Meat
Pork Tenderloins with Apples, Dates, and Baby Potatoes
Pork Tenderloin with Arugula Endive and Walnut Vinaigrette
Caramelised Pork with Ginger and Vinegar
Stir-Fried Hokkien Noodles with Beef and Oyster Sauce
Cafe Boulud’s Blanquette de veau
Roast Pork with Vinegar and Bay Leaves
Lamb Stew with Vinegar & Green Beans
Boneless Pork Chops With Mushrooms
Stewed Pork with Porcini Mushrooms and Juniper
Chile con carne
This is the authentic northern Mexican style of cooking Chile con Carne, as distinct from the version that developed in Texas and has spread throughout the United States. The dish permits some variations: A mixture of pork and veal may be used instead of beef; cumin may be used in place of, or with, the oregano; peeled and chopped tomatoes are sometimes added to the chile mixture, although purists, including me,
6 ancho chiles
2 pounds beef chuck, cut into ½ -inch cubes
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons lard or salad oil
½ teaspoon oregano
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 cups red kidney beans cooked
Prepare the chiles as described in the Introduction.
Place the beef in a heavy kettle with a lid; add water to cover; bring to a boil; cover; and simmer gently for 1 hour. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Combine the onion, garlic, and prepared chiles in the electric blender, and blend to a coarse puree. Heat the lard in a skillet; add the puree and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the oregano; then salt and pepper to taste. Add to the kettle, and cook, covered, very gently for 1 hour longer. Finally, add the cooked beans, cover, and cook for another 15 minutes. Serves 6.
NOTE: Beans for Chile con Carne are plainly cooked. Put the beans in a large kettle with a lid; add 1 teaspoon of salt and cold water to cover; put on the lid; and simmer over moderate heat for about 2 hours, or until the beans are tender, adding a little hot water from time to time if the beans dry out.
Pork Tenderloins with Apples, Dates, and Baby Potatoes
4 servings
Jeannette Hermann’s sumptuous recipe is a staple at Wild Olives.
2 1-pound pork tenderloins
10 applewood-smoked bacon slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small onions, peeled, quartered
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, quartered
12 baby Dutch potatoes or baby white-skinned potatoes (about 12 ounces), unpeeled
12 Medjool dates, pitted
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¾ cup apple juice
¼ cup water
Sprinkle tenderloins with salt and pepper. Wrap 5 bacon slices around each tenderloin, securing bacon with toothpicks. Tie kitchen string around bacon-wrapped tenderloins to secure. Remove toothpicks.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in large ovenproof pot over medium heat. Add pork; cook until browned on all sides, turning often, about 12 minutes. Transfer to platter. Add onions and apples to pot; sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, dates, garlic, cinnamon, and cumin; stir 1 minute. Return pork to center of pot. Add apple juice and ¼ cup water; bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and roast until pork is cooked through and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
Remove string from pork. Slice pork crosswise. Divide pork, onions, apples, potatoes, dates, and pan juices among plates.
Couscous Tfaya with Chicken
Couscous with Caramelized Onions and Raisins
Use either chicken or lamb in this Moroccan recipe for Couscous Tfaya. Tfaya refers to the sweet and spicy caramelized onions and raisins served with this dish. Some versions include chick peas.
The ingredients call for the exotic spice blend, Ras El Hanout. If necessary, substitute a few whole cloves and a pinch of nutmeg.
For authentic results, steam the couscous over the simmering meat. Fried almonds are a garnish and can be made ahead of time. Steam additional couscous if planning to offer saycouk afterward.
Allow the additional cooking time if preparing lamb instead of chicken.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Additional time for lamb: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours, 55 minutes
Yield: Serves 4.
