Roast Pork with Herbes de Provence, Apples and Cider

This recipe is very loosely based around a Roast Pork and Cider recipe from the Brittany region of France, found in 'The World of Food: Provincial France' by Monique Guillaume.

I used a 1.1 lb pork tenderloin. Start by brining it in 5 cups of water and 3 tbsp salt. I left it in the brine for about 2 hrs (longer would have been better; overnight ideal), and then dried it off, cleaned it (removing the whitish 'silverskin' and most of the fat) and sprinkled it generously with salt, pepper and dried Herbes de Provence (a blend from the south of France, typically: basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme).

Take 3 large apples, remove the cores and cut each into 6 segments. Use these to line the bottom of a small (8x11 inch) roasting pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 F and put a large pan (large enough to hold the whole tenderloin) on medium heat. Once hot, add a little oil to the pan, swirl it around and place the tenderloin in the pan. Leave it in long enough to sear (brown) the side in contact with the pan, then turn to sear the next 'side'. This took two turns for my tenderloin to sear 3 sides. Once seared all around, remove from the pan. Add 1.5 cups apple cider to the pan, and stir to dissolve any browned pieces on the bottom. Boil the cider for about 5 minutes, and then pour it over the apples in the roasting pan. Place the tenderloin on top of the apples and put the pan in the oven. Roast for 30 minutes, then check for doneness, and roast longer if necessary. My 1.1 lb tenderloin took 40 minutes to reach well-done.

Once the pork is done, let it rest for about 10 minutes (remove from the roasting pan and set on a plate, covered loosely with foil). The resting allows the juices to distribute evenly through the meat, reducing the amount lost when you slice it.

I served the pork with garlic roasted potatoes and sauteed brussels sprouts. I drained the cider from the bottom of the roasting pan and boiled it for about 5 minutes on high to reduce it, then swirled in about 1/2 tbsp of butter. This was then used to sauce the dish. It was enough food for 2 adults and a small child.

Garlic Roasted Potatoes - wash your potatoes (I figure one good-sized potato per person) and cut into 1 inch pieces. Toss with a generous slug of olive oil, some salt and pepper and a garlic clove (crushed and cut into small pieces). Pour everything into a small roasting dish (or onto a baking tray), and roast until tender (30-45 minutes).

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts - remove the bottom of the stem of each sprout. Remove and discard the outer darker green leaves. Cut in half lengthwise, and drop into boiling salted water. Allow to boil 5 minutes, then drain. Drop into a preheated pan with butter and a little seasoning. Saute until lightly browned.

Note #1: Brining the pork is not necessary, but it is recommended. It will give you juicier results.

Note #2: I used apple cider for this recipe. Hard (alcoholic) cider could be substituted if desired.

Note #3: I used red delicious apples. They were red but not so delicious.
I would recommend a more tart apple (e.g. Granny Smith) or maybe pears instead.

Note #4: Metric info: 1.1 lb = 500g; 1.5 cups = 350ml.

Pancakes

Today, by special request, pancakes!

It is preferable to weigh the flour (because even the same batch of flour can give you different volume measurements for the same weight), but I have provided a volume equivalent for those without scales.

Start by measuring 10 floz of milk, cracking and beating 1 egg and putting 1.5 oz (3 tbsp) butter in a pan over low heat to melt. I use the pan which I will be using to cook the pancakes (a large skillet). This accomplishes the additional task of greasing the pan. Allowing the milk and egg to come to room temperature will help with the mixing.

Next, measure 8 oz all-purpose flour (1.5 cups) into a large bowl. Add 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix these dry ingredients together.

Now mix the wet ingredients - melted butter, milk and egg. Then stir the wet gently into the dry. Lumps are OK - do not over-mix. Allow the mixture to sit for 10-15 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate.

Now the mix is ready to use. Ladle out 1/4 cup (2 floz) portions into a preheated greased non-stick skillet (or onto a hot griddle). Medium heat usually works well.

Cook pancakes until the tops become quite bubbly and the bottoms are a light brown. Flip with a spatula and cook the second side until also light brown. Remove to a plate. Eat with Vermont maple syrup!

This recipe makes approximately 8 pancakes (I didn't measure the portions, hence the approximation).

Note 1 - There are endless variations to this recipe. You can replace part of the flour (I would suggest 2 oz) with a different type of flour (e.g. whole grain) for a different texture. You can also add fruit (bananas and blueberries are favorites in my house) or chocolate chips - just push into the tops while you are cooking the first side. You can also substitute buttermilk for half of the milk for a more tangy flavor.

