 20, 2013Herb, garlic and olive oil marinade on a pork loin roast in a ziplock bag.     Raw bacon covering an herb marinated pork loin roast.     
I combined fresh herbs from my garden with garlic and olive oil, blanketing the roast overnight. Then I wrapped it with some locally raised and cured bacon with no nitrates (pork and pork, yum!) and set it on a bed of sliced onions, and we went to town! It was so delicious. And the leftovers warm nicely in the microwave, making a great lunch. This is super easy. Give it a go!

Roast pork on a platter from Jul 21, 2013

BACON-WRAPPED GARLIC AND HERB ROASTED PORK LOIN – serves 4

¼ cup of olive oil
9 large cloves of garlic, chopped
½ cup chopped sage, rosemary and mint leaves, combined
2 tsp. Kosher salt
½ tsp. fresh ground pepper
2 lbs. center cut pork loin roast
4 – 5 thick slices of bacon, grass fed, organic, nitrate-free
2 medium onions, sliced ¼” thick

Combine the olive oil, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rinse and pat dry your meat with paper towels. Spread herb mixture evenly all over the roast with a spatula and carefully slide the roast into a Ziplock bag. Seal, removing air and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Let the roast stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Arrange the onion slices in a rectangle in a roasting pan or large ovenproof skillet. Place the roast on top, fat side down, and then lay the bacon slices on top, probably wrapping them around would be better than my horizontal job. Either way, they’ll flavor the meat with amazing goodness and with the fat side down on the roast, this is actually healthier and more flavorful as long as your bacon is fairly lean.

Roast for 55 – 60 minutes, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 145 degrees. Lift the roast and onions to a platter or carving board (leaving the grease behind) and let rest for 10 – 15 minutes before serving. Slice in 1/4″ slices and enjoy!!Herb roasted pork loin roast with bacon on a white Wedgewood plate with fresh tomatoes and cous cous.

We started this meal with a kale salad and as you can see, I served the roast with some fresh tomatoes and couscous. Really yummy!

Any season pork roast

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I have been wanting to tell you about the first meal I served to our French graduate student who is going to be living with us for four months. Charlotte arrived on the Sunday before last. I wanted to make something super delicious, of course, but something that would keep in case she had issues in customs, and something with some French flavors. I figured a lot of thyme in a wonderful roast and we’d start with an adapted Jacques Pepin frisee salad with a little baby arugula added to it. I have this recipe noted in an earlier post.

Charlotte arrived about 2 hours late, but all was safe with the meal, EXCEPT that she tells me that she doesn’t eat salad!! And I’m telling you, this was a terrific salad. The rest of us scarfed down her portion. Fortunately I also had some carrots with the roast so she got some vegetables in her. (always the Mom – I can’t help it!)

This roast, however, I will make again and again. It was wonderful! Rich, savory and slightly sweet (from the apples) all at the same time, with the meat tender like butter (buttah)! Both my husband and son claimed it was better than my version of Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon. It was more complex and interesting and let me tell you, a whole lot easier! You just need the time to leave it in the oven for 4 hours.

I was so excited to have a Sunday to make this, I took pictures at every point while preparing it, but I forgot to take a shot of the finished dish! Actually, the process pics are prettier and the result was delicious and delectable. Give this a go before the weather gets really warm to envelope yourself in wonderful flavors and sink into pure goodness, with love.

I served this with polenta squares, browned in a little olive oil and butter. Really, really yummy. Make the polenta recipe noted in an earlier post, pour into a buttered 9” x 9” pan and chill until firm. Cut into squares and sauté in butter and olive oil (1 tbs. of each) until nicely browned and hot throughout.
Pork roast ingredients.
Browned Pork butt.
Browned garlic on a white plate.

Browned carrots and onions with red wine.

Browned vegetables with red wine

Red wine braised pork roast with apples and thyme in a white dish.

Right before going into the oven

RED WINE BRAISED PORK ROAST WITH APPLES AND THYME
Adapted from a recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen
Serves 8

One 4-pound boneless pork butt
2 tbs. kosher salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup grapeseed oil, divided
5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths
3 medium onions, halved lengthwise (root end left intact) and peeled
1 head garlic, halved horizontally
1 cup medium-bodied red wine (such as Pinot Noir or a light Cabernet Sauvignon)
4 cups chicken broth
 (preferably homemade)
30 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tart apple (such as Granny Smith), cored and quartered
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 lemon, peeled using a vegetable peeler

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the pork roast on a cutting board so the long end faces you and slice through the middle horizontally and nearly to the other side of roast. Open the roast like a book (it should still be attached at one side) and season with about half of the salt and pepper. Close the roast and season the outside with the remaining salt and pepper, then use butcher’s twine to tie the roast at 1-inch intervals.

Heat half the oil in a large skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the pork roast, browning it on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side (if it starts to get dark too fast, reduce the heat). Use tongs to transfer the pork to a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot and set aside. Pour the fat from the skillet into a medium bowl (cool and discard). Use tongs and paper towels to wipe out the skillet.

Pour the remaining oil into the wiped skillet. Heat the oil over high heat until it smokes, 1½ to 2 minutes. Add the carrots and place the onions and garlic halves cut-side down in the pan. After about 30 seconds, check the garlic and, if nicely browned, remove from the pan and place on a plate (or cook a little longer if needed). Continue to cook the onions and carrots until the onions are very dark (and almost threatening to burn), about 1 minute longer.

Turn off the heat and cool the pan for 1 minute. Turn the heat to medium, pour in the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Pour in the chicken broth, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and carefully pour the broth and vegetables over the pork in the Dutch oven. Add the thyme, apple, rosemary, peppercorns and lemon-zest strips.

Cover the pot, place it in the oven and cook until a long-pronged fork can be inserted into the center and twisted without resistance, about 4 hours.

Remove from the oven and transfer the pork to a large platter. Let the meat cool for 15 to 20 minutes before using a fork to break the roast into chunks. Meanwhile, boil the braising liquid and skim off the fat. Pour the jus over the pork and serve.

House guests

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House or apartment guests — I love them.

Several weeks ago, my nephew and godson, David, and his lovely wife, Jen, and their two kids, David Patrick and Lauren, came to visit and stayed with us in the city for several days. (I was, like, 13 years old when David was born! My family is so big that it gets complicated. His father, my brother, who is ten years older than me, got married at 21 and started having kids right away. David is number two out of seven, and therefore we are not that far apart in age.)

This family, they were the perfect guests! Really. They didn’t mind if dinner started a little late (I think I was a little bit ambitious with the meal planning considering it was on weeknights), they were easy going, helped slice garlic, cut potatoes, clean up and brought plenty of wine. What more could one ask for? When they left, we truly missed them. They were so much fun to have around and I was delighted to have a chance to get to know their kids a little better. They live in my hometown of St. Louis.

David Patrick is 14, about to enter high school in September and is really interested in cooking. I wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes a chef. He was so exuberant about my food. I loved it! The second night, my dinner consisted of homemade Caesar salad, roast pork tenderloin with sage, mint and caramelized onions, roasted potatoes and ginger honey carrots. He sort of danced on the seat of his chair and said, “Aunt Mary, I want all of these recipes,” as he circled his plate!Roast pork tenderloin dinner with roasted potatoes, and honey ginger carrots on a burgundy rimmed plate.

 

Caesar salad with croutons on a white Wedgewood plate.

Lauren is 12. Not a fish lover, she was digging the Caesar salad until she figured out that there were anchovies in it. Here we are at the table. Jen is taking the picture and too bad you can’t see my husband.House guests with a family toasting at the dinner table.

Now this is the best part. Right after dinner on the first night, Lauren jumps up from the table and asks if she can please clean up the dishes and wash the wine glasses!! Yeahhhh!! Here she is with her mom.Mother and daughter at the sink in a Manhattan apartment washing dishes.

As I said, wonderful house guests!!

 

An Amazing Birthday!

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There are birthdays and then there are BIRTHDAYS!!

This was a BIRTHDAY!! and not even a milestone year.Four young adults cooking in a kitchen

First of all, all four of them (my two sons and their girlfriends) planned, shopped and made the complete dinner, fire in the fireplace, and Polish style entertainment, plus an awesome gift this past Saturday.

I got a KITCHENAID!!!!
Mary Frances totally surprised, receiving her KitchenAid gift.
A beautiful blue one that looks so pretty sitting on my counter upstate.

Remember when I was trying to win one? Well I have a confession to make. I have a white one but we keep it in the NYC apartment and then when I want to bake upstate, we haul it up and then haul it back. So I wanted to win one to be able to have it in both places.  I know it’s a bit spoiled but hey, I do like to use it. So now, no more of that. I have a big beautiful blue one sitting on the counter there. Yipee!!