1 small chicken, skin removed and cut up; or 1 kg (about 2 lbs.) lamb, cut into 3" to 4" pieces
1 very large onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon ginger
2 teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons pepper
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ras El Hanout
¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
1 teaspoon smen (Moroccan preserved butter, optional)
¼ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
6 cups (about 1½ liters) water
For the Tfaya
2 very large onions (about 1 kg), thinly sliced
1 cup raisins, soaked in water for 15 minutes, then drained
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons sugar or honey
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
½ cup water
For the Couscous
½ kg (about 1 lb.) dry couscous
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ to 1 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 tablespoons butter
½ cup fried almonds
1 hard boiled egg per person, whole or sliced (optional )
Cook the Chicken or Lamb
In the bottom of a couscoussier, mix the chicken or lamb with the onion, spices, oil and smen. Over medium heat, brown the meat, turning occasionally, for about 15 minutes.
Add the 6 cups of water, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and continue simmering until the meat is tender – a little more than an hour for the chicken, and about 2 hours or more for the lamb. Check the level of the broth occasionally, especially towards the end of cooking, and add water if necessary. The broth should cover the meat, allowing ample sauce to stir into the couscous and additional to serve on the side. When ready to serve, taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to taste. Make the Tfaya
While the meat is cooking, mix the sliced onions, raisins, spices, and sugar or honey in a large saucepan. Add the butter and water, cover, and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering for a half hour or longer over medium-low or low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and golden. Add water only if the liquids evaporate before the onions are cooked.
Once the onions are cooked and richly colored, reduce the liquids to a thick syrup. Turn off the heat, and set the caramelized onions aside. Reheat the onions prior to serving.
Steam the Couscous
The couscous will be steamed three times over the simmering meat. Begin this process while the tfaya is cooking.
First Steaming: Lightly oil the steamer basket and set it aside. Empty the dry couscous into a very large bowl, and work in the vegetable oil with your hands, tossing the couscous and rubbing it between your palms. (This will help prevent the couscous grains from clumping together.) Next, work in ½ cup of water in the same manner, using your hands to evenly distribute the liquid into the couscous. Transfer the couscous to the oiled steamer basket, being careful not to pack the couscous. Place the steamer on top of couscoussier, and steam the couscous for 15 minutes, timing from when you see steam rise from the couscous.
Note: If you see steam escaping from between the basket and couscoussier, you’ll need to seal the joint. You can do this in several ways:
• wrap and tie a long piece of damp cloth over the joint, or
• tightly wrap a long piece of kitchen plastic film around the joint, or
• wrap and drape a long piece of kitchen plastic film onto the rim of the couscoussier, and then place the basket on top (this is my preferred method)
Second Steaming of the Couscous Once the couscous has steamed for 15 minutes, empty it back into your large bowl and break it apart. Allow it to cool slightly, and then gradually work in 1 cup of water and ½ to 1 teaspoon of salt with your hands. Again, toss the couscous and rub it between your palms to break up any balls or clumps.
Transfer the couscous back into the steamer, taking care not to pack or compress the couscous, and place it atop the couscoussier. Steam the couscous a second time for 15 minutes, timing from when you see the steam rising from the couscous. (Again, seal the joint if you see steam escaping.)
Third Steaming of the Couscous: Turn the couscous out into the large bowl again. Break it apart, and leave to cool a few minutes. Gradually work 1½ cups of water into the couscous with your hands, tossing it and rubbing the grains between your palms to break up any balls.
Transfer the couscous to the steamer basket for its final steaming. Again, try to handle the couscous lightly and avoid packing it.
Time your final steaming of the couscous to coincide with when your meat is done cooking. If preparing chicken, go ahead and steam immediately after adding the 1½ cups of water. If cooking lamb, allow the lamb to finish cooking – perhaps another hour – before steaming the couscous for the last time.
Place the couscous back on top of the couscoussier, and steam for a final 15 minutes, timing from when you see the steam rise through the couscous. Again, seal the joint between the steamer and the pot if you see steam escape.
Serving the Couscous Tfaya
Empty the couscous into the large bowl, and break it apart. Gently mix in a tablespoon or two of butter, and two ladles of sauce.
Spread about one-third of the couscous on a very large serving plate or platter, and pour a ladle of sauce all around. Arrange half of the chicken or meat in the center, and top with some of the caramelized onions and raisins.
