Pâté de Foie de Porc

That's fancy talk for "pork liver pâté," which is what I made for the Michigan Lady Food Bloggers' "April in Paris" gathering on April 26. The theme for this event was French cooking, using Julia Childs' seminal Mastering the Art of French Cooking as inspiration. (Aside: Julia was a fellow Smith College alumna, class of '34. Smithies represent!)

I decided I wanted to use the pork liver from my Back Forty Acres hog for pâté. I honestly didn't know what on earth I was going to do with those pork livers. This presented itself as the perfect opportunity. I awakened the livers from their frozen slumber and got them ready to perform.

When I read the recipe I had chosen more thoroughly, I realized it called for ground pork livers. Oops. Well, break out my trusty food processor!

Uh, gross. I can only describe this as "liver slurry." I was fairly disgusted.

Stirring in the cream. No, this recipe is NOT healthy. What on earth gave you that idea?

After dealing with the red mush of puréed liver and cream, I had to console myself with a hearty adult beverage, in this case, Dark Horse Brewing's "Tres" Blueberry Stout. It calmed my nerves.

Sautéeing onions and herbs: something I've done scores of times. This, I can handle.

All mixed together and ready to go. It doesn't look quite as nasty now.

Pâté on display: the finished product.

La table français.

A few of the MLFB gang.

I confess I did not get my pâté recipe from "MTAOFC" (as we started referring to it). I was too lazy to procure a copy from my library so I just looked up a recipe online.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground pork liver
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 1/2 pounds ground pork
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/3 cup brandy
• 3 bay leaves

Put the pork liver in a bowl. Add the cream and let stand for one hour. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Sauté the onions in the butter over medium heat for about five minutes, or until they are very soft. Add the garlic, parsley, thyme and basil and mix well. Remove from the heat. Place the ground pork in a mixing bowl. Add the vegetable mixture, ground liver and cream mixture, eggs, salt, pepper, flour and brandy. Mix well. Spoon the meat mixture into a loaf pan and top with the bay leaves. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place the loaf pan in a larger pan that has been filled halfway with hot water. Bake for 1-1/2 hours. Carefully drain off excess fat. Cool. Cover again tightly with aluminum foil and weight it down on top with two or three canned goods. Refrigerate for at least eight hours. Remove the bay leaves. Serve with toast points or crackers.

Indoor Picnic: Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Oven Fries, and Homemade Ketchup

In a couple of weeks the Michigan Lady Food Bloggers will be descending on my house for a "sweep away the winter blahs" event, the theme of which is "Summer in January." I decided to take the concept for a test drive, inspired by a recipe for homemade ketchup that was in my most recent issue of Saveur. From there, it was a natural branching-out to pulled pork made with one of the last two remaining pieces of our Back Forty Acres hog and oven fries done right from the fine folks of Cook's Illustrated (aka America's Test Kitchen). Put everything on a red-and-white checkered tablecloth and I had myself an indoor summer picnic.


But first, the ketchup (Saveur Magazine, Jan/Feb 2009, p. 52).

Ingredients:

• 4 whole cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 tsp celery seeds
• 1/4 tsp chile flakes
• 1/4 tsp whole allspice (about 6-7 pieces)
• 2 lbs tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 5 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 anaheim chile, chopped
• 1 clove garlic

Wrap cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, celery seeds, chile flakes, and allspice in a layer of cheesecloth; tie into a bundle and put into a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat along with tomatoes, salt, vinegar, brown sugar, onion, and anaheim chiles; smash and add the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and chiles are very soft, 40 minutes. Remove spice bundle; pureé sauce in a blender until smooth. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer into a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 30 minutes. Add more salt, sugar, or vinegar, if you like. Transfer ketcup to a glass container. Set aside to cool. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.


