Iberian Acorn Ham

Last month, just in time for Christmas, my dear friend Nuria of Spanish Recipes sent me a package containing vacuum-sealed Iberian Acorn Ham. For those not in the know, Iberian Acorn Ham is a cured ham which is only produced in Spain the meat comes from free-range hogs that feed on only what's in the wild, including acorns.

Most of you are familiar with prosciutto but I urge to look for and try a few slices of Iberian ham. It's flavour can be described as buttery, a slight tang to the taste and a warm, brown finish as it melts in your mouth.

Iberian ham is best served when brought to room temperature and little accoutrement is needed with this fine product.

Here, I cut up some small logs of Greek Manouri cheese, wrapped the ham around it, added some greens for colour and contrast and served this with a pickled cherry pepper from our family's cellar.

No olive oil is needed here (as the ham is quite oily) but I dressed this appetizer with some lemon zest and freshly cracked black pepper. Don't forget that in the background stands oneof my mom's homemade and delicious bread rolls.

Nuria, thank you so much for your generosity, your warm friendship and always delicious food on your blog. I urge all of you to pay a visit to Nuria's site, tell her "Peter sent ya" and only visit her site on a full stomach, otherwise you'll be instantly hungry.



If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Grandma's Pork & Quince (Χοιρινό & Κυδώνια της Γιαγιάς)

My relatives can be divided into two camps: the father's side of the family and the mother's side. The two camps are also geographically divided with all of my dad's side of the family residing here in Canada and save for two of my mom's first cousins here in Canada, the rest of her family reside in Greece.

Many friends have asked why I go to Greece so often, is their not a whole other world out there to explore and enjoy? My obvious answer is "yes" BUT...I always remind them that I have aunts and uncles, dozens of cousins, friends and friends of the family and for a long time, maternal grandparents. It's important for me to stay connected with them.

My mom's parents have both since passed on but memories of them are triggered each time I go to Greece and I always visit the cemetary to light a candle for them.

My maternal grandmother's(yiayia) name was Agape, translated litterally as "love". What woman would marry at a young age, bear five children, embrace grandparents in the household, be the CEO of a household that had nine hungry mouths and manage sneak away some food to some less fortunate and starving relatives?

Only a lady with the name of Agape.

Having found a good and reliable source of quince this past autumn, my mom recalled a dish her mother (my yiayia Agape) would make during the winter months. My parents both also recall the annual slaughtering of the pigs for the winter and pork (like in much of the word) would get paired with fruits.

This dish comes from mom's memories as a child and this dish of pork & quince is one of those food memories. Basically you have paillards of pork meat that rolled around good slices of quince and placed over a bed of potatoes and quince and tossed in olive oil plus the zest and juice of one orange.

I was skeptical as to how tasty the resulting dish would taste like but that eroded to expose a roast that was aromatic, easy on the eye and absolutely delicious.

If you can still find some quince in your neck of the woods, give this bake a try...it's easy, it's old school Greek and it tastes delicious.

This dish brought back many fond memories of my yiayia Agape and for me, food and aromas transports me, triggers memories. I hope this dish does the same for you.

Grandma's Pork & Quinces (Χοιρινό & Κυδώνια της Γιαγιάς)
(serves 6)

1 1/2 of lean bonless pork (loin, or leg)
12 medium to large Russet or other baking potatoes
1/3 cup of olive oil
4 quinces
zest and juice of 1 orange
salt and pepper to taste
toothpicks

Pre-heated 450F oven

1. To slice your pork thinly, place the piece of meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes to harden. Cut thin slices of pork, say about 3-4 per person and place each piece between plastic wrap and pound out into paillards (cutlets). Reserve.
   
2. Peel and cut your potatoes into uniform sizes and place in the roasting pan. Peel and core your quinces. Two quinces should be cut up into chunks that are the size of the potatoes and the other two quince should be cut up into 1/2cm slices that can fit and rolled into the pork paillards (cutlets).
3. Pour the olive oil over the potatoes and quince, add the zest and juice of one orange and preheat your oven. Season with salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat the potatoes and quince. Taste the oil in the pan to check and adjust seasoning accordingly.
   
