Pork rillette in the slow cooker

Mar 182013
 
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Charcuterie is one of my favorite things on the planet. I have read recipes for preparing several different types of charcuterie, but I fear I lose steam when it comes to the time commitment. I will leave it to others, but a rustic rillette. I thought…I could do this. I could make this even easier… in steps the slow cooker.

Rillette is like a pate’, but more rustic. The meat is cooked by simmering in stock or fat with aromatics, then smashed with fat to make the spreadable smooth meat that will keep up to three weeks in your fridge. It has a beautiful layer of fat poured on top. Almost like it was sealing in the goodness of the meat underneath. I couldn’t be more happy with the slow cooker version. I love how little I fussed to make it, but how much depth of flavor it had. It is so great to have a jar in the fridge to pull out for a snack or light meal.

I always like having some thing that is pickled with it to compliment the fullness of the rillette. In the photo above, I chopped up some pickled garlic scapes that I had gotten at the farmers market to serve on top of the rillette and toast. I use the scapes in a so many ways, my son rolls his eyes when he sees me fish for the jar in the fridge.

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In your slow cooker:

1 large leek, sliced
1 fresh thyme, small bunch
3 bay leaves
1 celery stalk, rough chopped
8 pepper corns
5 whole cloves
1 onion, medium, rough chopped
3 lbs. boneless pork butt
Kosher salt, to taste.
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 veal soup bone (optional)

1. Set on low for 6-8 hours.
2. Pull out meat and set aside.
3. Drain fat that gathered in the cooker through a fine sieve.
4. Let meat cool. Pull apart
5. Attach a paddle to your stand mixer.
6. Place meat and a big pinch of salt.
7. Turn the mixer on medium and break up the meat.
8. Add strained fat, a little at a time, if needed to help aid breaking it down and make smoother.
9. Add a half pint jar of your favorite preserve. I used Apple Onion Jam from American Spoon. I bet a sour cherry jam would work as well.
10. Blend with meat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
11. Place in clean jars.
12. Pour the strained fat on top of meat to seal it in.
13. Store in fridge up to three weeks.

Now wasn’t that easy. Very fun.

So pull up a chair and a toast point, Elizabeth

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Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce

Jun 262012
 

My new favorite thing to eat is eggplants. It was something that I did not love as a child and have not given it much of a break as an adult, but all my preconceived notions are now gone. This easy rustic recipe will convert even the skeptical ones of the bunch about this beautiful glossy purple vegetable.  The buttermilk sauce is excellent on the eggplant or slathered over any other grilled vegetables, lamb chops, etc. I am using fat free Greek-style yogurt these days, but whole milk would taste even better. It is a lovely side dish or serve it with some crusty bread or pita and you have a great little lunch. I served this pretty platter on a dinner buffet. Big hit because of it’s taste and beauty. I made it ahead of time because it more flavorful at room temperature, which freed me up for other dishes that needed to be prepped right before.

This is my adaptation from Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe from his great vegetable cookbook, Plenty. He uses za’tar spice at the end to sprinkle over the buttermilk sauce. I did not have it, so I just stuck with the thyme and pomegranates, but then added some pomegranate molasses because it was handy and I thought the sweet tang would add something to the dish. This worked out great.

In my attempt to imitate Nigella’s scene of a late night raid of the fridge, I pulled out the cold eggplant that was beautifully slathered with buttermilk sauce and coated it with copious amounts of sriracha sauce. Oh, was this so fabulous. I washed it all down with an ice cold beer. I certainly was not as sexy as Nigella doing this. First of all, I had no makeup on and she wears red lip stick for her late night raid. Let’s not even mention my worn-out night shirt I was wearing. I did moan a bit like she does, because it was that tasty. Frankly, it is way too hard to see what is going on in the kitchen with just light from the fridge. How does she do that? This was all done for the sake of art, by the way. LOL.

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Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce
This is my adaptation from Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe from his great vegetable cookbook, Plenty.

