A Life, Lived

Bocconcini-stuffed Meatballs with Tomato Sauce

A few weeks ago my virtual friend Kayte posted the latest in her Wednesday with Donna Hay cooking group. I knew as soon as I read the post that I'd have to try this. The picture of the meatballs, covered with tomato sauce and oozing melted cheese from within was just that good!

Since Kayte lives a million kilometers away this is as close as I am likely to get to cooking with her anytime soon. Given how wonderful this virtual collaboration was that really is a shame.

When we were in the need of some comfort food (and who isn't in the dark, depths of winter) we had this for dinner. The recipe isn't for spaghetti and meatballs - the American dish that makes Italian cringe - but we through our 'eating Italian rules' out the bloody window and went with delicious comfort. Hay's recipe is how one might find meatballs served in Italy (where they'd be called polpette) - meatballs, cooked in sauce and served on their own or with a slice of warm bread to scarpetta the sauce.

Meatballs should be soft and juicy when you make them.  The best results come from barely mixing the meat mixture - don't over do it.  The breadcrumbs with milk also give it that tender texture.  This gives the meatballs the extra moisture.  For added nutrients you can add some carrots, zucchini, onions and bell peppers to the meatballs. 

The only change I made to the recipe was with the fennel. It isn't that we do not like fennel - we love it! So much so that I had run out. ACK In order to compensate I added some fennel pollen. The taste is more delicate, and the fennel pollen is about 200 x the price, but there was nothing else to be done. The result was a rich tasting meatball with a delicate hint of fennel and a kick from the chilli peppers.

This was easily one of the yummiest things I have made all year. I know that some of you will say 'Jerry, the year is only 29 days long)  . . . trust me when I suggest that this recipe will easily stand the test of time! LOL

Enjoy. . .

Bocconcini-stuffed Meatballs with Tomato Sauce

1 tablespoon milk
1 slice white bread, crust removed, torn
700g pork mince
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
4 cloves garlic, crushed
sea salt and cracked black pepper
24 baby bocconcini
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 x 400g cans cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon caster (superfine) sugar
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
finely grated parmesan, to serve

Place the milk and bread in a bowl and set aside for 5 minutes or until milk is absorbed. Add the pork, fennel, chilli, half the garlic, salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Roll the mixture into 24 balls and press a bocconcini into the centre of each meatball.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat and cook the meatballs for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, or until cooked through. Add the remaining oil and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, sugar and vinegar and cook for a further 2–3 minutes or until sauce has thickened slightly. Sprinkle with parmesan to serve. Serves 6.

Apples, Cabbage, and Pork Chops

Our CSA has been full of apples, cabbage, and other fall treats of late. The only problem is we never know the type of apples. I've been eating them and coking with them relatively interchangeably with good results.

With this recipe we cut them into large slices and sautéed them with green cabbage, to pair with some juicy pork chops. We used a mixture of apple cider vinegar and chicken broth to braise the cabbage and apples and added a little sugar, giving the dish some sweet-and-sour punch.

All in all, we thought it was a healthy, satisfying supper that allowed our local, organic apples to shine without being part of a pie.

Apples, Cabbage, and Pork Chops

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium-sized, tart apples, cored, peeled, and sliced into wedges
1 head of green cabbage, cored and sliced thin
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
4 center cut, bone-in pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Melt the butter in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the apple slices and cook for about two minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the cabbage, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, vinegar, and sugar, and stir the cabbage and apple mixture until it is coated, and cabbage is slightly wilted. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, then remove cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes (you want the cabbage to get soft but allow some of the liquid to evaporate). Stir occasionally, but be gentle. You don't want the apples to disintegrate.

While the cabbage and apples are cooking, make the pork chops. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Pour the flour onto a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper.

Dredge each pork chop in the flour, coating all sides, and tap off any excess. Cook the pork chops about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crusty. Remove from the pan, set on a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

When the cabbage and apples are finished cooking, top each chop with a heaping scoop. Note: You'll have extra cabbage and apples, but it tastes great leftover. Or, you can cook six pork chops if you have room.

Apple and Leek Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

I found this recipe on the Eating Well webiste while I was looking for a way to use up some apples that had arrived in our CSA as well as a bottle of apple cider we had bought and I was worried would become apple cider vinegar if we didn't drink it! *smile*

Stuffed inside a flattened plank of pork tenderloin is a mixture of leek, softened in extra-virgin olive oil, and a chopped sweet organic apple with a bit of fresh thyme thrown in. The apple was added in with the leek to cook, but just for a brief two minutes - not long enough to make the apple mushy, but just enough to tame the crispness, leaving it barely tender.

