Rosemary Red Wine Pulled Pork w/ Armagnac Prunes

This giant pot of awesome came about because I was having some friends over for a dinner party & the main course request was for pork. I have made something very similar with lamb before, so I decided to give it a whirl with pork instead. Also, the fact that pork shoulder costs quite a lot less than a similar cut of beef or lamb makes it a good choice for feeding a crowd on a budget. And right now I don't know anyone who isn't on a budget.

As with all slow-cooked foods, this tasted even better on Day 2, so consider making this in advance if you choose to entertain with it.

Start by breaking down a 6lb pork shoulder (or "butt") into fairly equal size cubes, roughly 2 inches square each. You can skip this step and just get pork stew meat from your butcher, but I dislike buying the random cubes. 

However if you are less than secure in your knife skills, or squeamish about having to skin and cube the shoulder yourself, by all means get the butcher to do it for you.

I would recommend buying some loose pork bones from your butcher tho (about 2 lbs). The recipe does not call for them, but they will add a bit of richness to your final product, not to mention you might get lucky and find a little marrow to snack on at the end of the cooking process.

In a small bowl to the side, have about 20-30 prunes, roughly chopped, soak in about 1 cup of Armagnac (or brandy) for 1 hour. Stir occasionally to make sure they all have time to pick up some flavor.

In your heavy-bottomed pot, heat a little olive oil and brown your (seasoned) pork cubes in batches. Try not to rush this step as it adds a nice level of flavor to the finished product. Set aside the browned pieces in a bowl, making sure not to lose any juices that accumulate.

Next: Bacon.

I add about 4-5 slices to the bottom of the pan (heat reduced to medium-low) and render until crispy.

Remove cooked bacon.

Feel free to snack on this, or save to add back into the pot at the end as you prefer.

Into the rendered bacon fat over medium heat goes 1 large diced onion and 4-6 large peeled & chopped carrots. When the onions start to become translucent I add in 4 minced cloves of garlic and allow them to become fragrant for another minute or so.

Then add in the prunes with their Armagnac and stir to get any remaining brown bits (fond) off the bottom of the pot.

Return the browned pork to the pot along with any juices in the bowl. Add in the pork bones if you have them, your bouquet garni, and 1 bottle of red wine.

As always, the rule with the wine is to only use something you would actually drink.

I also add in about 3/4 cup of ruby port, as I like the richness it adds to the finished dish.

Resist the urge to add stock to this mixture, even if you are afraid the liquids do not come up high enough in your pot. Adding stock will vastly change the finished product, leaving you with something quite loose and lacking the rich flavor. 

The finished product should be dense and almost sticky.

For the bouquet garni: 3 rosemary stems, 3 fresh thyme stems, 2 bay leaves

I put all of this in a loose tea bag or cheese cloth tied with twine, along with about 8 black peppercorns I crush under the flat of my knife.

Bring the whole mixture to a simmer on your stovetop and then transfer to a 320º oven for 3 hours, lid on, stirring once or twice along the way.

                 

The result should be dense, slightly sweet, and nicely caramelized with very little liquid left at all in the pot.

Remove the bouquet garni & bay leaves, and I find the easiest way to break everything down is with a potato masher. Gently crush the cubes of meat until you have a gently shredded/pulled consistency.

I chose to serve this over polenta, but it would also go very well over either quinoa or couscous. If serving this over polenta, keep it simple. Do not add a ton or milk or cheese to the bubbling mixture. Just water or stock, salt, and maybe a little butter at the end.

As I said, this followed the rule of tasting better on Day 2, so if you have the time try to make it a day in advance. Especially as breaking down the shoulder and browning all the meat takes quite a bit of time, so you might even want to do that the day before if you don't have time to do it all in one day.

Either way, this dish was a BIG hit with my friends, and it easily fed 6 hungry people with leftovers.

Try it out before the cold weather passes.

Awesome Short Rib Ragu

I have been making this every weekend for three weeks running because short ribs have been on sale, and frankly, this is just so delicious that I don't mind that it taking 2 days to make it.

If you like slow-cooking beef, give this a try.

If you don't like slow-cooking beef... give this a try.

