Day Recipe Food Community

March 14, 2008

Pancetta and Herb-Roasted Pork with Fig Jam Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , — Anna @ 9:55 pm

Fresh herbs and pancetta (Italian cured bacon) blanket the pork before it goes into the oven. Ask the butcher to tie the two loins to hold their shape. Begin marinating the meat one day before serving. What to drink: Open a few bottles of spicy Zinfandel or hearty Bordeaux to place on the buffet table.

Makes 12 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • jam
  • 4cups dry red wine (from two 750-ml bottles)
  • 3cups water
  • 48dried black mission figs (about 12 ounces), stemmed, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 2cups sugar
  • 1/2cup fresh lemon juicepork
  • 1/2cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2tablespoons chopped fresh sage
  • 2tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 2tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1tablespoon fine-grained sea salt
  • 2teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 23 1/2-pound boneless pork loin roasts, tied to hold shape (7 pounds total) 3ounces thinly sliced pancetta*

DIRECTIONS For jam:
Bring all ingredients to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Boil mixture until thickened and reduced to 4 cups, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Transfer jam to large bowl. Cool completely. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

For pork:
Using on/off turns, puree olive oil, sage, thyme, rosemary, sea salt, and pepper in processor until almost smooth. Place pork in heavy large roasting pan. Rub herb mixture over both roasts. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle pork generously with salt and pepper. Place pancetta slices atop pork, overlapping if necessary. Roast until meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 145°F, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer pork roasts to platter; remove string and let stand 15 to 30 minutes before carving (internal temperature will increase 5 degrees). Serve pork with fig jam.

*Pancetta (Italian bacon cured in salt) is available at Italian markets and at some specialty foods stores.

Market tip: Deep purple in color, dried black Mission figs (so named because they were brought to California by Spanish missionaries) are shelved near the raisins at most supermarkets.

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Pork Braised with Autumn Vegetables Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , — Anna @ 9:07 pm

Pre-marinated pork tenderloins can be found in the supermarket meat section. To round out the meal, add a romaine salad dressed with Dijon vinaigrette and a basket of warm cranberry-corn muffins; finish with wedges of apple pie and sharp cheddar cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3tablespoons butter
  • 2purchased mustard-marinated pork tenderloins (2 pounds total), each cut crosswise into 3 pieces, patted dry
  • 2parsnips, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 3cups cubed peeled seeded butternut squash
  • 1cup frozen petite whole onions
  • 1141/2-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
  • 2tablespoons chopped fresh thyme3tablespoons coarse-grained dijon mustard

DIRECTIONS Melt butter in large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; brown on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Add parsnips, squash, onions, broth, and thyme; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until pork is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer pork to plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Continue simmering, uncovered, until vegetables are tender and liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes longer. Stir mustard into sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cut pork diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve with sauce and vegetables.

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Strawberry Compote Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , — Anna @ 8:37 pm

Makes 12 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • 21-pound baskets strawberries, stemmed, hulled, halved
  • 1/3cup sugar
  • 3tablespoons chopped fresh mint

DIRECTIONS Combine halved strawberries, sugar, and chopped fresh mint in large bowl. Let stand at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours, tossing occasionally.

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Double-Corn and Cheese Muffins Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , — Anna @ 8:00 pm

Jiffy muffin mixes were part of the boxed baking craze that took hold in the thirties, and they remain a supermarket staple. Here, frozen corn kernels, shredded cheese and fresh basil are convenient additions.

Makes 8 muffins.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/3cup whole milk
  • 1large egg
  • 18 1/2-ounce box corn muffin mix
  • 1/3cup (packed) shredded “pizza cheese” or mozzarella cheese
  • 1/3cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 3tablespoons chopped fresh basil

    DIRECTIONS

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Line eight 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners. Blend milk and egg in small bowl. Place remaining ingredients in large bowl; add milk mixture. Stir until ingredients are just moistened (do not overmix). Divide batter among prepared muffin cups.


    Bake muffins until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Serve muffins warm.

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    • Apple, Celery, and Smoked Ham Stuffing Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , — Anna @ 7:32 pm

    A moist pan stuffing that mirrors the herbaceous flavor of the turkey and gravy.

    Makes 10 servings.

