Pork, Glorious Pork!

I have a friend who converted to Judiasm several years ago. When I asked her if there was anything she missed about Christianity, she lowered her head and moved it slowly from side to side. In a burst of energy usually reserved for Catholics in the confessional, her head shot up and she blurted out 'pork tenderloin!'. Huh? I had expected to hear words like 'Christmas' or 'Easter' or even 'Jesus'. A craving for pig flesh? I hadn't anticipated it, but why not? I have replayed that conversation in my mind many times (having the benefit of knowing the outcome) and have come to the conclusion that hers was a solid answer. Pork tenderloin is one of the great loves of my culinary life. Unlike chicken - which I use as an excuse to eat interesting sauces - pork tenderloin has such an amazing flavor that I frequently eat it hot off the grill sans sauce or complicated seasonings. A pork tenderloin tossed on the grill for 20 minutes with nothing more than a grind of salt and pepper is more appealing to me than the most expensive steak.

A brief and informal history of the relationship between humans and pigs is pretty much as follows: 5000ish BC... humans decide that it's hard to go out hunting wild boar for food consumption, but because of the animals' adaptable nature and omnivorous (read 'eats anything') diet, easy to get the animals to come live with them. Bingo! The pork industry is born! Thank you, China! Fast forward to 1539 and you will find Hernando de Soto landing in Tampa, Florida with 13 pigs that would become the first pigs to immigrate to America and start the pork culture. Because the pigs reproduced quickly and sometimes escaped, forming gangs of feral roaming pigs, Manhattan Island erected a wall to protect its grain fields from being eaten by these pigs. That area is now known as Wall Street. At some time between 5000 BC and 2010 AD many, many, many talented and creative people pushed pork to the limit to create the multitude of pork products we celebrate today. Charcuterie (cured, smoked pork products) is a subject for endless discussion (that will not be happening here today). Fresh pork in the form of ribs, loin, chops and my beloved tenderloin can be turned into a taste extravaganza fit for almost anyone's enjoyment (religious beliefs aside).

As mentioned above, I love fresh-grilled pork. An easy way to create a very healthy meal is to create kebabs of 2ish-inch cubed pork tenderloin combined with chunks of red peppers and onions (I've been known to throw a pineapple or two on there also), brushed the entire thing with olive oil and sprinkled with ground salt and pepper. Fourish minutes per side on the grill will do it for you. Instant meal of pure deliciousness! If you're looking for something a little spicier, check out the following recipe created by the people at Omaha Steaks in their cookbook entitled simply 'Meat'...

Indonesian Marinated Pork Kebabs

For the Marinade:

1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (they used lime)

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp peanut oil (I have also used vegetable oil when peanut oil was not at hand)

2 tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger (have used ginger powder also - 3 tbsp)

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp light brown sugar

4 small dried red chiles, seeded and crumbled (I've used 2 tbsp red pepper flakes)

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tbsp Sriracha Hot chili sauce (this was not in the original recipe, but I love the flavor - you can skip it if you're not into real spicy stuff)

For the kebabs:

1 2ish pound pork tenderloin (original recipe calls for pork loin), cut into 2ish -inch chunks

2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 2ish inch pieces

2 onions, quartered and then cut in half crosswise

For the marinade:

Combine lemon juice, soy sauce, peanut oil, ginger, sugar, chiles and turmeric in a large mixing bowl. Add the pork, toss to coat well. If using pork loin, you will have to marinate for about 4 hours. If using tenderloin, marinate for about 1 hour (even more attractive, right?).

Prepare the grill to a medium heat.

If using wooden skewers, make sure they soak in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent fire. I personally like metal because they can be used over and over again and there is never a chance of fire. Thread the pork, peppers and onions on the skewers - alternating each ingredient. Grill the kebabs for about 4 minutes per side.

