Category: Pork

Rustic Pork and Rabbit Terrine

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Before we get into my terrine, I want to announce the winner of my Nordic Ware Giveaway.

The winner is….Anali!

RANDOM.ORG – List Randomizer

Congratulations  Anali and enjoy. Nordic Ware really is popular and these will be cherished tools for a long time in your baking.

Now back to the post at hand.I love the art of Charcuterie and the terrine. When I was about 12 years old I even made my own first terrine, after seeing some article in a magazine. I don’t know how or what propelled me to do it, but my mother carried it off to some office picnic, and she brought back good reviews.It was a heavy pork and garlic loaded pate.No one really believed her child made a pate , let alone knew what one was. I was precocious. I had a special Mother that encouraged my gifts and whims. Those latent forces are back at work twenty nine years later. This time I have some extra tools and gadgets to do a better  job. Like this beautiful Le Creuset Foie Gras Terrine with press. Isn’t it beautiful?

I knew pork  and some sort of liver would be a major component. But I decide to throw some rabbit in the mix. This was my first time working with rabbit and I wasn’t very good de boning it. My intent was to put large medallions of the saddle in the center, but I couldn’t get that cut. Nevertheless it all went into the meat grinder with a few chucks of larger pieces here and there. Most terrine recipes are complicated affairs. I confess , I skipped a lot of the fuss and stocks, extra wraps of fat /bacon.etc . The end result still came out with a rich , moist, and rustic terrine. Baked in a water batch slowly, and then pressed to extract the excess fat, the end result was redolent of garlic and green peppercorns, and hearty. Perfect on a hot day to serve  chilled with wines , cheese, and fruits.

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Rustic Pork and Rabbit Terrine

  • 1 rabbit
  • 1.5 lbs pork belly ( no skin)
  • 1 pint of chicken livers
  • 1/2 fist of garlic (4-5 cloves)
  • 1/2 cup cognac
  • 1 tablespoon green peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon dried Thyme
  • Sea Salt to taste

Equipment needed:

Meat grinder or food processor

Terrine or loaf baking dish.

  1. De bone your rabbit and cut into small pieces. Leave some pieces larger  to not grind. Be sure to save and freeze your carcass for soup or stews later on.
  2. Cut up  the pork belly.
  3. In a large container with lid , add the cut up  pork belly, rabbit( not the larger pieces), and chicken livers. Add garlic, Thyme, salt, green peppercorns, and cognac. Cover and allow to marinate in the refrigerator over night.
  4. Grind all your meats including the livers, with the peppercorns  and garlic with a coarse grind.
  5. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  6. Line your terrine pan with parchment paper. Cut slashes and each corner  and insert in pan to line completely.
  7. Gently pack in you ground meat into terrine while adding a few layers of the larger rabbit pieces periodically.
  8. Pack until full. Top with another sheet of parchment paper.
  9. Cover terrine with lid. If using a baking loaf pan, wrap with heavy aluminum foil.
  10. Bake in a water bath (pan  in another larger pan with hot water) at 325  for approximately 1.5 hours.
  11. Take out.
  12. Take a  foil brick or the terrines press  and  press the terrine in the pan. If using the terrines press, place books or a brick on to weight down.
  13. Press until cooled down .
  14. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve with :

  • Crusty bread
  • Wine
  • Cheese
  • Gherkins
  • Pickled Vegetables
  • Mustard
  • Fruits
  • Crackers
  • On a bed of lettuce

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Fried Green Tomato Sandwich with Bacon

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Consider this a creative variation of a BLT sandwich.In this case I skipped the L (lettuce). I love fried green tomatoes with a spicy remoulade. Having purchased some , with a slab of hickory bacon , the creative juices were flowing.I posted about Fried Green tomatoes before. Paired with a sweet and spicy remoulade, this sandwich is full of tangy zip. So if you like fried green tomatoes and want an usual sandwich, try this . If you don’t eat bacon , try substituting turkey bacon instead. Enjoy.