The way they gave it to me was so great. I had come in from working in my studio while all of them were in the kitchen cooking and they said, “ Mom, your birthday present is here in the kitchen, you just have to find it.” At first, I walked right near it but with all of the commotion going on, I didn’t notice because they put it in the place where my white one was all through the holiday. Then when I saw the beautiful blue machine, I literally screamed! What nice, thoughtful kids!! I am so, so lucky.

And here’s what they made for dinner.
Roasted eggplant salsa with Parmesan pita chips with a straight-up martini.

Roasted eggplant salsa, Asian style, served with Parmesan pita chips and my martini!
Pernil finished on the grill on a board ready to serve.

Pernil – Puerto Rican style pork shoulder, slow roasted in the oven and finished on the grill.
Dinner plate with peril, sautéed kale and Swiss chard with Jasmine rice and black eyed peas.

Jasmine rice with saffron, black eyed peas, (from dried), onions and green peppers along with sauteed Swiss chard and kale in olive oil with garlic and white wine.
Homemade shortbread cookies topped with Polish hazelnut chocolate chunks.

Shortbread cookies with Polish chocolate hazelnut chunks on top.

EVERYTHING was sooooo delicious!!!

After appetizers and cocktails we had their entertainment portion of the evening. We celebrated the Feast of St. Andrew  – Andrzejki  – as it is called in Polish. Always celebrated on November 29 or the 30th,  depending on what region in Poland you are from as it is either celebrated on the day or the eve. You melt wax and pour it through a hollow key handle into a bowl of cold water. The wax solidifies while you douse some more water on it. You then take the wax shape that forms and look at its shadow and interpret it. It is a prediction for the upcoming year. Mine was my face, Steve’s face in glasses and Australia. Steve’s was emu – an animal native to Australia.
Feast of St. Andrew celebration from Poland. Birthday celebration - wax of me from Nov 30, 2013 Birthday celebration - Australia from Nov 30, 2013

Maureen!!! – here we come!!!

These kids did so much work to make an awesome birthday celebration for me. Besides planning the menu, shopping and cooking, they went to ten places to find the keys with holes in the handle and finally found them in an antique store in Millerton.

Here are all of our wax shapes.

Wax shapes and keys for the feast of St. Andrew celebration.

It is great to be loved!

Some of My Favorite Recipes for the Holiday Week

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The Rockefeller Center Tree and Skating Rink

Sending you warm wishes for great aromas coming from your kitchen and family times that can’t be beat. Here are some of my favorite recipes for this holiday week!

Make foods that flood you with warm glowing pleasure and your body will hum with contentment, not to mention having super happy guests around the table.

For the main course:

Crown Roast of Pork

Beef Stroganoff 

Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin 

Provençal Lamb Daube

Beef Brisket

Potatoes Mary

For starters:

Artichoke dip

Southern Cheese Straws

Spicy Maple Glazed Nuts

For dessert: 5 holiday cookies

Pecan Crisps

Cognac or Bourbon Sugarplums

Date Bars

Hello Dolly Squares

Sugar Cookies – Rolled Cut-Outs

If you have overnight guests, here are some breakfast suggestions:

Buttermilk Challah French Toast

Shakshuka

Skillet Buttermilk Biscuits – the BEST Biscuit Recipe

Truth be told, all of the recipes here on my blog are my favorites, otherwise they wouldn’t be here. I only include the ones I love – they must be worthy of sharing with you!

Happy Holidays to all and have wonderful days and nights this holiday week, filled with family togetherness, (take your timely Covid tests), joy, mirth and full happy bellies.

And remember, most importantly, to make all of your food with LOVE.

Recipes

A
Almonds, roasted
Almond joy after-dinner drink with honey whiskey truffles
Angel Food Cake with Strawberries and Whipped Cream
Artichoke dip
Artichoke dip, with Red Snapper Wildwood Arbol hot sauce
Arugula salad with mango, mint and grilled radishes, best unique 
Asparagus Risotto
Asparagus with basil and maple, sea salt pumpkin seeds – Superseedz
Aunt Rose’s egg and potato salad with anchovies
Avocado, blood orange, and baby kale salad
Avocado, watercress and pineapple salad

B
Baby artichokes and arugula salad with parmigiano
Baby kale, avocado, and blood orange salad
Baby kale salad topped with fried catfish, sauteed radishes, and Japanese turnips
Bacon-wrapped garlic and herb roasted pork loin
Bacon wrapped walnut dates
Bacon, lettuce, tomato (BLT) sandwich
Bacon, the best way to cook
Baked catfish in a Parmesan and quinoa chip crust
Baked, crispy chicken wings with Roquefort dressing – POURfect Products
Baked eggplant, Eggplant Tomato Layered Yum! with Greek oregano
Baltimore Old Bay hard shell crabs
Banana nut muffins with Loacker chocolate chunks
Basic pie crust
Bass, roasted with shallots, fennel and persimmons
Basting sauce, lemon garlic
Bean dip, Mary’s
Beef brisket, marinated
 Beef Stroganoff,Thomas Keller’s
Beef tenderloin, bacon wrapped
Beef tenderloin, garlic with horseradish sauce
Beef Wellington
Beets and tangerines on a bed of arugula
Beets, Indian spiced and roasted
Beef stew
Beef ragout, spicy
Best barbecued ribs
Best unique arugula salad with mango, mint and grilled radishes
Blueberry Buckle Cake
Blueberry Pie
Braised duck with red wine and prunes
Breakfast sausage patties
Breakfast sausage patties with shiitake mushroom
Black mission fig clafoutis
Black mission fig fruit salad
Blood orange, avocado, and baby kale salad
Blood orange, endive and golden beet salad
Blueberry crisp with an oatmeal topping
Braised chicken thighs with marinated artichokes
Broccoli and shiitake mushrooms
Broccoli rabe and pasta, super quick
Broccoli, roasted with radishes
Broccoli roasted with spring onions, with feta and bread crumbs
Broccoli with dijon butter sauce and crunchy chia seed strips (Carrie Mae’s Kitchen)
Broth, fish
Broth, vegetable
Brownies
Brownies w/ KIND Bar chunks
Bruce Cost Ginger Ale spice cake
Brussels sprouts, roasted with fish sauce vinaigrette. From Food52
Bucatini with eggplant, fresh tomatoes, spinach and feta
Burgers, lamb
Burgers, nacho
Burgers, turkey
Buttermilk biscuits
Buttermilk and blueberry gluten-free shortcakes with PS Seasoning
Buttermilk challah french toast
Buttermilk marinated roast chicken with tarragon and dijon mustard
Buttery sautéed green beans

C
Cabbage, napa, oven roasted and sauteed vegetables
Cake, pear and brown sugar
Canned and oven dried tomatoes
Carrot and parsnip puree
Carrot ginger soup
Catfish, baked in a Parmesan and quinoa chip crust
Catfish crusted with Sir Kensington’s Dijonnaise
Catfish fillets
Catfish, fried, over baby kale salad with sauteed radishes and Japanese turnips
Catfish, roasted with tomatoes and horseradish
Cauliflower and potatoes, mashed
Cauliflower, roasted with cumin and tomatoes
Cheese straw cornbread
Cheese straws, Southern
Cheesy sauteed squash
Chelsea Market Baskets Oatie Bites fruit crisp Chicken & pepper kababs
Chicken and sauteed summer vegetables
Chicken breasts roasted on tomatoes and fennel
Chicken breasts, tea and honey marinated
Chicken breasts with grainy mustard, jalapeno & lime
Chicken breasts with shiitake mushrooms
Chicken breasts with Just Jan’s tangerine marmalade
Chicken, buttermilk roast
Chicken goulash with biscuit dumplings
Chicken, grilled with lemon ginger basting sauce
Chicken, pineapple habanero jerk grilled, over salad
Chicken, provencal legs
Chicken, quick roasted
Chicken, roasted sumac
Chicken, Santorini grilled
Chicken, sesame braised in a pot with shiitake, daikon and ginger
Chicken stock
Chicken thighs, braised with marinated artichokes
Chicken thighs, Chenin Blanc braised, with parsnips and sage
Chicken thighs, roasted with arugula and potatoes
Chicken thighs, sauteed with bacon, shallots, and dry white wine
Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic using Joseph Joseph SmartBar
Chicory salad
Chiffon pie with luxury lemon curd and strawberries (English Provender)
Chili chocolate pork chops with Apple Aplenty
Chili, spicy chicken
Chimichurri-ed wilted endives with walnuts
Chinese 5 Spice Duck Legs with Lingonberries (Felix Jams)
Chipz Happen Cinnful Sweet Heat Ice Cream Sandwiches
Chocolate cake from Jean-Georges
Chocolate cake, silky
Chocolate cake, made-in-the-pan
Chocolate mousse trifle, peppermint
Chocolate souffle
Chocolate tahini cakes
Christmas cookies, rolled
Chrzan
Clafoutis, black mission fig
Cocoa spice rub
Cocktail, Almond joy with Catskill Provisions truffles
Cocktail, Mary’s Pimm’s
Cocktail, vodka, Gordon’s gin, Lillet and lemon
Coconut macaroons (with a Quadratini surprise)
Cod, oven roasted with fennel compote
Cod fish stew, with vegetables and Dutch’s Spirits Colonial Bitters
Coffee Cake with pecans, olive oil, and Benedictine (Magisso Cake Server)
Cognac sugarplums
Corn on the cob, the very best way to cook
Cornbread, cheese straws
Cornbread sausage stuffing with apples and pecans
Corned beef dinner, St. Patricks Day
Cornish hens, mustard teriyaki
Cornish hens, split, on stuffing
Cornish hens, with sauerkraut (Mark Bittman)
Crab cakes with chipotle mayonnaise
Crabs, hard shell
Crabs, soft shell
Cranberry ginger sauce
Cranberry walnut muffins
Crispy baked yukon gold potatoes
Crostini appetizer with roasted grapes
Crown roast of pork with fennel, sage, garlic and lemon
Cuban avocado, watercress and pineapple salad
Cumin and mustard roasted chicken with fruit
Cumin, lamb, and eggplant pasta
Curried, chilled zucchini soup with Apple Garnish
Curry and sesame crusted salmon