NOTE: Ten years ago I spent about $12 on a digital meat thermometer. It has proved invaluable (and continues to provide service). It was purchased at a supermarket. It has no superior pedigree but has enabled me to cook meat to perfection. Do yourself a favor and buy one. Knowing the internal temperature of your meat is critical. For this dish and all pork tenderloin dishes, the internal temperature of the meat should be between 135-140 degrees. I know, I know ...we were all brought up to believe that it had to be 160 or we would die of trichinosis. Because of current health regulations, trichinosis has almost been completely eradicated and only about 6 people a year get it. Hey you standing there in Iowa! You have a better chance of being killed by a shark while standing in your living room than getting trichinosis! Please don't overcook your pork! The flavor and texture of the tenderloin can only truly be realized when it is a light pink color. I have been feeding pink pork to my kids since they were under a year old and nobody has gotten sick or died from it.

Okay, enough ranting. I really hope you try these kebabs, either the spicy way or the non-spicy way. They come together quickly, are very low in fat and are just absolutely a great way to showcase the amazing wonderfulness of pork tenderloin! Enjoy!

Not-So-Old-Fashioned Chicken Salad

While out on a bike ride this morning I started having summer flashbacks to my childhood. Do you remember those days? Spending all day on your bike, riding miles and miles around the neighborhoods with your friends...maybe to the town pool for a swim ($.50 to swim all day). Then at the end of the day coming home to the warm, inviting smells of homemade peach cobbler made with fresh summer peaches. The pitcher of cold, fresh-squeezed lemonade sitting on the table. Beautiful half-moons of bright yellow lemons bobbing in the pale golden liquid, condensation droplets rolling down the outside of the container.... Ahhh forget it, I didn't grow up in that house either. My lemonade came from little paper packets stamped with the words 'KOOL' and 'AID', and peach cobbler....never happened. Hey a girl can dream, right? What I do remember about summer is family vacation. Long, long, long camping trips. I'm still traumatized. The food I associate with long, long, long camping trips is boiled chicken stuck between two pieces of white bread with some mayonnaise and salt. The chicken was over-cooked and the bread was mush. I am embarrassed to admit this - especially here - but I can still taste those sandwiches and I kind of have fond memories of them. Please don't think less of me. Chicken salad was something I had probably heard about but the word 'salad' in general, was missing from our vocabulary. Chicken Salad ala Bosworth (it doesn't really have a name) is something else entirely. Like many of my created recipes, this one came about to get rid of stuff we had in the refrigerator. In place of chicken, I have substituted roasted or grilled pork tenderloin, steak and shrimp. Let me save you some time by saying the shrimp was pretty awful - don't waste your energy. My son Will used to request this chicken salad as his dinner every single night. He has moved to a more-conservative two or three times a week now, but still continues to ask for it. This chicken salad is so easy and refreshing. Grill or roast the chicken earlier in the day (or buy a rotisserie chicken from the super market) and assemble it whenever you get a minute. Simple!

Chicken Salad (feeds 6)

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into 1" pieces (or shredded)

1 1/2 cups grapes, cut in half

1/2 cup nuts (I LOVE salted cashews in this, but any kind of nut will work), chopped

6-8 scallions, sliced and chopped (can use entire scallion) - chopped onions also work

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp (or to taste) curry powder (optional)

Combine all ingredients. That's it.

I like the flavor of the curry powder, my husband and a couple of my kids do not.

This meal is a constant pack-n-take. Easy to make ahead of time and travels well. (My kids take it to school for lunch a lot too.)

Thumbs up all around!

Dutch Baby (German Pancake)

Several years ago the great Egg People of America (I don't know their real title) came up with the slogan 'the incredible, edible egg'. I loved and continue to love it! I still find myself humming the background music from time to time. Tell me you're not doing it right now. We all know eggs are evil, right? No. In fact, if your belief is that eggs are going to kill you, you should probably stand down from eating at my house. We love eggs. We eat them in every form and shape. I have four kids. Not one of them - from the cynic to the soft-hearted - failed to recognize me as a rock star when I showed them the magic morph that takes place when you combine egg whites and a high-speed mixer to create meringue. How about poaching? Want to impress your kids or spouse? Let them watch you slide this gelatinous, unappealingly quivering raw egg into gently boiling water. Wait a couple of minutes, turn your spoon a couple of time...and culinary sophisticated beauty will emerge from that pot. Your question should be 'what CAN'T I do with these eggs in my refrigerator?'.