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Perfect Fried Green Tomatoes

4 green tomatoes
1 cup buttermilk or 1 cup milk with a few tsp of vinegar/lemon juice
( allow to sit for 5 minutes or more)
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 cup corn meal
salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
vegetable oil

  1. Prep your station with a dish of buttermilk, a dish of
    beaten egg, and a dish of corn meal .
  2. Mix 1 tsp of cayenne
    and salt in the corn meal.
  3. Slice green tomatoes into 1/2
    inch rounds.
  4. Dip each slice first in buttermilk, then egg, then
    dredge in cornmeal.
  5. Heat approx 1/2 cup of vegetable oil in a fry pan.
  6. Fry tomato
    slices until golden and crispy on each side.
  7. Drain finished pieces
    on paper towels.
  8. Sprinkle with additional salt if desired.
  9. Set aside until assembly of sandwich.

Spicy Sweet Remoulade

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoon Sriracha
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  1. Combine all ingredients and mix.
  2. Chill until ready to use.

Assembly of Sandwich

Components Needed:

  1. Bread of choice ( Italian loaf, sandwich roll, kaiser roll, etc)
  2. 3 strips of crispy bacon for each sandwich
  3. 2-3 slices of fried green tomato
  4. Remoulade to spread

Spread Remoulade on each slice of bread. Place the fried green tomato slices. Top with bacon.

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Crispy Pata

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A few months ago Certain Someone and I dined at Sunda, a hip Pan Asian establishment In Chicago. As is usually the case, I ordered the best entree of a Crispy Pata ( Lechon). A pork shank roasted until crisp, skin and all and dipped into a garlicky vinegar sauce. Philippine in origin, It appealed  to the German pork lover Certain Someone was. He had no problem finishing off my dish,as it was very filling.

So one day shopping at my favorite wholesale  meat market, I saw fresh pork hocks in a bin alongside pig  ears, tails, kidneys and hearts. I struck gold as I never see fresh pork hocks in the supermarkets, only smoked, with little meat.I confess I smoked up the house making this at home.But it was worth it .In the Philippines they usually boil and then fry the shank. On the internet I found several oven based recipes that seemed equally successful and less messy. I would recommend perhaps trying this on an outdoor grill this summer. Its tasty and rich. I used the leftovers the next day and placed over warm Soba noodles tossed with the vinegar sauce. It was heavenly.Certain Someone was mad I used the leftover bits for my lunch, naturally.

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Crispy Pata ( Lechon)

  • Fresh Pork Hocks
    A few cloves of garlic( unpeeled) to taste
    Bay Leaf
    Black Peppercorns
    Salt
    *Fish Sauce (optional)
    Vinegar Sauce
    3 parts  White Vinegar to 1 part Soy Sauce
    Minced Garlic to taste
    In a large pot, cover the  Fresh Pork Hocks in cold water. Add Bay Leaf, Peppercorns, salt, garlic cloves, and fish sauce . Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for approx 1.5  hours.
    Remove  the hocks from the water.

    On a lipped baking sheet , place a rack. Place the boiled hocks on the rack and roast at 450 F until the the skin starts to crisp and puff.Be sure you have proper ventilation in your kitchen. You will have to turn the hocks occasional to ensure it roasts crisp throughout. This may take about another 45 minutes or so.Remove once crisped to desired  doneness.
    Mix up in ingredients for Vinegar Sauce and serve with the Crispy Pata to dip.

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Rillettes De Paris …Holiday Spreads

Yummy Rillettes. When I was a stupid teenager I would look at this type as food as gross. I wish people would get over this misconception and actually taste something first. Granted this is not an everyday food, or very healthy for that matter, but why not for the holidays. Rillettes are any sort of meat or fish cooked down in fat. There are delicious salmon versions, duck, rabbit, and of course Pork. The French call it brown jam as its so spreadable . Serve Rillettes with crusty bread, cornichons,perhaps a tad of mustard and enjoy. A few weeks ago I promised my buddy Terry that I would make some after we had some at a party. Compared to other other pate spreads this is pretty cheap and simple to make . The only thing required is time. After comparing various recipes on the Internet, I decided to go for what seemed the easiest, but just as effective. A slow cooker version. Once the hard work of skinning and cutting the pork belly up in one inch pieces was achieved. I just seasoned and put the slow to cooker to work while I slept. A few turns over 10 hours and draining of the fat to reserve to seal later and by morning I had buttery soft brown pieces of slow cooked pork seasoned by Bay Leaf, salt, peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, and mace. I could and should have added a little garlic as some recipe call for it and some don’t , but why not? Don’t let copious amounts of fat deter you. That helps preserve the Rillettes for a few week in the fridge if well sealed. And it just adds to the richness.
I plan on bringing to these to friends and family over the weekend. Once I potted the meat in the cute containers from World Market, I put them in a Bain Marie to insure more fat rose to the top after pouring some on top to seal. You want a good cover. Some say at least 1/4 of an inch if you want to preserve up to one month in the fridge. I’m sure ours will be finished by New Years.

