I had such a great time developing a recipe for Lindsay Olives for this month’s Kitchen PLAY event, that I decided to participate, as well.  It really is fun, innovating and kind of reminds me of a Chopped Episode!

The National Pork Board conducted a survey to find out the trends with pork and holiday recipes. The good news; folks are enjoying pork from brunch to small bites.  Pork is no longer meant only for dinner.  After the survey was over, along with Kitchen PLay, they challenged 6 food bloggers to develop recipes using pork in different recipe categories.  One particular recipe really caught my eye, and that was for the category Flavor Flashbacks.

I loved how Julie of Mommie Cooks took a classic Shake N Bake concept and made it her own.  The twist?  She used coconut milk, Dijon mustard and lime to enhance the flavors of the creamy pork before breading them with seasoned panko and she served the dish with coconut milk infused rice and steamed broccoli.  Very nostalgic of many meals that I ate in the 70′s and 80s.

I took a different approach when incorporating coconut into my Shake N Bake recipe.  I decided to use unsweetened coconut flakes, in addition to the panko for, the dry mix.  As well I heavily seasoned (because we like spice) the dry mix with fresh ginger, lime zest and diced Fresno chilies.  Before coating, the boneless pork loin chops, I submerged them into a bath made of creamy coconut milk and egg, to give it a little more binding.  I felt there was enough coconut in the recipe, so I opted not to use coconut oil for browning the chops.  The chops smelled so exotic while baking;  caramelized pork fat, mixed with sweet coconut milk, and spicy ginger and chilies.  Since we are on the fast track to eating healthier this year, I served the pork chops with quinoa and kale that was lightly sauteed with fresh garlic.  Overall?  This recipe is amazing!!

I am thrilled that I found Julie’s recipe, as it was a gentle reminder of an old time favorite as a kid;  now I have a recipe that is a bit more adult, and a little healthier.  Let us know what you think of it.

Recipe:  Shake and Bake Coconut Chili Pork Chops

• 4 boneless pork loin chops
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup panko
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger zest, use a microplane
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• 1 1/2 tablespoons diced fresno chili
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons tea seed oil

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Chilies, Coconut, Cooking, Kitchen PLAY, Lime, National Pork Board, Pork, Shake-n-Bake

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I have been keeping a BIG secret from everyone, including my family.  I apologize for that.  Now, I am letting you in on it….

January 28.  Wet.  Cold.  Grey.  Another wintry morning in San Francisco.  Nothing out of the ordinary. Worked out, got ready for work, made a latte, and sat down to enjoy the last moments of solitude before my day began.  I really cherish those 30 minutes of “me time”.  Sipping coffee, watching the day unfold, and reading a few emails.  Normally, I glance through my in-box, delete the crap, and put the email with names of people I know aside, so I can answer them once I get into the office.  This day, January 28, was a little different.

Helen.  This name really caught my eye, because, I don’t normally meet many Helens.  As well it was my grandmother’s name.  I glanced at the name for awhile, processing, who it could be.  I didn’t really pay attention to the subject line.  It was all slow motion.  Like opening a letter, one would receive in the mail.  Slowly, opening the envelop, as not to rip it.  Removing the folded piece of paper.  Unfolding it, and reading the words.  It was rather surreal.  Why?  This was an ordinary morning, after all.  I pondered on the name, and once I realized I did not know a “Helen”, I read the subject line, The SAVEUR Sandwich Photo Contest.  I thought about it.  Then I unfolded the piece of paper, and read the words that Helen wrote to me.

Dear Denise,

Thanks so much for submitting a picture of your absolutely extraordinary breakfast sandwich to the SAVEUR Sandwich Photo Contest – I’m very excited to let you know that you’ve won!

It was a near-unanimous vote – you really bowled the edit team over with that egg yolk-stuffed pork patty. Per the terms of the contest, your photo will be featured in the April issue of the magazine with full credit – but if you’re interested, we’d like to take it a step further and run the recipe for the sandwich alongside the picture. Would you be willing to share it with us?

Thanks so much – and congratulations again!
All the best,

Helen

It took a good 30 seconds to really hit me.  Then crowing like a morning rooster;  I bellowed, “OMG!”  As I ran through the apartment, to share the news with Lenny.

“I won.”

” I won.”

I am sure he was wondering, what the hell is she yelling about at this hour.  Won?  Won, what?   I plopped on the bed, and re-read the sweet words, and then it all made sense to him.  I was excited.  I wanted to tell everyone.  But …..

I took a step back.  To pinch myself.  Was I dreaming?  I have always dreamt of this from the first day I held a camera.  The only difference, was, that I thought my photos would include travels to far away places, shooting people, and animals (I read too many National Geographic issues as a kid).  This was the next best thing, sort of the National Geographic of food.