4. Assemble your pork and quince rolls by laying out a pork cutlet, lightly season the inside with salt and pepper and place a slice of quince at one of the cutlet. Roll the pork around the quince (snugly) and afix with a toothpick. Continue assembling your pork and quick rolls until all the pork has been rolled. If there's any pieces of quince left, toss them in the roasting pan with the potatoes and quince.
5. Lightly season the outside of your pork and quince roll-ups and place on the bed of potatoes and quince. Place in your pre-heated oven for 30 minutes and then take out the baking dish and flip the pork-rolls so that the underside also cooks to a nice deep-brown colour. Reduce the oven's temperature to 400f and continue to roast for another 15-20 minutes or until the the potatoes are fork-tender.
6. Serve each plate with a pile of potatoes and quince, drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil and serve with a winter green salad.

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Pork Chops "Krasates" (Χοιρινές Μπριζόλες Κρασάτες )

When I'm in Thessaloniki, one of my favourite places to eat is at the "Kourdisto Gourouni" or Wind-Up Pig.

This Greek brasserie is located in the Square of Agia Sophia and they've been serving up delicious Greek food that's innovative yet stays true to tradition.

This dish is inspired by a Kourdisto Gourouni dish I had with a veal fillet and another dish my mom prepared for me this past summer in Greece.

What you need here are some juicy pork chops (nothing too lean), good dry white wine, some stock, olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice, dried Greek oregano and plump green olives.

As much as I love grilling outdoors, those first cold days of autumn when winter bites yours ears are here. A dish like this satisfies my need for meat and it transports me back to Thessaloniki, one of the best cities in Greece to dine in.

Go out and get some meaty pork chops, some fat content on them (so they don't dry out), a large skillet and a good bottle of dry Greek wine.

Tsantali Makedonikos works wonderfully here and you can be transported to an outdoor table, sitting in front of the taverna, sipping wine, people watching and eating down home Greek food.


Pork Chops "Krasates" (Χοιρινές Μπριζόλες Κρασάτες )
(serves 4)

4 bone-in pork chops
salt & pepper
2 tsp. sweet paprika
flour for dredging
1/4 cup olive oil
2/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken/vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
6-8 large green olives, pitted & chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
4 tsp. dry Greek oregano

1. Rinse and pat-dry your pork chops. Place about a cup of flour into a plate and season with salt and pepper and the paprika. Mix with a fork and taste and adjust seasoning. Dredge your pork chops in the seasoned flour and set aside.
   
2. Place a large skillet on your stovetop over medium-high heat. Add your olive oil and sprinkle some flour to test if the oil is hot enough. Place your chops in the skillet and brown both sides of your chops, about 2-3 minutes per side and then remove and reserve.
   
3. Now reduce your heat to medium and add your wine, stock and bay leaves and simmer while scraping up the brown bits for 2-3 minutes. Place your pork chops back in the skillet and cover. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes or until the chops are tender and the sauce has reduced to half.
4. Add the chopped green olives, the lemon juice and Greek oregano and swirl to incorporate. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, remove the bay leaves and serve.
5. I paired this dish with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed oyster mushrooms.
   

Grilled Pork Chops With Mustard, Honey & Sage

Anyone living in Canada or anyone who's visited here or knows a Canadian, will understand why we're sometimes called "crazy canucks".

From a cooking perspective, throw any bad weather at us and if we want to eat something grilled, we'll grill it in the worst of weather conditions.

I'll grilled outdoors when it's pouring rain, extreme cold and yes, even when it snows. I think the only time I haven't grilled is when it's hailing (hail hurts my head).

The weather around here is definitely closer to winter than it is to summer. It was just a week ago that I had the A/C on. The switch on the thermostat has been flicked towards the furnace...exit...stage winter!

I love me a good pork chop but I do get bored with the same ole' slab of pig on the grill. This quick and easy marinade did the trick, however.

I have autumn flavours working here...sage, mustard, honey, oregano and bay...sound good so far?

I also wanted to test out my new coffee grinder which will never be used to grind coffee.

I've seen many food personalities use this contraption to grind spice mixtures into a fine powder.

I want that too!

Let's grill!