I didn't have any anaheim chiles; if I had done my homework beforehand I probably could have found them or an adequate substitute but the day I did my shopping for this dinner (Saturday) was such a diaster, weather-wise (you MLFBs know what I'm talking about!) that the prospect of trying to drive anywhere chilled my blood and thus I just clomped through the snow to the New Chelsea Market instead. I am lucky to be able to walk to a well-stocked grocery store. I even grabbed the last bundle of Zingerman's Bakehouse hamburger buns while I was there.

I also boosted the number of tomatoes in the recipe (I think I used closer to 3 pounds) and since the recipe only said "onion" I chopped up three very small onions, assuming that was approximately equal to one large onion. Hey, it didn't seem to affect the recipe at all.

I used my stick blender to puree the mixture directly in the pot (MESSY!) and didn't strain it at all; consequently, my ketchup had chunks and seeds in it. What can I say, I was lazy. And no one seemed to care.

That's some fine-looking condiment.

Oh, half hog, we hardly knew ye.

Next, the pulled pork (Weber's Big Book of Grilling, p. 169):

• 1 boneless pork shoulder roast (also known as Boston butt), 4 to 5 pounds
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Allow the roast to stand at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before grilling. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the roast, fat side up, over indirect medium heat until the internal temperature reaches between 185 and 190 degrees F, 3 to 4 hours. The meat should be so tender it pulls apart easily. Remove from grill, place on platter, and loosely cover with foil. Allow to rest for about 20 minutes.

For the barbeque sauce:

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup minced yellow onion
• 2 cups ketchup
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Tabasco sauce

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

Once the roast has finished resting, thinly slice, chop, or "pull" the pork meat into shreds with your finger or two forks, discarding any large bits of fat. Moisten the meat with some of the sauce and mix well in a bowl. Toast hamburger buns, if desired. Serve the pulled pork warm on the buns with the remaining sauce on the side.

Of course I used my freshly-made ketchup in the sauce recipe!


And last, but not least, the oven fries (Cook's Illustrated, Jan/Feb 2004, p.21):

• 3 russet potatoes (about 8 ounce each), peeled and cut lengthwise into 10-12 evenly sized wedges
• 5 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Adjust oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 475 degrees F. Place potatoes in large bowl and cover with the hottest tap water you can get; soak for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, coat an 18 x 12-inch heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with 4 tbsp oil and sprinkle evenly with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; set aside.

Drain potatoes. Spread potatoes out on triple layer of paper towels and thoroughly pat dry with additional paper towels. Rinse and wipe out now-empty bowl; return potatoes to bowl and toss with remaining 1 tbsp oil. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet; cover tightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until bottoms of potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating sheet after 10 minutes. Using spatula and tongs, loosen potatoes from pan, then flip each wedge, keeping potatoes in single layer. Continue baking until fries are golden and crisp, 5 to 15 minutes longer, rotating pan as needed if fries are browning unevenly. Transfer fries to second baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. Season with additional salt and pepper and serve.

Just pretend it's 81 degrees outside instead of 18, OK?

Meat and Cabbage Stew: Stew Secuiasca

I received an enormous head of cabbage with my farm share in early October. Confronted with this nearly soccer ball-sized sphere, I wondered what on earth I was going to do with it. I said something to this effect at work one day and my co-worker, who is from Romania, found for me this recipe for a meat and cabbage stew in the style of the Secui (Székely) people of Romania.

Pork steaks from our Back Forty Acres hog.

Mancare de varza cu carne (Stew with cabbage and meat):

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pork chops or steak, trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 large head of cabbage (about 2 lbs) thinly sliced or shredded
• 2 tbsp cooking oil (vegetable or olive)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp fresh dill, minced

Heat the oil in a large braising pan or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and pork and cook for 6 minutes or until the pork is browned. Add the paprika and stir to combine. Add the sliced cabbage, bay leaf, thyme, dill, pepper, and water, and cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the cabbage has wilted down and the pork is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Spoon into bowls and serve with sour cream if desired.

Picture of Porcine Perfection

These are sausage patties I made (yes, using my own two hands) using the ground pork from "our hog" from Back Forty Aces. Bacon is visible as well.

