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Category: Pork

Cuban Pork with Pineapple

Cuban Pork with Pineapple

Notes: While the pork, pineapple, and onion marinate, cook rice and heat canned black beans to serve alongside. (Or, for more intense flavor, marinate the pork the night before.) Serve with coleslaw dressed with a white wine vinaigrette spiked with cumin seeds, chopped fresh cilantro, and minced garlic.

1/3 C. pineapple juice
1/4 C. soy sauce
1 T. firmly packed brown sugar
1 T. vegetable oil
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. hot chile flakes
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
4 pork loin rib chops (3/4 in. thick, 6 to 8 oz. each)
12 oz. peeled and cored pineapple
1 red onion (8 oz.)
2 T. chopped fresh mint leaves
Lime wedges

In a 1-C. glass measure, whisk pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, ginger, allspice, chile flakes, and dry mustard to blend. Trim fat on pork chops to 1/4 inch; rinse pork and pat dry. Place chops in a 1-gallon zip-lock plastic bag and add all but 1/4 C. juice mixture. Seal bag and turn to coat. Let stand, turning bag occasionally, at least 20 minutes, or chill up to 1 day. Meanwhile, cut pineapple into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Peel onion and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, discarding ends. Place both in a rimmed dish and drizzle evenly with remaining juice mixture. Let stand about 20 minutes, turning slices once. Lay chops (discard marinade), pineapple, and onion on an oiled grill over a solid bed of hot coals or high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds); close lid on gas grill. Cook, turning once, until pineapple and onion are browned, 5 to 6 minutes total, and pork is browned on the outside and no longer pink in the center (cut to test), 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer chops to plates. Garnish with grilled pineapple and onion. Sprinkle with mint; offer lime wedges to squeeze over pork.

Korean-Style BBQ Pork Belly Skewers

Korean-Style BBQ Pork Belly Skewers

Korean-Style BBQ Pork Belly Skewers16 bamboo skewers, soaked in water about 30 minutes

2/3 C. Korean chili paste (gochujang)
5 T. sugar
4 T. low-sodium soy sauce
4 T. Korean chili powder (gachugara)
4 T. sesame oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced

2 pounds pork belly, cut in half widthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 T. vegetable oil
2 C. cooked white rice
16 leaves red-leaf lettuce
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 T. toasted sesame seeds

For the marinade, place all marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined. Add pork belly slices and toss gently to coat. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. Preheat the grill to high and brush with oil. Thread pork belly onto skewers. Shake off excess marinade and grill 2-3 minutes on each side (Note: We didn’t feel the pork was cooked enough at this point and moved the skewers over to the side, turned the heat down to medium, closed the grill, and continued cooking over indirect heat for another 15 minutes. Watch carefully, as the fat and marinade causes flare-ups).To serve, place 2 T. of rice on each lettuce leaf. Top with 1 pork belly skewer and finish with a sprinkle of scallions and sesame seeds.

Teriyaki Pork Chops with Blueberry-Ginger Relish

Teriyaki Pork Chops with Blueberry-Ginger Relish

Teriyaki Pork Chops with Blueberry-Ginger Relish4 bone-in center-cut pork chops, (about 1 3/4 pounds), trimmed of fat

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry, (see Ingredient Note)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 cup fresh blueberries, coarsely chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt

To marinate: Place pork chops in a large sealable plastic bag. Whisk soy sauce, sherry, garlic, brown sugar and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Add the marinade to the bag, seal and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. To prepare relish: About 20 minutes before grilling the pork, combine blueberries, shallot, chile, cilantro, lime juice, ginger and salt in a small bowl. Preheat grill to high. Remove the pork chops from the marinade (discard marinade). Grill the chops 3 to 5 minutes per side. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving with the relish.

Ingredient Note: The “cooking sherry” sold in many supermarkets can be surprisingly high in sodium. We prefer dry sherry, sold with other fortified wines in your wine or liquor store.

