• Blog
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Tools
  • International LOVE
  • Love Notes
  • Shop
  • Powered by MSI Media Group

Engaging stories of love, joy, comfort and friendship with proven scrumptious, healthy recipes, we celebrate LOVE as the secret ingredient for wonderful food!

Any season pork roast

May 5, 2012 by Mary Frances 2 Comments

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.

Filed Under: Dinner, Meat Tagged With: apples, carrots, French, frrisee, garlic, Granny Smith apples, Jacques Pepin, onions, polenta, pork butt, pork roast, red wine braised, rosemary, Tasting Table, thyme, time

One dish meals

October 15, 2011 by Mary Frances Leave a Comment

I was just thinking how much I love one dish meals for weeknights. What could be simpler? You’ve got your carbohydrates, vegetables and proteins all in one. You can serve it in a lovely flat soup bowl and hopefully the recipe will only cause one or two pots to be dirtied, so clean up is a breeze as well. The Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Chicken Sausage recipe in my last entry is a good example but there are so many. Gnocchi with Shrimp and Snowpeas, Veal Stew with Rosemary and Lemon on Polenta, Orecchiette with Shrimp and Broccoli Rabe, all listed earlier here are other great ones. Think of the many combinations you can make – use your imagination. Combine things you love and you won’t go wrong. Remember to relax, have fun, and pour love into it!Farfalle with lamb sausage and escarole.

Farfalle with lamb sausage and escarole.

Filed Under: Dinner Tagged With: broccoli rabe, chicken sausage, gnocchi, lemon, love, one dish meals, pasta, polenta, rosemary, shrimp, snowpeas, veal

Friday night

October 10, 2011 by Mary Frances Leave a Comment

My oldest son wanted to come out to the country house with 3 friends this past Friday afternoon, to spend the night, on their way to a farm in Massachusetts for a cider pressing event. Now I was already expecting 4 guests on Saturday for the weekend. After initially being taken aback, what’s a little more laundry? These kids are fun. And I have to tell you, it is so nice to drive up to your own house with the lights all on and all warm inside and have someone greet you to offer their help in bringing things in, martini glasses on the coffee table and laughter and music. What could be a better greeting on a Friday night – or any night for that matter?

He said he would make dinner. Great!! See – they all cook! He made the most spectacular chili – with tender pork cubes and no beans, served over polenta that his good friend Martha made.

I’m telling you, it was so, so good. I have to get the recipe and I was so very glad he did not take the leftovers which I cleaned up completely today – and I didn’t want to share. Not with anyone.

Later yesterday, I received this photo of his bounty from the farm. Beautiful!!

Garden vegetables on a wooden table.

Filed Under: Dinner, Meat Tagged With: chili, comfort food, polenta, pork

Polenta

September 23, 2011 by Mary Frances 1 Comment

After trying to make polenta numerous ways – in a pot, in the oven, with milk, with water, with a combo of milk and water, adding the cornmeal gradually, using the different grinds of cornmeal, I have decided that this is the best way for me – the way my family and I like it best. I hope you agree. This is really a combination of Mark Bittman (making the slurry part), the book HEAT (cooking a long time) and the Dean & Deluca cookbook (my first polenta recipe used). So here we go.Polenta squares on a plate.

POLENTA – serves 4
1.5 cups coarse ground cornmeal – I use Stone-Ground Organic Fancy Polenta from Hudson Valley
5-6 cups water, or more
1 tsp. salt, plus more if necessary
Fresh ground black pepper
1.5 tbs. unsalted butter
1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan

Pour 1 cup of water in a pan, whisk in all the cornmeal and make a slurry, then whisk in 4 more cups of water with 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, stirring every once in a while. Reduce heat to a simmer. You should have large bubble plops every so often. The polenta will look alive and be slow moving in its simmer. Add more water if it gets too thick. Stir every so often with a whisk to prevent burning on the bottom and use a spatula to scrape the sides of the pan. Simmer for 45 minutes or longer. It should be pulling away from the sides of the pan and taste it to make sure the cornmeal is done and tender. Add more salt if necessary. When done, add a liberal grinding of pepper. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and then the cheese.

Filed Under: Dinner, Sides Tagged With: best polenta recipe, Bittman, butter, cornmeal, Dean & Deluca, Parmesan cheese, polenta

Veal stew with rosemary and lemon

September 22, 2011 by Mary Frances 2 Comments

I made this last night for dinner. It should serve 4 but it was so good we cleaned it all up. You really should make this ahead of time or on the weekend to have time to simmer the veal the full hour and 15 minutes. I rushed it and only simmered it 45 minutes and it was still so tasty and good. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Veal stew in a white bowl.

VEAL STEW WITH ROSEMARY AND LEMON – serves 4
2 tbs. olive oil
1.5 lbs. boneless veal shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbs. unsalted butter
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1.5 large carrots, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup tomato sauce, preferably homemade
1 heaping tbs. coarsely chopped rosemary
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 tbs. chopped fresh basil
Polenta with Parmesan, for serving

In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the  veal, (use a paper towel to dry the meat first.) season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 8 minutes. Transfer the veal to a plate.

In the same casserole, melt the butter in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the celery, onion and carrot and cook over low heat until softened and golden, about 8 – 10 minutes. Add the wine and boil over moderately high heat until almost evaporated. Add the tomato sauce, rosemary and veal, along with any accumulated juices. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring once or twice, until the veal is very tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or you can rush this to 45 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Spoon the Polenta with Parmesan into bowls, top with the veal stew, finish with the chopped basil and serve.

Make Ahead The stew can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Filed Under: Dinner, Meat Tagged With: carrots, celery, lemon, polenta, rosemary, stew, veal, white wine

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Join 32k+ followers!


Never miss out on a recipe!

Subscribe to receive new posts via email:

Mary Frances

Mary Frances

Spread love through cooking.

Summer Favorites

Easy Cheesy Sautéed Squash The Best Potato Salad Super Quick Chicken and Summer Vegetables Stir-fry Chimichurri-ed Wilted Endives with Walnuts Chilled Curried Zucchini Soup with Apple Garnish Best Strawberry and Rhubarb Crisp to make now!

Categories

  • Appetizers
  • Breakfast
  • Brunch
  • Cocktails
  • Contest
  • Cookies
  • Cookware and tools
  • Desserts
  • Dinner
  • Events
  • First Course
  • Fish
  • Food Responsibility
  • Guest Post
  • Lunch
  • Meat
  • Pasta
  • Poultry
  • Products for sale
  • Salads
  • Sauces
  • Sides
  • Soups
  • Tea time
  • Travel
  • Vegetables

Pages

Blog
About
Recipes
Tips and Tools
International Love
Love Notes
Shop
Mary's secret ingredients

Blogs We Love

  • 1840 Farm
  • A Pug in the Kitchen
  • Cottage Grove House
  • Food, Photography & France
  • Food52
  • From the Bartolini Kitchens
  • Go Bake Yourself
  • Hotly Spiced
  • Jovina Cooks Italian
  • Lavender and Lime
  • Orgasmic Chef
  • Smitten Kitchen
  • Sophie's Foodie Files
  • Steven’s Wine and Food Pairings
  • That Skinny Chick Can Bake
  • The Pioneer Woman
  • The Squishy Monster
  • Tips on Food and Drinks
  • Yummy Chunklet
  • LOVE - the secret ingredient


  • GET IN TOUCH
  • E mary@lovethesecretingredient.com

· All Rights Reserved ·© 2016 Love- the secret ingredient. All rights reserved. Disclaimer | Privacy Policy Disclosure Policy Terms & Conditions