D
Date bars
Dates, bacon wrapped walnut
Date stuffed, garlic herb crusted pork loin roast
Dijon pork chops with herbs and grapes
Dijonnaise crusted catfish with veggies
Dinner salad with chicken thighs, caperberries and roasted lemons
Dip, artichoke
Dip, artichoke with Red Snapper Wildwood Arbol hot sauce
Dip, bean
Dressing, lemon anchovy
Drink made with vodka, Gordon’s gin, Lillet and lemon
Duck braised with red wine and prunes
Dutch’s Spirits Colonial Bitters cod fish vegetable stew

E
Easy Friday night shrimp salad
Egg and potato salad with anchovies
Eggplant parmigiano
Eggplant lasagna with no pasta
Eggplant, Mozzarella and Oil-cured Black Olive Spaghetti
Eggplant stuffed with Garlicky Lamb using Joseph Joseph Garlic Rocker
Eggplant tarts, Tuscan
Eggplant Tomato Layered Yum! with Greek oregano
Endives, chimichurri-ed, wilted with walnuts
Endive, blood orange, and golden beet salad
Escarole, Currants, Pine Nuts and Garlic

F
Farmer’s Market green beans
Farmer’s Market grilled chicken with lemon ginger basting sauce
Farmer’s Market pasta with sausages and pecorino romano cheese
Farro Salad with Rayzyn’s
Feta, radishes, watercress, and mint toasts appetizer
Fettuccine with garlic, roasted eggplant, sauteed broccoli rabe, fresh plum tomatoes
Fettuccine with salmon and sugar snap peas
Fennel compote with tomatoes and olives
Fiddlehead ferns
Fig, black mission clafoutis
Figs wrapped in prosciutto
Fillets of sole with sorrel
Fish broth
Fish sauce vinaigrette
Fish stew, cod with vegetables and Dutch’s Spirits Colonial Bitters
Fish stew, quick and easy
Flatbeans with truffle zest (Sabatino Tartufi)
Flounder in red sauce over pasta
Flounder Fillet with Garam Masala, Avocado, Coconut Oil and Mayo
Freekeh salad
French toast-buttermilk challah
French toast                                                                                                                                                       
Fried catfish atop a baby kale salad with sautéed radishes and Japanese turnips
Fried green tomatoes
Frisee with croutons and spicy olives
Frisee salad with persimmons and pomegranates
Fruit crisp, Chelsea Market Baskets Oatie Bites
Fruit salad with black mission figs, mango, red grapes and banana

G
Garam masala pork chops with mushrooms
Garlic beef tenderloin with horseradish sauce
Garlic chicken with anchovy lemon sauce
Garlic Hummus
Gazpacho, with sunny gold tomatoes and avocado
Gazpacho shots in 100 cups a day vessels
German chocolate cake topping                                                                                                                               
Get Dressed sesame sensation roasted eggplant noodles 
Ginger ale spice cake 
Gnocchi with shrimp and snow peas
Gnocchi, homemade
Golden and red beets on arugula with toasted walnuts, Gorgonzola, and sherry vinaigrette
Golden beet, blood orange, and endive salad
Goulash, chicken with biscuit dumplings
Gran Luchito & buttermilk marinated roast chicken
Greek salad
Green beans, buttery sautéed
Green beans, oven roasted
Green beans, skillet cooked
Green beans with shiitake mushrooms
Grilled eggplant, prosciutto, mozzarella, basil, and tomato sandwich
Grilled farmer’s market chicken with lemon ginger basting sauce
Grilled sardines
Grilled shrimp appetizer
Grilled pancetta-wrapped mushrooms

H
Harmonian orange glazed olive oil cake
Halloumi with Griddled Vegetables
Hearts of palm salad
Hard shell crabs
Hello Dolly squares
Herbed Sea Bass
Herbed, roasted fillet of sole (Gustus Vitae)
Holiday Cocktail with Stash MerryMint Organic Green Tea
Homemade body scrub
Hummus, best recipe

I
Ice Cream Sandwiches, Chipz Happen Cinnful Sweet Heat 
Indian spiced roast beets
Insalata Amalfitina (Jamie Oliver)

J
Jerk grilled chicken, pineapple habanero, over salad

K
Kababs, chicken & pepper
Kale and farro salad topped with spicy butternut squash, broccoli, radishes, and cashews
Kale salad topped with fried catfish, sauteed radishes, and Japanese turnips
Kale salad with dried cranberries, pine nuts and parmesan
Kale with ginger and carrots
KIND bar brownies

L
Lamb and veal meatballs
Lamb burgers
Lamb daube
Lamb ragu
Lamb Stew
Lasagna, vegetable with no pasta
Lemon anchovy dressing
Lemon bars, on browned butter shortbread
Lemon garlic basting sauce
Lemon sole roasted with leeks and tomatoes

M
Macaroons, coconut (with a Quadratini surprise)
Maddy’s Sweet Shop peppermint chocolate mousse trifle
Made-in-the-pan chocolate cake
Maricel E. Presilla’s Cuban avocado, watercress, and pineapple salad
Marinated beef brisket
Mashed potatoes and cauliflower
Memorial Day potato salad
Midwest potato salad
Mint toasts with feta, radishes, and watercress
Mrs. Fowler’s pecan pie
Muffins, banana nut with Loacker chocolate chunks
Muffins, cranberry walnut
Mushrooms, grilled pancetta-wrapped
Mushrooms, sauteed
Mushrooms, shiitake, with broccoli
Mustard teriyaki Cornish hens
Mustard roasted chicken with Nuts Over Fish topping
Mz. Curri roast chicken

N
Nacho burgers
Nachos made fresh and easy
Napa cabbage, oven roasted and sauteed vegetables
New Year’s crostini appetizer with roasted grapes
North African bean stew with barley and winter squash

O
Olive oil cake, Harmonian orange glazed
Omelette made with Spinach Dip Mix
Omelette of spinach and honey bbq chicken jerky (Chef’s Cut)
Orecchiette with shrimp and broccoli rabe
Oven dried and “canned” tomatoes
Oven roasted and sautéed mixed vegetables
Oven roasted green beans

P
Paczki
Pancakes made with SerendipiTea Holiday Cheer tea
Pancetta-wrapped grilled mushrooms
Parmesan and quinoa chip crusted catfish
Parmigiano, eggplant
Parsnip and carrot puree
Pasta with broccoli rabe and chicken sausage
Pasta with creamy lamb ragu and mint
Pasta with cumin, lamb, and eggplant
Pasta with flounder in a red sauce
Pasta with fresh tomato sauce
Pasta with salmon and broccoli
Pasta with sausages and Pecorino Romano cheese
Pasta with shrimp – and no garlic!
Pasta with slow roasted tomatoes, broccoli rabe, tuna and olives
Pasta with Sweet Sausage Bolognese
Pasta with tuna dinner
Pasta with Tuscan duck sauce
Patty pan squash, roasted, with fennel, green peppers and tomatoes
Pea soup, Sophia’s country split
Pear and brown sugar upside down cake
Pecan crisps
Pecan pie, Mrs. Fowler’s
Peppermint chocolate mousse trifle, using Maddy’s Sweet Shop “Lil’ Maddies”
Peppers, stuffed, Sunday night
Persimmon, pomegranate, and frisee salad
Persimmon, arugula, and fennel salad
Pesto
Pho, veggie, gluten-free
Pie, blueberry
Pie crust, basic
Pie, light pumpkin
Pie, pecan, Mrs. Fowler’s
Pimm’s cocktail
Pineapple habanero jerk grilled chicken over salad
Polenta
Pomarola sauce, Nonna’s authentic recipe
Pomegranate, parmesan, and chicory salad with nuts
Porchetta pork roast
Pork chop spice rub
Pork chops with caramelized red onion chutney, apples, and sweet peppers (English Provender)
Pork chops with chili, chocolate, and Apple Aplenty
Pork chops with dijon, herbs, & grapes
Pork chops with garam masala, mushrooms
Pork chops with peaches, sweet onions and shallots
Pork, crown roast with fennel, lemon and garlic
Pork loin, bacon-wrapped, garlic and herb roasted
Pork loin roast, date-stuffed, garlic herb crusted
Pork roast, red wine braised with apples and thyme
Pork roast, with fennel, sage, garlic and lemon (crown roast)
Pork sausage patties with lemon zest
Potato gnocchi
Potato salad, egg and anchovies
Potato salad, Memorial Day
Potato salad, Midwest
Potatoes and cauliflower, mashed
Potatoes, crispy baked yukon gold
Potatoes Mary
Prosciutto-wrapped figs
Provencal chicken legs
Provencal lamb daube
Provencal turkey burgers
Pumpkin pie, light
Puree, parsnip and carrot

