Brown Sugar Dijon Glazed Pork Loin with Carrots, Apples and Sweet Potatoes - Valentines Day Meal

Ingredients: 3 lb. pork loin 1 lb carrots cut in strips 2 granny smith apples (optional) peeled, cored and sliced thickly
 2 sweet potatoes peeled and sliced lengthwise 2 tbsp olive oil 1/3 cup dark brown sugar (such as Wholesome Dark Brown Sugar) 1 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 tsp Italian seasoning (optional) 3 tbsp Dijon mustard (creamy and thick, such as Maille Dijon Mustard) 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon parsley (chopped, for decoration) Instructions: 1. Cut carrots and sweet potatoes lengthwise. Add them to the bowl, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and mix well. 2. Slice peeled apples – but place them in a different bowl to be added later (optional step). 3. Place pork loin with fat layer on top in the middle of the baking sheet. Surround it with oiled up carrots and sweet potatoes. Do not add brown sugar or apples yet. My picture shows apples, but I took them out of the pan and added them after 30 minutes in the oven. 4. Season the pork loin and vegetables with spices evenly: 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp Italian seasoning (optional). 5. Generously brush the entire surface of the pork loin (except bottom) with Dijon mustard - 3 tablespoons. If your pork loin is smaller, use less. 6. Press 1⁄2 cup of dark brown sugar into the mustard, all over the roast. 7. Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook at 375 degrees F. Take it out after 30 minutes and sprinkle 
the veggies with 1/3 cup of brown sugar. 8. Adding apples (optional step): Add sliced apples at this point. 9. Return the roast to the oven and continue cooking for about 20-30 more minutes or until the internal temperature hits between 145 (pink roast) to 155 degrees F (white roast) on a meat thermometer. The total cooking time for the roast of this size ends up being 50 minutes to 1 hour and that does not include resting time of 10 minutes! See below. 10. Important! Keep in mind that large cuts like this pork loin increase in temperature approximately 10° F. while resting. Which means that if you are aiming for 160 F, remove them from the heat at 150° F. followed by a 10 minute rest. 11. Let the roast rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving. Once again, remove it prior to desired target temperature to avoid the pork drying out. 12. The pork will continue "cooking" while resting. This will also allow the juices in the meat to settle down and stay in the meat when you slice it.

Pork Scaloppine

Damp, cool fall day.  It warmed up in the afternoon and it was lovely sitting in the living room with all the sunlight flooding the room.  We had the most beautiful moon and clear night sky last night.  Despite the chill, we stood out on our front porch and just gazed at the moon and the way the light flooded the yard with this eery blue glow.  It was incredibly beautiful and there are nights that are just as beautiful as the daylight can be.  We baked all day in preparation for the holidays.  Tim made a new pork recipe which was great.

Pork Scaloppine

4 medium sized pork chops
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon salt -packed capers, rinsed and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine

1. Season pork chops with salt and pepper, and dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan over medium - high heat, and then add 1 tablespoon butter and melt, swirling to coat bottom of pan.  Add pork chops in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until both sides are golden brown and pork is cooked through, about 4 minutes total.  Transfer to a serving platter and loosely cover with foil.  Repeat.  Add capers and herbs and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, just until fragrant, less then 30 seconds.  Add wine and cook until reduced by half.  Stir in remaining tablespoon of butter and pour sauce over pork.  

Pomegranate and Merlot Braised Pork Roast

I hate to see summer end since we haven't had much of a summer this year but I do love the cooler weather and less rain - it has also been such a wet summer.   Tim made the most amazing roast Saturday night.  Tim can be content to spend the entire day in the kitchen where as I have to be outside if at all possible. This was so incredible.

Pomegranate and Merlot Braised Pork Roast

4 lbs pork roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion diced
1Tbs each minced garlic and tomato paste
1 tsp each chopped fresh thyme, ground cinnamon and cumin
1/2 tsp allspice
1 bay leaf
1 cup each Merlot and pomegranate juice
2 Tbs. honey
1 cup chicken broth
6 carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbs chopped flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
Cooked couscous for serving

1. Season pork roast with salt and pepper.  In stovetop-safe insert of slow cooker over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs oil.  Working in 2 batches, brown pork roast on all sides, 7-8 minutes .  Transfer to platter.