Grilled Pork Chops With Mustard, Honey & Sage
(for 4)

2 Tbsp. of fresh sage
2 tsp. of dry oregano
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. of whole, mixed peppercorns
1 tsp. coarse sea salt
4 tsp. of Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. honey
4 tsp. of canola/sunflower oil
zest of 1/2 lemon
squeeze of fresh lemon juice

1. Using a mortar & pestle or dedicated coffee grinder for spices, add your sage. oregano, bay leaf, salt and peppercorns and grind into powder.
2. Now empty the spice mixture into a large Zip-lock bag, along with the honey, mustard, oil, zest and lemon juice. Mix to incorporate the marinade and taste-test and adjust accordingly.
3. Add your pork chops into the bag and squish the contents so that the marinade has coated all the chops. Throw in the fridge for at least at at least and hour (ideally three hours) and return to room temperature before grilling.
4. Pre-heat your grill to a medium high heat (should be able to count to five when placing your hand over the heat). Brush your grill well to remove any residue and treat it by wiping some canola oil.
5. Season your pork chops with some salt and a little more black pepper and place on your grill.
6. Your pork chops should take 4-5 minutes per side. When the chops are done, allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.
   

Back in Black

Today, I'm cooking with a black ingredient, a new ingredient. I'm talking about black trumpet mushrooms.

The black trumpet is a Chanterelle mushroom and although you may not find them fresh at your market, one can easily find the dried variety (which I bought at my local Asian store).

I don't think I've ever cooked with a black ingredient before...I've burned things to a charred crisp but never have started out with something black.

Speaking of black, who likes AC/DC? After a long hiatus, they are on tour again and my friends and myself will be going to see these rock legends when they come to Toronto in October. Check your local listings to see when they'll be hitting your town.

In the meantime, here's some AC/DC to get you warmed up for their concert and for my "cooking in black" session...


Are you done head bangin'? Are you hungry? Are you ready to Eat to the Beat?

My friend Elly at Elly Says Opa holds a quarterly blogging event where you can write about a dish tied to or inspired by music. If you have a dish and tune in mind, you have until the end of the month to squeeze in an entry.

My entry is a Charred and Roasted Pork Tenderloin with a Black Trumpet Emulsion. In plain English you might be thinking?

I blitzed a mixture in my mini-food processor with dried Black Trumpets along with some herbs and even a touch of sugar (helped with the charring processs). The pork tenderloin then got seared in a skillet and finished off in the oven to a juicy finish.

Not satisfied with the use of Black Trumpets? They get simmered down and whizzed into a emulsion or sauce that's poured over the moist pork tenderloin.

This dish was not too difficult, the result surprised both myself and my brother and it was great to enjoy a recipe from a local, well-known Canadian chef, Michael Bonacini.

To accompany Bonacini's pork tenderloin, I made a Potato & Fennel Gratin and I pan-seared some boy choy.

The final meal was outstanding...fall ingredients, seasonal and a delicious foray into the beginning of autumn. I learned about a new ingredient (Black Trumpets), found out that I liked fennel alot and discovered bok choy is a quick, easy and health vegetable to serve up at the table.

Charred & Roasted Pork Tenderloin With a Black Trumpet Emulsion
(from Michael Bonacini)
serves 4

The Rub
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
3/4 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp dried black trumpet mushrooms
2 pork tenderloins

Black Trumpet Emulsion
2 shallots, finely diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. of butter
3/4 cup of black trumpet mushrooms
(1/3 cup if dried, rehydrate in boiling hot water for 10 minutes)
3/4 cup of chicken stock
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. heavy cream