I served these for brunch on Father's Day as accompaniment to a massive spinach fritatta I made using the rest of the spinach and green onions from last week's farm share as well as a full dozen eggs from Back Forty (chill, people; there were seven of us who ate the fritatta).

The sausage patties were fabulous. I think the breakfast sausage from the Chelsea Market may have met its match.

Mustard Seed & Thyme Pork Chops (aka The Pig Has Landed)

Thursday evening we picked up our half hog from Back Forty Acres. 98 pounds of pure porcine pleasure now fill our freezer to the brim. Last night it was time to test (taste?) drive the pig.

All rubbed up and nowhere to go but the grill.

Mustard Seed and Thyme Dry Rub (from Weber's Big Book of Grilling):

• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp celery seeds
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
  

This is our favorite dry rub for pork. I usually quadruple the recipe and keep it in a small container for instant deployment whenever grilled pork is on the menu. It is delicious. The mustard seeds pop and crackle upon contact with the hot grill grates, releasing a heavenly toasty aroma. The cayenne pepper provides just the right amount of spicy heat.

I confess this is why I could never be a vegetarian. It tasted as good as it looked.

To go with our pork I made roasted potatoes (red potatoes, quartered; olive oil, salt, black pepper, and minced fresh rosemary; toss, arrange on baking sheet, roast for 35-40ish minutes at 400 degrees) and yet another batch of roasted asparagus (seriously, I could eat it with every meal). I made salads using lettuce, radishes, and chopped lemon sorrel, all from this week's farm share.

Gaze upon perfection!

We had our meal with a 2003 Pietra Santa (Cienega Valley, California) Sangiovese.

The pork was tender, juicy, and sweet, the potatoes brown and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the asparagus delicious as usual, and the salad cool and refreshing. There was candlelit ambiance (visible in above photo) and familial merriment. The wine flowed freely (as it always does). We ended the evening with a trip to the Common Grill for dessert.

The catastrophe of Meltdown '08, while still a very sore spot on my heart, did free up the space needed in our deep freezer to accommodate our half hog. And what a hog it is! Pork chops, pork steaks, ribs, hams, shoulder, hocks, bacon, loin roast, liver, and heart. We had the chops last night and bacon this morning for breakfast. Bacon the likes of which I have never seen. I made fun of John for his preferred thickness of 3/16-inch but let me tell you these thick-cut slabs, fried in our cast-iron pan, were so good I probably could have eaten the entire 8-slice package by myself. When John opened it to lay out the slices in the pan, she said, "If I could be in love with meat this would be it."

This Thursday we are also getting 5 broiler chickens from Back Forty Acres. When we were at the farm last week, Stephanie Doll showed us the pasture pens where the broilers live. Somewhere in that crowd of chickens are 5 that will soon be inhabiting our freezer, united once more with their friend the pig from the same farm. Come October we will be getting half a lamb from them, a lamb which I saw with my own eyes. I also saw the laying hens responsible for the eggs currently residing in my fridge. Talk about knowing where one's food comes from. I've shaken hands (and even shared beers with) the people responsible for our beef, pork, vegetables, eggs, and soon to be poultry and lamb. There is something that feels so good, so right about this connection.

When Life Defrosts Your Freezer...Make Chili

A couple of weeks ago we suffered a major beef-related catastrophe (hereafter referred to as Meltdown '08). Somehow, the chest freezer which holds our precious cargo of beef came unplugged and over the course of several days defrosted about half of the beef left in the freezer. I discovered the mess one evening and proceeded to have a gigantic screaming fit complete with abundant cursing. Unfortunately, we were forced to dispose of a large amount of beef as it had defrosted and warmed to the point of smelling bad. Only the layers stored deepest in the freezer survived Meltdown '08. Unfortunately, the bulk of this was ground beef. All of the delicious cuts of rib steaks, T-bone steaks, the livers, and most of the chuck roasts, arm roasts, and short ribs were a total loss. I was left with all these one-pound bags of ground beef. So what does one do with 30 pounds of ground beef?