Note 2 - Metric Info: 10 floz = 300 ml; 2 floz = 60 ml; 8 oz = 225g; 2 oz = 55g.

This recipe is adapted from one in 'The Good Housekeeping Cookbook' of the same name.

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is like a kind of Middle Eastern panzanella. It is a bulghur wheat salad with tomatoes and herbs, and I have been thinking about it for weeks. Time to make it...
Bulghur is a kind of broken wheat grain, and doesn't have to be boiled like most grains. Just boil some water in a kettle, pour it over 1 cup of bulghur in a heat-safe bowl, add a little salt, cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes (like you would cook couscous). Drain, cover with cold water to cool and drain again.
Dice 3 ripe tomatoes (slice, cut into strips and then across into cubes). Add to the drained bulghur with the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 small garlic clove, chopped, 1 shallot, minced, 1 bunch parsley, chopped, a small bunch of mint, chopped, and salt and pepper to taste. Add a slug of olive oil, and mix well. Enjoy!

Postscript - We just ate the best tabbouleh ever at Pete's Place in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Their tabbouleh had no garlic or shallot, and way way less bulghur than mine (also less tomato) - it was almost entirely parsley, with some scallions, lemon, tomato and bulghur. I am thinking that it was a lot more authentic. So the next time I'll be changing things a little...

Hummus

Had a craving for hummus yesterday. We had some naan bread (not exactly a traditional accompaniment - pita would have been more authentic, but I'd eat hummus off any kind of bread...) sitting around, and some dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans) in the cupboard. So I soaked the chickpeas (about 5 oz) in cold water overnight in the fridge (cover with twice their volume of water). This morning I drained them, then simmered them in salted water until tender (I didn't time them, but it took at least 45 minutes). I then cooled them in cold water, and drained them again.

The cooked chickpeas went into the food processor with the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 small garlic clove, crushed, and 1.5 tbsp tahini (like a sesame seed version of peanut butter). Add a little salt and pepper, and a splash of water. Run the motor until the ingredients begin to form a smooth paste. Add a tiny bit more water if needed, but it should be thick and not entirely smooth at this point. Remove from the mixer bowl and, by hand, stir in about 1/4 cup olive oil (preferably extra-virgin). Mix until it reaches a spreadable consistency, adding more oil if desired. Then taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper (and lemon juice, if you wish). The hummus is now ready to spread on toasted flatbread. Enjoy!

Note 1 - Do not be tempted to use the food processor to mix in the olive oil as it tends to make it taste bitter. This is why it is preferable to stir it in at the end.

Note 2- Canned chickpeas can be substituted for cooked - treat them just the same. You can use one 14 oz can, drained.

Note 3 - Metric Info: 5 oz = 140g; 1/4 cup = 60ml; 14 oz = 400g.

Lobster and Shrimp Stock

I make this stock every time I boil lobsters. I save shrimp shells in the freezer when I cook shrimp (do not keep for too long, and smell them before using them as they can go bad in there), and use them to augment the stock.
When you boil lobsters, save the shells and the water used to boil them.
In a hot pan, with a little oil, 'toast' the lobster and shrimp shells (try to add the shrimp shells as dry as you can) until all of the shrimp shells change color. Add mirepoix (rough chopped celery, carrots and onions) and sauté (cook over medium-high heat) until softened. Add some tomato paste, and sauté until rust-colored. Add the water in which you boiled your lobsters - enough to just cover the shells. Bring it slowly to a simmer. Simmer 45 minutes. Strain through your finest strainer and/or cheesecloth.
Lobster stock is great in seafood risottos, stews and soups. It can be made with all lobster shells or all shrimp shells (which would obviously be a shrimp stock; this will be milder in flavor). If no lobster cooking water is available, use water. When used, your stock will need to be seasoned. Taste as you go...

Braised Lamb Shanks

We made this at work yesterday. Braising is one of the easiest ways to cook - just a few simple steps, then set it and forget it. It is an awesome technique for any meat that requires long low and slow cooking - the kind that would be tough if you just roasted it.
Anyway, the steps for a basic braise are:

1. Season (heavily, with salt and pepper) and sear the meat over a high heat - this is best done in the pan in which you will be braising the meat. Get the pan hot. Add a little oil and then the meat. Do not crowd the pan and do not move the meat until it is well browned. At that point, roll it to brown the other sides. Once the meat is browned, remove it from the pan and set aside.
2. Turn the heat down to medium, pour off most of the fat in the pan (discard) and add vegetables. The usual suspects are carrots, celery and onion (in a 1:1:2 ratio), cut into a 'dice' - good sized cubes, no need for accurate cutting here - the culinary term for this mix is 'mirepoix'. Cook the vegetables in the oil until browned.
3. Add a small amount of liquid to the pan and scrape the bottom while heating - this is called 'deglazing'. Most often the liquid is wine, but water or stock could also be used. Deglazing removes and dissolves the brown stuff on the bottom of the pan (culinary term: fond), which improves the flavor of the braising liquid and ultimately your meat.
4. Return the meat to the pan, then add more liquid (to just cover the meat) and suitable flavorings. This liquid could be stock water, wine or beer, and the flavorings usually include herbs and spices. Bring the braising liquid to a simmer. Cover and either keep on a very low heat on the stovetop, or (if your pan is oven-safe) place in a 300-325F oven.
5. Allow the braise to simmer until the meat is tender and falls away from the bone. The amount of time depends on the type and size of the meat, and usually is in the region of 1.5-4 hours.

So, returning to the lamb shanks. I usually deglaze with red wine, and then add lamb stock or the liquid from the last braise (if you have either - at work we braised several batches so we were able to reuse the braising liquid for the second batch), or water. For flavorings, I like to use lemon zest, black peppercorns (whole) and rosemary, and a bay leaf. I also add salt to my braising liquid (if you intend to reduce it later, be very sparing with the salt). I prefer to braise in the oven (it maintains a low simmer more effectively - boiling is bad for a braise), and I start checking the shanks after 3 hours.

Once your lamb shanks are braised, you can serve them over a suitable starch. Mashed potatoes are simple and soak up the braising liquid nicely. You can either serve the braising liquid as it is (but be aware - it will be fatty!), or you can thicken it a little (e.g. with roux - melt some butter in a pan, add an equal volume of flour and cook, stirring, until it turns light brown. Add to the sauce over the heat and stir with a whisk while bringing to a simmer. Simmer a few min.). The other option, if you are able to cook them the day before, is to remove the shanks from the braising liquid when done, strain the vegetables from the liquid (use your finest strainer), allow it to cool at room temperature for an hour or so, then chill it in the refrigerator. The next day, you'll be able to scrape the fat off the top of the braising liquid (this can be discarded). Reserve some of the liquid to reheat the shanks in (enough to cover them in a small pan), and reduce the rest - that is, bring to a boil and allow to boil until enough water evaporates so that it thickens a little. Taste and season carefully if necessary. Reheat the shanks gently in the reserved braising liquid and serve over the mashers with the reduced sauce.

The general technique for braising can be used for other meats. When I cook beef short ribs, I use mirepoix, red wine, beef stock, bay leaf, black peppercorns, coriander seeds and thyme as a base and braise for 4 hrs. Other examples of braises are Coq au Vin, Irish Beef Stew and Beef Burgundy.

Baked Cheesecake

Today, cheesecake. We had a lot of cream cheese sitting around in the refrigerator from a Christmas cookie making bonanza (we baked all night, 5 different cookies, several batches of each, but that's another story...), so why not?
I started yesterday. First, I greased a 9 inch springform pan (I used Pam, but butter would have been preferable - I find that I can taste the Pam in the crust), and preheated the oven to 350 F. Next, I took 8 oz of 'digestive biscuits' (a popular English cookie; graham crackers can be substituted), broke them between my fingers into my food processor, then pulsed until they resembled breadcrumbs. Meanwhile, I melted 2 oz of unsalted butter (this was all I had - I would have used more if I had it!) in a pan. I then combined the crumbs with the butter (if using more butter, do not add it all at once - you may not need it all), and pressed them into the prepared pan, covering the bottom and coming most of the way up the sides.
Then I made the filling. I beat 32 oz cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth. I then added 1 tbsp of vanilla extract and about 1/3 cup of Bailey's and mixed again. I cracked 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks, and added them together, mixing just until combined. I then poured the 'batter' into the pan, and placed the pan in the middle of the oven. My cheesecake took about 55 minutes to bake. Check after 40 minutes, then occasionally, depending on how close it is. You are looking for the middle to be just set.
Once out of the oven, I allowed the cake to cool to room temperature, then wrapped it and chilled it in the refrigerator overnight. Tonight, I removed the wrap and the sides of the springform pan, leaving the cheesecake on the base, ready to slice and serve.
The cake sank quite a bit as it cooled, and it cracked in the middle. It was dense and rich, but I liked it.
Next time, I would like to use butter to grease the pan, and slightly more butter in the crust (although this crust came out well - delicate and not too thick). I need to figure out how to avoid the cracking of the cake...
Note that the original recipe called for pre-baking the crust empty for a few minutes before filling it. I forgot to do this, but the crust didn't seem to suffer as a result.