Q
Quick and easy homemade waffles
Quick roasted chicken
Quinoa chip & Parmesan crusted catfish
Quinoa, vegetable, Zach’s recipe

R
Ragout, spicy beef
Ragu, lamb
Red and Golden beets on a bed of arugula with toasted walnuts, Gorgonzola, and sherry vinaigrette
Red snapper
Red Snapper Wildwood Arbol hot sauce in artichoke dip
Red wine braised pork roast with apples and thyme
Ribs, best barbecued
Risotto, asparagus
Roasted striped bass with shallots, fennel and persimmons
Roasted beets
Roasted broccoli with radishes
Roasted butternut squash with crispy sage leaves
Roasted butternut squash and red onion dip with Za’atar (Home Cook’s Pantry)
Roasted catfish with tomatoes and horseradish
Roasted cauliflower with cumin and tomatoes
Roast chicken, marinated in buttermilk with Gran Luchito smoked pepper paste
Roast chicken, prepared with Mz. Curri spice
Roasted chicken, cumin and mustard with fruit
Roasted chicken, quick
Roasted chicken breasts on tomatoes and fennel 
Roasted eggplant noodles
Roasted grapes on crostini appetizer
Roasted lemon sole with leeks and tomatoes
Roasted pompano with Falksalt Citron
Roasted sea bass with honey jalapeño mustard and leeks
Roasted squash and radicchio salad with buttermilk dressing
Roast turkey
Roasted vegetable broth
Roasted vegetable soup
Roasted vegetables with prosciutto
Roasted zucchini with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Rolled Christmas cookies

S
Salad dressing, lemon anchovy
Salad dressing, Dijon mustard and Sherry vinegar
Salad dressing, basic
Salad, arugula and baby artichokes with parmigiano
Salad, arugula, beets, and tangerines
Salad, blood orange, avocado, and baby kale
Salad, chicory
Salad, endive, blood orange, and golden beet 
Salad, freekeh
Salad, frisee with persimmons and pomegranates
Salad, Greek
Salad, Insalata Amalfitina (Jamie Oliver)
Salad, kale with dried cranberries, pine nuts and parmesan
Salad, Maricel e. Presilla’s Cuban avocado, watercress, and pineapple
Salad, mozzarella, tomato, baby arugula, and olive oil
Salad of arugula, roasted beets, and scallion
Salad, potato
Salad, red and golden beets, toasted walnuts, Gorgonzola, and sherry vinaigrette
Salad, shrimp
Salad, sirloin steak
Salad, spinach with dates and almonds
Salad, vegetarian delight (warm eggplant, zucchini, tomato, pepper, baby spinach)
Salad, watermelon with feta and mint
Salmon with blueberries
Salmon casserole, best recipe
Salmon, curry and sesame crusted
Salmon with mango tomato salsa
Salmon, roasted
Salmon pasta with broccoli
Salmon with fettucine and sugar snap peas
Sandwich, bacon, lettuce, tomato (BLT)
Sandwich, grilled eggplant, prosciutto, mozzarella, basil, and tomato
Sandwich, grilled eggplant, prosciutto, tomato and arugula (Joseph Joseph)
Santorini grilled chicken
Sardines, grilled
Sauce, cranberry ginger
Sauce, lemon garlic basting
Sauce, sorrel
Sauerkraut, Apple and String Cheese Salad
Sausage patties, breakfast
Sausage patties with shiitake mushroom 
Sausage, potato and arugula
Sautéed chicken thighs with bacon, shallots and dry white wine
Sautéed shrimp with kale, turnips and red peppers
Sauteed zucchini, with onions and radishes, topped with feta & oil cured Moroccan olives
Sea Bass, roasted, on a radicchio salad with sugar snap peas and apple
SerendipiTea Holiday Cheer pancakes
Sesame braised chicken in a pot with shiitake, daikon and ginger
Scallops, sauteed with pancetta
Sesame curry crusted salmon
Shiitake mushrooms with broccoli
Shirataki Harvest Noodles Marinara with Grilled Chicken
Shortbread cookies infused with The Tea Spot Meditative Mind tea
Shrimp Appetizer, Grilled
Side-dish, kale with ginger and carrots
Side-dish, snow peas with ginger, garlic, shallots, lemon, and mint
Sirloin steak salad
Shrimp salad, easy Friday night
Shrimp, spicy Goan
Shrimp Stir-fry with Asparagus
Skillet buttermilk biscuits
Smoked salmon tartare on blue corn chips
Smoked Tomato Soup
Smouldered shrimp and tomato appetizer
Snow peas with ginger, garlic, shallots, lemon, and mint
Soft shell crabs
Sole fillet with sorrel
Sole, roasted with leeks and tomatoes
Soom chocolate tahini cakes
Sorrel pesto
Sorrel and potato soup with bacon and MOM’s Popped Lotus Seeds
Sorrel sauce
Souffle, chocolate
Soup, carrot ginger
Soup, gazpacho
Soup, roasted vegetable
Soup, smoked tomato with Nueske’s sausages and Flathaus cheese straw croutons
Soup, split pea
Southern cheese straws
Spaghetti squash with roasted eggplant, fresh zucchini, capers and italian tuna
Spice cake, made with Bruce Cost Ginger Ale
Spicy beef ragout
Spicy chicken chili
Spice rub for pork chops
Spinach dip mix omelette
Spinach salad with dates and almonds
Squash with Tamarind concentrate
Stew of beans, barley, winter squash and North African spices
Stew, beef
Stew, cod fish with vegetables and Dutch’s Spirits Colonial Bitters
Stew, veal with rosemary and lemon
Stir-fry, shrimp with asparagus
Striped bass with shallots, fennel and persimmons
Stuffed peppers
Sugarplums, cognac
Swordfish, boiled with parsley pesto

T
Tartare, Texas smoked salmon
Tea and honey marinated chicken breasts
Toasts, feta, radishes, watercress & mint
Tonnato
Tomato chicken braise
Tomatoes, fried green
Tomatoes, oven dried and canned
Tomatoes Nicoise 
Tuna Salad Sandwiches with Holy Schmitt’s Mustard Horseradish
Torta, zucchini, fennel, red pepper, and mint
Turkey burgers
Turkey leftovers with butternut squash, asparagus, and persimmons
Turkey, roasted
Turnips, oven roasted and sauteed vegetables
Tuscan Bean Soup with Sfoglini Spaccatelli Pasta
Tyler Florence’s Beef Wellington Meal

V
Vanilla pots de Creme
Veal and Lamb meatballs
Veal Chops, braised with honey and grapes
Veal stew with rosemary and lemon
Vegetable Broth
Vegetables, mixed, oven roasted with warm beans and baby spinach
Vegetable lasagna with no pasta
Vegetable pho spring soup – Savory Choice
Vegetarian Delight
Veggie pho – gluten free
Vinaigrette, quick and easy

W
Waffles, quick and easy
Watermelon salad with feta and mint
Wilder Condiments Honey Jalapeño Mustard with leeks on roasted sea bass

Y
Yams (candied) for Thanksgiving
Yukon Gold potatoes, best stovetop recipe

Z
Zucchini, roasted with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Zucchini, sauteed with onions and radishes, topped with feta and oil-cured Moroccan olives

Pork Chops, Peaches and Pet Peeves

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Pork chops with peaches in a skillet.I don’t know about you, but some things I cannot understand. (now I sound like my mother – hmmm, not necessarily a totally bad thing) Like, why aren’t people at home at dinnertime and sitting down and eating a proper meal? I see kids on the bus eating 6 mini powdered sugar covered doughnuts at dinnertime. Kids running on the street with 2 packs of Milk Duds grasped in their hands. I, for one, happen to hate cocktail parties or small plates the whole night long. At some point, I want to sit down, eat some real food, a real dinner, on a plate. My five brothers and me, we’re all the same. It drives some of my sister-in-laws crazy. I have friends who LOVE cocktail parties/small plates as the whole dinner. I was taught to not spoil your appetite and have a real dinner, so I hardly eat anything at those events, and then if there’s nothing more, I’m in trouble!

