Pork with Sweet Red Peppers (Szechwan) Tián jiāo ròu sī 甜椒肉丝

As I have stated in the past, one of my favorite food type is Chinese, especially dishes that represent their "Gourmet" style. Here's one of my favorites, and yes it is hot, but not intense.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 lb lean pork
3 Red peppers, medium (or 1-1/2 large )
2 red chili peppers
1 Tbs. sherry
1 tsp. Szechwan chili sauce**
2 tsp. corn starch dissolved in 4 tsp. of water

SPICES:
1 slice ginger
1 each scallions
1 clove garlic

SAUCE:
2 Tbs. brown bean sauce
1 tsp. soy sauce dbl. black
2 Tbs. chicken stock
2 Tbs. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

MARINADE:
1 Tbs. water chestnut powder
1 each egg white
1 tsp. sherry
1 tsp. sesame oil

PREPARATION:
Clean the pork, removing all the fat. Cut it into 1/8" thin slices using the "flying fingers" technique and then into 3/8" x 2" strips.

Marinade; separate the egg, combine with the water chestnut powder, sesame oil, and sherry. Mix with a fork, then add to the pork, mixing with your fingers to evenly distribute. Set aside to marinate for 2 hrs.
Spices; Peel the ginger, crush it with the flat side of the cleaver and mince. Clean the scallions, removing the old green and crush them also and chop into pieces, combine with the ginger. Clean the garlic and mince.
Rinse the peppers, cut them in half, and remove the seeds, core, and white pulp. Cut them into 3/8" by 2" strips. Set aside to drain. Rinse the chili peppers, remove the core and seeds then, and cut them into 1/4" rings.
Mix the Sauce ingredients. Measure out the Szechwan chili sauce .

COOKING:

Set wok over high heat, when the rim is hot to the touch add 4 Tbsp peanut oil and let heat. Add the pork to the hot oil, moving the pieces around with a pair of cooking chopsticks to separate them and expose them to the hot oil. Continue frying for 30 sec. until they turn thoroughly gray. Remove with a strainer leaving the oil, and let drain 'till needed.

Clean the wok, then re-heat the wok hot over a high flame, (add 1 Tbs. of peanut oil and bring just 'till smoke.) Add the Spices and S/F for 15 sec. followed by the Szechwan chili sauce.

Add the red chili peppers followed by the red peppers, continue to S/F for 2 min. Add the pork, then the sherry followed by the Sauce. S/F over high heat for 45 sec. Add the corn starch/water mix. Allow to thicken for a min. or so. Scoop out to a serving dish and serve.

** Sold in Chinese Grocery stores in a Black can titled "Szechwan Chili Sauce" with a picture on it also available on Amazon.com

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

A pork tenderloin is a wonderful cut of meat and is quite versatile. Combining it with a lemon, Soy sauce and wine vinegar marinade and the grilling yields a juicy, tender meal.

INGREDIENTS:

1 to 1-1/4 pound pork tenderloin

Marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce*
3/4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/3 Tbsp dry mustard
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2/3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/3 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 clove garlic
2/3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Rosemary sprigs or parsley for garnish

PREPARATION:

Remove any waste and excess fat from the tenderloin, wash is cold water and pat dry. Peel the garlic and squeeze through a press. Grind the parsley and pepper in a spice mill. Then combine all the marinade ingredients and whisk well. Pour 1/2 the marinade into a zippered bag, add the pork tenderloin and the remainder of the marinade. Seal the bag and message so that all sides of the pork are completely cover with the marinade. Marinade for 8-10 hours in the refrigerator. Turn every couple of hours.

Fill your chimney starter about ½ full and set it ablaze about 15 min. before grilling.

GRILLING:

When the coals are ready, dump them in the grill and replace the grids. Wait a few minutes for the grids to heat, Then oil the grids with olive oil.

Grill the pork tenderloin close to the coals for about 3-4 minutes on each of its four sides. Close the grill cover between each turning. Continue grilling with the cover closed until the internal temperature is about 150 to 155 degrees. F.

Remove from the grill to a platter, tent with foil, and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish and serve.

* If you don't use the reduced sodium Soy, the roast will turn out salty!