2. Warm 1 Tbs oil in insert. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 7-8 minutes.  Add garlic, tomato paste, thyme, cinnamon, cumin, allspice and bay leaf; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.  Add wine and pomegranate juice; simmer for 5 minutes.  Add honey, broth, salt, pepper and lamb.

3. Transfer inset to slow-cooker base.  Cover; cook on high for 3 hours.  Add carrots; cook until pork is tender, about 1 hour more. Transfer pork and carrots to large serving platter.  Skim excess fat off sauce. Set insert over high heat; boil until thickened, about 10 minutes.  Stir in vinegar.  Pour sauce over pork. Sprinkle with parsley and pomegranate seeds.  Serve with couscous.

Spice Rubbed Pork Chops with Grilled Zucchini

Great easy recipe from Everyday Foods this weekend.  We had so much to do so it needed to be simple and flavorful.

SPICE RUBBED PORK CHOPS WITH GRILLED ZUCCHINI

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon light-brown sugar

1&1/2  teaspoons ground cumin

Coarse salt and pepper

4 bone-in pork loin chops (3 pounds total)

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for grilling

6 medium zucchini thinly sliced lengthwise

2 limes

1/2 cup crumbled feta ( 2 ounces)

1. In a large zip-top bag, combine coriander, brown sugar, cumin, and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper.  Add pork and 1 tablespoon oil and toss to coat.  Refrigerate at least 8 hours (or up to 1 day)

2. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high; clean and lightly oil hot grill.  Grill pork, covered, about 5 minutes per side for medium.  Let rest, covered, 10 minutes.  

3.  Clean and lightly oil hot grill.  Toss zucchini with 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.   Grill until tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side.  Grate 1 tablespoon lime zest, then cut limes into wedges.  Transfer half the zucchini to a serving plate and sprinkle with zest and feta.  Serve zucchini and pork with lime wedges.

Pork Roast with Carmelized Apples

PORK ROAST WITH APPLES

1 Pork roast ( 4 pounds)

Coarse salt and ground pepper

4 Gala or Fuji apples, halved

3/4 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay

1. Let pork sit at room temperature 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Season pork with salt and pepper.  In a large roasting pan, arrange apples, cut side down, in two rows in center of pan.  Place pork, fat side up, on top of apples.  Add wine and 1 cup water to pan.  Roast until pork is golden and an instant-read thermometer into center reads 145 degrees, 1 to 1 3/4 hours.  Transfer pork and apples to a platter.  Loosely tent pork with foil and let rest 30 minutes.  Cut roast into slices and serve with apples. 

Green Chile and Tomatilla Pork Stew

With such a quiet day, Tim decided to use up the bag of tomatillos that we picked from the garden the prior weekend with Pork shoulder.  The smell was unbelievable for four hours while it cooked.  Delicious.

Green Chile and Tomatillo Pork Stew

6 tomatillos, husked and quartered
3 jalapenos, split lengthwise seeds and ribs removed if you don't want a lot of heat
2 cups chicken stock plus more if needed
2 tablespoons grape seed oil
1 pork shoulder , picnic or fresh ham 3-5 pounds (depending how much you want to have left over)
3 medium white onions peeled and quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh cilantro, divided into small sprigs
1 cup toasted and salted pepitas
1 block queso fresco, crumbled
1 bottle hot sauce
Corn tortillas warmed

( We substituted a few things because we didn't have the supplies with the storm - we didn't have jalapenos and left them out, substituted pumpkin seeds for the pepitas, olive oil for the grape oil and feta cheese for the queso fresco).

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Combine tomatillos, jalapenos and1/4 cup of chicken stock in a saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the tomatillo begins to break down and get soft.  Remove from heat.
3. Heat a large, oven-safe Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add grape seed oil.  Add pork to hot pan and brown well on all sides.  Remove pork from pan and pour off most of the oil and fat.  Reserve some fat in pan.
4. Add tomatillo, jalapeno, onion and garlic to food processor and puree until smooth. Return pork pan to medium heat and add puree to the reserved fat in pan.  Add cumin and salt and heat through.
5. Add the rest of chicken stock into pot with puree and stir to combine.
6. Nestle pork back in to the pot of puree and stock.  The pork should be covered about 3/4 of the way.  Add more stock if needed.  Cover and put in preheated oven for about 3-4 hours until pork is tender and falling apart.  Turn the pork at least once halfway through the cook time. Using two forks, shred the pork a bit and mix it through the sauce to get the flavor incorporated into all the pork.  Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
7. Serve pork stew right out of the pot and top with garnishes (cilantro, queso fresco, pepitas and hot sauce).  Serve heated corn tortillas on the side for dipping and scooping.