Once, when we were kids, we took a family vacation down south. One of my Dad’s close business friends had a daughter getting married. Now at that time in the South, (maybe it’s still true today) they believed that a fancy wedding consisted of an endless champagne fountain (probably of very good champagne), cucumber sandwiches and cake! Well, here we were, 6 kids, and starving for dinner. I remember that EVERYONE got really drunk, except my mother, who didn’t think it was very funny. She was so angry and in her opinion, I remember her saying to my Dad, “John, these children are starving for dinner. Can’t these rich people feed anyone?” and begging him to leave to go anywhere to get some food for all of us. I must have been about 5 or 6 years old but it made such an impression on me.

And here I am, quite the same today. Tomorrow, we will go to a cocktail party benefit at The Apollo Theater, starting at 6:30 and I will want to leave soon after to come home to eat a dinner that I will make – Buttermilk Roast Chicken that has been marinating since Saturday. Easy, if you plan it!

Pork and peaches on a plate with zucchini.Last night I threw together this combo – pork chops with peaches, sweet onions, and shallots with some roasted zucchini. It was delicious. And we were sitting down.

PORK CHOPS WITH PEACHES, SWEET ONIONS AND SHALLOTS – serves 3
3 pork chops with tenderloin section, 3/4” thick
11/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
Mary’s cocoa spice rub on one side of chops, S + P on the other side
1/2 large Vidalia onion, cut in 1/4 “ thick slices
2 small shallots, peeled and cut into 1/4” slices
3 smallish white peaches, washed, cored and cut into 8 slices
1/3 cup dry white wine (I used a Vouvrey)
Parsley, chopped for garnish

This spice rub is just terrific to have around for use on pork, duck, or chicken. Use a mini spice grinder and keep it in a tightly closed glass jar or plastic container.

MARY’s COCOA SPICE RUB
1 tbs. raw cocoa nibs/cacao
1.5 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
8 juniper berries
4 whole cloves
Combine everything in a mini spice grinder and pulse until finely ground.

Wash pork chops and dry with a paper towel. Season one side of the chops with a heavy sprinkling of the spice rub.

Melt the butter in the oil in a large skillet on low heat. Add sliced onions and shallots, cover for about 10 minutes. Raise heat to medium high. Add chops, seasoned side down and let cook for 4 – 5 minutes, uncovered.  Salt and pepper the top side, turn the chops and add the peaches all over. Cook for another 2 minutes, then add the wine and cook for another 2 -4 minutes, uncovered, until just done, 140 degrees. Remove the chops to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Pork and peaches - sauce in a skillet.

Keep the sauce and peaches warm on low heat and slightly covered.

Pork and peaches on a platter.After meat has finished resting, pour peaches, onions and juices overall, garnish with chopped parsley and serve with LOVE.

Tuscan Pork Tenderloin using Sarah’s Sea Salt – Tuscan Salt

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Coastal Goods Sarah's Sea Salt Tuscan Salt.I discovered Sarah’s Sea Salt – Tuscan Salt a few months ago and it literally can be used on anything and everything from a myriad of vegetables, to beef, chicken, or fish – you name it!

Truth be told, I am not usually a fan of flavored salts. Yes, that’s true! Typically you get some old herbs and big hunks of salt and the thing that sounds like a good idea never quite functions properly. You either get too many dried herbs and not enough salt or vice versa. Not so with this!

Sarah’s Sea Salt – Tuscan Salt is a medium grain Mediterranean sea salt blended with a classic mix of dried Italian herbs, tomato flecks, lemon peel, and rosemary oil. Stir this baby up first and then take out a teaspoonful and sprinkle away – on anything – and it will taste better. Promise.

Nigel Dyche and his wife, Sarah Chase of Coastal Goods, own and operate this small, family-run company. They travel the world to capture the flavors of the country. And they find the freshest, most aromatic herbs to blend with fine sea salt to make their utterly delicious combinations.

Try this pork tenderloin using Coastal Goods Sarah’s Sea Salt – Tuscan Salt. It’s a perfect fall dish, truly delicious, quick and easy, and you can use any fruits, dried or fresh, you have on hand, as well as any nuts. Just be sure to stir your salt first, so you get a good mixture of all the wonderful herbs and spices along with the fine grain Mediterranean sea salt.Tuscan Pork Loin with Figs, Apricots and Walnuts on a white platter.

TUSCAN PORK TENDERLOIN with FIGS, APRICOTS AND WALNUTS – serves 4

1 pork tenderloin – preferably out of the refrigerator for 1 hour
Sarah’s Sea Salt – Tuscan Salt – stir first, then spoon it out and sprinkle on from the spoon
Fresh ground pepper
1 Tbs. grapeseed oil
1 large handful of dried apricots, roughly chopped
3 – 4 fresh figs, cut in half or quartered, depending on their size
1 handful of walnut halves, roughly chopped
½ cup dry Vermouth
½ Tbs. butter
1 handful of chopped Italian parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat grapeseed oil in an ovenproof skillet on high heat until almost smoking.

Tuscan Pork Loin with Figs, Apricots and Walnuts, on raw meat

Tuscan Pork Loin in a skillet.

Season both sides of the pork tenderloin with Sarah’s Sea Salt – Tuscan Salt and pat down the herbs on the meat.

Brown the pork in the skillet on all sides, for a total of about 5 minutes. Pour in the vermouth and scatter the figs, apricots and nuts on the meat and in the skillet.

Put the skillet in the oven to roast for 15 – 20 minutes, depending on your poundage and how long it’s been out of the refrigerator. Let the pork reach a temperature of 135 degrees with an instant read thermometer. It will gain more heat as it rests and you don’t want to overcook it or it will be dry. It is fine to be pink inside. My pork tenderloin was perfect at 17 minutes.

Remove the pork from the skillet and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Figs, Apricots and Walnuts in a skillet.

Keep the fruit and nuts warm in the skillet on your stovetop. Add the butter to melt in the pan drippings to make a nice little sauce. Pour fruit, nuts and sauce over your meat.

Garnish with parsley and serve with LOVE.

Again, because all the herbs and spices are included in the salt, this helps you make super simple and easy recipes that taste like so much more work. Here I used Sarah’s Sea Salt – Tuscan Salt on oven-roasted broccoli.
Tuscan sea salt on broccoli spears.

SARAH’S SEA SALT – TUSCAN SALT ON ROASTED BROCCOLI – serves 4

1 head of broccoli, washed, stems peeled and cut into smallish spears
3 – 4 Tbs. olive oil
1¼ tsp. Sarah’s Sea Salt – Tuscan Salt
Fresh ground pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Toss the broccoli with the olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle on Sarah’s Sea Salt – Tuscan Salt and grind your pepper overall. Toss again to distribute all the wonderful herbs evenly.

Roast the broccoli for 25 – 30 minutes until tender and browned in spots. Toss the broccoli on the pan at about the 20 minute mark.

Tuscan Sea Salt on broccoli on a plate with a turkey burger.

Serve with LOVE immediately.

Sarah's Sea Salt Tuscan sea salt on yellow squash and onions.

This Sarah’s Sea Salt – Tuscan Salt is also great on oven-roasted zucchini halves or on sautéed yellow squash with onions and red peppers or on a rib steak with garlic powder and pepper, or in turkey burgers. I could go on and on. You will LOVE this product. Versatile, makes your cooking easy peasy and it’s delicious!!

Sarah’s Sea Salt – Tuscan Salt was one of the products in our MARY’s secret ingredients fall box. You can get your winter box here!

Chili Chocolate Pork Chops with Apple Aplenty

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Peeled Snacks apple APLENTY trail mix package.The first item I want to introduce to you from our MARY’s secret ingredients winter box is Apple Aplenty from Peeled Snacks. It is a totally delicious, organic, all natural trail mix with dried fruits, nuts, peanuts and chocolate pieces. Of course it’s terrific right out of the bag. However, these Chili Chocolate Pork Chops with Apple Aplenty really take this mix to another level. I reached back to Mexican cooking for inspiration. Think mole sauce, then, think about how delicious apples and raisins are with pork. Can’t go wrong with some red wine thrown in and garnishing it with cilantro kept it in the Mexican theme.

This dish was so very scrumptious and satisfying. I woke up the next morning still remembering every bite and feeling all nice and yummy inside. I think it was the chocolate in the sauce. It was all deliciousness!

Noha Waibsnaider started this Peeled Snacks company in 2004, when she noticed that the snack aisle was only filled with processed food. She set out to develop healthy, tasty and nourishing snacks using gently dried fruits combined with nuts and sometimes chocolate for a nutritious snack you could feel good about eating. She believes we all should be mindful of what we eat. That is certainly my philosophy here at LOVE.
 Chili Chocolate Pork Chops with Apple Aplenty - chops on a platter.

Try this recipe – it is just so good!!!

