Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

My husband and I actually went to high school together.  He graduated a year ahead of me.  This summer his class held their 50th class reunion.  Can that really be possible?  So the weekend before last we traveled back to Michigan to attend the event.  It was great to see everyone.  In my opinion most people looked the same because, in my mind’s eye, I can still picture the teenagers that dwell within.  I hope everyone else has as vivid an imagination as I have.

A trip home also includes time spent with my Brother and his family.  My Sister-In-Law, Barb, claims not to be a good cook, but I have never had a bad meal in her house.  In spite of the fact that she read the recipe wrong for this Caribbean Pork Stew with Peppers, it tasted yummy and makes a great Crock Pot meal.

My niece Morgan loves to cook and her contribution to the meal was flavorful Hawaiian Chicken Skewers.  The skewers were threaded with cubed chicken breast, pineapple chunks and red onions.

My Brother Bill is a grill master.  He refuses to use a gas grill and everything is done over charcoal and sometimes flavored with wood chips.  He has a serious grilling platform.

He has 6 Weber grills and sometimes they are all in use at the same time.  Bill got all of his grills for free.  His charcoal grills were all discards.  People throw away grills when the bases rust out.  The grills themselves are usually just fine.  He mounted the grills on old gas grill bases that were also discards.

In addition to the wonderful meals we were served, I came home with a bounty of potatoes and tomatoes from Bill’s garden.

Here are Barb’s and Morgan’s recipes.  I am lucky to have such a talented and creative family.  By the way Barb just started a blog called The ReShore House.  She and Bill live in an 1860 house on 2 1/2 city lots next door to the house where Bill and I grew up.  Mrs. ReShore still appears on occasion to those who believe in ghosts.  Visit Barb’s new venture that chronicles her antique business and life in an old house.  Welcome her to our blogging community.  Thanks.

CARIBBEAN PORK STEW WITH PEPPERS

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 lbs boneless pork loin, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper , cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 cups orange juice

In a large resealable food storage platsic bag, place flour, salt and pepper.  Add pork; sela bag and shake to coat.  In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Brown pork cubes in oil on all sides, working in batches if necessary.

Spray 31/2 to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.  With slotted spoon, remove pork from skillet to slow cooker.  Stir in all remaning ingredients.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.   Serve over cooked rice.

HAWAIIAN CHICKEN SKEWERS

6 boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1 red onion, cut into 1 to 2 inch squares
Cubed pineapple to taste
1 bottle of Lawry’s Hawaiian Marinade
Garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle cubed chicken with garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Place in resealable plastic bag.  Add marinade and marinate overnight or 8 hours or so.  Remove chicken from bag.  Place chicken cubes alternately with red onion squares and pineapple chunks on skewers that have been soaked in water for 1 hour.  Grill over indirect heat on a charcoal grill until chicken is cooked through.

Printable recipe – Pork Stew with Peppers

Printable recipe – Hawaiian Chicken Skewers

Please tell me you see the pig sitting upon this pork roast.  I am having a strange feeling about my karma and the pictures I take.  When I photographed this beauty all I saw was a succulent glazed pork roast.  When I looked at the image I saw only a pig.  Why is that pig taunting me?   He looks a little scary.

Seriously though, this was a very good roast for a Saturday when we were both busy with other things.  I decided to cook my bone-in pork loin in the crock pot.  As much as I like my crock pot, I always feel like I need to add extra braising flavor.

I like to brown my roast before I put it in the crock pot.

I then like to deglaze the pan to release all of the browned bits of pork and onion.

After that I put it all in the crock pot with an herb bundle to cook on its own.

Ahh, this is a better angle on the pork roast.  It doesn’t look as much like a porky pig.  Just a pork roast right?

But wait.  What is this?  I moved a rabbit planter on the porch after a thunderstorm and this is I what I saw in the accumulated water.  I think I will become a vegetarian.  (Unless I start seeing weird vegetables in my pictures).

Here is the recipe for the pork roast if you dare try it.  A ate the snout first.