1. Add black peppercorns, coriander seeds, salt, granulated sugar and trumpet mushrooms to a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Grind spice mixture to a fine sandy texture. Alternatively, grind the spices using a mortar and pestle, but the final texture of the rub will be coarse. This seasoning rub can be kept in an airtight container for up to three months.
2. Thoroughly rub the pork tenderloin with generous amounts of the seasoning rub. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes so the flavours penetrate the pork.
3. Preheat oven to 400 to 425 degrees F.
4. Heat a large heavy-bottomed frying pan (with oven proof handles) over medium high heat. Add a splash of canola oil and a good knob of butter. Sear the pork tenderloins in the pan, turning from time to time so pork browns evenly on all sides. Transfer to oven cook pork until just cooked to a pink and tender stage, about 6 to 8 minutes. Let rest 8 to 10 minutes, keeping warm.
5. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add butter, shallots and garlic. Gently cook until the shallots are soft. Add the black trumpets, cook lightly for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Reduce mixture by about 1/3.
6. Transfer to a food blender and puree until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer back to the saucepan and bring back to a simmer. Add the cream and the last of the butter. Then using a small hand blender, aerate the sauce to create a light, foamy, very creamy and velvety emulsion. Adjust the seasoning if needed and serve.

Linguine Carbonara

This is an Italian classic but I first tasted this dish when I visited the Greek island of Corfu in 1988. The Italian food Caribinieri will insist that this dish NOT contain any cream.

Lucky for the Italians, I can pull off this dish without cream but if you're the type that likes it in the mix, who am I to stop you?

Carbonara is very popular in Greece and it's often found on menus alongside other pastas & pizzas on offer.

After spending five weeks in Greece, I craved something a little different and this quick, filling and most satisfying dish always hits the spot.

There are many legends as to the origins of the dish...you pick the one you like and spout it off to your dinner guests...they'll think you cooked under the tutelage of Mario Batali!

Linguine Carbonara
(per serving)

1 handful of dry linguine
2 egg yolks
cracked black pepper to taste
grated Romano cheese
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup of diced bacon, pancetta or guanciale
splash of dry white wine
pasta water
chopped fresh parsley

1. Get a pot of water to boil and then add a generous amount of salt and cook your pasta to just under al dente (6-7 minutes).
2. In a large skillet, add your bacon and some water and place over high heat. The water will boil down to nothing and then your bacon will render better and crisp up nicely. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, remove most of the remaining fat (save a Tbsp.) and reserve.
   
3. Allow your skillet to cool down a bit and add your diced onions and garlic (add a bit of olive oil if the skillet has too little fat) over medium heat and stir frequently for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add a splash of white wine and deglaze the pan and take off the heat (you may remove the garlic cloves now, if you wish).
   
5. In a small bowl, whisk your egg yolks, black pepper and Romano cheese and reserve.
6. When your pasta is ready, strain while remembering to reserve some pasta water. Add the pasta to the skillet (off the heat) along with some pasta water and your egg yolk mixture.
7. At this point the residual heat of the hot pasta and pasta water should cook and bind your mixture into a thick & creamy sauce.
8. Add your chopped parsley and adjust seasoning with salt (rarely needed) and cracked black pepper to taste. Grate some additional Romano cheese on top if desired.
   

Souvlaki

I don't think this blog can go on much longer without including a recipe for souvlaki. You've all had it at Greek restaurants and tavernas, at the diners owned by Greek families and at practically every eating establishment in Greece.

To truly enjoy a souvlaki, one should try it in the home of a Greek. Here, I marinade pork butt into tender grilled morsels.

I find pork butt to be the most flavourful and there's just enough fat in the cut to heighten taste and keep the meat moist. You may certainly use a leaner cut of pork but the butt (shoulder) is my preference.

Souvlaki is what I served at my Birthday party as the meat portion of the evening. As I was serving an array of dishes, I cut the pork into small, bite-sized pieces. When in Greece, you'll notice the souvlakis are smaller than what we see here at Greek restaurants, where the souvlaki and accompaniments are made into a dinner.

In Greeece, souvlaki is more of a street food. Within each block of a city, a small souvlaki and gyro shop will be present with few seats and lots of spots for patrons to stand up, eat a few "kalamakia" (sticks), with some Tzatziki, a beer and some bread.

This marinade is simple, it's got good taste and you can certainly apply it to chicken or lamb souvlaki.