Make chili, of course! Even better, make it with one's beloved stash of Rancho Gordo beans!

Aren't they gorgeous!

I found this recipe at the Rancho Gordo Web site.

Black Bean Chili

• 1/2 lb dry black beans or 1 15-oz can black beans
  
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced (optional)
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1 1/2 lbs fresh plum tomatoes, skinned and halved or 1 28-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes
  
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• Olive oil

If using dry black beans, soak and then cook beans according to package directions. Have the beans simmering and just tender and ready to add to the chili when called for.

If using fresh plum tomatoes, the skins can be easily removed by first making a shallow "X" cut on the bottom of each tomato and then blanching them in a pot of boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon, slide them into an ice bath, and peel the skins off once the tomatoes are cool enough to handle.

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onions until lightly golden. Add the bell pepper and jalapeno and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the beef and pork and cook, stirring often, until browned. Add the tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and salt, stirring well. Add black beans to chili base with the can juice or a small amount of simmering liquid, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Almost ready to eat. Yum!

Serve topped with your choice of shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced scallions, corn bread, hot sauce, salsa, tortilla chips...whatever you desire!

Chuck Wagon Chili

Ever since I purchased a large amount of beans from Rancho Gordo I have been searching for excuses to use them. What better way to put my Scarlet Runner beans to good use than in a hearty beef and pork chili?

Rancho Gordo's Scarlet Runner heirloom beans. Majestic!

Before I left for work Friday morning I placed 1/2 lb of these beans in cold water to soak while I was away. I had to do something after work on Friday and I wouldn't be home in time to cook dinner before John and I had to leave for our concert in Ann Arbor. Thus, it was time for John Cooks! I gave him instructions to begin cooking the beans as soon as he got home from work so they would be tender enough to add to the chili when I got home. Things turned out beautifully.

• 2 tsp canola oil
• 1/2 lb ground lean beef
• 1/2 lb ground lean pork
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 14-oz can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tsp seeded and minced jalapeno peppers (optional)
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 15.5-oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• fat-free sour cream

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet or soup pot over medium heat. Add the beef and pork; cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 6 minutes. Add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring, until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, water, jalapenos (if using), chili powder, cumin, salt, and oregano; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Stir in the beans and cook until heated through, 5 minutes. Serve with the cheese, scallions, and sour cream.

I had this with a Stone Brewing Company IPA.

Pork Roast with Currant Sauce

This is one of those things that I don't remember ever not eating. This is a classic food from my childhood and something I still make today.

• 1 3-4 pound center cut pork loin roast (usually comes as two halves tied with string)

For marinade:

• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp dry ground mustard
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp dried thyme

Mix together marinade ingredients in small bowl or cup. Place roast in a plastic bag, then pour marinade over roast and seal bag, pressing out the air. Let sit at room temperature of 2-3 hours, turning occasionally.

The pork roast in the bag with the best marinade on earth.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place meat in a shallow baking pan and roast, uncovered, until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving or until internal temperature has reached 160 degrees.

The roast, resting.

While roast is resting, make the currant sauce:

• 1 10-ounce jar currant jelly or currant preserves
• 2 tbsp sherry
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 cup dried currants (optional)

Combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and allow to come to a simmer over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally.

The yummiest sauce on earth.

This roast is obviously not a 3-pounder. I think it was barely over a pound and a half. I also didn't marinade it for 3 hours; it was marinating from Friday to Sunday (change in dinner plans). It didn't seem to suffer any ill effects. And no, it wasn't on the counter the whole time. It was in the fridge, thank you very much.

I also have started grilling these roasts on the BBQ. I insert my meat thermometer into the roast, set it to beep when it hits a certain temperature, and leave it. Of course, making sure the BBQ stays at a high enough temperature to cook the roast is a bit of a challenge, so the roast does require some tending. This time around, it reached the temperature of doneness after only an hour and ten minutes; if I had just left it to cook for 2 1/2 hours as specified in the original recipe, it would have been tasteless shoe leather.

