Favorite Fall Feast: Pulled Pork

 

I know this is usually a "summer" default, but for some reason, I love to make pulled pork in the fall. I think part of it has to do with the smell - you can go outside, get the grill all set up, and you have that nice fall smell surrounding you. It gets blended with the smoke throughout the day, and then the scent of the pork later on, and it's just intoxicating! Also, a big part of it may be that it's just not so hot, so you can spend some time out by the grill tending to your fire without the sun beating down on you and it's just all a bit more relaxing.

Pulled pork is an exercise in patience and quality of ingredients more than any sort of culinary skill. The patience comes from resisting that urge to lift up and check on the pork every 20 minutes or so, resisting the urge to take the meat off the grill too early and dive right in, resisting the urge to dig into the meat as soon as it comes off the fire. And since you're using really just one ingredient - the pork - you have to choose wisely. Get a good cut. It doesn't have to be huge, but it should have a nice thick fat cap. If you can find it, free range pork taste the best. A happy animal is a yummy animal.

Pulled Pork
3 - 4 lb pork shoulder
3 tbsp cajun seasoning
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp pepper
2 tsp brown sugar

3 cups wood chips, soaked in water for 30 minutes
aluminum foil
drip tray, filled 1/4 in high with water

Get things started by firing up your grill, set up for indirect heat (one bunch of coals on each side), and let it come to heat. Let your pork rest out of the fridge and come to room temperature during this time. Let the wood chips soak in water during this time as well.

Combine the olive oil, cajun season, salt, pepper, and brown sugar together in a bowl and whisk until a nicely combined paste forms. Spread the paste all over the pork, really rubbing it in. Get under the fat cap where possible, and make sure to really cover all sides of the flesh.

Create your smoker packets by placing a handful of wood chips into the center of a piece of aluminum. Fold the aluminum over and close it up. Then, poke 5 - 6 holes on one side. Do this until you have 6 packets made up.

Place your drip tray into the middle of the grill between the coals. The water in here will help to regulate the temperature in the grill throughout the cooking process. Place a wood chip packet on top of the coals on each side. Then, put the grate down and place the pork shoulder on top, fat cap up.

Cover the grill, and regulate the temperature to around 250 - 300 degrees. Soon you'll see plumes of smoke coming up. Once that smoke starts to peter off, after about 45 minutes, replace the spent wood chip packets with new ones. Repeat this until you've used up all your wood chips.

Let the pork roast in your grill smoker low and slow for about 5 hours. If you need to add new briquettes to keep the heat up, do this at the same time you're replacing your wood chip packets to avoid letting the heat out too often.

At about hour 5, wrap the whole shoulder up in aluminum foil and then let roast in the foil for the last hour.

Finally, when you've roasted the pork for a good six hours, remove it from the heat and let it rest in its foil packet for about 20 - 30 minutes. Then, remove it from the foil packet. You should be able to just pull out the bone in the middle as the meat will be so tender. Use two forks to pull the pork apart into strands. Douse with barbeque sauce, and dig in!

Note: if your grill loses too much temperature and you can't get it back up, it's okay to move the pork to the oven after you've gotten all of your smoke penetration done. I've had to do this a few times around hour 4, and there was no problem at all. You still get that smokey flavor since all of it is imparted in the first few hours, so don't sweat!

Ravioli alla Felice: Recreating a Roman Masterpiece

 

A few months ago, we visited Rome, Italy, and had one of the most fantastic meals. It was at Felice a Testaccio, on a Saturday night, and we were able to experience their fantastic Ravioli alla Felice. It's a fresh, uncooked sauce of tomatoes, mint, basil, and cheese, tossed with perfectly al dente ravioli.

The amazing combination of flavors - the tangy tomatoes, the sweet mint, the creamy ricotta - has been stuck in our heads for months. We decided we ought to try and recreate it to the best of our abilities. So we went about purchasing our understanding of the ingredients, and trying to replicate the texture, presentation, and flavor. The result came out pretty close! We'd definitely give this one a try while the tomatoes are still ripe and the basil still plentiful. Enjoy!

Making the Dish

What You'll Need
1/2 lb fresh made ravioli
1 bunch fresh basil
1 bunch fresh mint
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup freshest ricotta cheese
1 clove garlic
1 tsp salt, pepper to taste
Grated pecorino romano cheese to garnish

Get started by chopping everything up. You'll want to thinly slice the 10 - 12 leaves of the basil and 10 - 12 leaves of the mint in a chiffonade. Additionally, quarter the cherry tomatoes. Lastly, finely mince the garlic clove (a tip - if you throw a little salt over the glove while you're mincing it, it will help to crush it up more and give you an almost paste).