CHILI CHOCOLATE PORK CHOPS WITH APPLE APLENTY – serves 2

1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. butter
2 one-inch thick pork loin chops
Salt
Pepper, fresh ground
1/4  tsp. sweet smoked Spanish paprika
1/2 cup dry red wine – preferably a Syrah
Apple Aplenty in a measuring cup.1 scant cup of Apple Aplenty
1/8 tsp. red chili pepper flakes
1 heaping Tbs. of chopped cilantro

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Wash and dry your chops. Salt and pepper one side and sprinkle the smoked paprika evenly over both chops on the same side. Rub the seasonings in a bit.

Warm olive oil in a small skillet. Add butter and turn up heat to medium-high. When butter stops sizzling, add the chops, seasoned side down. Brown the chops on that side for about 3 minutes. While the chops are browning, season the top side with salt and pepper.

Chili Chocolate Pork Chops with Apple Aplenty in a skillet.Turn chops over. After 2 minutes, drain grease, add the wine and sprinkle the Apple Aplenty on top along with the red chili flakes, distributing evenly. Put the skillet in the preheated oven for 10 – 16 minutes. Test with an instant meat thermometer – it should be at 145 – 150 degrees. Remove the chops to a platter, scraping all the goodness on top. Let sit for 5 -10 minutes and the temperature will gain to the perfect degree of doneness.

Garnish with the cilantro and serve with LOVE!

Chili Chocolate Pork Chops with Apple Aplenty on two plates on table

I served these Chili Chocolate Pork Chops with Apple Aplenty alongside roasted zucchini topped with a green salsa. Delish!

 

Rufus Teague Roasted Pecans

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Rufus Teague Touch 'O Heat sauce.The RBBQ ribs on a platter ready to serve.ufus Teague Touch O’ Heat sauce is soooo good, it really works with so many things. It’s what I used on my ribs here, and because of that, we contacted them directly to ask them if they’d like to be in our MARY’s secret ingredients box. I’ve never done that with anyone but I thought a barbecue sauce would be ideal for the summer box and honestly, I’ve never liked a bottled barbecue sauce better than this one! It’s 100% natural, gluten-free with NO high-fructose corn syrup, which is a rarity in barbecue sauces. Additionally, the Touch O’ Heat Flavor (they also have a whiskey flavor which I also LOVE) is not too hot at all. I hate it when things are so darn hot that you just can’t taste anything. How about you? Many of the recipes today are all about that. Maybe the younger people just don’t have any taste buds left? My husband and I are more into flavor than just pure heat.

So this sauce is great on anything – pork, burgers, beef, chicken, even fish (!), so here I am racking my brain for something very different for you to make with this sauce and I think I’ve finally found something! It doesn’t use very much of it so you can still do your ribs and chicken!

Rufus Teague spice nuts with a cocktail.It’s a tradition in the south at cocktail time. Roasted pecans! – with Rufus Teague Touch O’ Heat Sauce. Here is my recipe.

RUFUS TEAGUE ROASTED PECANS – serves 3 at cocktail hour

½ cup of pecan halves
1 Tbs. Rufus Teague Touch O’ Heat Sauce
Maldon Sea Salt Flakes to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small baking pan, toss the sauce with the nuts so that the nuts are coated evenly. Place in the oven on the top rack to roast for 9 – 11 minutes. Do not worry if they get a little dark, as you need to get the nuts toasted and the sauce will darken and caramelize, but they are not burnt.
Rufus Teague Roasted Pecans in a pan.Rufus Teague Roasted Pecans on a cream colored plate.Remove from the pan and let cool on a separate plate. Crumble some Maldon Sea Salt Flakes on top, toss and serve!!
It couldn’t be simpler and these are so very delicious at the end of a long day with a glass of wine or a cocktail.

Our fall box ships on September 25th and it’s going to be great! The supply is limited so best to order now before we run out.

Pork with Ginger, Spring Onions and Eggplant – An Ottolenghi Recipe

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Pork with Ginger, Spring Onions and Eggplant – An Ottolenghi Recipe - on a white platter.

I have a marvelous neighbor named Marilyn. She takes care of my plants when I am away, keeps an extra set of keys for me when I get locked out and enjoys good food and wine. I try to have her over for dinner at least once every two weeks, which works out about right with my traveling schedule. That way, I feel I can get some healthy food into her at least once in a while. For my last dinner I made this Ottolenghi recipe of Pork with Ginger, Spring Onions and Eggplant and it was so delicious and different, I wanted to share it with you!

Brilliant cooking and ingredients in this recipe:

This recipe combines a unique way of cooking the eggplant that doesn’t use up oodles of oil, because you know how eggplant can easily absorb tons of it. Instead, you steam the eggplant in one of those little collapsible steamer baskets, or a fine mesh colander, which I think is just brilliant! And much lower in calories.

This dish also calls for many spring onions or scallions, as several Ottolenghi recipes do, and while I was unfamiliar with using so many, I now quite like the idea a lot and have been applying the concept to other recipes as well. They are delicious and add a lovely green spark.

The mirin, the salty and sweet effects of the different soy sauces, along with the crunchiness of the peanuts and toasted sesame seeds, all topped with cilantro, make this a super yummy dish. My kind of eating!

Marilyn and I both moved in at the same time when our building first opened nearly 13 years ago. She was a hot shot bankruptcy attorney with her own very successful private practice. (For example, early in his career, Mario Batali was one of her clients, before he started molesting the other women in the kitchen. And yay that Weinstein got his partial due but why did the jury have 7 men on it?)

Then Marilyn realized she started forgetting some things about her cases. And then she was diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s. So, she gave up her practice yet still lives next door with full time, live-in help.

Delicious!

I love Marilyn. She is always so positive and fun. Even today, she says she is happy and lucky. She subsequently named her two cats, Happy and Lucky and she uses the word, “delicious” to describe many things, including people. When in fact, SHE is delicious.

I cook and Marilyn brings the wine and we always have a hilarious time, discussing sex and old boyfriends of hers and my new online dating escapades.

And delicious is just the word she used over and over again for this dish, moaning mmm’s while she ate. Chop everything ahead of time and it is a one-dish meal that comes together quickly that I know you will probably want to make again and again.

So, give it a go and remember to serve it with LOVE and steamed rice. You can also think of Marilyn and me and our sex discussions!

Pork with Ginger, Spring Onions and Eggplant – An Ottolenghi Recipe - served on a white plate with white rice.

Pork with Ginger, Spring Onions and Eggplant – An Ottolenghi Recipe – edited by me – serves 4

3 eggplants (2 lbs.), cut into 1¼” dice
Kosher salt
¼ cup peanut oil
3 bunches spring onions, chopped on an angle into 1¼” pieces
2¾” piece ginger (60g), peeled, julienned
5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 green chili, finely sliced, seeds in (I used ¾ of a large jalepeno chili)
1¼ lb. ground pork
3 Tbs. mirin
2 Tbs.dark soy
2 Tbs. keçap manis – it is a thick and dark molasses-like sauce with palm sugar and soy sauce as its base and with the addition of aromatic spices for flavor.  The word manis means “sweet” in Malay/Indonesian and so the sauce is often referred to as “sweet soy sauce.” Here is a link to make your own! https://bit.ly/2wFeIGB
1 tsp. sesame oil (I used toasted sesame oil)
1 Tbs. rice vinegar
3/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped plus more for garnish
1/2 cup roasted and salted peanuts
1 Tbs. sesame seeds, toasted
Fresh lime wedges

As Yotam recommends, get everything chopped beforehand so you can just quickly throw things in the pan and have this ready in a jiffy!

Place the eggplant in a bowl with 1½ tsp salt. Mix well, then transfer to a steamer (or a colander). Fill a large saucepan with water to a depth of 1 inch. Bring to the boil, then place the steamer (or colander) in the pan and cover with the lid or seal well with tinfoil to prevent the steam escaping. Reduce the temperature to medium-high and steam for 12 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, pour half the oil into a large sauté pan on high heat. Add spring onion, ginger, garlic and chili and saute for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic starts to color. Transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining oil to the pan, add the pork and fry, breaking up lumps, for 3 minutes. Add the mirin, soy sauce, keçap manis, sesame oil, vinegar and ½ tsp salt. Cook for 2 minutes, then return the spring onion mixture to the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat – there should be plenty of liquid – and stir in the cilantro and one half of the peanuts.

Spread the eggplant on a platter and top with the pork mixture. Garnish with the sesame seeds, remaining peanuts and cilantro. A squeeze of fresh lime is also very nice!

Serve with steamed rice and LOVE, along with fresh lime wedges. Enjoy!!

International LOVE

Mary writes a column for the vibrant Spice4Life, an online lifestyle magazine out of South Africa. The topic? Herbs and spices for delicious eating! You can read those columns here.