It was a great stew!  Very flavorful.

Soy/Ginger Marinated Pork Chops and Herb/Scallion Rice

Despite the rainy day, Tim and I  did manage a grocery run - God forbid we should miss a meal!   Tim made dinner and I made dessert.  The marinade for the pork chops was out of this world.

SOY AND GINGER MARINATED PORK CHOPS

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 scallion, finely chopped
Freshly ground pepper
4 bone-in pork chops (8 ounces each; 3/4 inch thick)
garnish: 1 scallion, thinly sliced.

1. Whisk together soy sauce, 3 tablespoons oil, the ginger, sugar, chopped scallion, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2. Arrange pork chops in a 9-by-13 inch nonreactive baking dish.  Reserve 3 tablespoons marinade, and pour remainder over pork chops.  Marinate, cover with plastic wrap, flipping chops halfway through, for 45 minutes.
3. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Remove pork chops from marinade, and sear for 3&1/2 to 4 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium.  Flip chops, and sear until just cooked through.  3&1/2 to 4 minutes more.  Transfer chops to a board or platter. Let rest for 5 minutes.
4. Add reserved 3 tablespoons marinade to skillet.  Simmer over medium heat until thickened, about 30 seconds.  Spoon sauce over chops. Garnish with thinly sliced scallion.


HERB AND SCALLION RICE

1&2/3 cups water
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro
1/4 cup packed fresh mint
2 scallions, chopped
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup jasmine rice
Coarse salt

1. Puree water, cilantro, mint, scallions, and garlic in a blender until smooth.
2. Heat oil in a small saucepan over high heat.  Add rice, and stir to coat.  Cook until slightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add herb puree and 1 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, and cook, covered, for 20 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Best Pork Roast Ever - Pork Roast with Caramelized Parsnips

This is a new recipe that Tim tried this weekend - it was delicious.  The rub for the pork seasoning was especially good.  Loved it!

Pork Roast with Caramelized Parsnips

Coarse Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary plus one sprig for decoration.
1 boneless pork loin roast (2&1/2 pounds), tied with kitchen twine.
1&1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into 3-by-1 inch pieces (1/2 inch thick)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Coarsely grind 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, the fennel seeds, orange zest, and chopped rosemary in a mini chopper or a spice grinder.  Rub spice mixture all over pork, and insert rosemary sprig under twine. Transfer to a large, heavy oven-proof skillet ( preferably cast iron) or a roasting pan.

2. Roast pork for 20 minutes. Toss parsnips with oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt; arrange around pork.  Roast for 20 minutes.  Stir parsnips. Roast until an instant -read thermometer inserted into the center of pork reaches 140 degrees, about 15 minutes more. Transfer pork and parsnips to platter, and let pork rest for 10 minutes before untying and slicing.  ( If parsnips are not uniformly golden, return to oven for 5 minutes while pork rests.)

Pork and Snap Pea Kebabs with Ginger-Hoisin Glaze

Pork and Snap Pea Kebabs with Ginger-Hoisin Glaze

We broke out the grill for the first time this summer and tried a new kebab recipe - the grilled snap peas are now my favorite!

1. Heat a grill to medium. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. In a small bowl stir together 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Add finely grated peeled fresh ginger ( from a 1 inch piece) and rice vinegar.

2. Alternately thread 1 pork tenderloin ( about 3/4 pound) cut into 3/4 inch slices, 5 scallions, cut into 2 inch pieces and 1/2 pound snap peas, trimmed, onto four 8 inch skewers. Grill, turning occasionally until pork is cooked through and vegetables are charred about 9 minutes. Brush kebabs with Hoisin mixture and cook 1 minute more turning once, until mixture begins to bubble.