CROCK POT PORK ROAST

1 Bone-in Pork Loin Roast
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 onion cut in half and sliced
1 to 2 cups of apple cider
A bundle of fresh herbs (I used thyme and sage)

Salt and pepper roast on all sides.  Heat olive oil in heavy skillet.  Add roast and onions and brown roast on all sides.  Remove roast to crock pot.  Add some of the apple cider to the pan and stir to release all of the browned bits on the bottom.  Add the herb bundle and cook for a few minutes.  Pour liquid into the crock pot with the roast and add the rest of the cider.

Place lid on crock pot and cook roast on high for 1 hour.  Reduce to low and cook an additional 3 hours.
Remove roast and let rest tented with foil for about 5 minutes.  Slice and serve topped with liquid from the pot.

Printable recipe

In my last post I mentioned a salmon dish that I had at Fig, a French Bistro in Asheville.  I have been experimenting with it to see if I could duplicate it.  My finished dish is above. Below is the dish at Fig.

There are several steps that need to be done to get this dish on the plate and I had a few obstacles to overcome.  While I was preparing my salmon dish, violent thunderstorms were raging outside the house.  I expected that we would lose power at any second.  When you live in the mountains surrounded by trees, power outages are a regular occurrence, so my focus was a little scattered.

What makes the salmon, greens and couscous come together is the lemon, chive beurre blanc sauce.  I was not happy with the results the first time I made it, but the recipe I used this time was a winner.

You start by reducing wine, lemon juice and shallots.

When the sauce is reduced to a few tablespoons, add cold butter cubes a few at a time.  The sauce thickens to a silky consistency.  Then you add the snipped chives.

You can keep the sauce warm while you precede to the next steps.  For this dish I used red Swiss chard but you could use any of a number of greens; Rainbow chard, kale or micro-greens as was used in the dish when we had it in early Spring.   I like the stems of the red chard so I first sauteed them with some onions.

Add the washed greens and cook until  they are wilted.

I made the couscous next, but did not snap a picture of it.  When all of these components are ready you can begin your salmon.  The technique is very simple but produces great results.  Sprinkle the top of center cut salmon fillets with kosher or course sea salt.  Saute them in an iron skillet salted side down over high heat until they are golden brown.

After they are browned on one side, flip them over and place in the oven to finish cooking for a few minutes.

After that it is just a matter of assembly.  Place the couscous in a bowl, top with the sauteed greens, place the salmon on top and drizzle the beurre blanc around the edges of the bowl.

I was happy with the results.  The salmon was crusty on the top and flaky inside.  The beurre blanc was decadently delicious and we didn’t lose power until the meal was completed and the dishes were in the dishwasher.  All and all, it couldn’t have been better.

SALMON WITH SWISS CHARD AND COUSCOUS

For theLemon Chive Beurre Blanc:
1 to 2 shallots, chopped fine
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cubed
Salt and white pepper to taste
Snipped chives

Add shallots, wine and lemon juice to a saucepan and cook over high heat until it is reduced to about 1/4 cup.  Add the cream and heat until it bubbles.  Reduce the heat to low.  Add the butter a few cubes at a time and whisk on and off the heat until incorporated.  Continue with a few cubes at a time until all of the butter is added and the mixture is fully emulsified and has a creamy consistency.  Season with salt, white pepper and chives.  This will stay warm if you are using it within a 30 minute period.  Just whisk it occasionally.

For the Swiss Chard:

1 bunch of Red or Rainbow Chard
olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Wash the chard thoroughly in a sink full of cold water.  Remove the stems and chop the greens.  Using some of the stems, chop them along with the onion.  Saute stems and onion in a skillet until onion and stems are softened.  Add the drained greens and salt and pepper to taste.  Cover the skillet and cook the greens just until they are wilted.

For the Couscous:

Follow the instructions on the box or cook couscous in a pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes or until it is cooked through.  Drain and season with salt and pepper.

For the Salmon:

2 6 to 8 ounce center cut salmon fillets, skinned
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt or course sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Sprinkle salt on top side of salmon fillets.  Heat oil and butter in a skillet over high heat.  Add salmon fillets salted side down and cook over high heat until browned and crisp.  Turn fillets over.  Place pan in oven and roast until they are just flaky, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Assembly:  This dish is best plated in large individual bowls.  Add couscous to each bowl.  Top with greens. Place salmon fillets on top of each.  Drizzle beurre blanc around the edges of the dish.  Garnish with additional chives if desired.