Pork Souvlaki

1 boneless pork butt (shoulder)
1 medium onion, grated
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 heaping tsp. salt
1 heaping tsp. black pepper
1/4 vegetable oil
1 heaping tsp. dried Greek oregano
wooden skewers (soaked overnight)

1. Trim excess fat from your pork butt and cut into uniform pieces.
2. In a large bowl, add your remaining marinade ingredients along with the pork pieces and toss to mix and coat all the meat. Place in the fridge for at least 5 hours and for best results, overnight.
3. Place your wooden skewers in a shallow baking dish that's filled with water. Allow the wooden skewers to soak overnight (so they don't disintegrate when grilling).
4. The next day, a couple of hours before you are going to grill your souvlaki, allow the pork to come to room temperature and then start skewering your meat (it's easier when your meat's at room temperature).
5. Pre-heat your gas grill (or prepare your charcoal grill) and when you have a medium-high heat, grill your souvlakia for 3-4 minutes a side and then keep warm until all the souvlaki are cooked.
6. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on your souvlakia with a sprinkle of fine sea salt and dried Greek oregano.
7. Serve with some crusty bread and Tzatziki.
   

No Fear Blogging

One of the bonuses of food blogging is you sometimes get to meet your fellow bloggers. An even rarer occurance is when you meet one from your same town/city and you greet each other as though we were old friends getting together to play "catch up" and spend the day together.

Such was the case this past Thursday when Judy of No Fear Entertaining and family (posse) came to downtown Toronto to meet me for drinks, lunch and some shopping.

We had lunch in one of the city's dining jewels, located in Cabbagetown and then we headed over to Kensington Market to do some grocery shopping from street-side food stands and some fish from the Greek fellows I know.

As someone who love's food, there can be nothing better than being in the company of others like you who recognize and enjoy good food, never tire of talking about good food or seek out good food. That's how our day went and I wouldn't change a thing about it!

My advice as a blogger is get to know the people who frequent and comment on your blog, use some common sense with who to approach and seek others who share similar life paths. Judy and I grew up in the same era and our jokes, life experiences and Toronto upbringing brought us together (along with the attraction to each other's food).

Without throwing caution to the wind, try and organize a gathering, seek out bloggers where you might go to vacation or extend an invite to anyone who might be visiting your town. In my instance, I got lucky by meeting new friends...thanks Judy and Mr. T!

On to some food, as it's as much about sharing as it is about taste, flavour and aroma. I'll be having some friends over at my place for a BBQ and in the ensuing days, I'll share with you some of my favourite dishes (that Souvlaki recipe is coming) and some new ones and even a "Kalofagas Mama" recipe for a Strawberry Shortcake!

Not being the type to blog without offering up a dish, I leave you with a surprisingly delicious pork chop recipe that's easy to prep, gives neutral pork a punch and it's easy enough to whip for the family for a weeknight barbecue.

What we have here is a Cumin-Crusted Pork Chop with a zesty peach salsa. It's latin inspired with the use of crushed cumin seeds and cilantro perfuming the salsa. I added my own stamp on the dish with some oregano to complement the cumin.

This dish is obviously for those who enjoy the aroma and flavour of cumin. This dish works best if you pound or crush cumin seeds...the ground up crap doesn't cut here and the final result is a mellow, flavourful recipe that puts some new life in the staid grilled pork chop.

OH NO YOU DIDN'T JUST DO THAT?

OH yes I did! I combined shrimp with Chorizo sausage. I saw a photograph of this combo recently and I knew I had to try it.

This has to be one of the best non-recipes. How do I instruct you, what instructions are there to follow or is there any technique involved?

First of all, go find some Chorizo. In this instance, I used the dried, cured Chorizo sausage. It comes in a mild or spicy version and for this treat, I went with spicy.

The only advice I can give you here is to seek shrimp that big enough to fit the arc of the chorizo when skewering the shrimp to it.

The other tip is slice the sausage to the same thickness as the shrimp and last but not least, grill on high heat and please...do not overcook your shrimp. Shrimp is cooked when in turns pink.

If you want to learn more about Chorizo sausage, visit my friend Nuria's blog where she lays down the basics of Chorizo.

Death By Guilt, Courtesy of Mom

Last year, I took it upon myself to make my mother Eggs Benedict, delivered to her bedside.

Instead of "thenk-you, Pee'rre...you thaught-fal, kind son", I got..."I know, you feed me reech food, fool aaf butter breakfast too geeve me haart-attack. You want to keel me aaf, get rid of me? Niiice Mother's Day prresent....ZOAN (animal)"!