Step 1 - brown that meat.

Let your short ribs (about 3 lbs worth) come to room temperature, trim off any of that really thick, hard fat, season with salt, and get a good sear on the outside (use a little evoo in the pan).

Do this in batches so you don't end up steaming your meat.

Yuck.

Add 1 medium/large white onion, 2 celery ribs, and 3 carrots, 4 garlic cloves, all medium diced, into the bottom of the pan with all the tasty brown bits left by the meat. Season with salt.

You may need another drizzle of olive oil to get them all going.

Cook until the onions are almost translucent.

Next add a TBSP or so of tomato paste to the pot and pour in one bottle of dry red wine: tempranillo, cabernet, even a dolcetto would work.

Just make sure you like the taste of it to drink before you cook with it.

Throw in your herb bundle (use cheesecloth if you have it. I use tea bags meant for loose tea.)

Inside it should have: 1-2 bay leaves, half a sprig of fresh rosemary (or 2 tsp dry), 3-4 fresh thyme stems (or 1 -2 tsp dry), 1/4 tsp ground clove, 1/2 tsp ground allspice, 5-6 crushed black peppercorns.

Allow that to simmer for about 10 minutes and then allow to cool.

Pour over browned short ribs, or place short ribs in the pot with the wine mixture, and refrigerate overnight.

The next day allow the chill to come off everything before starting to cook.

Over medium low heat on the stove, add 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes and 3-4 cups of beef stock. Enough to cover all the meat in the pot but not come more than 3/4 of the way up the sides of the pot.

Optional addition: chopped, reconstituted porcini mushrooms.

Once up to a simmer, turn off the burner, add the lid to the pot and place in a 325º oven for 3 hrs.

If you remember, stir once or twice over the 3 hrs to move things around.

No, these are not Fig Newtons or dog treats.

By the time you remove it from the oven,  the meat should have fallen away from the bones (see above).

At this point I like to remove the meat and the bones and reduce the liquids in the pot over medium-high heat for another 40-45 minutes, or until thick.

I also shred apart the meat once it has cooled for easier consumption.

Add the meat back in and allow to set.

I prefer to let it sit overnight again, eating it on Day 3.

This goes brilliantly over most things: polenta, pasta, couscous, hearty bread... whatever you have on hand.

I was really in the mood for pappardelle, so that's what I made this time around.

As always, cook the pasta in salted boiling water, drain, and cook the final minute or two with the sauce so the flavors combine.

I gave this a sprinkle of pecorino, but it doesn't need it.

It's perfect just as it is... somewhere between a stew and a ragu.

Try it out the next time you have a laid-back weekend.

You won't be sorry.

And if you've been reading my blog for a while now, yes, this is essentially what I made for the So-Bro(nx) Dinner Party, but I have perfected it since then, so it deserved a second showing.

I think this will be showing up for Christmas Eve Dinner as well.

Count Down to Turkey

Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away, so I thought I would just relive the glory of last year repost last year's Thanksgiving post for those who are wondering what to do with their turkey this year.

Or in my family's case, with 2 turkeys.

Turkey #2 from last year

The Three B's will not let you down:

Bacon

Brandy

Butter

Go forth and make awesomeness for those you love.

Garlic White Beans

Have you ever eaten something that was so incredibly simple, and yet so very tasty and addictive?

Well, this is one of those dishes.

I was having dinner at Supper in the East Village a couple of weeks ago, and instead of butter or even a bowl of olive oil for dipping, the bread basket came with this delicious pile of garlicky, slightly spicy white beans, slightly drenched in olive oil and speckled with parsley.

It was delicious, and I decided immediately that I had to recreate it at home for both snacking and entertaining purposes.

I started by sautéing 4-5 cloves of grated garlic on medium-low heat in regular olive oil with a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes. (Go with your comfort level of heat. I like things with only a slight warmth in the back of the throat so I probably only use about 2 pinches. If you like spicy, this dish can take it.)

Cook for 2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant and slightly golden.

Drain and rinse two cans of white beans.

You can use whatever beans you prefer: cannellini, northern beans, navy beans... as long as they are a mild white bean, it should be fine.