The next 48 hours were a blur.  I could not stop smiling.  Or re-reading that email.  I know, a bit corny, but, I was proud.  It was one thing that the photo was picked.  Another, that they wanted to print the recipe.  My photo.  Our recipe.

Once reality took hold, it was all clear.  Deadlines needed to be met.  We had to perfect this recipe, write it out, and get it back to Helen.  By Monday!  This recipe was in our heads.  Nothing had been written about it;  we had never shared it, except with the lucky few who got to put it into their bellies.  We had work to do.

A bit about the “breakfast sandwich”.  This was Lenny’s creation, as he has a deep love for all runny eggs. Wouldn’t it be fun to put a runny egg in the middle of a burger?  No one is doing it.  Sure, people are stuffing them with cheese;  but a runny egg?  The premise behind the “breakfast sandwich” deliciousness, was to create a sausage patty, with the egg hidden inside.  Topped with some hollandaise sauce to create a mixed up Eggs Benedict.  We had the flavors down.  The pork was to be simply seasoned.  The hollandaise buttery, and tart.  The English muffin was to be pan grilled, not just toasted.  And the egg.  It had to be nestled inside, and cooked just enough to still be runny.  A surprise, when you cut through the hollandaise drenched patty.

We spent the next 48 hours, playing with 8 pounds of pork, three dozen eggs, 2 avocados, 6 Meyer lemons, 1/2 pound of spinach, and a dozen English muffins.  The hardest part was getting the thickness of the patty, just right.  You want it to cook, but not over cook the egg.  We used cookie cutters to stabilize it.  We covered it.  We baked it.  We pan-fried it.  Stove-top grilled it.  You name it;  we probably did it.  Finally, after two days of cooking, and eating pork, we had it.  It was ready for the final taste test from our trusty taste tester, Ella.  The patty was perfect, crispy sides, slightly spicy, slightly salty.  The hollandaise was tart, and buttery.  The muffin was crispy.  The sauteed spinach and creamy avocado wrapped it all together.  And the surprise egg in the middle …………. was runny.  WE had done it, not only created the perfect breakfast sandwich, but, also the perfect photo to capture the moment.

I would like to thank a few people who made all possible:

Lenny. Thank you for being creative.  You may not be hands on in the kitchen, but the ideas are always flowing, and I love that about you.  Thank you for always being supportive and for putting up with me, while I chase these wildly, crazy dreams.  Thank you for believing in me, that means the world to me.

Ella. Thank you for being the best 7 year old taste-taster ever.  I admire your adventure, at such a young age, and hope the curiosity for new and exciting food lives with you forever.  Thank you for getting me to try crispy pig’s ears, which were delicious!

Penny. Thank you for lighting the fire, that had been put to sleep, some years ago.  Your words of experience have resonated in me.  The impossible is only impossible, if we don’t reach for it.  I am reaching.

Helen, and the team at Saveur.  This would have never happened, without all of you.  I am forever grateful and appreciative.  THANK YOU for this wonderful opportunity, and the recognition.  Humbling.

Tim. Thank You for your constructive criticism, and pushing me to keep at it, all the way from across the pond.  You are an inspiring mentor, and becoming a great friend.  I look forward to what lies ahead.  Thank You.

We both thank you, our readers, for your continued readership!  Let us know when you try this recipe, and what you think.

Check out the piece on the Saveur site as well.

Recipe: April Issue of Saveur, page 90.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2011. | Permalink | 36 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Breakfast and Brunch, Breakfast Sandwich, Eggs, Hollandaise, Photo Contest, Pork, Recipe, Sandwich, Saveur, Saveur Sandwich Photo Contest

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One quiet afternoon, a piece of “savory pork” was dangled in front of my virtual nose, of course I followed it.  To my surprise there was a new-to-me food blog, Mrs. Wheelbarrow, and it was ready to be devoured!  Cathy, suggested that I may be interested in an event she had started with the Yummy Mummy, as it is all about Charcuterie.  We fell in love with really good charcuterie after meeting Kate and Dominique last April and ever since, I have been dying to get my hands dirty and learn how to make the same delicious morsels that they make.  This was the subtle nudge I needed to pick up the book and start, curing, smoking, stuffing, drying and most of all having fun with an amazingly inspired group of foodies who share the same passion for this fine art of making charcuterie.

My first challenge, since I missed the first official kickoff, would be the “salt cure”.  I was pretty eager to start this challenge as I always have a healthy dose of pancetta stored in the freezer.  It is a salty staple in our house.  Great to toss into egg dishes, sauteed with potatoes, mixed with fresh spring peas;  the possibilities are endless.