Eggs, of course, can be eaten for any meal of the day. I/we love to have fun with breakfast here though. I am an early riser who awakes thinking of food. I have a friend who chants 'food is love' frequently. I share his belief. To welcome my family into the new day with smells of breakfast luring them out of bed, is one of my first joys of every morning. Eggs make all this possible. They are inexpensive, versatile and always present (in my house). The following recipe is so easy a six-year old can prepare it. Literally. My son gets up early with me most mornings so he's the sous chef here. For this particular recipe, he is the head chef. It is that easy. And wait until you see the results!

Dutch Baby (German Pancake)

3 large eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter
jarred caramel
strawberries

Prehead oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs. Add flour slowly and whisk until blended. Whisk in milk and salt.

In a large oven-proof skillet (a black cast iron skillet works well) over medium heat, melt butter. Pour batter into skillet and place the skillet in the oven.

Bake until the pancake is lightly browned and puffed, about 20 minutes.

Remove from oven. Loosen edges witha knife and turn out onto a plate.

Serve immediately.

We cut it like a pizza, added some chopped strawberries and drizzled warm caramel over the lot. Amazing! By doubling this recipe and making two pancakes, we had enough to feed six people. This is a must-try! So easy and so impressive!!

btw, this recipe is from The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

For the Love of Basil

Take a deep, smelling breathe. Now take another deep breathe imagining what summer smells like. Anyone smell basil? I'll admit that I probably have a more active and vivid imagination than most, but it's really not that hard for me to smell the basil. Basil, to me, is one of those pleasures that upon first smell you never forget. So distinct. So original. So basil. It doesn't smell like anything else. I asked one of my sons to describe the smell of basil. He simply said 'it smells like basil. Basil doesn't smell like anything but itself.' I have smelled other things that could be described as basil-smelling, but basil itself is unique. Having said that, basil also tastes like itself. I'm talking about sweet basil here, by the way. There are many different varieties of basil on the market now. All of them worth searching out. Back when I was a new gardener - 13 or 14 years ago - I had wanted to add basil to my gardening menagerie. Surprise! Which kind do you want to grow? I had only cooked and was familiar with sweet basil. Thai, cinnamon, lemon...you name it, the garden center had it. I bought a couple of different kinds. I remember looking at the beautiful purple basil in my flower boxes on my deck. I never did cook with it, but it looked really great. The lemon basil smelled like... well lemon and basil. I used it to enhance the flavor of fresh lemonade that summer. Throw a handful of the leaves in some sparkling water and you have another treat.

No, I'm not making pesto today, if that's what you were thinking. The reason for my fixation on basil is because the following pasta dish just isn't worth making without fresh basil. I think there are a number of basil dishes about which that can be said. I am the queen of improv. I will substitute one thing for something else on the fly frequently. There are some ingredients whose uniqueness can not be equalled however and that is a line I refuse to cross. This is one of those times. The following recipe has been tried with dried basil and without basil at all. I was met with pained expressions. This meal comes together quickly and is on our table regularly, so they know what it's SUPPOSED to taste like. Thank you Tastes of Italia magazine for this gem!

Farfalle with Tomatoes

1/2 pound farfalle pasta (any kind of pasta is fine although we do love the farfalle best)
4 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, sliced the thickness of a dime
3 cups chopped tomatoes (now fresh tomatoes are great, but I have made this dish with canned petite diced tomatoes more often than not simply because tomatoes - when out of season - have an inferior taste to those in the can)
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup pine nuts (because my family does not share my love of pine nuts, I usually eliminate them. I think they're great though and encourage you to try them in this dish)
Pinch of dried red chile flakes
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
4 oz soft goat cheese (I usually add about 6 or 7 oz)
Freshly ground pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook on low for 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, pine nuts (if using) and red chile flakes. Simmer 7 to 8 minutes. Add basil leaves and toss. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Drain the cooked pasta and transfer to serving bowl. Add the tomato mixture and the goat cheese. Toss well.