Adapted from: Rocky and Jolyn B. who got the recipe from Elizabeth R.

Crown Roast of Pork with Apple Stuffing

Christmas dinner this year was a Crown Pork roast. We don't make it very often because it's a lot of food for two people. We had the butcher make up the smallest roast he could, it ended up with 10 ribs and about 7-½ pounds. For this meal I started with a recipe from Gourmet back in 2005, but changed a lot to suit our taste. I hope you enjoy this roast and the Sweet Oranges with Kumquats from "Farmhouse" with it.

INGREDIENTS:

For stuffing

3/4 lb lean ground pork
1 large Shallot
½ apple
½ stick butter
3 Tbsp Bells' Poultry Seasoning
1 tsp black pepper
½ lb fresh Pullman loaf, pain de mie, or country loaf
1 rib finely chopped celery
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

For roast
7 to 8 lb Crown pork roast, rib ends frenched.
1 tsp dry sage
1 tsp marjoram or thyme
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups water
Farmhouse Oranges and Kumquats

For sauce
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp cold butter

PREPARATION:

Stuffing:
Peel the shallot and chop finely. Dice the bread into 1-inch cubes. Clean, wash and dice the celery into ¼" pieces. Wash, peel and dice the apple ½" cubes.

Set a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, when the rim is hot add 1/2 stick butter, melt then add the shallot and celery, cook stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the ground pork, continuing to cook, stirring frequently, until the pork is no longer pink, about 10 minutes more. Add the Bells', apple and pepper mix well, cook and stir 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of chicken broth bring to a boil, add the bread crumbs stirring occasionally, until the stuffing thickens and the liquid absorbs, then remove from heat. If the stuffing is too juicy, add more bread cubes, too dry add more chicken broth.
The roast:

Roast:
Add the sage, marjoram and pepper to a small mill and grind together. Pat the roast dry with paper towels and lightly spray it with an olive oil mist, then sprinkle the spices over outside and bottom of roast.

Put roast in a small flameproof roasting pan cover the rib tips with foil to keep from burning. Add water to pan.

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.

COOKING:

Roast pork in lower third of oven for 2 hours at 350°F. If pan becomes dry add a little water.

Remove the roast and mound stuffing loosely in center, cover the stuffing and tips of ribs with a sheet of foil. Return the roast to the oven for 30 minutes. Then place the remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish cover with foil and put it in the oven with the roast. Continue roasting until thermometer inserted 2 inches into center of meat (do not touch bones) registers 155-160°F about 2 1/2 to 3 hours total.

Remove the roast when it is done. Take the foil off the remaining stuffing and bake for another 15 min. until top browns just a little.

Transfer pork to a platter and let stand 20 minutes. While it stands, garnish with kale leaves decorated with Farmhouse Oranges and Kumquats in sweet syrup.

Optional sauce (while pork stands:)

Put the roasting pan one a burner, then add wine to pan and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Add broth, pan juices, and any juices on platter from roast and bring to a simmer. Re-stir cornstarch mixture and add to pan, whisking, then simmer 2 minutes. Add butter and swirl pan until incorporated. Season with pepper.
Serve the pork roast with stuffing and sauce and carve at the table.

Adapted from: Gourmet December 2005

Blackened Grilled Pork Chops

Grilling Pork Chops has long been a quest for me. We buy only untreated pork (None of the additives called tenderizers - all natural) so the pork must be done properly and steps taken to keep it juicy and tender. Both my wife and I were pleased with the results. My preparation is not from any published recipe, but rather an amalgamation of tastes and spices. The flavor is not of your typical pork, so expect unusual.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Pork Chops about 3/4 " thick
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh Thyme or (2 tsp dry)
1 small shallot
1 Tbsp of Honey
Pepper to taste
Sprig of thyme or sage for garnish

PREPARATION:

Peel the shallot and mince. Wash the thyme shaking off excess water, strip the leaves and chop finely.

Add the vinegar, thyme, shallot, honey and pepper to a small bowl and mix well. Add the in the olive oil and blend in with a whisk.