I place them in the pan with the garlic and red pepper flakes and add a splash of water to help cook and soften the beans for another 3-4 minutes.

(I don't like too much bite in my beans. If you prefer a firm texture, skip this step.)

Wash some fresh parsley and finely chop it, about 1/3-1/2 a cup as you prefer.

I went with about 1/3 of a cup.

Add to the pot of beans, salt to taste, and stir to combine.

Off the heat, finish the beans with a few glugs of good fruity olive oil.

Optional: a spritz of lemon right before serving perks up the dish as well.

This is delicious on its own, or on toasted ciabatta for crostini for a dinner or party. 

You could also purée this before adding the parsley (but with the good olive oil) and use it as a dip.

It's very versatile, very healthy (packed with protein and fiber and only good fat!) and VERY addictive.

It also goes brilliantly with prosecco!

Clams + Ramps + Prosciutto = Delicious

Yes, I made this once before last Spring, but when you make something delicious, it bears repeating.

Also, better photography this time around.

Cook clams in a covered pot with stock and white wine and a pinch of dried oregano, 5-6 minutes or until the clams open.

Strain the liquid VERY well if you want to use it as a sauce, as there will be small amounts of grit that the clams have released when they opened.

In a separate pan, sauté some pancetta or prosciutto in a bit of olive oil.

Add the sliced whites and necks of the ramps and cook on medium-low heat until fragrant. Mere moments really.

Add the (washed and dried) sliced greens of the ramps, and cook until they just wilt.

Remember, you want the ramps to be the star of this dish, complemented by the clams, prosciutto and pasta.

I went with angel hair this time as it made it easier to pick up all the small bits of the dish, but also because I could cook it IN the (well strained) liquid from cooking the clams in just 2-3 minutes, making it super flavorful pasta.

Combine everything in a hot pan, stir, and serve.

I absolutely love this dish. It's ready in minutes and packed with flavor.

Too bad it's only available for a few weeks in Spring.

Ramp Naan, Revisited

Because when something is tasty, you make it again.

Slice or tear prosciutto, throw in a warm skillet with a bit of olive oil.

Slice ramps.

Sauté lightly in olive oil, until wilted and fragrant.

Pour on top of (possibly leftover from ordering-in, or store-bought) naan, including the oil that was in the skillet, as it will be flavorful as well.

Place that under the broiler for about 2 minutes, or until the naan* has heated through.

Devour.

* Naan is a soft Indian flatbread that can be simple and plain, or be baked with garlic and other herbs. For this particular dish I of course was using the plain naan so that the ramps were the star.

Quinoa Satay

No, this is not a post with quinoa somehow impaled on a skewer. Rather it is the use of leftover beef satay, served over quinoa with red spring onion and broccoli*.

I love Thai satay of all kinds: chicken, shrimp, beef - all are tasty, and all would work in this dish. (Just use the chicken stock if you make it with chicken or shrimp, rather than the beef stock I use here.) When I order-in, I frequently get extra orders just so I can have leftovers. And while meat on a stick is very tasty and can make a quick protein snack, this is a way to make a more rounded out meal out of your leftover satay.

*Yes, I make a lot of dishes with broccoli. I happen to really like broccoli, it's very healthy, and I can usually get 2 bunches for about $2-3, so it's a fairly cheap vegetable for how many servings it yields as well. Subsitute whatever you like. Snow peas, sugar snap peas, water chestnuts, bok choy, or bamboo shoots would all go very well in this dish as well.

I start by steaming a bit of broccoli for 2-3 minutes in a few TBSP of water with a pinch of salt. When I remove the lid, most of the water has already boiled/evaporated away, so I add a generous splash of olive oil, reduce the heat to medium, and this time threw in some chopped red spring onion. 

Sadly, that is not a ramp, just a spring onion I chose for it's lovely color, and to add a bit more flavor to the dish. It has more kick than a scallion, but is milder than an onion, like a shallot.

Cook with some of the white/red bulb base, finely sliced, and finely chop some of the green scallion-like tops for garnish.

Since I was just cooking for myself, I only used one satay skewer (even tho I show 2 here.) Removing the beef from the stick, I then slice each piece into more manageable bites.

