Plagarism is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

I just wanted to take a second to let you all know, loyal readers, that I hope you are making use of this very blog to steal our recipes and pass them off as your own as your friends and family heap upon you the praise you so richly deserve for feeding and nurturing them. It's not that I don't want credit. Typically, I want credit for everything. I just think that when it comes to food, that's not the point. With food, I think the point is to share selflessly.

I am just as subject to gluttony as anybody else, but I just think the idea of, say, baking a pie for yourself - while tempting - is not as much fun as baking a pie for a family meal or a friend's cookout. Also, I think part of the fun of recipes are the variations and deviations that enrich the original ingredients as recipes pass from hand to hand. I believe strongly that, unless you're baking (that's all science, dontcha know), you should always mess with a recipe and make it your own.

That said, I'd like to share with you a recipe I've been messing with a lot lately. My dear friend Courtney found it on a delightful blog called Sass and Veracity (http://www.sassandveracity.typepad.com/) and passed it on to me as I was trying to prepare a party menu. Courtney & I do some illegal, underground catering so we're always on the browse. Anyhoo, after following the recipe the first time I prepared this delicious dish, I've been altering it to suit, well, me, ever since. As you'll see, I'm still cravin' the braisin' (who doesn't?), but this one is just so good, I think you should try it too. From it's original form on Sass and Veracity (which she adapted from a cookbook), I've dressed it down a bit, made it a little less elegant and a little more like a stew. It's an evolution. And you know what they say...evolve or die! OK, so no one really says that but I think it's probably true. Anyway, thanks to Sass & Veracity.

Let us know when you make delicious adaptations to the recipes we post. If you have good ideas, we'd love to plagarise them.

Pork Shoulder braised in Guinness Stout and Cherries

Ingredients:
4 cups (2 16 oz. cans) Guinness
1 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 4-5 lb. pork shoulder
kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
3 T. Olive Oil
3 large onions, halved and sliced
5 - 6 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
3 T. tomato paste
5 whole allspice, crushed
2 or 3 bay leaves
1/3 cup molasses
1-2 cups water
8 small new (red) potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
about 2 dozen baby carrots (or more if you like carrots)
1 large slice toasted crusty bread per person you're serving

Instructions:

Several hours - or the night before - you intend to begin cooking the pork, bring the Guinness, cherries and vinegar to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Pour into a bowl and cover tightly and allow to sit for a few hours or overnight. This is to reconstitute the cherries, I think. I was toying with not doing it from the original recipe, but I think it also allows the vinegar to mellow. I'm gonna skip this "let it sit" step someday...I'll let you know how it goes.

Preheat the oven to 300. Season the pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper. In a large dutch oven (awww yeah...Le Creuset) or big, oven-safe pot, heat the Olive Oil. Brown the pork shoulder on all sides. This should take a total of about 15 minutes. The pork shoulder is not a piece of paper...it has many sides. Don't slack. Remove pork from pot and allow it to rest on a platter.

Drain all but about 3 T. of the dripings and oil from dutch oven. Return to heat and add onions, stirring regularly and sauteeing, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sautee while stirring for about 5 more minutes. Add tomato paste and combine well, cooking for about a minute.

Add the Guinness & cherries, bay leaves, allspice, molasses and stir to combine. Return pork shoulder to the pot. If the liquid does not mostly cover the pork, add water as necessary until the roast is more or less submerged yet is not FULLY under water. Bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven. Cook for 1 hour. Remove from oven, turn the pork shoulder and return to the oven, cooking from 1 hour. Remove from oven, add the potatoes and carrots. Return to oven and cook for an additional hour.

After 3 total hours cook time, remove from oven. Remove pork from dutch oven and set aside. It will likely be falling apart. That's the idea. Place dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a hard simmer, reducing for about 5 - 7 minutes.

Shred or slice pork and serve atop toasted bread, topped with carrots, potatoes, onion, cherries and a generous ladle of reduced sauce. Enjoy. Serves a lot of people so invite friends over!

NOTE: This is a more rustic interpretation of the recipe as I first read it which called for no carrot or potatoes IN the cooking liquid, but rather for the pork, cherries & liquid to be served atop mashed sweet potatoes. I just really love a one-pot meal. Try it either way. Let us know what you think.

Chicken Meatballs

Me love meatballs! I really do. They are great as a companion to pasta. They are wonderful solo, and they are fantastic on a roll with melted mozzarella. Here's a simple and healthy recipe for chicken meatballs. I made them over the weekend for my nephews. They loved it!

2 onions
1 carrot
1/2 tsp red pepper flake
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 egg
1/4 cup parsley
1 TB ketchup
1 TB Worcestershire
2 lbs ground chicken
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450

Put onions and carrot in food processors and pulse until they are finely diced.