Mound the remaining couscous over the meat to conceal it, and generously ladle more sauce all around the couscous. (Reserve some sauce to offer on the side, if desired.) Place the remaining chicken or lamb in the center of the mound or couscous, and top with the remaining caramelized onions and raisins. Decorate with the fried almonds and hard-boiled eggs.
Serve immediately. Tradition is to gather round the couscous, with each person eating from his own side of the plate.
Couscous Tfaya
with Chicken and Majhoul Dates
Prep Time: 25 min
Inactive Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 10 min
Serves: 4 servings
1½ pounds coucous (durum wheat recommended)
Kosher salt
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 cup lukewarm water
4 tablespoons butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons
Olive oil
2 small Cornish hens or 4 medium quails, cut into small pieces
1 large red onion, julienned, plus 1 large red onion, finely chopped
4 stems parsley, finely chopped
2½ tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 generous pinch saffron
1½ tablespoons cinnamon
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Ras el Hanout (a mixture of 37 aromatic spices) or, a pinch clove and a pinch nutmeg
2 cups water
4 tablespoons honey
1 cup garbanzo beans, pre-cooked or soaked overnight
1 cup seedless raisins
20 majhoul dates or 1 pound biskra or deglat-nour dates
½ cup roasted, skinless almonds
Note: A couscoussier or a pot and fine-meshed strainer and a thick heavy pot are recommended for cooking Moroccan food
Pour the couscous in a large bowl, add salt, to taste, ½ teaspoon turmeric, 1 cup lukewarm water, 4 tablespoons of the melted butter. Mix and let rest for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed.
Preheat a thick pot. Add olive oil and heat. Add Cornish hen or quail and brown for a few minutes. Add the chopped and julienned onion, parsley, remaining butter, spices, salt, and 2 cups water. Cook for 15 minutes.
Add honey, garbanzo beans, raisins, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Add water as needed. Add the dates. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the dates are hot.
Separate the couscous grains by rubbing both hands together. Make sure there are no lumps. Fill the bottom of the couscoussiere (or pot) with 1½ gallons water. Bring to a boil. Put the couscoussiere (or fine-meshed sieve) on top. When the vapor comes up, pour the couscous in the top (sieve), and let it steam for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender and spongy.
On a large platter, spread a 1-inch thick layer of couscous. Add some pieces of Cornish hen or quail around the middle. Then pour over the surface onions, raisins, and garbanzo beans.
Garnish with dates, the roasted almonds, and the rest of the sauce. Serve hot.
Pork Tenderloin with Arugula Endive and Walnut Vinaigrette
Makes 4 servings
total time: 1 hr (active 15 min)
Here, a garlic-packed vinaigrette is infused with caramelized sucs—pan drippings—from the roast pork, creating an uncanny fusion of nutty, meaty flavors.
1 ¼ pound pork tenderloin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup red-wine vinegar
About ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup walnuts, toasted , divided
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons water
5 ounces baby arugula
3 medium Belgian endives, sliced crosswise into ¼ -inch pieces
Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
Pat pork dry and sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a 12-inch ovenproof heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown pork on all sides, about 6 minutes total.
Transfer pork in skillet to oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 145 to 150°F, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes.
While pork stands, add vinegar to skillet (be careful; handle will be very hot) and boil, scraping up any brown bits, until slightly reduced, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a heatproof measuring cup and add enough olive oil to bring total to ¾ cup liquid.
Pulse ¾ cup walnuts with garlic, water, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to a coarse paste in a food processor. With motor running, slowly add oil mixture to make vinaigrette.
Toss arugula and endive with just enough vinaigrette to coat, then divide among plates. Top with thin slices of pork and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Crumble remaining ¼ cup walnuts over pork.
Caramelised Pork with Ginger and Vinegar
Serves 4-6 as part of a shared meal
Cooking in Tibet, I garnished this rich dish with some pickles from the market in Lhasa, but at home you could just use some very finely shredded fresh ginger.
