Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

At a recent get together with the Anderson family (The funeral of General Earl E. Anderson), extended family members from Binghamton, New York brought one of their local specialties; Spiedies. My first understanding was “Speedies”.  What?  Fast chicken and pork?  But I quickly got into the program.  I remembered that the Italian word for skewered meat was spiedini.  How this specialty of Italy made its way to Binghamton is still a mystery to me. I did find out that every August Binghamton holds a Spiedie Rally and Balloon Fest.  There are cooking contests held to see who can make the best spiedie sandwich.  Spiedies are actually skewered marinated meat (beef, chicken, lamb or pork), grilled and served with soft Italian bread which is used to pull the meat off of the skewer.  So forgive the above picture with grilled bread.  To make it authentic that bread should be soft and strong enough to pull the meat off of the skewers.  Add hot sauce or the cooked marinade to make it complete.  Everyone in Binghamton understands the concept.

The recipe I used came from The New York Times.  You can find it here.  With grilling season upon us, you will be happy to have such a flavorful meat entree.  I used pork and chicken.  Do not marinate the chicken for more than 12 hours as it breaks down after that time.  The pork can be marinated for up to 36 hours.

Last week I visited an old friend from college.  She has just built the most charming house on several acres near Black Mountain, just a stones’s throw away from Lake Lure.  I feel so fortunate to have her close by.  We were both newly married attending the University of Florida when we met.  We had an instant rapport.  I am happy to say that Barb and I still have that special connection.  We have been having fun together shopping, lunching and laughing.  I love what she has accomplished with this house.  The farm sink, the color of the cabinets, the sliding barn door and the antique elements all combine to make such a welcoming space.

I could be very happy cooking in this kitchen.

Happy May Day a few days late.  My lilac bush in front of the guest cottage has bloomed on schedule.  Growing up in Michigan it was a tradition to make paper May baskets, fill them with lilacs and deliver them to friends and neighbors on May 1st.  The smell of lilacs brings back all of those memories.

The first recipe I ever posted here was a pork tenderloin preparation that is still one of my favorites.  What is so likable about pork tenderloin is that it has a mild flavor and marries well with numerous ingredients.  With summer in full swing it just makes sense to pair it with a salsa made with some of the summer bounty, which includes peaches.  There are so many salsa recipes out there now.  We are no longer limited to tomato based salsas.  I recently posted a recipe for watermelon and blueberry salsa. Now I am in love with this peach and fennel salsa.

The recipe came from The Tupelo Honey Cookbook.  Tupelo Honey Cafe is a restaurant in Asheville, NC.  I believe they have another one in Knoxville, Tn.  “Reflecting the independent and creative spirit of the New South,  Tupelo Honey Cafe dishes up Southern comfort with innovative flavor pairings.”  It is always a revelation to eat there.  This combination of peaches, crunchy fennel, red onions and roasted red bell pepper is an example of one of the innovative dishes that they serve.

When you serve this salsa with grilled pork tenderloin, you will understand why it is such a great combination.  By the way, I have photographed several pork tenderloin dishes over the years and I have decided that it is one of the hardest meats to “make pretty”.  But put it on a platter with this peach fennel salsa and your aesthetic self and your camera will be proud.  Not to mention your taste buds.

GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH PEACH FENNEL SALSA

4 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds)

1 cup Peach Fennel Salsa

Preheat your grill to medium-high.  Combine the rosemary, olive oil, Worcestershire, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Place the pork in the bowl, covering it well with the rosemary mixture, and set aside for 30 minutes.  Cook the pork loin on the grill for 12 to 14 minutes, until medium, turning every couple of minutes to ensure it cooks evenly.  Remove the pork from the heat, let rest briefly and the slice into 1-inch thick pieces, topping each with the salsa.

PEACH FENNEL SALSA

1/2 cup diced fresh fennel (bulb, stalk, and feathery leaves, tough outer layer discarded)
2 cups peeled and diced peaches (about 4 large peaches)
1 cup diced roasted red bell pepper ( I used jarred peppers)
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
4 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the fennel, peaches, bell pepper, onion, garlic oil, and salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least 30 minutes.  The salsa can be kept refrigerated for 2 days.

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A simple meal when you are overwhelmed with holiday preparations.  That is what is needed.  I have had this recipes for Sweet and Sour Pork with Papaya and Cashews for years.  I don’t even remember its provenance.  But I was happy to run across it again recently.  A single pork tenderloin was waiting in the freezer, papayas where available in the produce section of the supermarket and cashews were on the pantry shelf.  We enjoyed a quick and easy dinner.  All that was added was a bed of rice to meld with the pan sauce.

We are preparing to travel to visit family for the holidays.  We also have work that needs to be done at our Lake Lure Cottage.  Every three years the lake level is lowered so that homeowners can do repair work to seawalls and boathouse supports.  New Years will find us at a beach cottage on Mrytle Beach with long time friends.  So there is much organization to accomplish besides the usual Christmas rush.  Easy meal preparations is a boon for this time of year.  This recipe fits the bill.

Enjoy the festivities of the season.

SWEET AND SOUR PORK WITH PAPAYA AND CASHEWS

3/4 pound boneless pork loin or pork tenderloin, cubed
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 papaya, peeled, seeded, cubed
1/4 cup cashews

Combine flour and salt and pepper.  Cut pork into 1/2 inch slices or cubes.  Dredge meat in flour, shaking off excess flour.  Saute in oil until browned and cooked through.  In saucepan over medium heat, combine vinegar, water, and brown sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  In a small bowl, blend pineapple juice and cornstarch.  Stir into vinegar and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened.  Gently fold in pork, papaya and cashews.  Serve over a bed of rice.