In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, mint, oil, and pepper together, and stir until all the ingredients are mixed together.

Remove half of the tomato mixture and place it in a food processor. Give it two or three quick pulses, until a sort of chunky salsa has formed.

Return the pulsed tomato blend into the bowl with the whole tomatoes. Add in a quarter cup of the ricotta cheese, and stir everything together to combine until the ricotta has spread throughout the sauce. Taste, and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.

Cook up the ravioli according to the directions. When it's done, drain, and then pour the sauce over it, toss everything together so that the heat from the ravioli transfers to the sauce.

Spoon onto a plate, top with a dollop of fresh ricotta, and some basil and mint for garnish. Sprinkle the grated pecorino romano over top. Dig in, and enjoy!

One Year Ago: Tagliatelle Bolognese

A Most Delicious Skirt Steak Dinner

 

Hello readers! Apologies for being away for so long, we know we've been bad. With the end of the summer coming up there's been quite a bit of travel and visits and other activities keeping us away from the computer, which I suppose is a good thing. But that doesn't mean we've stayed away from the kitchen. In fact, we've developed quite a few delicious recipes that we're very excited to share with you!

The first is what we're calling simply, Skirt Steak alla Bryan. It is not the most creative name, but it is accurate - this is skirt steak in the style of Bryan. It's one of those recipes that came about from having a desire for certain flavors, walking around the store to find the best looking ingredients that would match, and then pulling something together.

I think we've mentioned before that skirt steak is one of our favorite cuts. We marinate it in a deliciously simple rosemary garlic marinade, and then grill it up. We top it with a luscious combination of caramelized mushrooms, bursting cherry tomatoes, and creamy ricotta cheese. Served with a side of whipped potatoes, this is a dish that will leave you feeling sublime after every bite. So read on and learn how to cook it up tonight!

Preparing the Dish

What You'll Need
1 lb skirt steak
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
5 tbsp olive oil
1 pint cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp marsala cooking wine
1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
4 - 5 waxy red potatoes
1/4 cup half and half/cream
salt and pepper to taste

Take the salt and pepper and spread it evenly over the steak and let rest for a minute or two while you chop up the rosemary and garlic. Then, rub the rosemary and garlic into the steak, and drizzle over a tablespoon of the olive oil. Rub everything around until all of the herbs are spread around evenly, and let the steak rest  at room temperature for about 20 minutes. If you're using a charcoal fire, start it now.

Get the mushrooms started. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a non stick pan over medium heat. Once it's hot, add in the mushrooms and add in a touch of salt and pepper to taste. Heat the mushrooms until they start to exude their liquid. Once they do, add in the marsala cooking wine, let it boil off slightly, and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the mushrooms cook like this until just about the end, stirring occasionally so they don't burn. You'll want them to get nice and small and caramelized.

Heat up a pot of salted water to a boil. Dice your potatoes and then add them to the water. Let them cook for about 10 minutes until they are fork tender. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil in a small pot or pan. Add in the smashed garlic cloves and slowly cook in the oil over low to medium heat, being careful not to let the garlic burn. It should start to be golden and soft. If you cook it low enough for long enough, it will get very soft and sweet. That's what you're going for!

Remove the potatoes from the water and add them to a mixing bowl. Add in the slow cooked garlic and start to mash everything together with your fork. Add in the half and half and continue to mix together until the potatoes get to your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste, and adjust the amount of cream if needed.

Now you can put on your steak. Grill it for about 4 - 5 minutes per side over direct heat with the lid closed until the steak is fairly firm to the touch but not too tough. Remove from the heat and let rest.

While the steak is resting, add the tomatoes to the mushrooms and raise the heat. At the same time, start to toast the pine nuts in the toaster.

Saute the tomatoes and the mushrooms together until the tomatoes are just starting to burst. Remove from heat. Add in the pine nuts and stir together.

Now, put it all together. Slice the steak agains the grain and ladle on a dollop of ricotta cheese. Place over that the mushrooms, tomato, and pine nuts, and serve a nice big helping of whipped potatoes on the side.









Dig in and enjoy! We guarantee you'll love the creamy texture of the ricotta with the tanginess of the tomatoes and mushrooms and the heartiness of the meat. This is a winner for sure!

One Year Ago: Fettuccine with Fresh Corn Pesto and Kale and Edamame Pesto

Nectar of Summer: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

 

We don't do nearly enough baking around here, and in the summer when fresh fruit is abundant, some baking just won't be better. Strawberry Rhubarb pies have always been a favorite of ours - that sweet yet slightly tangy flavor of the filling is just irresistible. However if you don't have a pie crust on hand and don't want to make your own, the idea of baking a pie can be daunting. By making a crisp instead, you can be united with your sweet summery filling more quickly, and truthfully, it might even taste better!