600 g (l lb 4 oz.) pork belly
2 tablespoons peanut oil
¼ cup shao hsing wine
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 star anise
5 cups water
2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
Marinade
1 teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch)
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup shao hsing wine
10 cm (4 in) piece ginger, cut into thin strips
To remove any impurities from meat, place pork belly in a large pan or stockpot, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, then drain, discarding water. Rinse pork thoroughly under cold running water and drain well.
Cut pork belly into 5 cm x 2-5 cm (2 in x 1 in) pieces. Combine marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add pork and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a hot wok until surface seems to shimmer slightly. Add marinated pork and stir-fry for 4 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer gently, covered, for 50 minutes or until pork is tender. Serve immediately.
Stir-Fried Hokkien Noodles with Beef and Oyster Sauce
Serve as a meal for 4 or as part of a banquet for 4-6
A staple on most Chinese menus and in most Chinese households; our family would eat this weekly. We all know how good beef tastes when marinated in oyster sauce! Buy the best cut of beef fillet and only stir-fry until just cooked. The onions and spring onions take on a lovely wilted, yet crunchy texture.
400 g (13 oz.) beef fillet, cut into 1 cm (½ in) slices
1/3 cup vegetable oil
5 cm (2 in) knob ginger
1 large white onion, cut in half and then into thick wedges
4 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and cut into 10 cm (4 in) lengths
1 x 450 g (15 oz.) packet fresh Hokkien noodles
2 tablespoons shao hsing wine
or dry sherry
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon malt vinegar
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
pinch Sichuan pepper and salt
(see page 14)
2 large red chillies, finely sliced
on the diagonal
2 tablespoons light soy sauce, extra
Marinade
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon shao hsing wine
or dry sherry
1 tablespoon white sugar
½ teaspoon sesame oil
Combine beef and marinade ingredients in a bowl, cover, and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Heat half the oil in a hot wok until surface seems to shimmer slightly. Add beef and stir-fry for 1 minute or until lightly browned. Remove from wok with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Finely slice ginger—you should have about 12 slices. Add remaining oil to hot wok with onion, spring onions and ginger, and stir-fry for about 1 minute or until onion is lightly browned.
Toss in noodles and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds. Finally, return beef to the wok with wine or sherry, soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar and sesame oil and stir-fry for about 1½ minutes or until beef is just tender and noodles are hot.
5 Arrange noodles in bowls and sprinkle with Sichuan pepper and salt.
Serve immediately with a small bowl of sliced chilli mixed with the extra soy sauce.
Cafe Boulud’s Blanquette de veau
Servings: 8 servings
10 ounces pearl onions
4 ½ pounds veal shoulder, boned, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
9 cups (or more) chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
3 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
5 tablespoons butter
1½ pounds celery root (celeriac), peeled, cut into 1½-inch pieces
4 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1½-inch lengths
3 medium turnips, peeled, each cut into 6 pieces
8 ounces button mushrooms
6 ounces haricots verts or other green beans, ends trimmed
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
½ cup whipping cream
½ tablespoon (about) fresh lemon juice
½ bunch fresh chives, cut into 2-inch pieces (optional)
Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add pearl onions and cook 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, remove onions from pot. Trim ends and peel. Add veal to pot and cook 4 minutes. Drain veal; rinse with cold water. Rinse pot and return veal to pot. Add 8 cups chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add thyme and bay leaves and simmer until veal is tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes longer. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in another heavy large pot over medium heat. Add pearl onions, celery root, carrots, turnips, mushrooms and 1 cup chicken stock. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender and almost all liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add haricots verts and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain veal, reserving 2 cups liquid (if less than 2 cups cooking liquid remains, add enough stock to measure 2 cups). Mix veal into vegetables. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix in 3 tablespoons flour. Cook until butter mixture turns golden brown, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 2 cups reserved cooking liquid. Cook until thickened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in whipping cream. Season sauce to taste with fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Pour cream sauce over cooked veal and vegetables. Garnish with fresh chives, if desired, and serve immediately.
