Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork

Ah, so this was my first time every making pulled pork. There was a sale this week on Pork Shoulder Roast, so we went all out and bought a 9 lb. roast! Well, let me tell you that when cooking for 2 people, 9 lbs of meet is significant, even if the total 9 lbs is not all due to edible meat. So, we used a third of it and have ample frozen for future endeavors. This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe from Everyday Food, a bimonthly magazine with great food recipes and cooking tips. I highly recommend the subscription and have heard wonderful things about the cookbook. This recipe is a slow-cooker recipe, ideal for when you're having guests or for when you feel lazy and just don't wanna really cook anything crazy.

I used a few alterations to the spices, simply because of preference (and availability). I found that adding Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce to the finished product really enhanced the flavor and worked nicely with my first batch of homebrew! Even Katie will agree with me on that! The end of the recipe resulted in a wonderfully juicy piece of pork shoulder, which we then "pulled" with two forks so it appeared in shredded format. Overall, delicious, but a bit on the fatty side, so beware!

Here is the recipe!

3 lbs. of Pork Shoulder Roast, cleaned of any excess fat
1/2 c. Ketchup
1 tbsp. Light Brown Sugar
1 tbsp. Dried Basil
Lots of Finely Chopped Garlic
Ground Pepper
1 tsp. Oregano

Firstly, you'll want to clean up the Pork Shoulder Roast so that any major excess fat is removed. You'll want to leave some fat on the meat, so that it cooks up nice and moist and retains a great flavor. This recipe is not for the faint of heart. Dispose of the fat or use it for making suet!

Next, combine the other ingredients in the bottom of a slow cooker pot. I know, this part sounds strange, as I was very concerned about the pork sticking to the bottom of the slow cooker. But trust me, it works. Place the pork in the mixture and roll it around a few times to completely coat the meat. Then, turn on the slow cooker on low for about 8 hours and you're done!

Once the pork is tender enough (some would say "shreddable"), remove the meat from the pot and place in a bowl. At this point, you have a choice. The Everyday Food recipe says to pour over the contents from the pot. This thought repulsed me a bit, as most of the contents were actually rendered fat. So, to stay on the "leaner" side of this recipe, we simply shred the pork in the bowl and served it. The meat turns out so juicy and delicious. We served this meat with homemade french fries and cauliflower, which was a great pairing. Enjoy!

A Visit to Tucson!

Some people say that the culinary centers of the world (i.e. Paris, New York, San Francisco) far surpass those of other cities. While these cities offer extraordinary variety with high quality, there are many other locales that bear visiting. My wife and I recently visited Tucson, AZ and had a wonderful opportunity to partake in the flourishing food-scene in the desert! Below is a review of the cuisine/restaurants we enjoyed during our visit to the Sonoran Desert.

Tohono Chul Park:
Tohono Chul Park is an excellent place to take a walk through the beautiful desert gardens and see some wildlife in the meantime. But don't miss out on the cafe! I've only visited Tohono Chul for breakfast/brunch, but have been pleasantly surprised with their offerings of Huevos Rancheros, a variety of omelets, and of course, the Prickly Pear Lemonade (served chilled but hot pink!). This visit, I enjoyed the Huevos Rancheros: two eggs over easy with Colorado Salsa (a deep tomato-base salsa/puree) and a blend of cheeses, served with black beans and tortilla strips (and don't forget the bacon!). A touch of spice with wonderful roasted tomato flavor. My dining partners (Katie & her mother, Peg) enjoyed the Sweet Potato Hash and the Tohono Chul omelet, which certainly was a generous offering of omelet with accompanying guacamole and sour cream. Overall, a visit to the Tohono Chul Tea Room accompanied with a easygoing walk through the park after brunch is a great way to start off the weekend. Visit Tohono Chul!

Acacia:
As an avid wine drinker, I consistently search for Wine Spectator Award Winners. Acacia does not disappoint in the wine department and rewards its diners with a dining experience, especially if those diners choose the Tasting Menu (with or without wine pairings). The winner of the evening at our table was the Tasting menu, offering three courses of three small entrees. The small offering turned out to be a large amount of food, especially when finished with three small desserts! I decided to stray from the crowd and ordered the Swordfish with prawn and scallop over sun-dried tomato and goat cheese polenta. The swordfish was seared, with a delicious seasoning, while the scallop was by-far, the best scallop I've ever had. The polenta was also tasty and meshed well with the other key players on my plate. Prior to my entree, Katie and I fought over the two Maryland crab cakes, awesome! The evening finished with an assortment of desserts, my favorite of which was the warm strawberry pie. Pair all of this meal with a wonderful Priorat, and what a great evening!

One would think that after these two meals, we couldn't possibly have an interest in eating the rest of the weekend. But....