Before starting out I had to find some good pork belly.  This journey seemed endless as every time I ventured out to a market, they were out of pork belly.  Was everyone in San Francisco curing pancetta?  Finally, two weeks ago, we found pork belly.  I followed Ruhlman’s recipe to the T, except I cut the portion in half by using only 2 1/2 pounds of belly.  I have to say, I have cured bacon before and am not a big fan of the “pink salt”; but, I went ahead and followed his instructions and used it.  The entire process is fairly simple, cure, overhaul (which is redistributing the seasonings every couple of days, by flipping and rubbing them into the belly), cure, overhaul,  rinsing and drying.

At the 7th day, the belly was no longer as squishy as ours are.  It was firm and ready to be dried.  I really wanted to hang the pork in our basement but was leery of critters, so I decided to dry the pancetta flat, in the refrigerator with a salty bowl of water added. After washing and drying the meat, I lightly coated the belly with some fresh cracked white pepper (I was out of black, pink and green).  I did not roll the belly;  instead I wrapped it in cheesecloth and positioned it on the bottom rack of the refrigerator, with a pan under the rack to catch any of the juice.  Next to the belly I put the salty bowl of water.

After 3 days, I unwrapped it.  It was slightly hard on the ends but still firm throughout.  I was not terribly worried about the pancetta drying out any longer as pancetta is not eaten raw and I would be cooking it.  There was slight, dark coloring around some of the edges, but still a bit pink, the smell was of juniper and salt;  very pleasant.  I fried up a little this morning and it had a mild taste, not overly salty and a little sweet.  I have yet to use it in a recipe;  this week.

Overall, pancetta was very easy to make and cost a lot less then buying it in the stores.  With a little planing, we could have fresh pancetta very often.  Next time I would try to make it without the pink salt and would up the regular salt quantity;  after-all, this is how Dominique would do it.

Butchering Workshops

If you would like to learn the fine art of “French Butchering”, there is only one place to do so;  Camont.  Kate and Dominique are offering hands-on courses over in beautiful Gascony.  The courses range from 1 week to 6 weeks.  You can decide how involved you would like to be.  The hands-on workshops will allow you to follow the production of quality artisan food, from the farm to market stall.  As well you will be staying, cooking and collaborating with Kate at Camont and the Chapolards at Ferme Baradieu.  We had the honor of seeing the Chapolards in action last summer.  This short video will share the beautiful of French Butchering.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2011. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Charcutepalooza, Curing, Dominique Chapolard, Kate Hill, Michael Ruhlman, Pancetta, Pork, Seed to Sausage

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We were very lucky to spend a wonderful week in the Gascony region of France this summer. Gascony is probably, most known for their delicious food; it really is a melting pot of regions, from traditional French dishes, to rich hearty country fare, with touches of the spicy Basque region. One of my most memorable meals was one prepared by our friend, Christiane. Christiane is the wife to our friend, Dominique, the charming butcher in our “Who’s Your Butcher” video.  She is a delightful woman, who is always smiling, even when she is getting down and dirty in the lab, rolling roasts and making these adorable pork parcels.  I remember one meal where she served some of their wonderful pork cooked with fresh summer peas, that memory is pressed into my mind as one of the best food meals I have had.

It is funny how you can watch something over and over again, and every time, you see something new.  That is what happened the other day, when I was watching the video (again) and noticed Christiane rolling these delightful little packets;  dinner came to mind.  Unfortunately, I was not able to get the beautiful thin slices of fresh pork, nor delicious homemade bacon, on such short “thought”;  but, I did improvise.  I used thinly pork loin chops, and pounded them until they were paper thin, which was about the same time I noticed the new markings in our butcher block table!!  I seasoned ground pork, with salt and pepper and freshly minced thyme and rosemary and then wrapped the chops around the ground pork, finishing it with strips of applewood bacon.  Lightly browned on the stove-top, doused with some white wine and baked until caramelized and golden.  There is so much flavor in this dish that you want to keep the peas simple;  sauteed shallots, a bit of the juices from the pork, a pinch of thyme and a sprinkle of maldon salt.

Recipe:  Pork Parcels
*serves 4

4 thin pork loin chops

1 lb of ground pork

8 strips of bacon

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

fresh thyme, minced

fresh rosemary, minced

1/2 cup white wine or water

2 pounds fresh green peas or 1 bag of frozen peas

1 small shallot, small dice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup juices from roasted pork

pinch of fresh thyme

sprinkle of maldon salt

Heat oven to 400.  Pound the pork chops, until very thin.  Mix the ground pork with the fresh thyme, rosemary, kosher salt and pepper (I did not measure, I just eyeball it, depending on the flavors we like).  Put a small ball of the ground pork mixture in the middle of the thinly pounded loin, just enough to fill it;  leave enough room to be able to wrap the loin around it.  Wrap a strip of bacon over the rolled pork – one strip in each direction, you will use two strips per loin chop parcel.  If you have cooking twine, gently tie the parcel, to keep it all together.  I did not have twine, so I used the stalk from the rosemary, sharpened one end and wove it through the parcel.