Pan Roast of Veal
If there is any dish in Italy that comes close to being a part of every family’s repertory, it is probably this exquisitely simple pan-roasted veal. There is an infinite number of ways of roasting veal more elaborately, but there is none that produces more savory or succulent, tender meat. The success of this method lies in slow, watchful cooking, carefully regulating the amount of liquid so that there is just enough to keep the veal from drying out but not so much as to saturate it and dilute its flavor.
The best-looking roast comes from the top round, which some butchers will prepare for you. Rolled, boned shoulder of veal also makes an excellent and considerably less expensive roast.
For 6 persons
2 pounds roast of veal, boned
3 medium cloves garlic, lightly crushed with the handle of a knife and peeled
1 teaspoon rosemary leaves
Freshly ground pepper, about 8 to 10 twists of the mill or ¼ teaspoon crushed peppercorns
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup dry white wine
1. If the roast is to be rolled, spread on it the garlic, rosemary, and pepper while it is flat, then roll and tie it securely. If it is a solid piece, pierce it at several points with a sharp, narrow-bladed knife and insert the rosemary and garlic. (You will season it with pepper later.) Tie it securely.
2. Choose a heavy-bottomed saucepan or casserole, preferably oval, just large enough for the meat. Heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat, and when the butter foam begins to subside add the meat and brown it well on all sides for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with salt and, if it was omitted before, pepper.
3. Cook just long enough to turn the roast once and then add the wine. As soon as the wine comes to a boil, lower I lie heal so that it is barely simmering, set the cover askew, and cook until the meat is tender when pierced by a fork, about Hi to 2 hours. Turn llie roast from time to time, and if the cooking liquid dries up add 1 or 2 tablespoons of warm water.
4. When the roast is done, transfer it to a cutting board If there is no liquid left in the pan, put in ½ cup of water. Evaporate llic water rapidly over high heat while loosening the cooking residues stuck to the pan. All together you should have about a spoonful of sauce per serving, so, if there is too much liquid left, concentrate it quickly over high heat. Cut the roast into slices no more than ¼ inch thick. Arrange them on a warm platter, spoon the sauce over them, and serve immediately.
MENU SUGGESTIONS
This roast really presents no problems over the choice of a first course. I would exclude none, except those with fish or with a very spicy sauce. Particularly nice with roast veal is the Taglialelle with Bolognese Meat Sauce. Other pasta suggestions: Thin Spaghetti with Fresh Basil and Tomato or Cappellacci Filled with Sweet Potatoes and Parsley. Most vegetables are also a suitable accompaniment. Sweet and Sour Onions would be ideal. Other suggestions: Sautéed Peas with Pro-sciutto, Florentine Style, either of the saut6cd mushrooms, Sautéed Spinach, or any of the vegetables with butter and cheese.
Pot au feu
3 ½ hours cooking time
Pot-au-feu (literally: "pot on the fire"): is a traditional wintry beef stew.
2 lbs of beef (short plate, shank and/or brisket)
one cut of beef with bone and marrow
carrots
turnips
leeks
1 branch of celery
1 onion
1 clove of garlic (sliced not crushed)
"bouquet garni": bay leaf, sprigs of thyme and fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
3-5 whole peppercorns
clove
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tbsp salt
In 3 or 4 quarts of cold water, put the salt, garlic, cut onion, cut celery as well as 1 carrot, 1 turnip, ½ leek all chopped into medium-sized pieces.
Bring to a boil and then add the beef and spices.
Let it simmer for 2 hours.
Remove all of the vegetables (leave bay leaves).
Add the rest of the vegetables and simmer for another hour or hour an a half.
Serve with home-made mayonnaise, vinaigrette, Dijon mustard and French pickles ("cornichons").
Let the broth cool down in a cold place for at least 6 hours, skim off the fat. Reheat and serve with vermicelli or melba toast.
Pork Loin Braised in Milk
Arrosto di maiale al latte
Whenever I teach this dish I am greeted by more or less polite skepticism, which usually turns to enthusiasm at the first taste. Pork cooked by this method turns out to be exceptionally tender and juicy. It is quite delicate in flavor because it loses all its fat and the milk, as such, disappears, to be replaced by clusters of delicious, nut-brown sauce.