    INGREDIENTS

    • 5cups 1/2-inch cubes crustless firm white bread (about 7 ounces)5tablespoons butter
    • 4cups chopped onions
    • 2cups chopped celery
    • 4cups small cubes peeled granny smith apples
    • 2 1/3cups small cubes black forest ham
    • 2tablespoons chopped fresh italian parsley
    • 1tablespoon minced fresh thyme
    • 1tablespoon minced fresh sage
    • 1tablespoon minced fresh marjoram
    • 1/2teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
    • 1/4teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1 1/4cups low-salt chicken broth2large eggs

    DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake bread cubes on large rimmed baking sheet until dry and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Place bread in large bowl and cool.

    Melt 4 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add onions and celery; sauté until tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add apples; sauté until tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add mixture to bread. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet. Add ham; sauté 5 minutes. Add ham to bread; mix in herbs and nutmeg. Add broth to same skillet and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Pour broth into small bowl; cool. (Stuffing and broth can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.)

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Beat eggs into broth; mix into stuffing. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Bake uncovered until cooked through and browned on top, about 35 minutes.

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    Lime Mousse with Lime-Vanilla Syrup Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , — Anna @ 5:11 pm

    Makes 6 servings.

    INGREDIENTS

    • 1 1/2cups sugar
    • 3/4cup water
    • 14-inch piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise
    • 8tablespoons fresh lime juice1teaspoon unflavored gelatin2large eggs1cup chilled heavy whipping cream
    • 2teaspoons grated lime peel

    DIRECTIONS Combine sugar and 3/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring mixture to simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer until syrup thickens and is reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Discard vanilla bean. Transfer 1/2 cup syrup to small bowl. Whisk in 1 tablespoon lime juice. Cover lime-vanilla syrup and chill.

    Mix gelatin and remaining 7 tablespoons lime juice in small bowl. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Add to syrup in saucepan. Stir over low heat just until gelatin dissolves, about 5 minutes (do not boil).

    Using electric mixer, beat eggs in large stainless steel bowl at high speed until mixture falls in heavy ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 6 minutes. Gradually beat in warm lime syrup. Place bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water); beat until thermometer registers 140°F for 3 minutes, about 5 minutes total. Place bowl over larger bowl of ice water; beat syrup mixture until cold, about 3 minutes.

    Beat whipping cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Fold into syrup mixture in 2 additions. Fold in lime peel. Cover mousse and refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.

    Using 2 large soup spoons, form mousse into 12 egg-shaped “dumplings,” placing 2 on each of 6 plates. Spoon lime-vanilla syrup over mousse and serve.

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    Cucumber-Crab Canapés Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , — Anna @ 3:00 pm

    Canapés came into fashion in the cocktail-party era that began in the 1920s. Bottled mayonnaise (which was first produced by Richard Hellmann in 1912 at his New York deli) and canned crabmeat help to make this canapé a model of fast food.

    Makes 28 canapés.

    INGREDIENTS

  • 16-ounce can crabmeat, drained,
    or 4 ounces fresh crabmeat
  • 1/4cup mayonnaise
  • 3tablespoons minced red onion
  • 1tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
  • 2teaspoons fresh lemon juice1english hothouse cucumber

    DIRECTIONS

    Gently mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl; season with salt and pepper.


    Cut twenty-eight 1/4-inch-thick round slices from cucumber (reserve remaining cucumber for another use). Arrange cucumber slices on platter. Top each slice with crab mixture.

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    • Fish Wrapped in Banana Leaves with Chile Rajas and Crema Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , , , — Anna @ 11:58 am

    Rajas is the Spanish word for “strips,” and in the Mexican kitchen it generally refers to strips of chile.

    Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

    Makes 8 servings.

    INGREDIENTS

    • for rajas
    • 1 1/2lb fresh poblano chiles
    • 1 1/2lb white onions, halved lengthwise, then sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
    • 3/4teaspoon salt
    • 3tablespoons safflower oilfor fish packets
    • 1lb banana leaves*, thawed if frozen
    • 8(6-oz) pieces skinless snapper or halibut fillet
    • 1cup crema (thick mexican cream) or crème fraîche plus additional for drizzling if desiredgarnish:fresh cilantro leaves

    DIRECTIONS Make rajas:
    Roast chiles on racks of gas burners over high heat, turning with tongs, until skins are blackened, 10 to 12 minutes. (Or broil chiles on a broiler pan about 5 inches from heat, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes.) Transfer to a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap, then let stand 20 minutes.

    When cool enough to handle, peel chiles, discarding stems and seeds (do not rinse under running water as this washes away flavor), and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick strips.