In large bowl combine all the ingredients. And then mix with your hands! It's the best tool for this job.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, and use 1/4 cup scoop to make the meatballs.

Bake for 15 minutes, then turn and bake for another 15 minutes.

Yee haw!

I think the word 'authentic' is wildly overused, don't you? The reason I think it is overused is that when something is actually authentic, it usually goes without saying. So, I'm wary of things flashing their own authenticity. I like to think I'm pretty shrewd and when something is authentic, I'll know it without having to be told.

That said, I'm gonna spare you the 'authentic' shpiel on the following chili recipe. I could tell you that it is Authentic Texas Chili because it uses real chunks of beef versus ground meat and has no beans, but I know we have at least one Texan reader (my lovely sister-in-law, Angie. Hi Angie!) and I don't want to be called out for being a big poseur. Plus, having never been to Texas, it seems unlikely that I have conducted enough research or gained enough experience to back up any claims of authenticity. In other words, I wouldn't trust me if I were you.

You can trust, however, that it is delicious chili and you won't be sad if you make some very soon. This recipe makes a lot of chili, so it's perfect for having friends over to watch a game or shutting yourself in your house for the weekend and refusing to leave. Please feel free to experiment with seasonings, but don't scoff at the cocoa powder...it gives the flavor real depth and no sweetness whatsoever. I don't know or care if cocoa powder is an 'authentic' chili ingredient...I just know it tastes good. On that, I would certainly trust me.


Texas-ish Chili

Ingredients:
4 lbs. cubed stew beef
kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup flour, seasoned with 1 tsp. each: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder plus a dash each of salt, pepper and cayenne pepper
3 - 4 T. canola oil
2 - 32 oz. "boxes" of low-sodium beef broth or stock
2 medium onions, diced
4 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
1 - 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 - 14 oz. can plain diced tomatoes
5 - 8 chipotle chili peppers (from a can, available in the Mexican Food Aisle)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup chili powder
2 - 3 T. cumin
3 - 4 T. coriander
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 T. dried oregano
1 tsp. cayene pepper (more or less to taste...take it easy. You can always add more but you can't take it out)
a few shakes of your favorite Hot Sauce, like Tabasco or Cholula

Instructions:

Season beef with copious amounts of salt and pepper. Heat Canola oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Working in batches, lightly coat beef chunks in seasoned flour and brown on all sides in the canola oil. Remove beef from oil and set it to rest on a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining beef. As you do this, a dark brown roux will develop in the bottom of the pot. Do your best not to let it burn or scorch. Add onions to the roux and sautee, stirring almost constantly until they begin to become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic to the pot and continue sauteeing, about 2 minutes more.

Add liquid ingredients to pot, beginning with the broth, then tomato sauce, vinegar, diced tomatoes & the chipotles, too. Sometimes I add a splash ot two of liquid smoke if you have it. Stir, making sure to loosen bits of onion, beef and roux from bottom of pot. Add the dry ingredients (chili powder through oregano) and stir to combine. Please note: add a minimum of the cayenne now and wait a while before adding liquid hot sauce or trying to perfect the spice. As the liquid cooks away, the heat will increase, making what you thought was bland chili spicier and spicier. Allow the mixture to some to a simmer.

Using tongs, return the beef to the pot. Reduce heat to medium, cover and allow the chili to come up to a simmer, stirring regularly. Allow to simmer for 2 - 4 hours, stirring at least ever 20 - 30 minutes or so without allowing the chili to really boil.

Before serving, turn the heat way down and take a taste. Now is the time to increase the cayenne or hot sauce to your liking.

Serve chili in big bowls with shredded cheese, sour cream, diced onions, fresh cilantro or any other toppings you enjoy. Plus, serve some chips or bread of your choosing to help sop it all up. A corn muffin never killed anybody and offers a nice sweetness to counter-balance the heat. Enjoy!

Chicken Bouillabaisse

This is a wonderful and hearty chicken stew. You can serve this with some crusty french bread. It's a great dish to entertain with, and it's not too expensive. Just skip the saffron and this won't bust your budget.

2 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts (cut in half)
4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
1 1/2 TSP salt, 1 TSP pepper, 1 TSP rosemary
(combine these three and season chicken)
1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
1 TSP fennel seed
1 TSP saffron threads
1 TSP salt
1/2 TSP pepper
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
1 pound baby Yukon potatoes, halved

Brown chicken in dutch oven in about 2 TB olive oil. Cook medium to high, it's about 6-7 minutes each side.