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The city of Bayonne is in the Southwestern region of France near the border with Spain.  The region is heavily influenced by the Basque language, architecture, and food.  It is known principally for its fine chocolates and Bayonne Ham, which is cured with the espellette peppers.  But these meatballs are also popular.

We will not be traveling to this region of France but this recipe sounded so good that I had to try it.  It was in the cookbook The French Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone.  I have found many good recipes in this book and this one did not disappoint.  There are lots of red bell peppers in the recipe and although the title suggests that it is spicy, I found it to be quite mellow.  The large meatballs were almost “fall-apart” tender and it was delicious served on a toasted sourdough baguette with a serving of kale on the side.

Although it was easy to do in the slow cooker, I see no reason why you couldn’t assemble it in a dutch oven and cook it in the oven at a low temperature.  It can also be served over rice or orzo.  I used orzo for our second meal (it makes a lot!) and it was a perfect combination; kind of like spaghetti and meatballs.

MEATBALLS BAYONNAISE WITH SPICY TOMATO AND PEPPER SAUCE

1 28-ounce can tomato puree
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Salt
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup crumbled French bread
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 pounds ground beef chuck (I used lean ground beef)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
Freshly ground pepper

Stir together the tomato puree, peppers, onion, 1 teaspoon salt, crushed red pepper, and bay leaf.  Pour half of the sauce into a large slow cooker.

In a small bowl, soak the bread in the milk for a few minutes.  Lightly squeeze the bread and discard the milk.  Spread the flour on a piece of wax paper.

In a large bowl, mix together the soaked bread, ground beef, parsley, garlic, egg, cumin marjoram, and salt and pepper to taste.  Moisten your hands and shape the mixture into 2-inch balls.  Lightly roll the meatballs in the flour.

Transfer the meatballs to the slow cooker and top with the remaining sauce.  Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or until the meatballs are cooked through.  Discard the bay leaf and serve hot.

As a side note I found it interesting that mayonnaise was purported to have been first made in Bayonne.  Its name is a corruption of Bayonnaise.

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Grilling season has begun on our deck.  What better way to mark the event than with this special spatchcocked chicken cooked under a brick.  The weight of the brick serves two purposes; to hold the chicken in its flattened state and to keep all of the surfaces in contact with the grill to ensure crispy skin.

The inspiration for this dish came from an image that I saw on a rental place in the Loire Valley of France.

During our third week in France we will be staying in this 18th Century restored barn in the area of Lerne.

What attracted me to the property was not only the beautiful countryside and proximity to historic chateaux and wineries, but the stone walls and exceptional kitchen.

The hosts are former restaurant owners from San Francisco and are available for catered meals and food and wine tours of the region.  If you would like to see more about this property go to this link.

So in honor of our upcoming trip, I am trying to cook meals with a French influence.  Stay with me this month if you like French food because that will be my focus.

Julia Child in her book The Way to Cook talks about butterflying chicken for a handsome presentation.  Whether you call it butterflying or spatchcocking, it involves removing the backbone and flattening the bird.  It allows for more even cooking.

The exception to the French influence in this particular recipe are the seasonings and sauce.  I found the recipe in an issue of Food and Wine.   It is spiced with smoked paprika, garlic and oregano and then served with a Chimicurri Sauce.

It would be equally delicious with herbes de Provence and a sauce with rosemary and tarragon.  Bon appetit!

CHICKEN GRILLED UNDER A BRICK

For 2 small chickens:
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 3-pound chickens, backbones cut out

CHIMICHURRI

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Marinate the Chicken:  In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients except the chickens.  Set the chickens breast sides up on a rimmed baking sheet.  Flatten the birds, fold the wing tips under and arrange the thighs next to the breasts.  Make 2 slashes in the breasts and 1 slash in the legs and thighs.  Rub with the marinade, cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.  Bring to room temperature before grilling.

Make the Chimichurri:  In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients.

Light a grill.  Cover 2 bricks with foil.  Grill the chickens breast sides down, pressed with the bricks, over moderate heat until browned, 15 minutes.  Flip and grill over low heat until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced, about 25 minutes longer.  Transfer the chickens to a carving board to rest for 10 minutes.  Carve and serve, passing the chimichurri at the table.

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