Author:
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Recipe type: Main Entree
Serves: 2

Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Ingredients
Eggplat
  • 2 large and long eggplants
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 1½ teaspoons thyme leaves
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • ½ cup pomegranate seeds
  • ¼ cup pomegranate molasses
Sauce
  • 9 tablespoons buttermilk
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • 1½ tablespoons olive oil, plus a drizzle to finish
  • 1 small garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Cut the eggplants in half lengthways, cutting straight through the green stalk (the stalk is for the look; don’t eat it).
  3. Use a small sharp knife to make three or four parallel incisions in the cut side of each eggplant half, without cutting through to the skin. Repeat at a 45-degree angle to get a diamond-shaped pattern.
  4. Place the eggplant halves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  5. Brush them with olive oil—keep on brushing until all of the oil has been absorbed by the flesh.
  6. Sprinkle with the lemon thyme leaves and some salt and pepper.
  7. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, at which point the flesh should be soft, flavorful, and nicely browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
  8. To make the sauce, whisk together all of the ingredients. Taste for seasoning, then keep cold until needed.
  9. To serve, spoon plenty of buttermilk sauce over the eggplant halves without covering the stalks. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses and plenty of pomegranate seeds on top and garnish with thyme leaves as well.

 

Enjoy this super easy and healthy recipe. Make the buttermilk sauce all on it’s own. Fabulous. Let me know about your best Nigella imitation. Meanwhile, I will try to get a life. LOL.

Pull up a chair,  Elizabeth

 

Braised Coconut Spinach and Chickpeas over Sweet Potato

Feb 232012
 
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I was on the hunt for a hearty vegetarian recipe. You know the one that a carnivore wouldn’t miss the meat at the meal kind of recipe.  Coconut Braised Spinach and Chickpeas over Sweet Potatoes is the exact kind of recipe that I was searching for. I could taste every flavor of each vegetable. There is heat and sweet, tang and subtle flavors in one bite. TheKitchn.com is great stop for a last minute recipe and it is where I found this one. Of course, I changed it around a bit, but this is a great resource.

My young son did not like the spinach and chickpeas at all. He was shivering as he was asking me if he had to eat it. He really hates anything with spinach. He love, loves, loves sweet potatoes, though.  That is what he ate. I had plenty of leftovers, which I used in soup and in a frittata.  This is also a great side dish. I have served it with lamb chops. Perfect compliment.

 

 

Braised Coconut Spinach & Chickpeas 
serves 4/main dish or 6/side dish

2 teaspoons oil or
1 small yellow onion
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger, from a 3-inch piece
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
1 dash of red pepper flakes ( I have also used roasted hot peppers. Your call)
15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
1 pound baby spinach( or frozen, thawed and drained)
14-ounce can coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground ginger or grated from fresh
4 oz. cream cheese (vegan variety is also an option.)


1. Heat the oil in a large, deep Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat.

2. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is beginning to brown.

3. Add the garlic, ginger, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest and red pepper, if using. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Add the chickpeas and cook over high heat for a few minutes or until the chickpeas are beginning to turn golden and they are coated with the onion and garlic mixture.

5. Toss in the spinach, one handful at a time. This will take about 5 minutes; stir in a handful or two and wait for it to wilt down and make room in the pot before adding the next handful. When all the spinach has been stirred in, pour in the coconut milk and stir in the salt, ground ginger, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer then turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the chickpeas are warm through.

6. Stir in cream cheese until it melts.

7. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if necessary.

Serve with:
Whole roasted sweet potatoes
Pomegranate seeds, to garnish

You can bake a sweet potato quicker then a russet potato. It  will take about 40 minutes at 400F. You can always cut the sweet potatoes in half if you want them to cook quicker. I have used pomegranate molasses over the top as well when I can not find fresh.

You can’t even feel guilty about this recipe. It is super healthy. All the flavor is the bonus. This is the dish that you make for your friends that are vegan, gluten free, dairy free come over.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

 

Garlic in olive oil

Dec 232011
 
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 Mellow, nutty, and sweet. I love how garlic tastes when it is cooked. Making up a jar of roasted garlic in olive oil doesn’t take long. It will last about 2 weeks, but it never lasts that long in our house. What do I use it on? The real question is what I don’t use it on. Slather the garlic on bread or add to a quick sauce for pasta. Use the oil to make a simple salad dressing or fry an egg in. My son loves a slice of crunchy toasted baguette brushed with the garlic oil and slice of salami on top for breakfast. He always has apple slices along with it. Drizzle it in a sandwich. I have whipped the roasted garlic into potatoes. OMG, that is fabulous, but hash browns cooked with garlic oil is fabulousity.