    Cook onions with salt in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until onions are tender but still have texture, about 10 minutes. Stir in chiles and cook, stirring, 1 minute, then season with salt.

    Assemble fish packets:
    Preheat oven to 450°F.

    Unfold banana leaves. Cut off (and reserve) tough center rib that runs along bottom edge of each leaf with kitchen shears. Cut ribs into 12- to 14-inch strips for tying packets. Gently cut leaves into 8 (12-inch) squares, being careful not to split them.

    Slowly run a banana-leaf square across flame of a gas burner, just enough to “melt” outer coating on leaf (it will become quite shiny; if you have an electric stove, hold leaf slightly above burner on moderately high). Place a piece of fish in center of square and season with salt, then top with 1/2 cup rajas and 2 tablespoons crema. Fold 2 sides of banana leaf over fish to enclose it, then fold in opposite sides to form a packet. Tie packet with a strip of banana-leafrib and transfer to a large baking sheet. Assemble 7 more packets in same manner.

    Bake fish packets in middle of oven 20 minutes, then transfer each to a large plate or shallow soup bowl. Cut ties of packets and open them (leaves are not edible). Drizzle fish with additional crema.

    Cooks’ note:
    • Fish packets can be assembled 2 hours ahead and chilled. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before baking.

    * Available at Latino and Asian markets.

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    Grilled Steaks with Red Chile Sauce Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , — Anna @ 10:47 am

    To learn more about this recipe, see Artful Ingredients.

    Makes 6 servings.

    INGREDIENTS

    • 3oz dried guajillo chiles guajillo chiles
    • 4cups boiling-hot water
    • 1(12-oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained, seeded, and coarsely chopped
    • 3garlic cloves, minced
    • 1teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground in an electric coffee/spice grinder
    • 1tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 3/4 teaspoon dried, crumbled
    • 1teaspoon salt, or to taste
    • 2tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1tablespoon all-purpose flour
    • 1teaspoon cider vinegar, or to taste
    • 6(3/4-inch-thick) boneless rib-eye steaks (7 to 8 oz each)accompaniment:pickled red onions with cilantro

    DIRECTIONS Make sauce:
    Rinse chiles and remove stems, then split open and discard seeds and ribs. Heat a dry well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or heavy skillet over moderate heat, then toast chiles in batches, turning them, about 30 seconds total. Transfer chiles to a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over them. Cover bowl and soak chiles, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 20 minutes.

    Reserve 2 cups soaking liquid, then drain chiles in a colander. Purée chiles, reserved soaking liquid, and roasted peppers in 2 batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and discarding solids.

    Cook garlic, cumin, oregano, and salt in butter in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in chile mixture and simmer, whisking occasionally, until reduced to about 2 1/2 cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Add vinegar and salt to taste. Keep sauce warm, covered.

    Grill steaks:
    Prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderately high.

    Pat steaks dry and season with salt. Grill steaks, uncovered, on lightly oiled grill rack, turning over once, 6 to 8 minutes total for medium-rare. Transfer to a platter and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes.

    Serve steaks with sauce.

    Cooks’ notes:
    • Sauce can be made 1 week ahead and cooled completely, then chilled, covered.
    • If you aren’t able to grill, steaks can be cooked in batches in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan.

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    Spicy Turkey Sloppy Joes Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , — Anna @ 10:00 am

    Jean Anderson, author of The American Century Cookbook, traces the origin of sloppy joes to the depression-era 1930s, and the popularity of this messy ground-beef sandwich increased markedly in the fifties and sixties. We update it with ground turkey, canned diced chilies and ale.

    Makes 6 servings.

    INGREDIENTS

  • 3tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2pounds ground turkey
  • 1large green bell pepper, chopped
  • 4large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 3tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 1/4cups ale or beer
  • 3/4cup bottled chili sauce or ketchup
  • 14-ounce can diced green chilies
  • 2tablespoons worcestershire sauce
  • 1cup finely chopped green onions6sourdough rolls, split, toasted
  • 2cups shredded romaine lettuce or packaged garden salad mix

    DIRECTIONS

    Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add turkey, green pepper and garlic and sauté until turkey is no longer pink, breaking up meat with back of fork, about 10 minutes. Mix in chili powder;stir 1 minute. Add next 4 ingredients. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until mixture thickens, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Mix in green onions; season with salt and pepper.


    Arrange roll bottoms on plates. Spoon sloppy joe mixture over; top with lettuce and roll tops.

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