Spiced Pork Chops with Maple-Braised Greens

Spiced Pork Chops with Maple-Braised Greens

Spiced Pork Chops with Maple-Braised Greens

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 bone-in pork chops (1 inch thick; about 6 ounces each)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 5-ounce package mixed hearty greens (such as kale, spinach and/or collards; about 5 cups)

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2 15-ounce cans small white beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

 

Combine the paprika, cumin, coriander, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a small bowl. Season the pork chops all over with 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture; set aside the remaining spice mixture. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes; remove to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Stir in the onion and greens. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts softening and the greens wilt, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining spice mixture and stir to combine. Add 2 cups water, the maple syrup, beans, tomato paste and vinegar to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, then nestle the pork chops in the mixture. Simmer until the pork is just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes; remove to a plate. Increase the heat to medium high and simmer until the greens are tender and the sauce thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the pork chops.

Pork Medallions with Apples

Pork Medallions with Apples

Pork Medallions with ApplesPotatoes
1 pound small red-skinned potatoes, halved
1 T. vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Pork
8 thin boneless pork cutlets (about 11/4 lbs total)
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried rosemary
2 T. vegetable oil
2 Gala apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 C. frozen chopped onion, thawed
1 T. jarred chopped garlic
1 T. plus 1 tsp cornstarch
2 1/2 cups apple cider
2 T. Dijon mustard
Steamed green beans (optional)

Potatoes. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss potatoes with oil, salt and pepper. Place on a rimmed baking pan and roast for 20 minutes or until tender. Turn after 10 minutes. Pork. Meanwhile, season pork with 1/2 tsp of the salt, 1/8 tsp of the pepper and 3/4 tsp of the rosemary. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate; keep warm. Add apples, onion and garlic to skillet; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine cornstarch and cider; add to skillet. Stir in remaining 1/4 tsp each salt and rosemary and remaining 1/8 tsp pepper. Simmer 1 minute until thickened; stir in mustard. Serve pork chops and potatoes with apples and sauce spooned over and, if desired, green beans on the side.

Pork Chops with Apple Cream Sauce (Adults) or BBQ Sauce (Children)

Pork Chops with Apple Cream Sauce (Adults) or BBQ Sauce (Children)

Pork Chops with Apple Cream Sauce (Adults) or BBQ Sauce (Children)

4 medium-size sweet potatoes, scrubbed
4 thick bone-in center-cut loin pork chops (about 2 pounds total)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 T. olive oil
2 large Vidalia onions, cut in half, then sliced about 1/4-inch thick
1 1/2 cups apple juice or cider
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 C. heavy cream
4 tsp. Dijon mustard

For children: BBQ sauce

Heat oven to 375 degree F. Place potatoes on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until tender. While potatoes bake, season both sides of chops with salt, pepper and thyme. Heat nonstick skillet large enough to hold the chops in a single layer over medium-high heat. Add oil, then chops; cook until lightly browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook another 4 minutes. Remove to a plate. Reduce heat to medium low; add onions and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes until onions soften. Spray with nonstick spray, if needed. Stir in 2/3 C. apple juice. Place chops on top of onions, cover and cook over medium heat about 15 minutes or until pork reaches 155 degree F on an instant-read thermometer. Place pork on serving plate; remove onions with a slotted spoon and place alongside chops or in separate bowl. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Increase heat to high; add remaining apple juice and broth to skillet; cook over high heat, stirring, about 5 to 8 minutes or until slightly reduced. Add cream and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mustard. Serve sauce on the side

Serve plain pork chop with a kid friendly sauce like homemade or prepared bbq sauce. You can also replace the sweet potato with a plain white potato if your children prefer.

Skillet Lasagna

Skillet Lasagna

Skillet LasagnaLasagna isn’t usually a dish you can throw together at the last minute. Even with no-boil noodles, it takes a good amount of time to get the components just right. Our goal was to transform traditional baked lasagna into a stovetop skillet dish without losing any of its flavor or appeal.

We built a hearty, flavorful meat sauce with onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, and meatloaf mix (a more flavorful alternative to plain ground beef). A large can of diced tomatoes along with tomato sauce provided juicy tomato flavor and a nicely chunky texture. We scattered regular curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into pieces, over the top of the sauce (smaller pieces are easier to eat and serve). We then diluted the sauce with a little water so that the noodles would cook through. After a 20-minute simmer with the lid on, the pasta was tender, the sauce was properly thickened, and it was time for the cheese. Stirring Parmesan into the dish worked well, but we discovered that the sweet creaminess of ricotta was lost unless we placed it in heaping T.fuls on top of the lasagna. Replacing the lid and letting the cheese warm through for several minutes was the final step for this super-easy one-pan dish.
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Meatloaf mix is a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal, sold pre-packaged in many supermarkets. If it’s unavailable, use ground beef. Use a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
Water
1 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
Table salt
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 T.)
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 pound meatloaf mix
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese plus 2 additional T.
Ground black pepper
1 C. ricotta cheese
3 T. chopped fresh basil