Wash the chops, de-bone and remove excess fat, leaving a small cap. Grind a little black pepper onto both sides of the chops. Put the pork chops in a resalable bag and add the marinade. Massage the bag to cover the chops. Let them marinate at least 4 hour, longer if you can.

Fill your chimney starter about ¼ full and set it ablaze. (3 ½ to 4 scoops)

Just before the charcoal is ready, remove the chops from the marinade and pour it into a metal handled sauce pan and bring to a slow boil over medium heat. (Can be put on the grill to heat)*

GRILLING:

When the coals are ready, dump them into the grill and let the grids heat for a few minutes. Oil the grids with olive oil to reduce sticking.

Grill the pork chops close to the coals (Don't disturber them), tuning after 6 min. and continue to grill until the internal temperature is 155 to 160 deg. Depending on the thickness this will take about 12-15 minutes total. DO NOT OVERCOOK as they will get tough! We are looking for a slight blush of pink in the center. The sauce may also be used to baste the chops while grilling.

Serve the simmering marinade as a "dipping" sauce along with the chops. Garnish with a sprig of Thyme or Sage.

*Sauce must reach 145 to 150 deg. to kill any bacteria from the meat. Reaching a boil insures that.

Juicy Roast Pork with Vegetables

For this recipe, we used a pork tenderloin, but caution you to use only all natural pork. Avoid the "Tenderized" verity as the "stuff" that's added changes the flavor and just plain isn't good for you. Also my preference is for fresh carrots as the sanded "baby" ones tend to be tough, flavorless and woody.

I think you will find this a very tender, juicy way to roast pork.
 
INGREDIENTS:

1 to 1-1/4 lb Pork roast Loin or tenderloin
1 med. shallot
1/2 lb fresh carrots (not baby!)
10 baby red potatoes (B size)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1/8 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
7 ounces chicken broth (low sodium)
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp cornstarch

PREPARATION:

Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Wash and halve the baby potatoes. Peel and wash the carrots, then cut into 1-1/2" lengths on the diagonal. Wash the pork roast removing most of the fat.

Make several crosswise cuts about 1" deep across the roast . Insert slices of shallot into each cut, save the leftover shallots. Combine all the spices except the bay leaf in a small bowl mixing well. Mix the water and cornstarch blending until smooth

Place roast in ovenproof Dutch oven pouring the broth around it. Spread spices evenly over the roast. Place remaining shallots, carrots, potatoes and bay leaf around roast.

COOKING:

Cover bake at 325°F for 2 1/4 hours. Remove the roast to a cutting board, cover with a foil tent, while making the gravy. Remove the vegetables to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

Gravy: Bring pan juices to boil; boil 10-12 minutes or till reduced to half.

Discard bay leaf. Add the cornstarch mix to the pan. Continue cooking and stirring until the gravy thickens.

Slice the roast into 3/4" slices and arrange on a serving platter, surround with the vegetables. Pour the gravy over and garnish with parsley sprigs.

Adapted from a recipe by ShaGun on April 05, 2005

Greek Pork Kabobs (Souvlaki)

We haven’t done any grilling for a while so a visit to Greece for some Souvlaki would be a welcome change. While traditionalists use lamb, I thought pork would be tasty prepared as Kabobs.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound boneless pork tenderloin
2 tsp fresh oregano
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 garlic clove
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2-1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
Small Shallots
Sweet red Peppers
Cherry tomatoes or Small wild mushrooms

PREPARATION:

Wash and clean the pork removing fat and grizzle, cut into 1-¼ inch cubes. Set aside. Wash the thyme and oregano, shaking off the water. Strip the leaves and chop finely. Peel the garlic and press it into a medium bowl. Juice the lemon and add it to the bowl along with the herbs. Grind in the pepper and add the oil and wine. Whisk together and reserve 1/3 for basting. Add the pork cubes to the marinade and mix together well, ensuring the meat is well and evenly coated. Marinate the meat for at least two hours, overnight is even better.

Soak wood skewers for at least half an hour before using; or use metal skewers. Wash the peppers and cut into 1-½ inch squares. Peel the shallots, cut in half vertically if they are larger. Wash either the tomatoes or mushrooms. (I used an ice pick to pierce both the shallots and mushrooms prior to squiring them)

Remove the meat from the marinade, and discard. Make up the kabobs by alternating piece of meat and vegetable.