For those that are Greek, you'll know that any kind gesture towards you're mom will be answered by a healthy dose of Greek Guilt. I serve her eggs benedict, I get grief and the urge to drink...alot!

All kidding aside, I wish all the moms, mothers, grand mothers (and soon to be moms) a wonderful Mother's Day...milk the day for all you can...you'll probably get everything you ask for!

Eggs Benedict are one of my favourite breakfasts/brunches. It is a rich meal but having it from time to time won't kill you but I found, whisking the Hollandaise Sauce over the double-boiler will!

How boring is it to sit over and whisk egg yolks for 10-15 minutes? I don't have that kind of patience in the morning and timing the English muffins, warm ham/bacon, poached eggs AND getting the perfect Hollandaise Sauce is just too much stress for someone who's just woken up.

Here's a shortcut method to poaching eggs and making a great Hollandaise Sauce. Around these parts, Eggs Benedict consists of one English Muffin, halved and toasted, 2 poached eggs (little runny), a side of home fries and the crowning Hollandaise Sauce in all it's glory.

(Notes taken from the Alberta Egg Producers)

Eggs Benedict
(for 2)

2 English muffins, toasted
4 eggs, poached
slices of ham, bacon or peameal bacon slices
2 potatoes, par-boiled and then skillet-fried (non-stick)
water
white vinegar

Hollandaise Sauce
1/2 cup of butter
3 eggs yolks
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
pinch of salt
dash of Tabasco Sauce
sweet paprika (garnish)
chopped fresh chives (garnish)

1. Add about 3 inches of water into a medium pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and add a few dashes of white vinegar.
2. Break the cold eggs, one at a time into a small bowl. Give your water a swirl and drop your eggs in, one at a time. Cook in the barely simmering water for 3-5 minutes.
3. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on the end piece of your loaf of slice bread (no one eats it anyway) to absorb the excess water.
   

Tips

• A shallow saucepan with large surface area is best for poaching eggs.

• For poached eggs with a compact oval shape, use the freshest eggs available. Rapid boiling will cause egg to break up as it cooks.
• A few drops of vinegar will keep poached eggs compact.
• Poached eggs can be made ahead of time and held for up to two days.Undercook them slightly so that the yolks remain runny when reheated.
• Refrigerate, covered, or store in ice water, deep enough to cover eggs, until ready to use. To complete cooking, immerse in barely simmering water for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Eggs can be poached in dry white wine, chicken broth or tomato juice.
  

Here are two ways to make your Hollandaise Sauce quickly and without having a morning heart attack stressing over it:

Stove Top

1. Melt the butter until bubbly but not browned and remove from the heat. Place yolks, lemon juice, salt and tabasco in a blender container and start blending on high. Remove the lid and start pouring the melted butter in a slow but steady stream.
   
2. Blend for another 30 seconds and serve warm over your poached eggs.

Microwave

1. In a microwave-safe measuring glass, nuke the butter on high for 1 -2 minutes or until the butter's melted. Meanwhile, in another glass measuring cup, whisk the eggs, lemon juice, salt and Tabasco. Gradually whisk the melted butter into the egg yolk mixture, beating constantly.
2. Microwave on medium (50%) for 30 seconds, whisk for a bit and then microwave again for another 30 seconds until smooth, creamy. Serve Warm over your poached eggs.

Tips

Curdling may occur due to over beating or adding butter too quickly. To rescue a curdled sauce, try one of the following:

• Beat another egg yolk in a small bowl. With a whisk or fork, gradually beat the curdled Hollandaise Sauce.
• Place 15 mL (1 tbsp) water in a small bowl. With a whisk or fork, beat in a small amount of separated sauce until it becomes smooth. Keep adding sauce slowly, while continuing to beat vigorously.
• Hollandaise Sauce may be frozen. To use, thaw in refrigerator. Warm in a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, stirring constantly. If sauce should separate, use procedure outlined above.
  

Tried, Tested and True

I'm gonna get right to the point. The title of this entry is for a food event hosted by Equal Opportunity Kitchen.

Giz and Psychgrad, the mother & daughter duo co-host this food blog right from my the province I live in, Ontario.