Chilled Curried Zucchini Soup with Apple Garnish

Roasted Butternut Squash & Red Onion Dip with Za’atar

Indian Spiced Roast Beets

Tea Infused Holiday Pancakes

Classic Barbecued Ribs with Memphis Dust Spice Rub

Ginger Ale Spice Cake

Red Wine Braised Pork with Apples & Thyme

Spicy Beef Ragout with Thyme & Rosemary

Snow Peas with Ginger, Garlic, Shallots, Lemon & Mint

Grilled Chicken with Fresh Curry Leaves & Lemon, Onion Butter Sauce

Cumin, Lamb & Eggplant Pasta

Grilled Farmer’s Market Chicken with Lemon Ginger Basting Sauce

Watermelon Salad with Feta & Mint

The Best Homemade Spice Rub for Pork

Pork Chops with Capers & Lemon Anchovy Sauce

Striped Bass with Shallots, Fennel & Persimmon

Cumin & Mustard Roasted Chicken with Fruit

Pork Chops with Peaches, Sweet Onions, Shallots & Cocoa Spice Rub

Grilled Chicken with Sage & Garlic & Lemon Ginger Basting Sauce

Eggplant Tomato Layered Yum! with Oregano

Catfish Roasted with Tomatoes & Horseradish

Rosemary on Your Crostini

Zucchini, Fennel, Red Pepper, & Mint Torta

Cornbread Sausage Stuffing with Apples & Sage

Introducing the Freekeh Salad

Get Bolder with Smoulder!

Herbs and Grapes Add Spice to Pork Chops

Chocolate Souffle for Valentine’s Day

Fillets of Sole with Sorrel

Cardamom

Chocolate!!

Fennel

Garam Masala and Pork Chops

I Love Garlic!

Cinnamon

I Love Ginger!

Cumin!

Sumac – The Real Spice 4 Life!

Basil in my Garden

With Love From New York! Introducing Mary

Mary’s columns also appear on Foods 4 Better Health, a resource about eating well to be healthier, fight disease, slow the signs of aging, and live a happier, healthier life.

Greek Salad

Heaven in Your Mouth: Figs Wrapped in Prosciutto

Fillets of Sole with Sorrel

Broccoli and Shiitake Mushrooms

Healthier-Than-You-Think Lean Steak Salad

Sesame and Curry Crusted Salmon with Tomato Salad

Fresh Tomato Chicken Braise

Mary Frances: “When you cook with love, the food just tastes better !” 

Lemon Zest Pork Sausage Patties for Mother’s Day

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Lemon-scented pork sausage patties frying in pan.

When I was young, my brothers and I would serve my Mom breakfast in bed for Mother’s Day, with a single red rose in a bud vase on the corner of her tray. We had this little rectangular bench that had legs just the right height to fit over her legs in bed, and we put her tray on top. I think one of her brothers made the bench but it was really sturdy, not like a tray with collapsible legs that can buckle under and spill everything. She also used that little bench for us when we were sick in bed.

My husband talks about doing the same thing for his mom – serving her breakfast in bed. We usually went the bacon and egg route with our mom. He did pancakes. Only he got clever. One year he decided, who needs syrup on top of your pancakes, why not put it in your pancakes and save that step! Clever, eh? Well he made some nice flat plates with those babies – a new kind of Frisbee!

My kids served me breakfast in bed once when they were young and we lived in NJ. But we didn’t have that little bench I grew up with and having a tray on my thighs all wobbly and eating in my bed just kinda grossed me out. I am not OCD but crumbs in my bed just don’t work for me so we stopped that nonsense.

We moved on to them making me multi-course special dinners and I’m so excited for tomorrow as we’re going over to our oldest son’s house. He and his fiancée – oh did I tell you that both boys are engaged? Yes!!! We’re so excited and love love love both of their girls. The oldest one will marry this September in NYC and the younger one in July of next year in Poland. All great!!!

So we are going to oldest one’s house tomorrow (yes they bought a house together in Brooklyn, with a back yard!) and he is grilling up something – ribs and a surprise – so I am psyched!

But back to breakfast and sausage patties. I know I posted 2 other sausage patty recipes but lately, I’ve been obsessed with acid. No, not the drug kind. Lemons, limes and various vinegars have been on my experimentation list. Acid in dishes really perks things up. Acid in unusual places adds a brightness that wakes up your taste buds. So I thought, why not grated lemon zest in sausage patties.

And I didn’t just add a little, I wanted you to taste it. I remembered a delicious pork roast I had made once with lots of strips of lemon peel plastered on it so I went for it in these sausage patties and they were delicious!! With the added unusualness of garam masala and the touch of red chili flakes, these patties will produce the mmmm’s you’re looking for.

Try these tomorrow. So good!! Even if there’s only 2 of you, these rewarm so nicely in the microwave to have during the week. And it’s nice to have a proper breakfast on weekday/workday!

Ingredients for llemon scented pork sausage patties.

LEMON ZEST PORK SAUSAGE PATTIES FOR MOTHER’S DAY – makes 12 -14 patties

1 lb. ground pork
1 shallot, minced
¼ cup minced fresh herbs – parsley, thyme and oregano
1 tsp. garam masala
1/8 tsp red chili flakes
½ tsp Kosher salt
12 grinds of fresh ground pepper
1 small egg
1/3 cup panko
2 lemons – finely grated zest from each – use a microplane

Combine everything together well, but try not to handle too, too much. Form into small patties. Coat a non-stick skillet with a little olive oil and sauté until done on medium high heat, about 5 – 7 minutes per side. Pork should be at 155 – 160 degrees. There should be no pink left in the meat. (The egg and panko make the patties light.)

Enjoy!!

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you mothers out there!! Straighten your tiara and milk it for all it’s worth!

March newsletter coming out!

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Just in time for Easter! Sign up for the March newsletter in the upper right hand corner of this blog for a fantastic, never before seen (here) recipe for roasted duck and some other suggestions for your holiday meal.

And just to brighten up this post, I’d like to share with you my lunch salad from yesterday. It’s some frisee with red leaf lettuce topped with tomatoes, tomatillos, radishes and a half of a leftover pork chop with some toasted pepito seeds on top. Red wine vinaigrette finishes it off and voila! This is a healthy, satisfying lunch that carries you through to dinner!Frisee lunch salad with pork chop, tomatillos, tomatoes, radishes, and toasted pepito seeds.

Easy, so delicious pork chops

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Garam masala pork chops with mushrooms and fresh herbs on a white plate.
I made the most amazing, simple dinner the other night. I had thick cut pork chops – two meals for me, one for my husband and about 30 small portobello mushrooms, fresh oregano and fresh sage – and we were hungry and needed to eat quick. I also had some spinach that was begging to be of service.

I used Garam Masala for a quick and delicious flavoring. It is an Indian spice that I love, a mixture of coriander, black pepper, cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon. To me, it’s a terrific, already made up spice rub! I like to use it on pork, although it’s probably good on chicken and maybe even roasted cauliflower. I’ll have to try that and let you know.

Here’s what I did.
Garam masala pork chops with mushrooms and fresh herbs in a skillet.

GARAM MASALA PORK CHOPS WITH MUSHROOMS AND FRESH HERBS
– serves 2-3

1.5 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. unsalted butter
2 thick, center cut pork chops with the tenderloin section
Salt
Pepper
Garam Masala
About 30 small Portobello mushrooms, washed quickly and cut in half.
¼ cup leftover dry white wine or dry vermouth
¼ – 1/3 cup chopped fresh oregano
¼ – 1/3 cup chopped fresh sage leaves

Wash your chops thoroughly and pat dry. Wash the mushrooms in a cold bath of water quickly, lift them out of the water and drain and dry on paper towels. Mushrooms are delicate and very porous do you don’t want them lingering in the water and soaking it up. When the mushrooms are dry, trim a little bit off of the stems if necessary and cut in half to make them all the same approximate size.

Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper and then cover with Garam Masala and rub in with your fingers. Do this on both sides. See photo.

Heat the oil on medium high heat. Add the butter and when sizzling subsides, add the chops to brown. After about 4 minutes, add the mushrooms on both sides of the chops and sprinkle on 2/3’s of the chopped herbs which have been mixed together. Do not disturb for 3 minutes. The mushrooms will absorb the oils and then emit their own juices while browning underneath. Then turn your chops, and when you see the mushrooms getting juicy, you can toss those around to brown on the other side. After about 2 more minutes, add the white wine and continue cooking the chops until done. You will most likely want to remove the mushrooms beforehand, if your chops are as thick as mine were. Put the mushrooms in the center of your platter and place the chops on top of them when done to rest and warm the mushrooms up again. Drizzle all pan juices on top. I like to remove my chops at about 140 degrees as they will continue cooking when resting on top of the mushrooms. Let the chops rest for 5 – 10 minutes and sprinkle with remaining herbs before serving.

I served this with some spinach sauteed in olive oil and garlic. A perfect, quick, early autumn dinner!

Birthday dinner!

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Crab cakes and lettuce on white dinner plates.