If you've never had to butterfly a piece of tenderloin, there is no need for you to think it is at all complicated. All you'll need to do is halve the pork, lengthwise, yet hold back on slicing all the way though, which would split it in two pieces. You want one piece that you can open like a book, to which you'll cover with plastic wrap and whack the heck out of it to flatten the pork to an even thickness. Use a meat mallet if you have one, but a rolling pin, the bottom of a flat skillet or even a thick bottle will do the job.

 

Apple and Leek Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup chopped leek
1 large sweet apple, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, divided
1 1/2 pound trimmed pork tenderloin
1/2 cup applejack or apple brandy (we used Calvados)
1 whole thyme sprig
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups apple cider
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add chopped leek - cook, stirring often, until leek just begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Stir apple, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apple begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and scoop mixture into a bowl to cool - wipe out the pan and set aside.

Place tenderloin on cutting board and butterfly by slicing lengthwise through the center of the meat, stopping just short of the opposite edge. Open the halves of the pork and lay a sheet of plastic wrap on top. Pound pork until it is evenly 1/4" thick.

Spread cooled apple mixture down the center of the pork, making sure to leave a clean 1" border around the edges. Fold in about 1" of the two short ends of the pork - then roll it up, jelly roll style, starting on one long side, to enclose the filling. Tie kitchen string firmly lengthwise around the roast to secure the two ends. Use the string to then tie it crosswise at 2" intervals.

Brush pork with 1 teaspoon oil, then season with remaining salt and pepper.

Heat remaining tablespoon oil in the same skillet used above over medium-high heat. Place tenderloin into the skillet - reduce temperature down to medium and brown pork roast on all sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer pork to a rimmed baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Place into the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 145 degrees, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and place pork on a clean cutting board to rest for 5 to 10 minutes (reserve any juices on the baking sheet for the sauce).

Meanwhile, place skillet back over medium-high. Add applejack, whole thyme sprig and crushed garlic. Bring mixture to a boil and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

In a small bowl, whisk together cider and cornstarch. Whisk mixture into the skillet - bring back to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced by just over half, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat - remove thyme sprig and garlic. Whisk in mustard and any juice from the baking sheet. Slice pork and serve with the sauce.

Butternut Squash Polenta with Sausage Polenta

It is amazing how our cooking changes as soon as the weather turns cooler! Out come the crock pot, dutch oven, and soup pots. Suddenly I am roasting, braising, and stewing again. I think I've only had the grill on twice since I have been home from vacation!

This recipe is a perfect example of what we call 'fall food' - it's hearty, substantial, and fills you with delicious warmth! I originally found it when I was looking for ways to use up a butternut squash which had arrived in our CSA.

I seem to always find interesting sausage which we're out on our wanders and the freezer is becoming overrun with it! I thought that creamy polenta and sweet squash would be the perfect compliment to some of that sausage.  The result was a comfort-food style dish that I'll definitely be making again.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Polenta with Sausage Polenta

1½ teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
1 bay leaf
1 cup fine polenta (not quick-cooking)
5 ounces seeded and peeled butternut squash, coarsely grated (1 cup)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Black pepper, as needed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
1½ pounds sweet or hot Italian pork sausage, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
2 teaspoons minced rosemary
1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional - we used this)
2 small onions, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼-inch half moons
Rosemary sprigs, for garnish (optional)

In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine 4½ cups water, the salt and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in polenta. Stir in squash. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until polenta and squash are very tender, 20 to 30 minutes. If the mixture gets too thick while cooking, add a little more water to the pot. Stir in butter and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

While polenta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, rosemary and fennel seeds if using. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is golden and cooked through, seven to 10 minutes. (Do this in batches if necessary, adding oil if the pan looks dry.) Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Add more oil to the skillet if it looks dry, then add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Return sausage to pan and stir to heat through. Spoon polenta into bowls and top with sausage and onion. Garnish with rosemary if you like.

Kielbasa with Cabbage and Potatoes

This was pure comfort in a pot!

We had a cabbage from our CSA delivery that we wanted to finish up before we went away. We also had a bag full of bits of kielbasa in the freezer that kept threatening to fall on my foot every time I opened the freezer door. I googled kielbasa and cabbage and look what popped up!!!

This is a classic Polish dish as translated to the US mid-west. There are also versions made popular by German immigrants to the Waterloo area in Ontario.

This is one of those quick and easy throw it in the pot dinners, perfect on a busy day.

Enjoy!