So if you love strawberry rhubarb pies but find yourself pressed for time to make a pie crust, give this recipe for strawberry rhubarb crisp a try, and feel free to thank us later!

Making the Crisp
What You'll Need

For the filling
1 lb fresh strawberries, sliced in half
1 bunch fresh rhubarb, cut into small chunks
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour

For the crisp
1.5 cups rolled oats
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 stick butter, cut into chunks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, and flour. Fold everything together gently until the sugar and flour are equally spread out over the strawberries and rhubarb. Let rest in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

While the strawberries and rhubarb are resting, combine the crisp ingredients in another mixing bowl. Add the rolled oats, flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and mix together gently. Then add in the butter and using a fork, start to stir it into the dry ingredients.

Stir everything together until the butter is fairly equally distributed throughout the ingredients, and clumps of crisp have formed. You may need to use your hands to get it really nicely dispersed.

Take out a pie dish and coat the sides with butter. Then add in the strawberry rhubarb mix - it should be nice and syrupy by now. Spread the strawberry rhubarb mix equally over the pie dish.

Then, sprinkle the crisp over the top, until the entire surface of the crisp is covered.

Pop the dish into the oven and wait about 30 - 45 minutes, or until the top of the crisp is nice and, well, crispy. Once it's done, remove and let cool for about 15 minutes at least before digging in.

Enjoy!

One year ago: Tagliatelle with Prosciutto and Orange

Thomas Keller's Tarragon Chicken and Creamy Potato Salad

 

This is one of those really fancy tasting meals where you take a bite and think to yourself "wow, did I really cook this at home?" Well guess what - you did. Tarragon seems to have that effect on me - every time I have it it makes me feel like I'm eating something really luxurious. Unfortunately I've only really ever had it on chicken - any other ideas of where I could be using it?

We served this delicious tarragon chicken with a side of creamy ranch green bean potato salad, which is  as easy to put together as reading the name of the salad! The two flavors actually went together quite well, with the coolness of the ranch in the salad mimicking the cool deep flavor of the tarragon chicken.

Give this one a try next time you need to impress!

Making the Dish

What You'll Need
For the Chicken
2 chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded down to about 1/2 an inch thick
1/4 cup flour
4 tbsp canola oil
1 shallot, diced
2 tbsp fresh chopped tarragon
1/2 cup white wine

For the salad
4 - 5 red potatoes
1/2 lb green beans
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
4 tbsp chopped chives
1 cup ranch dressing
2 tsp ground pepper
1 shallot, diced

Start everything off by cooking up the potatoes. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add in the peppercorns, bay leaves, and garlic. Then add in the potatoes and cook until they are fork tender.

Remove the potatoes from the water and then blanch the green beans for about 3 - 4 minutes. Remove and then rinse in cool water. Quarter the potatoes when they are cool enough to handle. Cut the green beans into one inch pieces

Add the ranch dressing to a bowl and add in the ground pepper. For the ranch dressing, we made our own but it was a lot of work and ended up tasting just like it would have if we had used a good pre-made one, so we recommend doing that and just adding the pepper to give it a little kick.

Add the potatoes, green beans, chives, and diced shallot to the bowl with the ranch dressing. Stir everything together, and then place in the fridge to cool.

To make the chicken, once you've pounded the chicken flat, dredge each piece in flour so that it's lightly coated, and pat off the excess. Heat up the canola oil in a large non-stick skillet until it is very hot. Then carefully place each piece of chicken in the pan, searing it on each side, about 2 - 3 minutes per side.

You may need to do this in batches so that you don't crowd the pan.

Once you've seared the chicken on each side, remove it from the pan and let it rest on a paper towel. Remove all but 2 tbsp of the oil from the pan. Then return the pan to heat, with the remaining oil and the browned chicken bits, and add in the diced shallot and the diced tarragon.

Stir everything together and let the shallots soften and the flavor of the tarragon infuse. When the shallots have softened a bit, add in the wine and bring everything to a boil. Stir around and let it thicken slightly. When it has thickened slightly, return the chicken to the pan and cook for a minute or two longer on each side until the chicken has cooked through and absorbed the flavor.

When the chicken is done, place it on each plate and drizzle the pan sauce over it. Garnish with a sprig of tarragon, and serve the cooled salad on the side!

One Year Ago: Tagliatelle with Shrimp, Corn, and Jalapeno