Zin Burger:
I love a good burger. Plain and simple. But Zin Burger ratchets the burger experience up a notch. My in-laws were raving about Zin Burger, not only for its burgers but also for its Double Truffle Fries and great shakes! I ordered the Kobe Burger, served with cheddar cheese and mushrooms, cooked medium per the chef's recommendation. Wow...I couldn't believe how juicy the burger was! The fries had a nice sea salt to cut the truffle flavor and paired wonderfully with my burger and the enormous Bars of Zin shake that I had. The service was impeccable and the environment is very relaxing, reminding me of an upscale hamburger diner with multiple TVs above the bar and a decent wine list. Overall, fantastic!

Sauce:
Sauce is from the same restaurant group as Zin Burger, so the expectations were high. After an attempt to visit the Thunder Canyon Brewery (a great place for a quick, cheap meal with pretty damn good beer), we were in a pinch to find a place dinner. Sauce was a great alternative. I enjoyed a Pepperoni and Crimini mushroom pizza with my father-in-law, in addition to the bottle of Ruffino Chianti. The pizza was an very thin-crusted pizza with awesome mushrooms! The pepperoni was an after-thought to the mushrooms on this pizza. Peg ordered the beef lasagna, a generous chunk of lasagna that she raved about. Katie ordered a salad, I can't remember which, but she also really enjoyed it (especially after a day at Zin Burger!).

Finally, our last dining experience!

Old Pueblo Grille:
The Southwestern food scene in Tucson took a hit, in my opinion, when Cafe Terra Cotta closed last year. However, since then, the Old Pueblo Grille has taken over the top spot. We shared the Tostada sampler, offering four different types of "open-face sandwiches" southwestern style. The beef machaca was awesome! Full of flavor and could be eaten by the forkful. I really enjoyed the refried bean and cheese tostada, while the guacamole tostada was nicely spiced, offering a touch of heat! I then ordered the Sonoran Chicken "Parmesan" with accompanying Green Chile Mac & Cheese. The chicken parmesan was excellent, in that it used Sonoran spices and salsa with Monterey Jack and Cotati cheeses to improvise the Italian version. The Mac & Cheese was insanely creamy, with just a touch of green chile flavor. Overall a delight, especially after a Prickly Pear Margarita (what can I say, I try to get as much Prickly Pear fruit into my diet when I'm in Tucson!).

Tasty Dinner: Kale & Mushrooms over Polenta

One of the great parts about living in Northern California is the opportunity to get fresh produce year-round. My wife and I went to a wonderful farmers market this past weekend and have decided to start planning our menu around those vegetables and fruits that are only in season. This approach allows us to save some cash too, as produce that isn't locally grown or in season locally can be much more expensive to pickup at the grocery store. This recipe is actually one we picked up at the farmers market. We thoroughly enjoyed this dish and served it as the main course, however, it could be served as an excellent side-dish.

Here is the recipe:

1.25 c. Kale, chopped
Mushrooms (we used oyster and crimini)
Pancetta (Italian bacon) or regular bacon
Garlic
1/4 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. uncooked polenta
2 c. milk

Start out by boiling the chopped kale in salted boiling water until softened, roughly 7-10 minutes with a rolling boil. In the meantime, begin cooking the bacon. Once the bacon is cooked to a nice, crispy texture, remove it from the pan with a pair of tongs. Be sure to leave the bacon drippings in the pan. Drain the kale and let it continue to drain while you cook the polenta. Add the mushrooms to the bacon drippings and sautee until softened. Add the kale, garlic, and chicken broth to the mushrooms and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes.

To cook polenta, start the 2 c. of milk to boil. Slowly add in the polenta, continually stirring until thickened, roughly 15 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately for this dish. Ladle the kale/mushroom mixture over the polenta and serve while hot. Optionally, you can also add some grated parmesan cheese to the polenta prior to serving to add a bit of a bite!

Gameday Snacks: Chicken Enchilada Dip

Last weekend, in preparation for my wife's favorite football team, the New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees, we decided to make a special dish for watching the game. I've had Chicken Enchilada dip multiple times but this time, I thought I'd approach it a bit differently, but using a similar recipe. This recipe uses cooked chicken breasts that were then ground in a Cuisinart food processor and subsequently added to the rest of the mixture. Absolutely delicious, with chicken in every bite. Makes a perfect, throw-together dish for gameday! The recipe follows below:

What you'll need:
8 oz. Cream Cheese
1.5 c. Grated Mexican Cheese (we used Kraft)
8 oz. can of sliced green chiles
1 tsp. Chili powder
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
2 chicken breasts, cooked and ground in the food processor

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the cream cheese, 1 c. of the grated Mexican cheese, the seasonings, and the chiles into a mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, blend the mixture until the cream cheese is completely smooth and the additional ingredients are ubiquitous throughout. Stir in the ground chicken breast and using a rubber spatula, making sure to completely mix the ingredients. (As a side-note, I use the heat resistant rubber spatulas for everything, including sauteing vegetables and stir-fry. They're cheap and really easy to clean!) Place the mixture into a glass pie dish (I use Pyrex, 9 1/2 inch) and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Remove when the mixture is somewhat browned and has a nice crust to it. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheese to the mixture and let stand about 10 minutes. Serve with pita chips or tortilla chips.