For 6 persons
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Freshly ground pepper, 3 or 4 twists of the mill
2 pounds pork loin in one piece, with some fat on it, securely tied
2½ cups milk
Heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat in a casserole large enough to just contain the pork. When the butter foam subsides add the meat, fat side facing down. Brown thoroughly on all sides, lowering the heat if the butter starts to turn dark brown.
Add the salt, pepper, and milk. (Add the milk slowly, otherwise it may boil over.) Shortly after the milk comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium, cover, but not tightly, with the lid partly askew, and cook slowly for about 1½ to 2 hours, until the meat is easily pierced by a fork. Turn and baste the meat from time to time, and, if necessary, add a little milk. By the time the meat is cooked the milk should have coagulated into small nut-brown clusters. If it is still pale in color, uncover the pot, raise the heat to high, and cook briskly until it darkens.
Remove the meat to a cutting board and allow to cool off slightly for a few minutes. Remove the trussing string, carve into slices 3/8 inch thick, and arrange them on a warm platter. Draw off most of the fat from the pot with a spoon and discard, being careful not to discard any of the coagulated milk clusters. Taste and correct for salt. (There may be as much as 1 to 1½ cups of fat to be removed.) Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of warm water, turn the heat to high, and boil away the water while scraping and loosening all the cooking residue in the pot. Spoon the sauce over the sliced pork and serve immediately.
Sweet and Sour Pork (咕嚕肉)
1½ pounds pork tenderloin, sliced ½ -inch thick
Marinate:
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon corn flour
½ teaspoon rice wine
Frying Batter:
½ cup water
2 oz. all-purpose flour
3 tbsp cornstarch
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ egg
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 small pinch of salt
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1½ tablespoons tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon plum sauce
1/8 teaspoon Chinese rice vinegar (transparent in color)
½ teaspoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire
Sauce
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons water
Cut the pork tenderloin into pieces and marinate with the ingredients for 15-20 minutes.
Mix the sweet and sour sauce ingredients well and set aside.
Strain the dry ingredients of the frying batter and then add in the egg, water, and cooking oil to form a thick batter.
When the pork is well-marinated, transfer the pork pieces into the batter and make sure they are well coated. In a deep skillet, add in the cooking oil enough for deep-frying. Once the oil is hot, deep fry the pork pieces until they turn golden brown. Dish out and drain on paper towels.
Heat up a wok and add in some cooking oil. Add in the chopped garlic and stir fry until light brown, then follow by the bell peppers and pineapple pieces. Stir fry until you smell the peppery aroma from the peppers and then add in the sweet and sour sauce. As soon as the sauce thickenens, transfer the pork into the wok and stir well with the sauce. Add in the chopped scallions, do a few quick stirs, dish out and serve hot with steamed white rice.
Roast Pork with Vinegar and Bay Leaves
For 6 servings
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds pork loin roast, boneless, OR
Boston butt, in one piece
Salt
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
½ cup good red wine vinegar
Choose a heavy-bottomed or enameled cast-iron pot into which the pork can fit snugly. Put in the butter and oil, turn the heat on to medium high, and when the butter foam subsides, put in the meat, the side with the fat, if it has any, facing down. Brown the meat deeply all over, turning it when necessary. If you see the butter becoming colored a dark brown, turn the heat down a little.
Add salt, turning the meat to sprinkle all sides. Lightly crush the peppercorns with a mallet or meat pounder or even a hammer, then put them in the pot together with the bay leaves and vinegar. With a wooden spoon, quickly scrape loose browning residues from the bottom and sides of the pot, but do not let the vinegar simmer long enough for it to evaporate. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot tightly, and cook, turning the pork occasionally, until the meat feels tender when prodded with a fork. If during this period the liquid in the pot becomes insufficient, replenish with 2 or 3 tablespoons water.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Let it settle for a few minutes, then cut it into slices about ½ inch thick or slightly less, and arrange them on a warm serving platter.
Tip the pot and spoon off most, but not all of the fat, and all the bay leaves. Add 2 tablespoons water, turn the heat on to high, and while the water boils away scrape loose with a wooden spoon any cooking residues from the bottom and sides. Pour the pot juices over the pork and serve at once.