Crab cake on a Boston lettuce leaf with organic watercress and chipotle mayo

Birthdays are always very special in our house. I am happy to cook a magnificent meal of the celebrated’s choice, served at the dining room table with china, crystal and sterling. However, this year, my oldest son requested a surprise. Dinner was to be of my choosing, so here’s what I made:

Appetizers:
A cheese board with a variety of cheeses, dried apricots and walnuts

First course:
Crab cake on a bed of Boston lettuce and organic watercress with chipotle mayonnaise (search this blog for the recipe)

Main course:
Center cut pork chop with a grape and tarragon sauce (a Food and Wine recipe)
Homemade gnocchi with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (a Food and Wine recipe) – this was divine!
Roasted asparagus with olive oil and fresh mint (my simple recipe)

Dessert
Vanilla pots with fresh strawberries (a Mark Bittman recipe)

Food and Wine's pork chop, gnocchi and roasted asparagus on a white plate.

Our evening was just great – a special time for just us to catch up on each others lives, watch funny You Tube videos together and of course it ended with viewing the return of Mad Men.

You know, it’s always wonderful to do a special dinner for just your family. When the kids were young, we used to do this every Sunday night. My husband insisted on this tradition, saying that we often entertained our friends specially and why shouldn’t we do it just for us. It gave us a time to regroup before starting the week and taught the boys how to behave at an elegant dinner. The conversation was slower and more interesting, providing a time for all of us to unwind. I hope you do this with your family, creating wonderful stories and memories along the way.

Happy New Year 2015!!! Porchetta with a Persimmon, Pomegranate and Frisee Salad

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Porchetta and salad leftovers.

Lunch the next day with leftovers!

It’s been a whirlwind year. I feel very blessed to have all of you in my life. It would be so grand to meet you in person one day. Perhaps some day!! But for now, being “blog/pen pals” is just great too.

Thank you for your support of MARY’s secret ingredients. It is my dream to make MSI into a really big business to be able to feed folks on both ends of the spectrum. To inspire home cooks of all experience levels with exciting new ingredients to spice up their cooking and to be able to help eradicate worldwide hunger, as we will donate 10% of our profits to Feed The Children, is what this business is all about. I hope we can succeed.

We all want to eat great food and making it at home assures that we know exactly what we’re putting into our bodies. My boys, having been raised around home cooking from all sides, are now quickly surpassing and teaching me new things every day. You know, when you’re young, you’re totally fearless and that’s where they both are now. They text me pictures of what they’re making, what they’re eating, how to do something better. It’s exciting to be constantly pushed by them to do new things. Now one of them is deep into bread making and trying to teach me actual “tests” to see if the dough has risen enough, rather than my seat-of-the-pants “feel” I learned from my mother.

And then don’t forget that intentions are just as important as actions. If you make your food with loving intentions, it will always taste better. It’s a bit of magic. Try it and you’ll see.

Our Christmas day dinner was shared with Agata’s family (Zach’s girlfriend). Her father came here from Poland in the early eighties when breadlines were the norm over there. He speaks English, the mother, not so much, so Zach said. And my Polish is limited to a few choice curse words that Zach says I even pronounce those wrong too, along with a few common phrases, learned from my parents. Agata, kind as she is, says I speak “old Polish.” (Zach has learned to speak Polish fluently.) This was our first meal of both families together and nervousness was running high, which was all totally unnecessary. It was a delightful evening without a pause in conversation. Her mom understands (seems to me) everything and was totally engaged the entire evening. Her father loves to tell stories and was a fan of my cooking. Her sister has a five year-old boy, named Justin, who couldn’t have been better behaved. Angelic, (which I’m told is not always the case) and just delightful!! He spent some time on the floor by the Christmas tree, drawing, explaining that there are green emeralds and red emeralds and that he was drawing a red emerald. (don’t you love it?!) A great time was had by all!Porchetta Pork Roast.

I made a fake porchetta, somewhat following a Melissa Clark New York Times recipe, but my older son recommended this method of cooking – and you know what? He was right. This pork was tender, juicy and delicious!! Some of us had thirds!

PORCHETTA PORK ROAST – serves 12

One 9 lb. bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder roast
¼ cup chopped fennel fronds
¼ cup chopped fresh rosemary
2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage leaves
7 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with the salt
1½ Tbs. kosher salt
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 heaping tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
½ tsp. black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Score skin and fat all over pork, taking care not to cut down to the meat.

In a food processor, combine fennel fronds, rosemary, sage, garlic, lemon zest, salt, fennel seed, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Pulse together. Pour in oil. Pulse again until it forms a paste. Rub all over pork, making sure it gets into all crevices. Cover the roast with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove pork from refrigerator 2 hours before you want to cook it. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Unwrap and transfer pork to a covered Dutch oven and roast for 2 hours and check on the moisture level in the bottom of the pan. You may need to add a little water. This method produced the juiciest meat! At approximately 4 hours, check with a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat. It should read 180 degrees, and the roast should be fork tender or check with a paring knife. Uncover the roast and place under the broiler to crisp the skin – watch carefully.

Transfer pork to a cutting board or platter and let rest 15 to 30 minutes before serving. Skim the fat off of the juices left in the pan. Taste and correct seasonings. Serve the juices warm with the meat. Make sure everyone gets some of the cracklings.
Persimmon pomegranate and frisee salad.

And then I served this salad with the pork, which was really divine. Persimmons are in season right now so find these flat bottomed beauties and be sure to make this soon as it will not disappoint. Different, with the bitter greens contrasting with the sweet sugared walnuts, pomegranate seeds and persimmons, this was an exciting alternative to sautéed apples with pork. This was also originally a New York Times recipe from David Tanis, but I have changed the greens to be mainly frisee replacing a lot of the chicory he calls for, as I thought that would just be way too bitter. Young chicory from the summertime might work, but not now – too tough and bitter for my taste. Everyone LOVED this salad so give it a go.

PERSIMMON, POMEGRANATE AND FRISEE SALAD – serves 10

4 oz. walnuts, about 1 cup
4 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. fleur de sel or other coarse sea salt, crumbled
2 shallots, finely minced
¼ cup sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper
6 Tbs. walnut oil
6 – 7 medium Fuyu persimmons, peeled
12 – 14 oz. frisee and radicchio leaves including a handful of chicory leaves, chopped into bite size pieces
1 cup pomegranate seeds

Make the sugared walnuts: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put walnuts in a small bowl. Pour very hot tap water over the walnuts for 1 minute, then drain. Add sugar and fleur de sel. Mix to coat nuts evenly, then spread them on the parchment. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until crisp and caramelized. Cool, then break walnuts apart. (May be prepared up to 5 days ahead; store in the cupboard in an airtight container.)

Make the vinaigrette: Put shallots in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and the sherry vinegar. Let mixture steep for 10 minutes. Whisk in walnut oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Core and cut persimmons into 1/2-inch-thick wedges and transfer to a large platter with a well. Salt persimmons lightly, then dress with some vinaigrette. Add the frisee, radicchio and chicory  leaves and gently toss with hands to coat leaves, pulling persimmon pieces to the top. Scatter pomegranate seeds over the top, along with any collected juices. Garnish with sugared walnuts and serve.

Polenta squares on a plate.Our plate was rounded out with a sautéed polenta square. 

Carrot ginger soup with a dollop of creme fraiche.We started with a bowl of Carrot Ginger Soup and finished with 

Holiday cookies and cakes.a plate of Holiday cookies, Polish Poppyseed cake and Gingerbread. It was a great meal!!

Happy New Year to all!!!

You voted!

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Roasted cauliflower with cumin and tomatoes in a green bowl.

Cumin roasted cauliflower and tomatoes

We’ve gotten lots of responses to “what’s your favorite spice?” What came back? Mint, rosemary, cinnamon, curry, saffron and cumin. Cumin was hands down the winner, receiving the most votes.

Cumin is so versatile. You can use the plain seeds, toasted seeds or the seeds finely ground into a powder. I love to sprinkle ground cumin on cauliflower before roasting it. When sprinkled on store-bought hummus, with a little drizzle of olive oil, that hummus perks right up. People will think it’s homemade, but it’s just adding a little love to a store bought brand! Cumin works on pork, yummy on grilled skirt or hanger steak and chicken. I have never tried it on fish but you know, I think it’d be great on roasted tilapia fillets. One reader wrote that her husband even sprinkles it on his eggs and omelets! Recently I made a steamed rice recipe with cumin, mustard seeds and butternut squash and it was heavenly! I love the smell of it roasting and steaming. I’ll have to share that recipe later.

Our lovely Project Manager, Caitlin, told me about the favorite Mother Goose nursery rhyme that her parents rewrote for her and her 3 sisters, because they were all girls. (I LOVED hearing this story coming from a family of five boys and me!) Here it is.

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, bakers’ women
Bake me a cake with spices and cumin
Pat it and roll it and mark it with a “C”
And put it in the oven for baby and me!

Isn’t that great?

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