Heat a little olive oil in a deep dutch oven over medium heat, gently sear the parcels, until golden on each side.  Turn off the heat.  Pour in the wine or water, and slide into the oven.  Cook for about 30 – 35 minutes, until cooked to your liking.  We prefer our pork a little pink, not white.  Remove from heat, cover with a lid and let sit on the stove top, while cooking the peas.

In a deep frying pan, heat a little olive oil, add the shallot and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the thyme and the peas, still until glossy, about 1 minute.  Add the juice from the pork, sprinkle with maldon salt, to taste.  Gently heat for about 3 – 5 minutes over low heat.  The peas will still be bright green but heated through.  Do not overcook.

Pour the peas into a deep serving dish, gently lay the pork parcels on top, pouring any leftover juices from the pan over everything.  Serve.  Eat.

If you enjoyed this dish, you may enjoy these others as well:

Mme. Chapolard’s Paupiettes de ‘Pork’

Paupiettes de porc au jambon de Bayonne

© Denise for Chez Us, 2010. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bacon, Gluten Free, Paupiette, Paupiettes de Porc, Peas, Pork, Pork Loin, Pork Parcels, Pork Sausage, Recipe, Spring Peas

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We have become big pork eaters in the past couple months.  Funny thing is, I usually never keep anything in the freezer except for some ice, vodka and ice cream.  Over the weekend I opened it, after being gone for a month, and there staring me in the face was a few packages of pork and wild boar!  We decided to have a nice Sunday dinner as we really have not cooked for most of the summer.  I kept it simple;  lightly seasoned pork tenderloin, roasted tomatoes and a big green salad.  Lucky for us and lucky for you, we actually had leftover pork which we used to make up these delicious sandwiches.

One of the things we have been carving since coming back from France is spicy and I knew as I started pulling items out of the fridge that this would be a spicy sandwich.  Not much is in there but I did find some mayo and sriracha;  this would make a fantastic base.  As well I had a crusty freshly baked baguette from the market, a juicy heirloom tomato and a few greens.  I coated the bread with butter and browned it until crispy and warm.  I kept the tomato simple, sliced with a little black sea salt and the greens I lightly tossed with a little olive oil and balsamic – mainly to have them glisten.  Layers of thinly sliced pork tenderloin were bathed in the spicy mayo and then cradled by the summertime additions.  It was perfect with a glass of Rose!

Recipe:  Spicy Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

leftover pork tenderloin
1 heirloom tomato, thinly sliced
handful mixed greens, washed and patted dry
1 small baguette, sliced in half
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup sriracha
black sea salt
fresh cracked black pepper
drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Thinly slice pork tenderloin, wrap in foil and gently warm in the oven at 200, for about 10 minutes – do not dry out. Slice baguette in half, butter and toast. I used a stove top grill pan to toast the bread until golden and crispy. While bread is toasting, mix mayo and sriracha. Toss greens with olive oil and vinegar, just enough to make the greens glisten. Remove baguette once toasted and let cool for about 5 minutes. Smear both sides of the baguette with the mayo/sriracha combination, layer with the pork, then the greens and finally the tomato slices. Finish with a sprinkle of black sea salt and a grind of fresh pepper, top with remaining baguette. Serve. Eat.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2010. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Easy, Pork, Sandwich, Spicy, Sriracha

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Oh, how I wish I had time to really write a post.  We are pretty overwhelmed over at Chez Us, in fact, we are lucky to even have a meal on the table!  We are unsure of Easter plans, so we decided to devour a ham this past weekend.  Okay, it has not been completely devoured but close.

Let me start off by saying we both dislike a ham that has pineapple, cherries and cloves punched all over it.   Sure it kind of looks like it belongs on a Cruise Caribbean brochure but some things, such as pork, should not be covered with the such.  As well, let me tell you a little secret, this is only the 2nd or maybe 3rd ham I have ever cooked.  I had really hoped to be able to get a ham that could be slow cooked for hours but the market was out of them.  Instead I picked up this spiral cut ham, glazed it, and put it into the oven, just until the skin was crispy and it was heated through.  I was amazed at how juicy it was.  Oh, and the glaze was really fantastic – slightly bitter, not too sweet (remember, we hate sweet hams) and a little peppery …. it could have been a cocktail!  Perfect for your Easter table.

Recipe:  Pomegranate and Rye Glaze

8 oz 100% pure pomegranate juice

4 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons rye whiskey

Put the pomegranate juice and brown sugar into a saucepan.  Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Lower heat to a simmer.  Add the rye, stir and continue to simmer until reduced to half and slightly syrupy.  Baste ham with glaze during cooking process.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2010. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Dinner, Easter, Ham, Pomegranate, Pork, Recipe, Rye, whiskey

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Jacqueline and I have been talking about hosting a virtual food event, for the past couple months;  okay, really it has been since August.  She was twittering and writing about a Spiced Mexican Chicken dish that she served with Tabasco Watermelon Margaritas and we got to thinking that it would be fun to have an event where we provide you with the main entree recipe and ask you, our readers to come up with the ultimate cocktail to pair with this meal.