Lamb Stew with Vinegar & Green Beans
For 6 servings
1 pound fresh green beans
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 pounds lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes, with the bone in
½ cup chopped onion
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
½ cup good red wine vinegar
1. Snap the ends off the green beans, wash them in cold water, drain, and set aside.
2. Choose a heavy-bottomed or cast-iron enameled pot that can accommodate all the meat and green beans. Put in the olive oil, turn the heat on to medium high, and when the oil is hot, slip in as many pieces of lamb as will fit loosely, without crowding. Brown the meat deeply on all sides, then transfer it to a plate, using a slotted spoon or spatula, and put in more lamb pieces.
3. When you have browned all the meat and transferred it to a plate, put the onion in the pot. Cook the onion, stirring, until it becomes colored a pale gold, return the lamb to the pot, and then add salt, pepper, and the vinegar. Bring the vinegar to a brisk simmer for about 30 seconds, turning the meat and scraping loose browning residues from the bottom and sides of the pot with a wooden spoon. Turn the heat down to cook at a slow simmer, add the green beans with a little more salt and pepper, and cover the pot, setting the lid on slightly ajar.
4. Cook for about 1½ hours, until the meat feels very tender when prodded with a fork. The juices in the pot ought to be sufficient, but if you find they are drying up, replenish when needed with 2 or 3 tablespoons water. At the end, the only liquid remaining in the pot should be the oil and the natural cooking juices. When the lamb is done, transfer it with all the contents of the pot to a warm platter and serve at once.
Ahead-of-time note : The dish may be prepared entirely in advance and reheated gently just before serving. As with any dish with greens, it will taste best if consumed the day it is made without subjecting it to refrigeration.
Mongolian Beef
Serve as a meal for 4 with steamed rice or as part of a banquet for 4-6
600 g (1 lb 4 oz.) quality beef mince (ground beef)
5 cups finely shredded Chinese cabbage
2 teaspoons sea salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons shao hsing wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon malt vinegar
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 small carrot, peeled and finely sliced
½ medium-sized red pepper, finely sliced
¾ cup finely sliced spring onions (scallions)
2 tablespoons shao hsing wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch) 1 tablespoon finely diced ginger
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
½ teaspoon sesame oil
Combine beef mince with marinade ingredients in a large bowl, cover, and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place cabbage and salt in a large bowl, mixing together well with your hands to combine. Stand for 15 minutes then rinse under cold water and drain. Use your hands to squeeze out any excess liquid.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a hot wok until surface seems to shimmer slightly. Add half the marinated beef and stir-fry for 30 seconds, breaking up any lumps with a wok spoon. Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add remaining oil to hot wok, stir in remaining beef and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Return reserved beef mixture to the wok with wine or sherry, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar and sesame oil and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Toss in reserved cabbage, carrot and pepper and stir-fry for a further minute. Stir through spring onions, reserving just a little to garnish, and remove from heat.
Spoon beef into a serving bowl, sprinkle with remaining spring onions and serve.
Boneless Pork Chops With Mushrooms
Porc à la sètoise
2, 150‑g (1/3‑lb) boneless pork loin cutlets, pounded to a 6‑mm (¼ ‑in) thickness
125 ml (½ c) Madeira wine
2 T olive oil
fine salt
freshly ground black pepper
paprika
100 g (¼ lb) brown mushrooms, thinly sliced
125 ml (½ c) heavy cream
1. Place the meat on a deep plate and pour the wine over the top. Marinate for an hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 75°C (170°F).
3. Drain the meat, reserving the wine. Season the meat with salt, pepper, and paprika.
4. Heat a large frying pan over medium‑high heat. Fry the meat on each side until brown. Set the cooked meat aside in the warm oven.
5. Add the mushrooms to the fat. Cook a bit. Add the reserved wine and bring to a boil. Reduce substantially. Add the cream and reduce until thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Place the meat on individual, warmed serving plates and spoon the sauce over the top.