I use jars of currant jam or preserves or something that already has the whole currants in it instead of adding dried currants to the sauce. It just saves a step. Also, plain old black currant jelly is nearly impossible to find!

The finished product. I made oven-grilled asparagus and quinoa with shallots and garlic for side dishes. We had this with a 2004 Smoking Loon (California) Pinot Noir.

Rosemary-Garlic Pork Chops, Roasted Broccoli, and Bulgur Pilaf

Friday night we had rosemary-garlic pork chops, oven-roasted broccoli, and bulgur pilaf for dinner. My most recent issue of Cook's Illustrated had an intriguing recipe for roasted broccoli. Cook's Illustrated is one of the most useful, knowledgeable food magazines available. I trust them completely. If they promised to "transform" broccoli, why, I had to try it. I tolerate broccoli in the best of circumstances; could I find a recipe that would make me like broccoli?

First, though, I had to tend to the pork chops. I bought some thick-cut chops last week at Polly's Country Market which turned out to be thicker than anything even Jeff the Butcher at the New Chelsea Market has on display. OK, so they were more like pork steaks.

Rosemary-garlic rub for two pork chops:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
  

Mash garlic into a paste (I used the back of a fork to do so) with a pinch of salt, then stir together with rosemary, olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a small bowl. Rub mixture all over chops.

The pork chops, rubbed with the rosemary-garlic paste and ready for the grill. We grilled them over medium-high direct heat (gas grill) for about 5 1/2 minutes per side followed by 5 minutes of rest on the counter. They were fully cooked through but not overdone. Take into account the thickness of your pork chops when grilling. There's nothing worse than dry, overdone pork. I rarely cook meat by temperature and only use my meat thermometer when I cook something really large such as a roast. For everything else I cook by time and use the "finger test" for doneness

Now, for the roasted broccoli (recipe for 4 servings):

• 1 large head broccoli (about 1 3/4 lbs)
  
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Freshly ground black pepper

Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and preheat oven to 500 degrees with rack in pace (I forgot this step, and only put the baking sheet in the oven after it had already heated up; it didn't seem to have a negative effect). Cut broccoli at juncture of florets and stems and remove outer peel from stalk. Cut stalk into 2- to 3-inch lengths and each length into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Cut crowns into 4 wedges (if 3-4 inches in diameter) or 6 wedges (if 4-5 inches in diameter). Place broccoli in large bowl; drizzle with olive oil and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt, sugar, and pepper; toss to combine.

Once the oven with baking sheet inside has reached 500 degrees, quickly remove sheet from oven. Transfer broccoli to baking sheet and spread evenly, placing flat cut sides down. Return sheet to oven and roast until stalks are well browned and tender and florets are lightly browned, 9 to 11 minutes. Serve immediately.

I left out the stalks and just used the florets when I made this. I think I will use the stalks next time as the end result was even more than I'd hoped for. It was indeed broccoli that didn't taste like broccoli. Even John ate a piece.

The broccoli, tossed with the oil, sugar, salt, and pepper, ready to go in the oven.

Pork chops, off the grill and resting.

I've become enamored of using less common grains as side dishes. Grains such as quinoa, bulgur, and brown rice. Bulgur, especially. Bulgur is cracked wheat which has been essentially left whole, yielding a higher fiber and protein content than other, more refined grains. I like it for its nutty flavor and robust texture. It lends itself well to being mixed with other ingredients. For this dinner I decided to make bulgur pilaf with dried apricots since the recipe was conveniently on the same page of Gourmet Magazine as the recipe for the rosemary pork chops. This pilaf recipe as written serves 4 (I halved it to feed the 2 of us).

• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup bulgur
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped

Heat olive oil in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat, then add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Add spices and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add bulgur, water, and apricots, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

The finished product.

Of course, no meal would be complete without a glass of wine and a cat on my lap. Wine: Acacia Pinot Noir (Sonoma, California) 2004. Cat: Darwin.