Pork Loin in 'Dark Chocolate Mole' Sauce...

 

If taking a trip down to ole Mexico is not on your schedule, then cook like you did....

For the 'traditional' pork mole recipe you will need to buy: 1 boneless pork loin, chipotles in adobo, (3 tbsp. adobo sauce reserved) olive oil, apple cider vinegar, ancho chile powder, oregano, honey and garlic cloves. For the mole sauce, you will need to buy: 1 large tomatillo, stemmed, rinsed, and quartered, 1 small tomato, cored and halved, 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped, olive oil, dried pasilla chiles, half a banana, peanuts and or sesame seeds, raisins, chocolate, oregano, and cinnamon. 

But, for the Brainy Gourmet version all you need is this: pork loin, onion, garlic paste, olive oil, butter, chili paste, tomato paste, beef stock, oregano, paprika, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and cayenne powder, or red pepper flakes if you don't have the cayenne, rice and a braiser for cooking.

 

To begin, using either your braiser or black skillet (to used as dutch over) saute chopped onion and garlic paste in 4 tbs of olive oil and a healthy pat of butter. Then cube the pork loin and add to the pot and sear then brown adding 1 cup of beef stock. Reduce a bit and add a large dollop of chili paste and the same of tomato paste and stir. Then add your spices above, amount depends on your taste buds...

 

Heat oven to 350f. Once the pork in sauce has boiled on the stove top, cover and place on oven rack. Let this 'bake' braise for 30-40 minutes. In this time, prepare rice... amount depends on number of guests.  

 

After this time, remove braiser from oven to inspect. If it seems to be sticking, add either a bit of beef stock or red pepper brine or both and stir. Add an additional pat or two of butter and lay in at least 4 seventy percent dark chocolate pieces. Cover and return to oven.  

 

Check your rice and prepare to serve... 

 

 

 

  ~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Curry at Home for the Family...

Curry is what you want it to be... but there has to be curry!

But what is curry? Well... you’ve probably seen the word, “curry,” a lot—on menus, within recipes, in your grocery aisle. Here’s the thing: “curry” is, in many ways, a meaningless term. It doesn’t refer to a stew, or a sauce, contrary to popular opinion. In fact, it’s a reductionist term, and that means keeping it simple [https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-curry].

Given that, I still say its not a curry without the curry powder. Whatever else you do, that's your business. Here's mine... 

For this dish you will need as many chicken breasts as per dinner guests, rice (one cup per guest), heavy cream and either sour cream or buttermilk, hot chili paste, curry powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, butter and half an onion or more if you like... use a whole onion. Now, if you like cilantro then add or substitute with fresh spinach... it gives a nice color. 

To begin, saute chopped onion in half a stick of butter and 2 tbs of olive oil. Next, add cubed chicken breasts and brown. Then add your salt and pepper and spices as you like and I am generous on the curry and chili paste. To that, add a cup of heavy cream and half a cup of buttermilk or sour cream. If you like it buttery, add another 2 tbs of butter... it really gives a great taste.  Simmer while you prepare the rice...

 

Top with  extra chopped cilantro and squeezed lime with a dash of habanero sauce...

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Asian Cooking... Its what you Imagine!

Asian is spicy, simple, complicated to a point but not overly complicated and delicious. Do you have to have all original ingredients? No, its what you imagine it to be that counts. 

What you need to have for any Asian dish is hot sauce and spices! Yes, hot sauce and spices. Why? Because, according to food tolerance studies, Asian people have the highest tolerance for spicy foods.  In case you don't know, the spices that are typically used in Asian cuisine are: chilies, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, garlic, ginger and turmeric not to mention cilantro, lemongrass mind and scallions. 

Right now, you should be thinking - Wow! I have most of that in my pantry. And, you probably do. I also think that high heat cooking and constant motion while cooking brings out the spice, the vibrant color and fresh crunch in Asian cooking which makes it seem exotic and or very different from western cooking. 

What are you waiting for? Get cooking Asian... you probably have most of the ingredients... just add, your meat preference (or not), veggies, rice or rice noodles and even linguine or angel hair pasta works well. 

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Make Your Father's Day Meatball Sammie with Plenty of Red Sauce!

 

 

Any Italian knows that ya just make your meatballs, and simmer in red sauce... right? I could taste this in my dreams...

For this dish, use whatever ground meat you prefer to use. For this batch, ground turkey (+ 1 egg) was used. Mix 1lb of ground turkey with 1/4 cup of heavy cream, 1/3 cup of dry bread crumbs, some garlic powder, a shake of parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt and dried herbs: rosemary, mint and oregano. Shape into meatballs and set aside.

Saute one purple onion along with 1/2 of a green pepper and 1/2 of a red pepper in olive oil. Toss in the meatballs after the onion and pepper have browned. Then let the meatballs brown a little on each side. Next, pour in 3-4 tbs of beef stock, cover and let simmer on med. high heat for about 4-5 min. Open a medium size can of crushed tomatoes and pour that in over the top of the meatballs.

Let simmer for 35-40 min on low heat. If you want toasted bread rolls, heat the oven to 350F,  drizzle each opened 'face up' roll with olive oil, lay in some mozzarella cheese and pop in the oven until the cheese melts, then ladle in the meatballs and sauce and serve.

His and hers...


~ Tutti a Tavola!