In the same breath, David Leite’s newest book, The New Portuguese Table had come out and we decided to toss around the idea with David.  We were really excited to use one of his pork tenderloin recipes as we thought it would be a nice transition into the holidays, something festive for a cocktail pairing.  David was so kind as to let us publish his Pork Tenderloin in a Port-Prune Sauce recipe for this particular event.  Just a quick review of David’s book, it is fantastic.  Lenny is Portuguese and he loves the take on traditional recipes, the same flavors that mom makes but with a fresh and new taste.  We have made a few of the items and all have been outstanding!

Lenny and I made this dish last night and it was amazing.  I could not find any pork tenderloins at either of my butchers, so I did end up using a Pork Loin Roast, which worked out perfectly.  The pork came out with a crispy outside and very moist inside.  I loved that use of prunes and port in the sauce, it was not overly sweet and slightly smokey (thank you port).  We tried two different plates, one with cilantro and one without, the cilantro really added a nice freshness to the sauce and we recommend using it.  The only other thing that we did differently was to add slices of yellow potatoes and turnips, to the roasting pan, about an hour before the roasting was finished.  One can never go wrong with potatoes roasted in pork fat!

We decided to serve a Sazerac with this particular dish as we both thought the boldness of the Rye would be a nice addition to the slightly sweet sauce.  Normally, I am not a Sazerac fan, but I have to say, Lenny out did himself with this round;  they were smooth, icy cold and perfectly balanced with the Herbsaint Liquer and Rye.

The rules for this dinner party are as is:

• Make the same Pork Tenderloin Recipe, if you can’t find tenderloins, use a roast or chops, but let’s keep it a pork dish in honor of Pig Tales
• Create a cocktail that you think will pair nicely with the dish
• Blog about the two being served together and be sure to include a photo
• Include a link in your post to both the Leather District Gourmet and Chez Us
• Email both of us the link to your post along with a photo of the two.  Jacqueline – ldgourmet [at] gmail [dot] com & Denise – denise [at] chezus [dot] com
• Please have your submissions in before the 15th of December.  A round-up will be posted shortly after the 15th.

Recipe:  Pork Tenderloin in a Port-Prune Sauce

2/3 cup pitted prunes (about 15)

1 cup ruby port

½ cup beef stock

1 inch thumb of ginger, peeled and grated

1 tablespoon honey

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 1 pound pork tenderloins, fat and silver skin removed

1 garlic glove, minced

1 tablespoons, sherry vinegar

Chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Position a rack in the  middle of the oven and crank up the heat to 450.

Dump the prunes into a small saucepan, add the port, beef stock, ginger, and honey, and bring just to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let steep for 20 minutes.

Pour the prunes and liquid into a blender or food processor and buzz until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until hot.  Season both tenderloins well with salt and pepper and sear one at a time, turning occasionally, until brown, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a baking sheet and set the skillet aside.

Roast the pork until an instant red thermometer inserted in the center of the meat registers just under 150, 15 – 18 minutes.  Transfer the tenderloins to a cutting board, tend with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Pour off all but a thin film of fat from the skillet.  Lower the heat to medium, toss in the garlic and cook until lightly colored, about 2 minutes.  Add the port-prune sauce and stir to pick up the browned bits stuck to the skillet.  Pour in the vinegar, and any accumulated juices from the pork, and cook to meld the flavors, 2 to 3 minutes.  If the sauce seems thick, add more beef stock.  For an elegant take, strain the sauce through a sieve.

Cut the tenderloins on the diagonal into ½ inch slices.  Divide the slices among six plates, drizzle with the warm sauce, and sprinkle with cilantro.

Recipe:  Sazerac

1 teaspoon Herbsaint liqueur Ice cubes
1 teaspoon simple syrup
1 1/2 ounces rye whiskey
3 dashes peychaud’s Bitters – we used a blood orange bitters
1 lemon peel twist

Chill an old-fashioned glass by filling with crushed ice or refrigerate or freeze for at least 30 minutes. Add the Herbsaint to the glass; swirl it around to coat the entire sides and bottom of the glass. Discard the excess. In a cocktail shaker, add 4 or 5 small ice cubes, sugar, rye whiskey, and bitters. Shake gently for about 30 seconds; strain into the prepared glass.  Twist lemon peel over the drink and then place in the drink. Makes 1 serving.