You can use it when roasting veggies or over a slice of pizza…on salmon or to poach shrimp in. Okay, do I need to say more? This stuff is just a must-have in your fridge. To top it all off, it is good for you. Dr. Oz, come on over and look into my fridge, this stuff is great.

Okay, are you ready for how easy it is?

This is the hardest part. Put 5 heads of garlic, that is peeled, in a one quart sauce pan.

Generously cover all the garlic with olive oil, filling up the pan.

Add some peppercorns (5-8), a bay leaf, and some thyme, if you have them.

Place in a 300F oven for about an hour.

When you pull out, it is good served warm. I usually store in Mason jar in the fridge. When I am ready to use, I do let it get to room temperature and sometimes I reheat it in the microwave so that it is warm.

Oh, I can’t wait to hear how you use it.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

Gabe’s Bacon Summer Squash

Sep 172011
 
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Gabriel, my seven year old, took one look at the summer squash that I had bought at the farmer’s market and said, “Are you going to steam the squash again? I hate squash.”

“ We are having the squash, but how would you cook it if you had a chance?” I replied.

“We should cook it with bacon and make the outside really crispy and then I would probably like it.” Gabriel said with a big smile on his face. He knows my long time held belief on most things taste better with bacon. I decided at that moment, I was going to help Gabriel learn how to create what he had envisioned.

“Okay, then bacon it is, but how do you think that we should make the squash crispy?” Gabriel was perplexed. I said, “What  are some other things that we eat that start out sorta tender and we make crisp to eat?”

“I know. Fried Chicken.” Good answer. So we decided to toss the squash in some rice flour and seasonings and saute’ it in bacon, garlic and olive oil. We used 2 strips of bacon for the entire dish. Gabe was right, it sure was tasty. It was salty, smoky, crispy and tender all at the same time.  Gabriel ended up eating a huge portion of it and told me he loved the taste. It tasted like what he had dreamt it would.

Being able to visualize how something is going to taste is one of those skills that is important to becoming a good cook. Thinking out the steps on how to get to that taste and then mastering the technique can only be done by actually cooking. You are not going to learn how to cook without cooking.

I can not imagine sending my child out into the world without the basic skill of cooking. You need to be able to feed yourself decent  and healthy food daily. Period. Gabriel learned a lot by cooking his vision on this day and he ate all his summer squash with gusto.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

Gabe’s Bacon Summer Squash

2 slices bacon
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 T. olive oil
3 summer squash, cut in cubes
1/4 cup rice flour (you can use what ever flour you have on hand)
1 t. creole seasoning
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
a few sprigs of chives.

 

1.  Slice up bacon in small strips. Place in a sauté pan that has been warming over medium heat.
2.  Cook until bacon is crispy.
3.   Take bacon out of pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.
4.  Place garlic and olive oil in a sauté pan to heat.
5.  Place squash in a bowl and toss in flour, seasonings, s&p.
6.  Toss squash in flour mixture and then place in warm pan.
7.  You want it spattering a bit, but not burning. Let it wait a bit to brown on one side before turning.
8.   The entire cooking time should take no longer then about 10 minutes.
9.   It is not a perfect coating, but it does crisp up and cook the squash at the same time.
10.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towel.
11. Toss squash and bacon in a bowl, then cut up chives on top. I had my son use the kitchen scissors to cut the chives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eggplant Pomegranate Relish

Jun 232011
 
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Have you ever read a recipe that sounded amazing and you realize that you have everything you need in the house to make it that very moment?  I ogled the eggplant pomegranate relish recipe, got up from the computer and made it within 15 minutes. It tasted as good as I had visioned it tasting. That is called seizing the flavor moment. LOL. The big surprise is that my seven year old loved it as well. Total shocker, but I do think what helped is I left out the fact it was eggplant until after he tasted it.

Pomegranate molasses is the key to this dish. It has become one of pantry stables. The huge handful of mint at the end did put it over the top, though. Back to the pomegranate molasses…I have seen Bobby Flay use it a great deal, but no idea of it’s flavor. It’s sweet without being overly so, but fruiter then regular molasses. It has a lot of tang. I can buy it here at the Middle Eastern stores, but you also get it on line.