Set the charcoal in a chimney starter about 20 min. before grilling

GRILLING:

When ready dump the coals into the grill, replace the grids. Let them heat for a few minutes and oil them with olive oil. Place the kebabs on the grill directly over the heat.

Turn them over regularly throughout the cooking time. Brush with the reserved marinade that hasn't been in contact with the raw meat.

They should be done in 15 to 20 minutes total. 160 deg. on an instant read thermometer.

Garnish with tips of fresh oregano.

Eggplant with Chopped Pork (hong shao qiez) or (Szechuan Eggplant)

Well it’s time to continue out tour. This time we travel to the far off Province of Szechwan, China to sample a dish not unlike MaPo Tufo, but made with the delicately flavored Chinese eggplant. This dish has been around for hundreds of years in one form or another.
My presentation is as close to the original as possible seeing as I don’t read Chinese. The eggplants should be selected clear of blemishes and in the 14 to 16” length range and around 2” in diameter. They will be the most seedless and tender.

The practice “Mise en Place” is appropriate and necessary. You will need the ingredients prepared and in small cups ready to cook as the recipe goes along quite rapidly.

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 pound eggplants, long, thin only*
½ pound ground Pork
8 scallions
8 cloves garlic
4 slices ginger
2 Tbsp Szechwan chili sauce*
1 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
2/3 cup chicken Broth

Marinade
3 Tbsp soy sauce, double black*
1 tsp sherry
1 Tbsp sesame oil

PREPARATION:

Wash and clean the scallions removing the outer casing and any green part that is old; Chop into pieces about 1/8" across, reserving half.

Mix the ground pork, soy sauce, sherry, half the scallions and sesame oil thoroughly with your hands and set aside to marinate for 10 min.

Rinse and peel the eggplants and cut them into strips 1" x 1/2"x 3" long.
Clean the garlic and the ginger. Mince separately into tiny pieces.
Combine the sugar and salt.
Measure out the remaining ingredients.

COOKING:

Heat the wok over high heat 20 sec. and add 4 Tbsp of peanut oil. Heat until a slight bit of smoke appears from the oil. Add the ginger stir-fry 30 sec. followed by the garlic stir-fry, but do not let the garlic brown. Add the Szechwan chili sauce and stir-fry for about 30 sec. (You may gasp for air here)

Add the chopped pork mix and cook for about 2 min. breaking the bits apart with the wok chuan and stir-fry until thoroughly gray.

Add the eggplant and stir-fry for 4 min. over a high heat. Add the sugar/salt and continue to stir-fry for another 2 min. Add the 2/3 cups of broth and reserved scallions stir to mix. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for about 15 min. to allow it to absorb the flavor.

Scoop out to a serving dish and arrange neatly.
*Available at a Chinese Market

I adapted this recipe from one of the small paperbacks found in Chinatown, N.Y.C. many years ago.

Pork Tenderloin encrusted with Rosemary and Capers

Pork Tenderloin is always an enjoyable cut, but roasting it with crushed capers and rosemary adds a nice tweak to the flavor.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Pork Tenderloin ¾ to 1 lb.
2 tsp. Capers
2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon juice
Pinch Black Pepper, fresh ground
1 tsp fresh Rosemary
1/3 cup water
PREPARATION:

Wash the pork tenderloin and trim all fat. Pat dry and set aside.

Crush the capers with a fork. Wash, shake off water and strip the rosemary leaves, chop and combine with the ground black pepper in a prep bowl. Rub the mixture all over the pork and place the tenderloin in a shallow roasting pan
Add the water to pan. Pour lemon juice over tenderloin. Try not to dislodge the herbs/spices.

Preheat oven to 350°F

COOKING:

Bake in a 350 deg oven, uncovered, for about 30-45 min or until the meat thermometer registers 155 deg on an instant read thermometer. Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil tent and allow it to rest for about 10 min. Slice into 1 to1-1/2” slices and arrange on a serving dish. Garnish with fresh Rosemary sprigs.