ROUND UP FOR DINNER & DRINKS

Here is the round up from our Dinner and Drinks event.  Unfortunately (well kind of), we planned this event during the holiday season and everyone seemed busy or maybe peeps don’t like cocktails with dinner.  We did have one great entry in our reindeer games and that was David over at David Dadekian Photography.  David created a martini, that we cannot wait to make when we get home.  It is made with  Port and Domaine de Canton (a fantastic ginger liquer), which I think would be an outstanding combination with this particular pork tenderloin recipe.  As well David had a special dinner guest that evening!

Jacqueline decided to pair her tenderloin with a favorite of Lennys, the sazerac.  She thought the herbsaint or Absinthe that is in the the Sazerac gives a licorice note to the drink that would be fantastic with pork.

A big thank you to David for playing along in our reindeer games and to Jacqueline for being a great co-hostess!

© Denise for Chez Us, 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cocktail, Dinner, Food Blog Event, Pork, Portuguese, Recipe, Sazerac, Tenderloin

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This is an easy dinner for a hot summer night or for when you are counting (cutting) calories.  Marinated pork is pan grilled and then gently rolled in a bed of fresh herbs and assorted veggies to make these tasty spring rolls.

Last night was perfect for dining al fresco, which meant we wanted something simple and light for dinner.  Yes, we are actually starting to have some warm *summer* weather out in San Francisco.  I decided spring rolls would be a good dish to have as I wanted to use up some veggies we had before they went bad.  I marinated some thinly cut pork cutlets with some garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil.  We then pan grilled the meat and sliced thinly.   Now, one is suppose to use lettuce in their spring rolls but we did not have any, so we were heavy on the herbs.  We used fresh purple basil, cilantro and mint and we used a lot of it.  As well we rolled the meat and herbs with thinly sliced red pepper, cucumber and carrots.  The combination of the herbs with the slightly spicy and sweet pork came …. very flavorful!!  We served this spring rolls with Nuoc Cham.

Recipe: Nuoc Cham

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/4 cup caster sugar

1 tablespoon water

1/8 cup lime juice

1 clove garlic minced

2 small red chillies, sliced thinly

Place the fish sauce, sugar, water, lime juice, garlic and chili in a non-metallic bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2009. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Appetizers, Asian, Asian Inspired, Dinner, Easy Dinner, Grilling, Pork, Recipe, Spring Rolls, Vietnamese

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The Daring Cooks take on Chinese Dumplings, otherwise known as pot-stickers or in Japan, Gyoza. Homemade wrappers are filled with a flavorful mixture of pork, green garlic, ginger and water chestnuts and then steamed over a bed of Napa Cabbage.  Easier then you think and tastier than the ones from the frozen aisle of the grocery store.

This is the 2nd challenge for the group the “Daring Cooks”.  The Daring Cooks are a spin off of the Daring Bakers and we will be challenging ourselves once a month with a dinner.  I was very excited when I saw that Jen of Use Real Butter was hosting, her site is brilliant, from the food porn photos to her witty stories of adventure and food.  I was pleased to see she picked the Chinese Dumplings as I have been dying to try my hand at dumplings.  Every time, I see a recipe for homemade Chinese or Japanese dumplings, I think about it and then decide it will be too difficult.  I was wrong.

Lenny and I saved this recipe for a Sunday night dinner, that is the evening we usually do a little something that is more special;  nice way to end the week and begin a new.   The recipe is very straightforward and the entire process was so easy (we started at 4pm and had dinner ready to eat by 6pm) … mix the dough in food processor, knead, let rest, cut, roll and wrap around your choice of filling.

We decided to go with the pork filling as we both are pork lovers.  We did substitute the bamboo shoots with water chestnuts, as we wanted more crunch.  As well I added some beautiful green garlic I had picked up at the Farmer’s Market.  I did make the mistake of putting everything into the food processor and giving it a whirl.  I felt the meat did not have enough texture.  Next time I would mince everything except the meat, in the food processor and then mix together.

Lenny even got into it with helping, by pleating and wrapping our fillings.  He was definitely much better at it then I was.  In fact his dumplings were beautiful and so professional looking …. mine were sad!  I ended up being the roller!    So, we poured a couple glasses of wine, turned on some music and rolled and wrapped, it was very fun and it would make for a great dinner party!

I had looked everywhere for a bamboo steamer but everyone seemed to be out of them, so I used our stove top smoker, which I have yet to use as a smoker.  I filled it with water and lined the rack with a bed of napa cabbage and steamed the buns.  I did have to steam them about 20 minutes as the first couple, the filling was not cooked very well, otherwise, it worked out just fine.

End result, I will never go frozen again.  This recipe is simple, fairly quick, tasty and you can make a big batch and freeze for a later time!  Thank you, Jen, for picking such a great challenge and for getting us out of our comfort zone!  Please be sure to check out  the other Daring Cooker’s dumplings – they are tasty!

