A Still Life with Pork: Homemade Pancetta and two rustic recipes

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Our friends Wayne and Emilie are the ultimate foodies.  They are epicureans dedicated to locally sourced, sustainable, and organic food.  They recently returned to LA after revamping their family farm in South Carolina, where they raised heritage pigs, chickens, goats and veggies galore.  So you can imagine my excitement when they came over with a huge slab of homemade pancetta for us.  If you don't have the mettle (or the farm) to raise your own pigs, Wayne has provided some wonderful sources for pasture-raised pork, and a detailed description of the process.  I'm including those instructions here: Wayne's Homemade Pancetta

Pancetta is salt-cured Italian bacon and adds enormous depth of flavor to pasta, soups, sauces and more.  Bacon is commonly paired with hearty greens, so I used the pancetta with Swiss chard from the farmers' market.  I'm also excited to share a recipe I make all the time: Nancy Silverton's Umbrian Lentils with Olive Oil Fried eggs.  This is a truly Italian dish, with simple ingredients and bold flavors.  We eat this for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Sauteed Swiss Chard with Pancetta

serves 2-4

Ingredients

2 tblsp finely chopped pancetta

1 tblsp olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1 bunch Swiss chard or other greens, stems removed and chopped, leafy tops thinly sliced crosswise

1 tblsp red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

1.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add olive oil and pancetta, cook until fat has rendered, 3 to 5 minutes.

2.  Add onions to pan and cook 3 minutes.  Add the chopped stems of the chard and cook another 3 minutes.  Add chard, season with salt and pepper.  Toss with tongs until wilted.  If the pan is very dry, add a 1/4 cup of chicken stock or water.  Cook until greens are tender, approximately 8 minutes.  Remove from heat and sprinkle with red wine vinegar.

Umbrian Lentils with Olive Oil Fried Eggs

from foodandwine.com

serves 4

Ingredients

2 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying

2 oz pancetta, finely cubed

1 small carrot, coarsely chopped

1 small celery rib, coarsely chopped

1.2 small onion, finely diced

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 tsp tomato paste

1/2 lb Umbrian Lentils or green lentils (1 1/4 cups)

1 quart low sodium chicken broth

salt and fresh found black pepper

4 large eggs

handful of arugula or baby spinach

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and aged Balsamic vinegar, for serving

1.  In a saucepan, heat the 2 tblsp of oil, add the pancetta and cook over medium heat until the fat has rendered.

2.  In a food processor, finely chop the carrot and celery.  Add the vegetables to the saucepan along with the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, 7 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and stir over moderately high heat until shiny, 1 minute.  Add the lentils and 2 1/2 cups of the broth and bring to a boil.  Simmer over low heat , stirring occasionally, until most of the broth has been absorbed, 25 minutes.  Add 1 more cup of the broth and continue simmering until absorbed, 10 minutes.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup broth and simmer until lentils are tender and suspended in a  creamy sauce, 5 to ten minutes longer.  Season with salt and pepper.

3.  In a large non-stick skillet, heat a thin film of olive oil.  Crack the eggs into the skillet, season with salt and cook over moderately high heat until the edges are golden.  Spoon the lentils into shallow bowls and top with eggs and arugula or spinach.  Grate the cheese over the eggs and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.  Serve immediately.

 

A simple & stunning side dish: Roasted Kabocha Squash with Walnuts &Pomegranate Molasses

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I first made this recipe last Thanksgiving and it looked gorgeous on the table.  It's very simple to put together, but the final dish looks elegant and exotic.  Kabocha squash is a winter squash with bright orange flesh, otherwise known as a Japanese pumpkin.  Like many squash and pumpkin varieties, it is rich in beta-carotene, iron and potassium.  Kabocha have a shape and color that make them particularly eye-catching, and a they have a flavor even sweeter than their butternut cousin. 

They also have a fluffy/starchy texture that soaks up the butter and brown sugar as they roast.  After the squash is roasted, it is drizzled with tart pomegranate molasses and garnished with toasted walnuts (or as the original recipe calls for, chestnuts) and fresh pomegranate seeds. It's a heavenly combination and a great side dish for any fall menu.