Set chicken aside, and drain fat out of dutch oven. You only want about 2 TB left in the bottom.

Preheat oven to 300

Add garlic, fennel, saffron, salt, pepper, diced tomatoes, chicken stock, and wine to pot. Simmer for 25 minutes until garlic is soft. Use blender or immersion blender to puree.

Add back chicken. Add potatoes.

Cook for 70 minutes in pre-heated oven until potatoes are soft.

Hearty Lentil Soup

Soup is a wonderful way to entertain. It's easy, and it can be made ahead, and everyone likes it. If you have a friend who doesn't enjoy a hot bowl of soup and crusty bread with a generous smear of soft butter then perhaps it's time to evaluate the friendship.

And if you don't have large soup bowls, go out and get some. You want a bowl that is easy to hold if you happen not to want to eat at your kitchen table ... or if you simply don't have a kitchen table. I love casual eating, and sitting comfortably on my couch with my husband or a group of friends is one of my favorite ways to enjoy a home cooked meal. Now, don't laugh, but here's my best description of a good soup bowl: Sturdy, tall, and deep. I know, I know. It's a bit much, but there it is.

And now my soup, which is hearty enough to serve as a main course for dinner


2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 medium onions, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 pound lentils (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
12 cups low-salt chicken broth
6 fresh thyme sprigs


Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and saute until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer until the juices evaporate a little and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the lentils and mix to coat. Add the broth and stir. Add the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then cover, reduce heat and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

Braisin' Fool

Sometimes it is the simplest things that make me happiest. Not the cheapest things, necessarily, but simplest. I've recently acquired my first Le Creuset dutch oven and I could not be more delighted. See it? Isn't it pretty?

I've always wondered why they were so damn expensive and what the fuss is all about, but now I know! You can cook anything in it and it cleans up with no effort whatsoever. Seriously, you just put meat, liquid and seasonings in it and put it in the oven for a few hours while you do other stuff and when it's ready, you get to enjoy deliciousness that just melts in your mouth. This is called braising. The manufacturers say that my new Le Creuset is forged of iron, but I think it is really made of gold, kryptonite and magic.

So, as with most new toys, I want to use it everyday. Apparently, it does all sorts of other things aside from braising but who cares? I'm a braisin' fool! I'd like to share the following recipe with you because it was so simple and delicious yet a far cry from your standard pot roast. Carnitas is a Mexican-style shredded pork dish that makes for some wonderful tacos. Yummy. If you don't have a Le Creuset, you should get one - I swear, I'm receiving no kickbacks from the fine folks at Le Creuset! I'm just in love is all - but you can do this in a crock pot or slow cooker or a lesser dutch oven as well. Regardless, this is a fun recipe to play around with...adjust the seasonings if you like!

Carnitas

Ingredients:
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 - 1/2 cup lime juice*
2 T. wostershire sauce
4 - 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3 (or more to taste) chipotle peppers, plus 1 T. Chipotle sauce from can
1 beef bullion cube (don't ask questions...just do it)
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. coriander
2 T. chili powder
1 T. dried cilantro, or 3 T. fresh
dash of cayenne pepper

2 - 3 pounds pork shoulder (sometimes referred to as Boston Butt)

Instructions:
If using a dutch oven, preheat oven to 325. Combine first 12 ingredients in your dutch oven or slow cooker and stir to combine. (Remember the Le Creuset doesn't like metal...use a wooden spoon). Break up the bullion cube a bit if possible. Add pork, cover and place it in the oven or turn it on if it's in your slow cooker.

Oven method: cook for about an hour at 325, then turn it down to 250 and let it continue to cook slowly for at least another 2 or 3 hours or so. When pork falls apart easily when you try to shred it with a fork, it's finished.

Crock pot method: Assemble braising liquid and add pork as above. Set slow cooker for 6 hours (medium high) but be aware that it can take less than that. Check it after 4 hours and adjust temperature / cooking time accordingly.

Remove pork from braising liquid and shred with two forks. To make the carnitas extra delicious, reduce a few cups of the braising liquid down by half in a saucepan over medium high heat and pour the concentrated sauce over pork.

Serve carnitas with warm corn tortillas, your favorite salsa, green onions, fresh cilantro, sour cream, guacamole and, that great American-bastardized-taco staple, shredded cheese. Carnitas also makes for awesome nachos. Or burritos. Or quesadillas. Or taco salad. Or topping for your breakfast cereal. OK, that was a step too far, but if you don't enjoy them, I don't know how to make you happy.

* - you can squeeze a bunch of limes if you want, but a lot of markets now carry real lime juice bottled. Buy the one with the fewest ingredients to save time. Nice to have on hand to stock a bar too.