Recipe:  Chinese Dumplings/Potstickers

Chinese Dumplings/Potstickers

pork filling:
1 lb (450g) ground pork
4 large napa cabbage leaves, minced
3 stalks green onions, minced
1/2 cup water chestnuts, minced
1 green garlic, minced
7 shitake mushrooms, minced
1/4 (55g) cup ginger root, minced
3 tbsp (40g) soy sauce
2 tbsp (28g) sesame oil
2 tbsp (16g) corn starch

OR

shrimp filling:
1/2 lb (225g) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
1/2 lb (225g) ground pork
3 stalks green onions, minced
1/4 cup (55g) ginger root, minced
1 cup (142g) water chestnuts, minced
1 tsp (5g) salt
3 tbsp (40g) sesame oil
2 tbsp (16g) corn starch

dough: (double this for the amount of filling, but easier to make it in 2 batches – or just halve the filling recipe)
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (113g) warm water
flour for worksurface

dipping sauce:
2 parts soy sauce
1 part vinegar (red wine or black)
a few drops of sesame oil
chili garlic paste (optional)
minced ginger (optional)
minced garlic (optional)
minced green onion (optional)
sugar (optional)

Combine all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly (I mix by clean hand). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (up to a day, but preferably within an hour or two).

Make the dough, Method 1: Place the flour in the work bowl of a food processor with the dough blade. Run the processor and pour the warm water in until incorporated. Pour the contents into a sturdy bowl or onto a work surface and knead until uniform and smooth. The dough should be firm and silky to the touch and not sticky.[Note: it’s better to have a moist dough and have to incorporate more flour than to have a dry and pilling dough and have to incorporate more water).

Both dough methods: Knead the dough about twenty strokes then cover with a damp towel for 15 minutes. Take the dough and form a flattened dome. Cut into strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Shape the strips into rounded long cylinders. On a floured surface, cut the strips into 3/4 inch pieces. Press palm down on each piece to form a flat circle (you can shape the corners in with your fingers). With a rolling pin, roll out a circular wrapper from each flat disc. Take care not to roll out too thin or the dumplings will break during cooking – about 1/16th inch. Leave the centers slightly thicker than the edges. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images in post for how to fold pleats). Keep all unused dough under damp cloth.

To boil: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add dumplings to pot. Boil the dumplings until they float.

To steam: Place dumplings on a single layer of napa cabbage leaves or on a well-greased surface in a steamer basket with lid. Steam covered for about 6 minutes.

To pan fry (potstickers): Place dumplings in a frying pan with 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil. Heat on high and fry for a few minutes until bottoms are golden. Add 1/2 cup water and cover. Cook until the water has boiled away and then uncover and reduce heat to medium or medium low. Let the dumplings cook for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve.

To freeze: Assemble dumplings on a baking sheet so they are not touching. It helps to rub the base of the dumpling in a little flour before setting on the baking sheet for ease of release. Freeze for 20-30 minutes until dumplings are no longer soft. Place in ziploc bag and freeze for up to a couple of months. Prepare per the above instructions, but allow extra time to ensure the filling is thoroughly cooked.

To serve: Serve dumplings or potstickers hot with your choice of dipping sauce combinations.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2009. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Asian Inspired, Chinese, Chinese Dumplings, Daring Cooks, Dinner, Gyoza, Pork Dumplings, Potstickers

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Hungry?  No food in the house?  Don’t want to do a big grocery shop?  Not take out again!  This is an easy dinner to make in a snap.  Hot Italian Sausage grilled to perfection and served on warm toasty ciabatta bread with caramelized onions, red peppers and fennel pollen.

We are not quit settled into our new place.  Boxes are everywhere.  The fridge is bare.  The pantry is smaller, so there is not much there.  And we are tried of take out.  On our way home from work we stopped by our favorite little neighborhood market, BiRite, with all intentions of picking up stuff for spring pea soup – they were out of peas.  Time to switch gears.  After wandering around, I found some of their housemade sausage and decided to make sandwiches.

A couple Superbowls back we made a warm red pepper slaw and served it with sausage, this is where I got the inspiration for this dish.  I was going to toss in thin slices of fennel but then remembered the lovely addition to the package, David of Earthy Delights sent us, Fennel Pollen;  this would be perfect, I was sure!   I slowly caramelized yellow onions with red peppers and seasoned with black Hawaiian Lava salt flakes and before serving, sprinkled the fennel pollen over it – WOW!  Not only does the pollen smell fantastic but it tastes amazing.

Before reading the recipes don’t forget to FLIP OUT & enter our gift away!

Recipe:  Caramelized Onions and Red Peppers

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil

black hawaiian salt flakes, to taste

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

3 teaspoons fennel pollen

2 of your favorite sausage, grilled;  we used hot italian sausage

2 ciabatta, split in half and warmed

Heat olive oil in large skillet.  Add onions and peppers, lower heat, and slowly cook, stirring often until caramelized, about 15 – 20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Turn off heat and sprinkle fennel pollen over the top.