Use your own taste for seasoning. You will find Rilletttes vary by region. Some just call for salt and pepper with Bay and some call for more. Think of what you like with Pork. Serve with loaves of Crusty bread and enjoy. For the recipe for Rilletes De Paris, I used click here. The author Jane Grigson advocates using a mortar and Pestle. I used my handy immersion blender for the task. Just be careful to the final texture. You want it smooth but not mushy. Most important serve at room temperature, not straight out of fridge.On New Years you can start your diet.

Cooking With PAMA… Chestnut Stuffed Sesame Pork Chops with PAMA Balsamic Reduction

Did you miss me? I missed you. Not having a computer is unfathomable. And to top that off the car has been in shop for a week. No computer, no car, no man ( Certain Someone is away again) makes for a very bad time. But I’ve been cooking up a storm , so I cant wait to post. I want to thank my good friend Kat for fixing my antiquated computer circa 2005 and ridding it of all the bad guys. Its brutal out there is cyber space. Get checked people!

Anyway I was fortunate enough to receive a sample of PAMA Liqueur. I have had my eye on this spirit for while . I was asked to create a recipe as November is National Pomegranate Month!

Did you know that November is National Pomegranate Month? At the peak of their growing season, pomegranates are the perfect fall fruit. Packed with powerful anti-oxidants and Vitamin C, this super fruit is not only delicious but has even boasts proven health benefits, such as the prevention of anti-aging signs and heart disease. Make a toast to this amazing super fruit with PAMA, the first true pomegranate liqueur. This liqueur truly captures the essence of all-natural pomegranates with their complex, sweet yet tart taste and seductive ruby color. Made from all natural pomegranate juice, premium vodka and a touch of imported tequila, this liqueur is highly mixable and incredibly versatile.

Rather than reinvent the wheel with a cocktail or dessert, I decided to adapt my PAMA to a savory meat based dish inspired by Fall. There are elements of Asian fusion in here with the spices and use of Sesame. The dish went over well and is one I can see myself serving at an elegant dinner again. Enjoy.I will also enter this into the Cooking with Pama Contest. Just made the deadline!

Chestnut Stuffed Sesame Pork Chops with PAMA Balsamic Reduction

Balsamic Reduction

3/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1 inch peeled ginger cut into pieces

2 tbsp brown sugar

3 whole allspice

1 clove

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 cup PAMA Liqueur

Additional Ingredients

2 Butterflied Pork Chops

1/2 onion chopped

5-6 chestnuts chopped

Fresh sage leaves

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup Sesame Seeds to crust

1 egg white

In a small sauce pan bring Balsamic vinegar , brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, clove, and ginger to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until reduced by half. This will take about 10-15 minutes. Add PAMA and continue to reduce. Strain Mixture and set aside to cool. Pour into a squeeze bottle.

Make a stuffing of chestnuts , onion, a few leaves of fresh torn sage, slat and pepper to taste. Take your butterflied pork chops and add a few tablespoons of mixture.

Seal Pork chops with toothpicks at 1/2 inch intervals. This will prevent the stuffing from spilling out when baking.

Season chops with salt and pepper. Carefully brush the edges of the chops with egg whites and dip into a plate of sesame seeds.

Preheat oven to 350.

In a oven proof pan, heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil. Sear Pork chops for a few minutes on each side( being careful not to brush the sesame crusted edges). Place in preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until internal temperature of 160.

Plate with a few decorative squeezes of Pama Balsamic on plate and over meat.