Toss your meat of choice in with the broccoli and onion (which has cooked down a bit) and add just enough of the matching stock (in this case beef) to cover the bottom of the pan.

Turn the heat back up to medium-high to reduce.

The point of the stock is that it will rehydrate and heat through the slightly tired leftover beef, and also allow the wonderful seasonings on the outside of the meat to flavor the vegetables as well, and create a very small amount of sauce.

By now my quinoa has finished cooking. As always, rinse it very well in a fine mesh strainer before cooking it, and I season (this was 1/2 cup dry) with about a tablespoon or so of standard cooking olive oil (you don't want a super fruity flavor competing here) and salt to taste. The salt I add to the water at the start of cooking, and the olive oil I add when there is barely any liquid still covering the cooking quinoa.

I use the quinoa as a base and then pour the rest of the dish and minimal sauce over the top.

Start to finish this is another healthy 15 minute meal.

If you make it for a group it might take a bit longer, only because you would be using more liquid in the last stage of cooking and so it would take a bit longer to reduce down, but even then it probably only takes 20 minutes.

If you know the secrets to the seasonings on a Thai satay dish, by all means add a bit when you add your meat of choice. I can only guess one or two, so I just let the ample flavor that is already there dilute a bit into the sauce, and it still comes out very tasty.

Enjoy.

1 Year Old

Happy Blog-o-versary to me!

I feel about as brain-boggled as I did when I tried to write my first aimless post. This may have something to do with the emotional strain of having one's father in the hospital for 2 weeks after having a lung transplant (thank you, Agent Orange*) after a decade of waiting, the lack of sleep that goes along with that, and finally, fighting the flu, which makes everyone brain-dead.
* (read: F^ck You, Agent Orange)


But my dad got to go home last night! And my flu has just shifted out of the body-ache phase, so everything is lookin' pretty good. I may even celebrate with a glass of wine tonight, flu be damned.


All this means is instead of a spankin' new post, I'm going to link back to some of my favorites from the past year. These are not necessarily my wittiest or most well-written posts. Rather they are dishes I really enjoyed making, but especially enjoy eating.
Maybe some of them you missed along the way...

Orzo Perfection 

Poor photography

I forgot that I used to write instructions to the right of the photos. Maybe that was because my photos were so poor. Bleh.

The orzo, however: not poor.


Pan-Seared Duck with brandied plum-cherry sauce

I was just so proud of myself for getting this right so I could have a favorite dish at home whenever I wanted.





French Onion Soup

Because Julia Child knew what she was doing (at least once she'd published it.)






Tangy Asian Chicken Thighs over quinoa with glazed carrots.

Even when I don't think I'm in the mood for this meal, as soon as I smell it marinating I start to salivate.







I now interrupt my scheduled recipe recap for some Food Porn, because it's that good.

Continuing on...

Stuffed French Toast made for the hubs on our anniversary last summer.

He's so lucky to have me.







Asparagus Soup

Tho you may know it better as my "Detox Soup".






Roasted Squash Polenta w/ Sage-Pistachio Mascarpone & Porcini

Also delicious with leftover roast chicken & gravy on top.






Chicken Chili

Because it is super simple, figure friendly, and tasty!







Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs

Made for the hubs's coworkers for a dinner party. (Ms. Ramos still threatens to move in here.)





The Best Roast Chicken

Need I say more?
Except that it made My First Thanksgiving turkey an unequivocal hit, and yes that's a picture of the turkey, not the chicken.
The turkey was prettier.



Well, looking back at my earliest posts certainly made me notice how my formatting has changed. And the photography. (Hopefully that will continue to improve, but as I don't have room in my NYC apartment kitchen to build one of those fancy "light boxes" it's all just going to have to suffice as is.)

Seriously tho, I'd like to thank everyone who stops by here and bothers to leave comments, because I really do appreciate it. This whole blog started because friends kept asking me "How'd you make that?" when I would only update my Facebook status with what I was cooking.  So, yes it was born out of a personal passion for food and cooking, but it was also to help others and make other people happy.
And I hope I've done at least a little of that in the past year.

Slàinte!

Salute!

Cheers!