Pour tomatoes with their juices into 1-quart liquid measuring cup. Add water until mixture measures 1 quart. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 tsp. salt and cook until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook, breaking apart meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Scatter pasta over meat but do not stir. Pour diced tomatoes with juices and tomato sauce over pasta. Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 C. Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Dot with heaping T. ricotta, cover, and let stand off heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and remaining 2 T. Parmesan. Serve.

To cook all of the ingredients in one pan, a little attention to the ordering of the layers is necessary. It may not look like much as you begin the cooking process, but, after 20 minutes and an occasional stir, a layered lasagna appears almost as if by magic. Start by sautéing onion, garlic, and meat in the skillet. Scatter the broken lasagna noodles over the meat. Pour the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce over the noodles. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add Parmesan, dot with ricotta, cover the skillet, and let cheese soften off heat.

Country French Pork Chops

Country French Pork Chops

Country French Pork Chops4 pork chops, 1 inch thick
salt
pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup pitted prune, coarse chopped
1/2 cup green olives, coarse chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Season chops to taste with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat and add chops. Cook until well browned on both sides but still pink in the center, 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from skillet, place on platter and cover. Add broth to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits with a spoon. Add brown sugar, red wine vinegar, prunes, and olives; simmer till sauce thickens, 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk in butter and parsley. Reduce flame to medium low; return chops and accumulated juices to skillet. Simmer, turning chops once or twice, until sauce clings and meat is completely cooked, 3-5 minutes. Serve at once.

Fried Pigs Ears with Kale

Fried Pigs Ears with Kale

Note: Adapted from the Purple Pig in Chicago. Pig ears can be found at Chinese and select Asian markets, and can be ordered from most butchers and meat departments.

Fried Pigs Ears with Kale

1 pound pig ears (about 2 ears)
4 gallons water, divided
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
1 cup milk
1 cup instant flour, such as Wondra
Frying oil
Salt
1 bunch kale (about 10 ounces), tom into 2-inch pieces
6 to 8 pickled cherry peppers, julienned
6 to 8 fried eggs
1 to 2 tablespoons oil
Pepper

In a medium pot, cover the pig ears with 2 gallons of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Strain and return the pig ears to the pot. Cover with another 2 gallons of water and add the carrot, celery and onion. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook, loosely covered, for 3 hours. Strain the pig ears and place on a baking dish. Refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight, flipping the ears mid-way to make sure both sides are dry. Fill a wide, heavy-bottomed pot with oil until it comes up the sides of the pot by 3 inches. Heat the oil until a thermometer reads 350 degrees. While the oil is heating, thinly julienne the pig ears and dip them in milk, then dredge in the instant flour. Fry the strips in small batches until lightly golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes, then strain, pat dry and place in a large bowl. Fry the kale until bright and crisp, about 30 seconds. Strain and gently toss into the bowl along with the julienned peppers. Season with 2 teaspoons of salt, or to taste. Hold in a warm place. In a shallow flying pan, fly7 the eggs in a light film of oil until the whites are cooked but the yolk is still runny, about 3 minutes. Divide the pig ears among 6 to 8 shallow bowls, and top each with a fried egg. Season the eggs with a sprinkling each of salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Seckel Pears + Pistachios

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Seckel Pears + Pistachios

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Combine 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom, 1/4 tsp. ground coriander, 1 tsp. sea salt, and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture on a 1 1/2-pound pork tenderloin, patted dry and trimmed. Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the pork and sear, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, halve 7 Seckel pears* and set aside. Stir together 1 tsp. honey and 1 tsp. water in a C.. When the pork is browned, add the pears to the skillet, and toss. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast 5 minutes. Remove, toss in 1/4 C. shelled pistachios with the pears, and drizzle half of the honey mixture over the pork and brush to coat. Return the skillet to the oven and roast until the pork is barely pink in the center, 5 minutes. Brush the pork with the remaining honey mixture and slice. Toss 1 tsp. salted butter with the pears and pistachios in the skillet, and serve. * Or small Bartletts. Also try: pork tenderloin + seedless red grapes + walnuts