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You know those store-bought rice bowls in the prepared food aisles of the grocery store?  I hate them.  It seems to me that it is much easier to pull together a homemade version with less additives and less cost.   You can mix up all kinds of things with rice.  This Puerco Cubano is a good example.

I found this recipe in a book by Diane Mott Davidson called  Crunch Time.  She is the author of the Goldy Bear caterer mysteries.  Don’t know about you, but when I read a mystery I like it when the protagonist eats.  There is just so much of sleuthing, danger and mayhem that I can take before I am ready for my detective to retire to her or his lair for a little rejuvenation.  I relish those moments when a glass of wine is poured and water is brought to a boil for pasta,while cheese is grated and a salad is tossed.  These are moments of introspection for the sleuth.  A warm bed is waiting to lull the busy mind to rest and restore it to renewed vigor in the morning light.  So many thriller novels leave out the basics of life.  I’m sorry, but we all have to eat, bathe, sleep and use the bathroom.  It just makes me feel good when these incidents are included in a book, well maybe not the bathroom part.  Diane Mott Davidson does this  very well because her books are focused on food along with the mystery.  This makes me a happy reader.  In addition her recipes are included in the back of the book.

Puerco Cubano was meant as a quick comfort food in the book.  It was easy to prepare, using ground pork flavored with orange juice and lime juice.  It was served over simple cooked rice.  I like the idea of using fresh squeezed orange juice as the liquid in this dish.  Oranges are plentiful this time of year and, goodness knows, we all can use the hit of vitamin C in the winter.

This was a very satisfying meal.  Both easy and tasty.  You could add many things to the mix; black beans, avocados, green onions or pistachios.  I think it needed a little crunch.  Homemade rice bowls are flexible that way.

PUERCO CUBANO

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons freshly minced or crushed garlic
2 teaspoons demi-glace de poulet or demi-glaze veau (chicken or veal demi-glace) I used a bouillon cube disolved in 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh or organic, not-from-concentrate lime juice
2 teaspoons (or more) granulated sugar
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a large (12-inch) nonstick saute’ pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the pork and the garlic, and cook, stirring and breaking up the pork, until the meat is just cooked. Add the demi-glace and stir well.

Add the flour, oregano, salt, and pepper, and cook stirring, until the flour is cooked and the mixture bubbles.

Stir in the juices and sugar and raise the heat to medium. Stir constantly until the mixture bubbles and is thickened. Taste and correct the seasoning.

Serve over hot cooked rice and sprinkled with cilantro.

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While our family was visiting over the holidays my DIL Kristen made tacos for us one night.  She is a natural when it comes to flavorings and is especially fond of Mexican inspired dishes.  One of the condiments she made for us for her meal was pickled onions.  She marinated red onions in a combination of red wine vinegar, a little sugar and black peppercorns.  They make such a pretty addition to any number of dishes and look vibrant on tacos.

But the taco recipe I am using here is an adaptation of one that I saw in Food and Wine a long time ago.  It uses pork tenderloin which shreds nicely after only a short time in the oven.  It is flavored with lots of garlic, cumin, barbecue sauce and chicken broth.  The black beans make a flavorful topping and the red onions contribute their sweet and sour bite.  I wanted the tacos to look pretty and easy to pick up from a platter; perfect for those Super Bowl parties.  So I decided to form them into shapes by placing them in pieces of greased or sprayed foil.  About 10 minutes in the oven will ensure that they hold their shape, but will still be soft enough to eat.  Be sure you use a good quality corn tortilla.  I used Mission Artisan style Tortillas with Corn and Whole Wheat Blend.

When the taco shells are ready, you can either place just the meat in them and let everyone choose their own toppings, or go ahead and load them up with the onions, black beans, sour cream or any other condiment you wish.  We loved the flavor of these.  The barbecued pork makes them a little different.

I just remembered that I have some leftover pulled pork in the freezer from the holidays.  It would make a good alternative, although not as lean.  We are all about lean these days. Enjoy!  I am linking this to Tailgating Time-Super Bowl 2013 over at Seaside Simplicity.  Go on over and get some great ideas for the Super Bowl.

PORK TACOS WITH SPICY BLACK BEANS AND RED ONIONS

For the Pickled Red Onions:
1 large red onion
1/2 cup Red Wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
10 black peppercorns

In a small saucepan combine vinegar, water, sugar and peppercorns. Slice a peel red onion in half and then into strips.  Add to pan and bring mixture to boil.  Turn off burner and let onion sit in mixture for at least an hour.  Can be stored in a ball jar in the refrigerator until needed.

For the Black Beans:
2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic , minced
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 tomato, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium skillet, heat the oil.  Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 7 minutes.  Add the beans and the tomato, oregano and a little water to keep it moist.  Season with salt and pepper and simmer briefly until the ingredients are warmed through.

For the Pork:
1 pork tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin and fat. Cut in half
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup raspberry chipotle barbecue sauce or barbecue sauce of choice
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 habanero chile, seeded and minced (optional)
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Corn tortillas and condiments of choice

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  In a small enameled cast-iron casserole, combine the broth with the barbecue sauce, garlic, peppers, bay leaf, cumin and salt and pepper.  Bring to a simmer.  Add the pork tenderloin.  Cover and bake for about 1 hour, turning the pork once, until tender.  Transfer the pok to a plate and cover with plastic wrap until cool enough to handle.

Remove the bay leaf.  Shred the pork into strips and stir into the sauce.  Season with salt if needed.  Fill the tortillas with pork and serve with the black beans and red onions.

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