Roasted Squash with Walnuts and Pomegranate
from foodandwine.com
serves 6

Ingredients
2 small organic kabocha squash, washed, halved lengthwise and seeded
5 tblsp unsalted butter, 3 tblsp melted
3 tblsp dark brown sugar
salt and freshly ground pepper
6 oz walnuts, or vacuum-packed whole roasted peeled chestnuts (about 1 cup)
12 thyme sprigs
1/2 cup seeds from 1 pomegranate, or fresh red currants
1 1/2 tblsp pomegranate molasses

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set the squash cut side up on the baking sheet; brush with melted butter.  Sprinkle the sugar in the cavities; season with salt and pepper.  Turn the squash over on the sheet and roast for about 1 hour, until tender and browned at the edges.

2.  Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet.  Add the walnuts and thyme sprigs and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly browned and glazed with butter, 8 to 10 minutes.  Discard thyme sprigs (or use for garnish).

3.  Cut each squash half into 4 wedges and arrange on a large platter.  Scatter the walnuts and pomegranate seeds over the squash.  Drizzle with pomegranate molasses and serve.

 

A classic cookie for any occasion: Lemon Glazed Cookies

Lemon is one of my very favorite ingredients in the kitchen, in vinaigrettes, marinades, pan sauces, and in baked goods and cocktails.  So these crunchy lemon glazed cookies are right up my alley.  They aren't very sweet but they have a big punch of lemon flavor.  These crumbly little biscuits remind me of Italian holiday cookies, but they are much simpler to make.

Glazed Lemon Cookies
from marthastewart.com
makes 24 cookies

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tblsp finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
for the lemon glaze
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tblsp finely grated lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat until combined.  With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture.

2.  Drop dough in heaping tablespoons, 1 inch apart, onto two baking sheets lined with parchment.  Bake until edges are golden, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.  Let cool 2 minutes on sheets, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

3.  Meanwhile, whisk all the ingredients for the lemon glaze in a medium bowl until smooth.  When cookies are cool, spread with lemon glaze, and let set, about 1 hour.

So Fresh: Tacos de Carnitas on a Jicama shell with Red Cabbage Slaw

Last month we went to one of the events for the LA Food & Wine Festival at Paramount Studios and sampled some great food (and got to see Mariachi El Bronx perform... so dope!).  One of the more ingenious offerings was a taco served on a thin slice of jicama.  Jicama is a root vegetable with a unique sweet/peppery flavor, similar to a radish or a turnip.  If you are cutting out carbs, try this crunchy alternative.   

Carnitas is made from richly marbled pork shoulder.  It is braised for hours in milk and orange juice until the meat can be pulled apart with a fork, and then quickly caramelized as the liquid evaporates in the last step. Carnitas are traditionally paired with the bright flavors of cilantro, raw onions, and salsa.  I made a bangin' red cabbage slaw from Bobby Flay and added some of the slow-roasted cherry tomatoes I made earlier in the week.  

Carnitas

from epicurious.com

serves 3 or 4

Ingredients

For Carnitas:

1 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder

2 tblsp canola oil or vegetable oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 orange, well washed

1/2 cup whole milk

about 1 cup water

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 cinnamon stick

For Red Cabbage Slaw:

juice of half an orange

juice of 2 limes

2 scallions, white and pale green part only, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped

1/2 tblsp honey

salt and fresh cracked pepper

3 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 head of red cabbage, sliced thinly on a mandoline

For Serving:

1 large, round jicama, peeled and sliced to 1/4-inch thickness on a mandoline (put in a bowl with cold water in the fridge until ready to use. Dry on paper towels)

guacamole

chopped cilantro

slow-roasted cherry tomatoes

hot sauce

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the pork into 6 or 8 pieces. Trim off any pieces of pure fat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven.  Brown the meat on all sides.

2. Squeeze the orange over the meat and toss the rind into the pan.  Pour the milk over the meat and add enough water to almost cover the meat.  Sprinkle with some more pepper.  Add the cinnamon stick.  Cover tightly and bake for about 2 hours, until the meat is fork-tender.

3.  To finish, uncover the meat and break into largish pieces.  Remove the orange rind and cinnamon stick and discard.  Roast, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes, until the meat is caramelized and crisp on the edges.

4.  In the meantime, make the slaw.  Combine all the ingredients besides the cabbage in a blender or food processor until smooth.  In a large bowl, toss the cabbage with the vinaigrette. Taste for salt and pepper. Let sit for at least an hour.

5.  To assemble the tacos, pull apart the pork with two forks.  Place some on a jicama round. Top with slaw, guacamole, slow-roasted tomatoes and hot sauce.  Serve with lime wedges.