The premise of the food event is to highlight a dish, recipe that has friends, relatives and bloggers raving about.

When I first read of this blog event, my mind immediately raced to my Baby Back Ribs. They have the flavour of being slowly done in the BBQ but all the work is done in the oven.

My dry rub is unique in that I use a hickory salt in the mix.

All the juicy details of my ribs can be found here.

Costolette di Maiale Piccante

Is it just me or do you all have a backlog of dishes you would like to try? Just counting the tagged recipes I have saved, I'm at 156!

Nevermind the new dishes I see daily or recipes from a cookbook, magazine or tv show. I have a big problem but I swear, I'll get to them.

I have no real "system" to cooking up a dish. Much like sizing up a recipe, I go by instinct, gut feel and what my mood is concerning food.

Tonight, I feel as though I should follow-up my grilled pork chop recipe with my use of the leftover pork chops.

This recipe goes wayyy back. I first saw this dish on Buffalo's PBS affiliate and Lidia Bastianich was doing her first series.

I liked Lidia's cooking immediately as it reminded me of the Italian food I ate at my neighbors and Italian friend's home. There would be no nouveau-Italian cusine here. Just good, honest, filling Italiano victuals.

I've only made this dish once before but the memory of the spicy/savory/tart dish stuck in my mind. First because I had never prepared pork chops like this before and secondly the recipe used pickled cherry peppers, which my family has made on many occasions.

Costolette di Maiale Piccante is translated as Spicy Pork Chops but if you listed it in a menu as that, then you wouldn't get the $22.95 menu price would ya? Italians are smart like that.

I'm leaving you with the original recipe which calls for breading and browning pork chops and then simmering them to a saucy finish. Tonight I worked with leftover pork chops so I simply started off with cooking off a roux and then I added the liquids and the remaining ingredients until I achieved the same saucy dish asked for by the recipe.

If you making this dish, hold off on the vinegar until the end. Add a splash at the end, just in case you don't want the dish to be at all tart. Also, I threw in some chopped sun-dried tomatoes...something to balance the heat of the cherry peppers and give a slight sweetness.

The dish was rounded out by a bed of mashed potatoes with cream cheese, Italian herb mix and some grated Grano Padano. A fitting starch for a zesty pork chop dinner.


Spicy Pork Chops (Costolette di Maiale Piccante)
(for 6)

6 lean rib or loin pork chops
Salt
All purpose flour for dredging
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3 bottled hot cherry peppers in vinegar, halved, stems and seeds removed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (optional)
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup Chicken Stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

1. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides of each lightly with salt. Coat the chops with flour and shake off any excess flour.
   
2. Divide the oil between two heavy, large skillets (cast-iron is ideal) and place the skillets over medium heat.
3. Add the chops and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Tuck the garlic in around the chops and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Tilt the skillets and spoon off as much of the fat as possible. Divide the cherry peppers and rosemary between the skillets. Add half of the vinegar to each skillet and cook, shaking the skillets occasionally, until almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.
   
4. Pour half of the wine into each skillet and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock to each skillet, cover them and simmer for 15 minutes, turning occasionally.
   
5. Remove the chops to plates. The sauce should be slightly syrupy. If not, increase the heat to high and boil one to two minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chops.
   

Grilled Pork Chops With an Onion Marmalade (Xοιρινό στη σχάρα)

I enjoyed the whole experience of barbecuing so much the other day I had to go back to the grill and make up for lost winter-time BBQ moments.

Today's grilling subject is pork chops. Pretty run-of-the-mill, eh? Pork chops do not have much flavour, often they end up being dry and one often needs a sauce or a condiment to help wash it down.

Here's my take on how to enjoy pork chops more:

• Grill them on medium-high heat. They aren't steaks and they benefit little from a high-heat searing, which also is largely responsible for your dry pork chops.
• Marinade them or brine them. Both methods will infuse flavour into the pork meat and make them moister.
• Slit the pork fat that borders chops on the round part of the chop. I hate it when my pork chops curl up. Cut one or two slits into the pork fat so that your chop stays flat and both sides of the chop will get a proper sear.
  