To serve:  split ciabatta in half, layer with caramelized mixture and top with grilled sausage.  Serve.  Eat.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2009. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Caramelized Onions, Fennel Pollen, Grilling, Italian Sausage, Red Peppers

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A slow baked spiral ham baste with a lavender honey and thyme glaze, served with truffle infused gratin of potatoes and tomatoes.

Sorry we have not been cooking and sharing fantastic new things with you this weekend.  We were lucky enough to obtain passes to the Pebble Beach Food and Wine event, courtesy of FoodBuzz – they rock!  More will be coming this week on the PBFW, lots of great food to share with you all.  In the mean time, let’s talk ham!

This was suppose to be our Easter Dinner but we went to dinner over at some friends.  I have been dying to bake this ham all week as I have some great plans for some of the leftovers – if it lasts that long, this was FANTASTIC.  I slowly baked this ham and baste it with a very simply and not too sweet, Lavender Honey and Thyme glaze.  It was so fragrant and so good, I have a feeling this glaze would go well with a pork tenderloin and chicken.

One cannot have ham without a gratin of potatoes.  One of my favorite gratins is a mixture of potatoes, tomatoes (yes, tomatoes) and shallots.  I had truffles on the brain, after a weekend of eating just that, wonderful truffles, so I decided to add some of the Truffle infused Artisan Sea Salt that we got at the Fancy Food Show.  This was an outstanding addition – the dish was creamy, slightly earthy and mossy – perfect!  It really complimented the sweetness of the ham.  If you like truffles, cream and potatoes this dish is for you!

Recipe: Truffle Infused Gratin of Potatoes and Tomatoes

* serves 4

5 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed, with skin left on and sliced

3 medium tomatoes, sliced

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/4 cup milk

1 cup parmesan cheese grated

1 teaspoon truffle sea salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit.  Add the shallot and cook for about 3 minutes over low heat.  Add the milk and continue to whisk until the sauce thickens.  Add salt and pepper, to taste, lower the heat and stir in the cheese and cook over low heat for about 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat.

Butter a glass dish, put a layer of potatoes, then top with tomatoes, then potatoes, then tomatoes and continue until you have used all the slices.  End with a layer of potatoes for the top.  Pour the cheese sauce over the top.  Bake for 1 hour, until golden and bubbly.  Serve.  Eat.

Lavender Honey Glaze

4 tablespoons of butter

3 tablespoons thyme, minced

1/2 cup lavender  honey

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Melt butter add thyme, honey and vinegar.  Stir over low heat until combined, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Glaze your choice of meat.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2009. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Artisan Sea Salt, Gratin, Ham, Lavender Honey, Pork, Potatoes, Thyme, Tomatoes, Truffles

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In Greece they make Souvlaki by marinating chunks of meat, usually pork or lamb, in olive oil, lemon juice and oregano, then they grill it over an open fire.  This dish is easy to make at home and we show you how you can make it with a grill pan if you do not have access to a BBQ or open fire.

We love Greek Food but never seem to eat it that often.  Over dinner tonight we reminisced about how much we really enjoy it and that we only seem to eat it when we are in Hawaii or Paris – some of favorite Greek restaurants are there.

This recipe is fantastic as it brings Greece into your dining room, in under an hour.   I used fresh Meyer Lemons and oregano for the marinade;  it was incredibly aromatic while sitting out on the counter as well as when cooking.  It filled our tiny kitchen with fresh scents of citrus and grilled meat just as it is on the streets of Greece … okay, we have not been to Greece, but we have a feeling this is what it would smell like, as it does in one of our favorite neighborhoods in Paris.

Pork Souvlaki is about to become our favorite summertime grilled meals, I cannot wait to try it with lamb.  You will love it was well!

Recipe: Pork Souvlaki with Tzatziki

* adapted from Food & Wine

1 1/4 pounds trimmed pork shoulder, cut into 3-by- 1/2-inch strips or you can use lamb

1 large onion, cut through the root end into 1/2-inch wedges

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 meyer lemons squezzed, reserve the juice

1/8 cup chopped fresh oregano

2 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

7 oz Greek-style whole-milk yogurt

1/2 European cucumber, seeded and finely diced

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Warm pita, for serving

n a medium bowl, toss the pork strips and onion wedges with the olive oil, lemon juice, chopped oregano and garlic paste. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and let stand for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the yogurt, cucumber,  and the mint.  Season the tzatziki with salt and pepper.

Heat a large cast-iron griddle or grill pan until very hot. Add the pork and onion wedges along with any marinade and cook over high heat, turning once or twice, until the pork and onion are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pork and onion to plates and serve with the tzatziki, and pita.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: BBQ, Greek, Greek Style Yogurt, Grilling, Lamb, Meyer Lemon, Mint, Oregano, Pork, Souvlaki, Tzatziki

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