Kielbasa with Cabbage and Potatoes

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Whole Kielbasa
1 Yellow Onion (Sliced)
1/2 Head Green Cabbage (Sliced)
1/2 pound New Potatoes (Halved)
12 ounce Beer (1-2 bottles)
Salt and Pepper
3 tablespoons Brown Mustard

In a large Dutch-oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add kielbasa and sear until brown, 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan.

Add onions and cabbage and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add potatoes, kielbasa and season with salt and pepper.

Fill pot 3/4 way up with beer and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mustard. Serve with crusty bread.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Dill Sauce and Quick-Pickled Zucchini

The genesis of this recipe was dill and zucchini appearing in the same CSA shipment. I turned to google for inspiration and this recipe popped up from the Serious Eats site (although it was originally from Bon Appettit).

The highlights of this recipe were the easy sauce: mustard, honey, dill, and water and the delicious quick-pickled zucchini, which end up vinegary and crunchy and really delicious. I made extra pickled zucchini and for an entire week enjoyed the zesty crunch on sandwiches and just when I opened the refrigerator looking for a wee snack.

While this would be great served for company, in the end, this is a dinner low on prep time and huge on flavor, which is what I'm after on a regular old weeknight.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Dill Sauce and Quick-Pickled Zucchini

1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/8 inch rounds
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honeyv1 pork tenderloin, about 1 pound

In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 tablespoons water, and 2 tablespoons of the chopped dill until the salt is dissolved. Add zucchini and allow to marinate while preparing other ingredients, tossing often. Drain once ready to use.

In another bowl, whisk together mustard, remaining fill, honey, and 1/2 cup water. Season with salt and pepper.

Season pork with salt and pepper and spread with 2 tablespoons of the sauce. Prepare a grill or preheat a cast-iron grill pan over medium heat. Grill tenderloin, turning occasionally, until thickest portion reads 145°F on a thermometer, about 25 minutes. Allow to rest at least ten minutes before slicing. Serve with zucchini and mustard sauce.

Pork Chops with Grilled Nectarines, Caramelized Onions and Gorgonzola Cheese

This is a great way to make good use of the last of the summer stone fruit at the market. I found some great looking nectarines for this, but you could also use peaches if you can still find them. Or even plums.

The flavors in this dish are unreal, thanks to delicious balsamic caramelized onions, grilled nectarines and gorgonzola cheese. You might not think those things go together but they do. Oh, they do.

Despite sounding sort of complicated, this dinner comes together in just under half an hour.

Pork Chops with Grilled Nectarines, Caramelized Onions and Gorgonzola Cheese

2 bone-in pork chops
3 firm but ripe nectarines, halved and pit removed
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup crumbed gorgonzola cheese
salt and pepper

Drizzle olive oil in a small skillet. Turn heat to medium and when hot, add the onions. Saute the onions for about 15 minutes, until very soft and caramelized. Midway through, add the balsamic vinegar. When they are done, turn burner off and set onions aside for the time being.

Now, heat a grill pan over high heat. Spray with nonstick spray or drizzle a little more olive oil in. When hot, place the nectarines, cut-side down, on the hot pan. Cook for about 4 -5 minutes until soft. Place nectarines on a plate to the side. Slice when cool.

Place pork chops in the hot grill pan and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Cook pork chops for about 6-7 minutes per side. The meat should be light pink on the inside when done. If using a meat thermometer, cook until chops register at 150 degrees F.

Place chops on plates and top with caramelized onions, grilled nectarines and two tbsp gorgonzola cheese each. Enjoy!

Greek Style Pork Chops

A few weeks ago our weekly CSA shipment included some fresh dill. Since there is always a cucumber  and some garlic in the box I started craving something Greek - dill and cucumber being key ingredients in many Greek recipes. This recipe for Greek-style pork chops feature classic Mediterranean ingredients like garlic, oregano, yogurt, fresh dill, cucumber, and red onion.

This recipe came together really quickly and tasted amazing. The only thing wecan't comment on is how well the dill-yoghurt sauce complemented the pork because we forgot to serve it. ARGH I did serve the sauce the next day with some grilled souvlaki and it was great.

The recipe calls for using a grill pan. Nope. Our grilling season is short enough so there was no way I wasn't cooking the chops on the outdoor grill!

The final thing we liked about these chops - only 233 calories per serving.

Yummy and good for your waistline in one happy dish.