Rigatoni with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes & Sauteed Mushrooms with Swiss Chard

Wow, it's been a while since I've added a recipe but this one is certainly worth trying. I was incredibly impressed with the quality of this dish and the ease with which it could be put together. Overall, I enjoyed the warm, soothing flavors added by the roasted leeks and garlic with the natural flavors of the roasted tomatoes. Outstanding, quick dish. Below is the recipe:

Rigatoni, cooked in salted water (be sure to save 1/2 c. of the pasta water)
Leeks (or shallots), sliced into strips
Cherry tomatoes
5 garlic cloves
White mushrooms, sliced into large chunks
Swiss Chard, sliced into strips, including the stem
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan Cheese (optional topping)

Preheat oven to 450 F. Place aluminum foil on a cookie sheet and make a compartment with edges turned upward. Start by placing the tomatoes, leeks, and garlic into a sealable bowl. Lightly drizzle olive oil over the mixture and add salt and pepper. Seal and shake until all is thoroughly covered. Pour mixture onto the aluminum foil and place in the oven to roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes.

In the meantime, start boiling the water for the pasta and place the mushrooms into a separate sautee pan. Coat with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook mushrooms until softer and starting to brown. Add the chopped swiss chard to the mushrooms and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and salt. Continue to saute. Remove from heat and set aside.

When pasta is cooked, pour through a strainer, collecting around 1/2 cup of the water. Add the mushroom-chard saute and the oven-roasted mixture to the boiling pan. Add the 1/2 cup of cooking water back to the pot and heat on medium heat with the veggie mixture. Add in the pasta and mix. Cook about 5 minutes. Serve and garnish with shaved or grated Parmesan.

A Norwegian Specialty: Lefse

Different cultures have various special foods prepared only during the holiday season. In Norway, people prepare Lutefisk, a type of jellied white fish served with lots of butter. Another favorite is Lefse, a potato-based flatbread. I recently prepared Lefse for our holiday festivities and have the recipe my grandmother uses to prepare for our family get-togethers.

Lefse
5 c. cooked, mashed potatoes
2 c. Flour
Grooved rolling pin
Lefse Griddle (or flat aluminum untextured griddle)
Lefse stick (for flipping)

Prepare 5 c. of mashed potatoes with butter and salt by boiling peeled Idaho potatoes until soft. Mash potatoes until no lumps remain in the mixture. Add 4-5 tablespoons of butter and salt to taste. Let potatoes sit overnight in the refrigerator.

The next day, mix in 2 c. of flour into the potato mixture. You may need to mix this flour in with your hands, I used a hand mixer to get a homogeneous mixture. In the meantime, heat a griddle to 425 degrees. Flour your rolling pin (be sure to do so heavily, as the potato mixture is quite sticky). Flour the space where you will roll out your lefse.

Form the potato-flour mixture into palm-sized balls and store them in the refrigerator until use. Take an individual ball, place on the floured surface and press with hands to flatten. Roll the dough until very thin. Slide the lefse stick under the flattened dough and transfer to the griddle. Cook on each side, flipping with the Lefse stick as needed.

Serve with butter and cinnamon-sugar. Roll the finished lefse and serve. To store, place lefse in between two sheets of wax paper and store in a bag. Good for up to 1 year in the refrigerator.

Easy Side Dish: Apple Onion Smashed Potatoes

In an effort to blend in the "flavors of the season", I thought about the different flavor combinations that tend to work well together. We were having pork tenderloin and I remembered that as a child, we always had apple sauce with pork. Here is a new recipe that integrates a couple of flavors together that lead to a fantastic side dish.

6 Mini Red Potatoes
1-2 Apples, cored and diced
1 Sweet Yellow or White onion, diced
Olive Oil
Salt (Garlic or regular)
Pepper
Promise or Butter
Milk (splash)

Boil potatoes until soft (when you can easily stick a fork into potatoes, they are ready). While the potatoes are boiling, combine olive oil, apples and onion in a frying pan. Saute over high heat, adding salt and pepper for flavor to taste. Set aside until potatoes are finished.

Drain water from potatoes and smash potatoes using a masher. Add the Promise, a touch of milk, and the saute and mix together. Serve hot.

**One addition I thought might make for an excellent flavor combo would be the addition of turkey bacon or regular bacon with the onion and apple mixture. This would add some much needed salt to the dish.