The recipe that I read tells you it would taste great with fish or game. I am telling you, this taste good about anything that you put it on. I put it on a turkey sandwich. It worked. My son put it on his cheese quesadilla. Yum. Put some on my feta omelette this morning as well. It is one of those recipes that you will glad to have in the fridge for giving your simple something an over the moon taste kick.

Adapted from Saveur Magazine

Makes 3 cups

1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large eggplant, cubed
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2″ piece ginger, peeled and minced
1 cup tomato sauce
1⁄3 cup pomegranate molasses
1 tsp. harissa or your favorite hot sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot. Add eggplant, then some salt sprinkled on top.  Cook, stirring often, until soft, 5–10 minutes.

2. Reduce heat to medium, add onions and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, 2–3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

3. Add tomato sauce, pomegranate molasses, and harissa, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir to loosen brown bits on bottom of skillet. Bring mixture just to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Add more heat if you desire. Remove from heat and stir in mint.

Did you notice it took me 15 minutes to make?  Hope that you read this, get up and make it. I do know that it will now be on my communal table often.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

Egg Fu Young with Sweet Chili Red Pepper Sauce.

May 072011
 
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When I think of egg fu young, I think of the Chinese restaurant around the corner from the salon that I worked at for more then 20 years and I think of my partner in crime, my colleague & friend,  Sande.  You know how it is… you tell yourself that you are going eat like a bird all day.  Okay, I can’t even write “eat like a bird”  without laughing out loud.  It’s Monday, I am even more determined to stay on track.  I am feeling quite accomplished. I have had a breakfast that an emaciated super model would eat.

I am at work.  Sande starts…”Have you had egg fu young lately? It is really good at that Chinese restaurant. You hunger?”  Well, of course, I was hunger. I have been eating like an emaciated super model for about four hours now.  Boy, does that egg and veggie omelet trenched with soy sauce brown gravy served over steaming white rice sounds good. Maybe I could indulge for lunch only…no, I can’t.  Then Sande comes back with the great smelling Chinese takeout and sits right next to me. I do not need to tell you what I ended up doing for lunch that day.

Now I think of egg fu young as something that I can make up quick at home. I use the veggies that I have on hand and this version is a bit healthier. I mix roasted peppers with sweet chili sauce and lime juice to add a great little kick to your eggs. I have also used this sauce on top of sandwiches and pizza. Easy to make and I always make up some extra.

You can put anything in your egg fu young. Chicken, leftover pulled pork, bacon, shrimp. I used just mushrooms, garlic and scallions chopped up on this day. Use what you have on hand. This is a perfect recipe to make something entirely new with the same old leftovers.

I put my egg patty of goodness on sautéed spinach and grape tomatoes because I had them on hand. Sometimes it is leftover rice. Sometimes it is just a mixed green salad.

Roasted red pepper & sweet chili sauce:
Adapted from Chinese Made Easy

1 red pepper, roasted (jarred is fine)
juice of 1 lime
2-3 T. sweet chili sauce

Finely chop peppers and toss with lime and chili sauce.

Egg fu young: for 1 person

2 eggs slightly beaten
veggies and/or meats that you want to, but must be finely chopped
2 T. canola oil
salt & pepper, to taste

Heat pan over medium high heat, then put in oil.
Mix eggs and ingredients together in bowl.
Pour egg mixture into hot oil.
Turn gently when underside is browned.
When done, drain on paper towel.
Serve immediately with whatever you would like, but I like to smother mine in the roasted red pepper & sweet chili sauce, then add a couple extra squeezes of sriracha.

I hope you make this quick and easy meal your own. Perfect for meatless Mondays. A random thought… is it really meatless Monday if I used leftover meat in my dish that I actually cooked another day? See, I can rationalize almost anything.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

 

Kale, slow simmered in wine & bacon

Apr 202011
 
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We have a policy at our house. Before you say that you do not like a particular food, you must try it. My pet peeve is the person that will not eat something because they do not like it, but has never even tried it. Actually, truth be known… I can’t stand picky eaters.

Kale is a vegetable that my son loves. One reason is the technique I use in cooking it. He prefers it over spinach. Gabriel says that spinach gets stuck in his throat. He starts hacking and holding his throat, turns around in circles and then asks if me if he has had enough. Kale, he will eat up and ask for seconds.