Yield: 2 servings.
Ref: Jean Paul Combettes, A French Chef in America, 1992, page 39.
Stewed Pork with Porcini Mushrooms and Juniper
The chorus of fragrances from the forest and the herb garden—porcini mushrooms, juniper berries, marjoram, bay—that accompany this stew echoes the flavors that one associates with furred game. And like game, the dish should go to the table in the company of steaming, soft Polenta (see page 274). The most suitable cut of pork for this recipe is the shoulder, sometimes known as Boston-style shoulder.
For 4 servings
20 juniper berries
1½ pounds boned pork
shoulder, cut into pieces
about 1 inch thick and
2 inches wide
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped onion
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
A small packet OR 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, reconstituted as described on page 27 and cut up
½ teaspoon fresh marjoram OR ¼ teaspoon dried
2 bay leaves, chopped if fresh, crumbled fine if dried
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
The filtered water from the mushroom soak, see page 28 for instructions
3 flat anchovy fillets (preferably the ones prepared at home as described on page 90), chopped to a pulp
1. Wrap the juniper berries in a towel and crush them lightly using a mal- let, a meat pounder, or even a hammer. Unwrap them and set aside.
2. Choose a saute pan that can later contain the pork pieces stacked no deeper than two layers. Put in the oil and turn on the heat to medium high.
When the oil is hot, put in as many pieces of meat as will fit without being crowded, and cook them, turning them, until they are deeply browned on all sides. Transfer them to a plate, using a slotted spoon or spatula, and repeat the procedure until you have browned all the pork.
3. Add the onion, and cook the onion, stirring, until it becomes colored a deep gold, then return the meat to the pan. Add the wine and vinegar and let them simmer briskly for about 30 seconds, then put in the cut-up mush- rooms, their filtered liquid, the chopped anchovies, the marjoram, the bay leaves, and the crushed juniper berries. Turn the heat down to cook at a very slow simmer, and turn over all the ingredients in the pan. Add a few pinches of salt and several grindings of pepper, turn the ingredients over once again, and cover the pan tightly.
4. Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until the meat feels tender when prodded with a fork. When it is done, transfer it with a slotted spoon to a warm serving platter. If the juices in the pan are thin and runny, raise the heat to high and reduce them. If the pork has shed a lot of fat in the pan, tip it and spoon most of it off, without discarding any of the good pan juices. Pour the remaining contents of the pan over the pork and serve at once.
Ahead-of-time note : The dish can be completed 2 or 3 days in advance, but do not reduce the juices or discard any fat until after you have gently, but thoroughly reheated the stew.
Cassoulet
2 lb white beans
6 lamb chops
3-4 piece of "confit de canard " with its fat
4 pieces of reduced fat bacon (30% less fat)
4 smoked Bratwurst sausages (or 1 French saucisson à l’ail)
2 white onions
1 carrot
3 cloves of garlic
1 bouquet garni (parsley, thyme and 2 bay leaves)
2 Tbs Tomato chunks
Bread Crumbs
Put the beans in cold water and let stand overnight (with enough water for all of the beans to remain submerged).
The following day, put the beans in cold water into a cast iron casserole. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Let simmer for 1½ hr (skim off the foam that the beans give off).
Add the bacon, lamb chops, sausages, 1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic, the carrot, bouquet garni and let simmer for 1½ hr.
In a frying pan, put 1 onion with oil and sauté for about 5 min. Add the crushed tomatoes and 1 crushed clove of garlic.
Drain the beans. Keep the liquid in a separate bowl. Put the meat in another bowl.
Add the tomatoes to the beans with some of the liquid the beans were cooked in.
In a dish that can go into the oven, add the following in successive layers:
• A first layer of beans (tomato and liquid base)
• Confit and meat, evenly distributed
• Another layer of beans
• Bread crumbs
• Some of the liquid from the beans if necessary.
Put in an oven at 350°F for 2 to 3 hours.
• Add liquid from the beans if the dish becomes too dry
• Crush the crust that forms three times and allow it to reform.
(freezes well)
Last updated
October 25, 2012