Season with freshly ground pepper and serve immediately.


As mentioned above, we LOVE this dish. It has been a faithful go-to meal for a couple of years now. I serve with it hard, crusty bread to sop up the juices.

Always, always 5 smiling sets of thumbs up!

The Great Chicken Caper

As I rose to consciousness this morning, there was one thing on my mind - capers. I could taste their vinegary/salty explosion as I bit down on an imaginary mouthful of them. Butter. Next came the butter. Capers and butter... I still hadn't opened my eyes. As a food-obsessed person, I frequently find myself either dreaming about or waking up with food somewhere in my thoughts. This most recent incident happened just a couple of minutes ago so it's still very fresh in my mind. So capers...and butter.... But there's more! Lemons! Oh how I love lemons! Capers and butter and lemons - oh my! Not much I could do at this point but rummage around for my favorite chicken piccata recipe to share with you. And share I will, but first a word (or two) about capers. Capers are the immature buds from a bush indigenous to the Middle East and Mediterranean regions. California has started producing them as well. The kind I favor are about the size and shape of peas. The buds are dried and brined in vinegar. If you've never had capers before, the first encounter is rarely love at first taste (at least it wasn't for me). My relationship with capers began...I'm not sure when. I do remember, however that it was not a quick-love process. It was more like meeting someone who was kind of interesting but not what you would call drop-dead gorgeous. Someone you didn't want to be with all the time but found yourself referring back to in the quiet moments of your day. There were many chance encounters before I found myself becoming the pursuer. And pursue I did. The way to a real man's heart - at least in the Italian section of Boston known as the North End - is to ask him to show you his capers. I became an expert on capers through the generosity and shared obsession of these Italian vendors. While you could take a trip to Boston to get the same education, you can also simply go to the supermarket and pick up a couple of bottles and taste-test them yourself. Straight out of the bottle is NOT the way to eat them. They are very salty and need to be rinsed first (I speak from experience). While waitressing, many years ago, I was asked by a patron to describe what capers tasted like. I did a passionate, animated wiggle to express my love - but no words came out. When words did finally erupt from my mouth, they came out in this order 'THEY TASTE LIKE AMAZINGLY GOOD, REALLY FLAVORFUL DIRT!' Yeah, I'm really sorry about that, caper industry. I really do love you, I just didn't know how to articulate it at the time. I will try to make amends by sharing the following recipe with everyone...

From a previous post, you will know that I am not a chicken lover. I don't really care at all about chicken. It's sort of like an edible spoon for me to eat sauces from. I have made many different versions of chicken piccata in my life, but this one by Giada De Laurentis is quick, easy and fairly flawless.

Yield: 4 servings

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

All-purpose flour, for dredging

6 tbsp unsalted butter

5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbsp of butter with 3 tbsp olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tbsp butter and add another 2 tbsp olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tbsp butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Wilted spinach and brown rice add nice texture and flavor to round out this meal. Chicken piccata is an elegant meal that can be made faster than hamburgers on the grill. Who knew?

5 happy sets of thumbs up!

Blooming Squash Blossoms

Hello all! Took a break from writing about food, but certainly not from cooking or eating. As of yesterday, we have a new obsession - fried squash blossoms! Zucchini has always been a favorite in our house. The squash blossoms of which I speak are the precursor to the zucchini vegetable. Anyone who has ever thrown a couple of squash seeds into the ground is familiar with the bright yellow flowers that announce the coming of the squash. For many years, the flowers were a source of joy for me because I knew that the plants were working. The Irish/Catholic in me always believes that I am doing everything wrong so the flowers were a nod from the universe that something had gone right. The versatile and much-loved zucchini would soon be showing up. While reading an article in La Cucina Italiana a few years ago, it was brought to my attention that the Italians not only harvest the squash, but the flowers as well. Closer examination and a bit of further research showed me that the flowers are then stuffed, fried and eaten. After procrastinating for a few years... yesterday arrived. With the arrival of yesterday came the arrival of 9 squash blossoms that appeared ripe for the picking. I researched recipes and proper handling of the flowers AFTER picking them, of course. I don't recommend this. I now know that the flowers that come off easily are the male flowers. Male flowers are fine to pick. They do not disrupt the natural flow of events with your squash production. The female flowers are more challenging to pull of. There is a reason for this. The reason being that right behind the female flower is the actual beginnings of the zucchini squash. Pick the flower and end the zucchini's life. I believe I killed five yesterday. I know better moving forward. Anyway...flowers in hand, I progressed to the kitchen. My kids and their friends made various comments about being 'forced' to endure the torture of trying yet another food experiment, this one involving the eating of flowers. I ignored them all. This experiment had been years in the making and I was going ahead with it. I am happy to report that the only negative comments I received upon completion of this food experiment were the ones asking why I hadn't planted more zucchini plants so that we could have more fried squash blossoms. Vengeance is mine, sayeth the mother!