Recipe 3: Kale, slow simmered in wine & bacon

1. I cut  two slices of thick cut bacon into lardons and put in a large saute’ pan over medium heat. If you do not have bacon or wish not to use it, heat up a couple tablespoons of olive oil. This is how I love to use bacon. Just enough to add a lot of flavor to a dish.

2. While your pan is heating, I clean, de-stem, and cut my big bunch of kale. Add kale to warm pan. Coat kale in bacon.

* If you want you can add sliced onions and garlic to the pan when you add the kale. I would suggest this if you are not using bacon. It will add a nice layer of flavor.

3. I then add some white wine. A couple pours, then stir. Let it the wine absorb.

4. Add more wine, water or broth. Whatever you prefer. Add, stir, and let it absorb again.

5. I repeat this method a couple more times until the greens are soft and almost creamy. This whole process takes about 30 minutes.

6. Taste and adjust seasoning. A little pepper or salt. Sometimes I like to finish with a squeeze of lemon.

**The wine is a nice acid and the broth adds another layer of flavor. I will often put one pour wine, one pour broth, and rest of the pours water.

This is the kind of recipe that you can convert the vegetable hater into a veggie lover. You can make kale this way to add to pasta for a meatless dish.

Hope that this has been healthy fabulous for you… pull up a chair, Elizabeth

Healthy Fabulous Dinner, Recipe 2: Baked Breaded Zucchini & Tomato

Apr 192011
 
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It’s spring break this week. My son is off to spring break day camp. After camp yesterday we went out for burgers and fries at a diner we love.  I saw a man pick up 5 dinners to go. Nothing was said between him and the server except, “See you tomorrow”. No money exchanged even. What? I just had to ask. Our server said that he picks up dinner for him and his family everyday. It is the exact same order everyday. Just under $60 a day. He pays the bill weekly. Really? I mean, really?

It is no secret to anyone in my life, that I have always struggled with my weight. My worst choices are done with no thought. My best choices are done with being present and have a bit of idea what I have on hand and what I would like to cook. I made this entire meal for under $10. It is low in fat and sodium.

Roasted Spatchcocked Chicken
Baked Breaded Zucchini & Tomato
Kale, pan simmered in wine & bacon

Recipe 2: Baked Breaded Zucchini & Tomato
6 servings

3 slices whole wheat bread, made into crumbs
2 1/2 T. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
5 green onions, finely chopped
handful of basil, finely chopped
2 zucchini, grated
6 roma tomatoes sliced
1t. dried oregano
1/2 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Coat a ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat a large saute’ pan over medium-high heat.
3. Place olive oil, garlic, onion, basil, zucchini, tomatoes, oregano, sugar in pan. Heat until liguid starts to exude from tomatoes.
4. Turn off heat and stir in bread crumbs.
5. Place mixture in ceramic dish. Bake for about 20 minutes until top is crisp and browned.
6. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

I think bread crumbs are an excellent way to add grains to your diet. This recipe is a little over a 100 calorie a serving. As I said, healthy fabulous meal. Yummy.

Stay tuned for tomorrow. My favorite recipe of them all…slow simmered kale for the complete healthy fabulous meal.  Hey, pull up a chair, Elizabeth

Grilled Salt & Vinegar Potatoes

Feb 092011
 
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When vinegar is boiled into a root vegetable you have a perfect marriage.  I love the vinegar tang you taste when you bit into a creamy potato or a sweet beet .  Now, I am not one of those people that loves the salt & vinegar potato chips, but these potatoes are addictive. Make as many as you want.

1. Slice  potatoes about 1/4 inch thick.
2. Place sliced potatoes in a saucepan and cover completely with white vinegar.  Bring to a boil and cook until potato is fork tender, but it still holds it shape.
3. Let cool in vinegar. About 30 minutes. Drain.
4. Heat up grill pan over medium heat. Brush both sides of potato slices with olive oil, then place on  grill pan. Brown each side. About 3-5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with sea salt.

I boiled these peeled beets in 1/3 apple cider vinegar to 2/3 water. They taste great warm or cooled. On this day, I served them tossed in some olive oil, salt and pepper on a bed of arugula with some feta cheese crumbles and pea shoots on top. I could eat this salad everyday. Tangy, sweet, creamy, crisp, and fresh.

Break out your vinegar and add this healthy tasty technique to your root veggies.  Ohhh, I have to go and make some right now.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

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