After that, your marinade and flavour possibilities are up to your personal tastes. Today, I went with some Greek flavours. I found a grilled pork chop recipe from a Greek supermarket chain (AB Marinopoulos) and the recipe was too easy to ignore.

I also paired the pork chops with an onion marmalade. I first tried this unique and very Greek savory marmalade while dining at Lambros, here in Toronto. Based solely on my recollection of this marmalade, I whipped it up to accompany these aromatic, tasty and juicy pork chops.


Grilled Pork Chops With an Onion Marmalade (Xοιρινό στη σχάρα)

For the Marinade
5-6 pork chops
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1 cup of red wine
1 cinnamon stick
6 cloves
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 sprig of rosemary, bruised
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

coarse sea salt
fresh ground black pepper

Onion Marmalade
1 Tbsp. sunflower oil
reserved pork chop marinade
3 small-medium red onions, sliced
1/3 cup Greek honey
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Make one or two slits into the fat that hugs that hugs the round part of your chops.
2. In a large bowl or zip-lock bag, add all your marinade ingredients and mix well. Add your pork chops to the marinade and ensure the chops are covered well by the marinade. Seal/cover and refrigerate for 3 hours. Bring back to room temperature before grilling.
3. Take the pork chops out of the marinade and pat dry. Discard the rosemary and cloves and reserve.
4. In a medium pot, add your oil over medium heat and slowly saute your onions for about 5 minutes. Cover and reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 15 minutes.
5. Add the reserved marinade, honey and balsamic vinegar and reduce until you get the consistency of a jam or marmalade. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and reserve.
6. Get your grill heated up on medium-high heat (no more than 400F). Brush off the grill and wipe the grill with a paper towel that's been dabbed in vegetable oil.
7. Season your pork chops with coarse salt and pepper and grill.
8. Grill your chops for 3-5 minutes/side (depending on thickness) over medium-high heat.
9. When your cops are done. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Plate each pork chop with a dollop of onion marmalade on top.
   

Versatile Lentils

Today, I'm sticking with lentils to show you all that they are indeed a versatile legume. Us Greeks usually have them in a soup called Fakkes.

Yesterday I showed you how delicious and easy braised lentils can be and today, I'm using up leftovers to make a tasty, hearty pasta.

An oft-used pasta in Greek cookery is "kofta makaronia" or cut macaroni. The Italian term for this pasta is Tubetti.

I'm labeling this dish Greco-Italiano as I've combined a Greek based recipe (braised lentils) and I'm using Italian pasta (Tubetti) and some smoked thick-cut bacon from a Polish deli.

The base for this dish is my leftover braised lentils. Now I'm not asking you to make this pasta from scratch but if you're so inclined to make some braised lentils, I highly recommend using your leftovers to make this delicious pasta dish. It's ready in 15 minutes!

Tubetti With Lentils and Smoky Bacon
(for 4)

350gr. pkge of Tubetti pasta
1/2 cup diced smoky bacon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 cup cup of chicken/vegetable stock
1 cup braised lentils (1/2 cup reserved)
4 ripe plum tomatoes, diced
(canned or fresh)
reserved pasta water
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp, chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil
freshly grated lemon zest

1. Get a large pot of water boiling. Add a generously amount of salt and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
2. In a small pot, heat up your stock and bring to a boil. Add JUST a 1/2 cup of your braised lentils and stir for a few minutes and allow it to heat through. Take off the heat.
3. Use a hand blender or food processor to puree the mixture. Reserve.
4. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add your diced bacon and saute for 5 minutes or until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
5. In the same skillet, drain any excess grease (leave some) and return to a medium heat. Add your onions, garlic and tomatoes and simmer for 5, allowing the veggies to soften and the sauce to thicken. Add the pureed lentil sauce, the remaining 1/2 cup of braised lentils, the dried oregano and simmer to heat through and reduce to a thick sauce.
6. Your pasta should be about ready, reserve some pasta water and drain your Tubetti.
7. Toss your pasta into the sauce and stir to coat. Add some pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Continue to stir until you achieve your desired consistency. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper
8. Plate the pasta and drizzle with good extra-virgin olive oil, chopped parsley and some grated lemon zest.