You'll have to bear with me a little on this one. I sort of made this recipe up as I went according to what I had on hand, so the measurements are approximations... Also, squash blossoms are delicate so tread lightly.

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 medium sweet onion, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup queso fresco cheese (you can use any cheese that's a little salty)

5-6 basil leaves, ripped

male squash blossoms (or female if you don't mind losing the zucchini)

1 egg

2 tbsp water

2-3 tbsp flour

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

vegetable oil for frying

In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil over med-high heat. Saute the garlic and onion until golden - about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Combine queso fresco, onion/garlic mixture and basil (mash it up with your hands). Working carefully, clean the squash blossoms by swirling them in a bowl of clean water. Gently either rip the flower down one side or cut it with kitchen shears so that it lays flat and open on a cutting board surface. Depending on the size of the flower, use about 1 tsp of the cheese mixture. Place the cheese on the flower and roll the flower back to its original shape, around the cheese mixture. Continue until all flowers are filled in this manner.

Beat the egg and water together in a bowl.

Combine the flour and panko bread crumbs in a pie plate.

Heat about an inch of the vegetable oil in a large frying pan (I used a paella pan) over high heat until the surface shimmers.

Dip the squash blossom packets in the egg mixture and then dredge in the panko mixture. Immediately place the blossom into the oil. Allow to cook for about 2 minutes per side (or until they take on a golden brown color). Drain on paper towels. Cool for a couple of minutes. Indulge! So good!

Apparently these are usually served with some kind of marinara sauce for dipping, but we just ate them straight off the plate. My daughters forbid me from sharing any with their brothers so that they might each get more. The husband loved them also. Three happy, smiling, totally thumbs up family members!!!

Bacon Waffles -The Ultimate Breakfast

Everything tastes better with bacon. Amen. Waffles are great all the time. Amen. What happens when you combine the two? Absolute bliss. Bacon waffles are something I learned about from baker-extraordinaire, Gale Gand. When her Brunch book launched last year, I was fortunate enough to attend an intimate booksigning with her at the helm. I am not a baker. I am not a precision person. I like throwing a handful of this and a pinch of that into whatever I'm creating. Baking scares me. If the ingredients are not precise then the chemical magic will not happen. Too much pressure. I had seen Gale on TV and really wanted to see her in person, so I bought the book. What a delightful surprise this book has turned out to be. Every recipe works and every recipe is delicious! She is a girl after my own heart. Everything has butter and cream and fat and sugar in it. And, most importantly, she makes no apologies about it! Refreshing. Anyway, enough gushing....

Kathy's Bacon Waffles

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp sugar

2 lg eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup milk

4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

10 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled (she calls for 6. I like 10 better)

Maple syrup, for serving

Heat a waffle iron.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, milk, and melted butter. Stir the crumbled bacon into the wet ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients all at once with a wooden spoon until just combined. Don't overmix the batter; it should be lumpy.

For each waffle, pour 1/2 to 1 cup of the batter (or the amount recommended by the waffle-iron maker) onto the waffle iron; bake as directed by the manufacturer. Serve hot off the griddle, with the maple syrup.

If my kids had their way, we would be serving these three times a week. This is love at first taste! Enjoy!