Greek Style Pork Chops

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops
3/4 cup plain fat-free Greek-style yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 1/2 cups diced plum tomatoes (about 2 medium)
1 cup diced seeded cucumber
1/2 cup diced red onion
Cooking spray

Combine 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, oregano, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and garlic in a zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag, and seal. Marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature, turning after 10 minutes. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, remaining 1 teaspoon oil, yogurt, 1 tablespoon dill, and 1/8 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk. Cover and chill. Combine tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. Sprinkle tomato mixture with 1/8 teaspoon salt; toss to combine.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove pork from bag, and discard marinade. Sprinkle both sides of pork evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add pork to pan, and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove pork from pan, and let stand for 2 minutes. Place 3/4 cup tomato mixture on each of 4 plates, and top each serving with 1 pork chop and about 3 tablespoons yogurt mixture.

Ham Steak with Spicy Grilled Pineapple and Red Onion Salsa

On one of our shopping trips in the states we picked up some ham steaks that were a great buy. It has been our experience that American ham is more flavourful than what we can get at home - I think that they smoke them more fully. Because of this I was happy to buy 4 of these amazing looking ham steaks. I also liked that they weren't processed like ham steaks can be here at home - this were just thick slice of well-smoked ham.

I love to grill ham steaks - particular good ones. It's an impressive dish to make. They are quick to prepare, the ham tastes great with the smoky flavor from the grill.I tend to pair the grilled ham with a fruit salsa. I found this salsa online at the My Carolina Kitchen' blog.

The spicy salsa with grilled pineapple and red onions was originally found in Cooking Light. The original recipe served the salsa with a grilled pork chop, but I decided it would be perfect with the grilled ham steak. It would be equally delicious with grilled chicken, or your favorite fish.

The recipe calls for grilling it in a grill pan. Since I was planning on grilling the ham steak anyway on the BBQ I grilled the pineapple, onion, and pepper there as well.

Ham Steak with Spicy Grilled Pineapple and Red Onion Salsa

4 slices of fresh pineapple, about ½” thick each
1 medium red onion, cut into ½” thick slices
Cooking spray, such as Pam
1 tablespoon seeded and minced jalapeno pepper
2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 ham steak

Heat the BBQ to medium high. Dpray the pineapple, and red onion with cooking spray. Place the pineapple and onion on the grill cook about 4 minutes on each side or until onion is tender. Remove both from the grill and coarsely chop. Add to a bowl and toss with the fresh lime juice and chopped jalapeno pepper.

Grill the ham until warm throughout, about 4 minutes per side (depending upon the thickness of the ham steak).

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Salsa Verde

Now that the weather has gotten a bit nicer I have been grilling in earnest.

Last week I made this pork tenderloin recipe that featured salsa verde. Do yourself a favour and double the recipe when you make it because the leftovers are amazing!

Green sauce is the name of several different sauces containing mainly herbs, namely the Italian salsa verde, the French sauce verte, the Spanish salsa verde and the German Grüne Soße or Frankfurter Grie Soß (Frankfurt dialect). Mexican salsa verde is based on tomatillos.

This recipe features the Italian version - a cold rustic sauce, and includes parsley, vinegar, capers, garlic, onion, anchovies, olive oil, and possibly mustard. Traditionally, ingredients were coarsely chopped by hand but now it is frequently blended into a coarse sauce using a food processor (as it is here). In some regions, cubed bread is soaked in vinegar and blended with the other ingredients, which creates an emulsion somewhat similar to a vinaigrette. In other regions, there is no bread. Salsa verde is used as a condiment or dipping sauce for meats, fish, poultry, or vegetables. Salsa verde is traditionally served as an accompaniment to bollito misto or grilled or stewed fish.

We loved this when I made it and even more the next day as sandwiches! Thinly sliced grilled pork, the salsa verde, and some grated asiago cheese. Buono!

 

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Salsa Verde

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb.)
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, washed and spun dry
1/4 cup shelled walnuts
1 small clove garlic
2 Tbs. capers, drained
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 oil-packed anchovy fillet, rinsed and patted dry

Heat a gas grill to medium or prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire. Trim the pork of any excess fat and silverskin (see How to trim a tenderloin) . Rub the pork with 1 Tbs. of the oil, the oregano, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Set the pork on the hottest part of the grill and close the lid. Grill, covered, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 140° to 145°F, about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pork to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

While the pork is on the grill, combine the remaining 1/3 cup oil, the parsley, walnuts, garlic, capers, lemon juice, mustard, and anchovy in a blender. Pulse the mixture until it forms a coarse paste, about five or six pulses. (This salsa verde may be made a day ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Bring it to room temperature before serving.)

Slice the pork thinly and serve with the salsa verde spooned over it.