Being in California I’m exposed to an amazing array of fresh organic fruit n veg that I wouldn’t normally get, especially back at home so I’m taking full advantage of it. One of my weekly adventures is heading to our local farmers market and seeing what’s in season and figuring out something to make with it. You might recall a few weeks back I made a Braised Beef Rib recipe using some Poblano peppers, which actually came from my garden. Turns out I really liked their charred smoky flavour so I figured I’d have another go with them. I love roasted peppers (Roast Red pepper Hummus) and funny enough I actually made this pork dish already but my photos weren’t up to par so this is round two. With a few tweaks this turned out even better than the last time.
Lucky for you I’m a shitty photographer!

RECIPE:
Serves 4

1 1/2 lbs organic / grass fed pork tenderloin – trimmed, 1″ cubes
1 cup, small, diced white onion
3 Poblano* peppers – roasted, seeded,  peeled & diced
1 red bell pepper – seeded, small dice
3 cloves garlic – minced
1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
1 tbsp fresh marjoram – chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme – chopped
1 cup white wine (whatever you’re drinking will work)
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp lemon pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
S&P

*NOTE: If you can’t find Poblano peppers you can substitute Anaheim peppers, green bell peppers or for more heat go for Serrano peppers.

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

To Roast Peppers:
Place peppers on a foiled oven tray and coat all sides with drizzle olive oil. Pop in top shelf of oven until skin is charred on all sides. As soon as one side is charred turn. When completely charred place peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 20 minutes. This will steam the pepper so the skin comes right off.
To remove Skins: They should easily peel off in your hands with a gentle tug here and there. DO NOT run the peppers under the tap to take the skins off. This will remove all the beautiful charred flavour from the pepper.

Preheat large saute pan on medium heat for 1 minute. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and saute onions, red pepper, poblano pepper and garlic for 5 -7 minutes, until softened, stirring occasionally.

While veg are cooking add all the diced pork into a large bowl and sprinkle the paprika and lemon pepper and coat pork evenly.

When the veg are beginning to soften add the chili flakes and herbs and mix for 1 minute. Remove the veg mix to a plate and drizzle 1 tbsp in that same pan increasing heat to high. Sear the diced pork in 2 batches for 3-4 minutes, stirring. You want to get a nice golden brown colour on all sides. Once the first batch is browned remove to the same plate as the veg and repeat process with additional pork, adding another tbsp of olive oil for each batch.

Return both the veg and meat to the saute pan and add the wine. Combine all ingredients together and cook for 2 minutes or until wine has reduced by half. Place everything in an oven proof casserole dish along with 4 cups low sodium chicken broth. Cover with foil.

Pop in the oven for about 1 1/2hours, approx. When ready the pork will be fork tender, super juicy and muy delicioso!

From my garden to my dinner plate — pretty cool!

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

Following on my Vegetarianism post yesterday I thought I’d go all the way and go with a good ol’ fashioned meat recipe today. Pork tenderloin is the King Don Juan of pork cuts in terms of leanness and protein. It’s also one of the easiest meats to cook but unfortunately it’s also easy to over-cook. My method of adding broth to the meat whilst cooking is a technique I use a lot for the leaner proteins like poultry and pork. It just helps in not having to serve boot leather!

RECIPE:
Serves 4

1 1/2 lb organic/grass-fed pork tenderloin

2 tsp cumin seeds
1 lemon – zested
1 tbsp rosemary
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:

Put everything (except the pork, funnily enough) in a food processor and blend. Coat all sides of pork in the marinade, place in a covered dish along with the remaining marinade and refrigerate from 4 to 24 hours.

Remove pork from fridge 1 hour before cooking to let return to room temperature.
Preheat oven 420°F.

Preheat skillet on high heat for 1 minute. Take the pork from the marinade and season both sides with 1/2 tsp salt, rub in. Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil in hot pan and sear pork on all sides for 2 minutes, until golden brown.

Once browned remove to a foiled oven tray. Place in oven for 15-20 minutes until internal temp 125°F. You want to cook the meat medium rare and as with any other meat, let it rest for 10 minutes.

TIP: After cooking for 10 minutes add chicken broth to the tray so it surrounds the loins. This will help create moisture in the pork and will help eliminate being over-cooked.

Eating healthy charges on in 2010.

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

Ahh, Pork, the other white meat. Loooovely. God knows you’ve all probably had your fill of turkey so I figured we’d give him a rest for a bit. Pork loin is one of the leanest cuts of meat out there and when done right is damn tasty. A lot of people have a tendency to over cook pork as they’ve been told to never serve it pink and in doing so, they end up cooking the living daylights out of it. We call that version ‘tough as leather’ and if this is the case I’d almost prefer to wear them as a pair of shoes than to eat the well done dry pork! When cooked right it should be moist and have buckets of flavour. My cooking technique will guarantee that you don’t end up with another pair of shoes in your closet (although we know how you laaaadies likey the shoes).

You’ll love the toasted nutty fennel flavour here. It really is good.

RECIPE:
Serves 4

1 lb sustainably farmed/ local organic pork loin

1/2 cup fennel seeds – toasted & ground
1 lemon – zested
1 tbsp black pepper
Agave nectar
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup broth (veg or chicken)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400*F.

Preheat skillet on medium heat for 1 minute. Add fennel seeds and toast until fragrant, 4 minutes approx. Do not burn. Add to a mortar and pestle and add a pinch salt. Ground. Once ground add the lemon zest and pepper.

Lay the pork loin on a cutting board and season with salt on all sides. Roll the loin on the board to absorb all the seasoning. Drizzle agave on all sides of the loin then roll the pork in the fennel mixture, rubbing it in so the mixture sticks. Make sure you coat all sides.

NOTE: The agave is to help the spice coating to stick to the loin.

Preheat same skillet on medium heat for 2 minutes and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Once hot add crusted pork and sear on all sides until golden approx 2 minutes each side.

Once seared lay on foiled sheet pan and add broth to the pan. Pop in oven for 10 minutes approx or until internal temp 125*F.
TIP: Adding broth is my special technique for all lean proteins to keep them beautifully moist while roasting.

Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before carving. Don’t be afraid to cook the pork to medium rare. Pork loin, being a very lean protein, shouldn’t be over cooked. By letting it rest you’re allowing time for the juices redistribute into the meat, which should be a perfect moist medium rare/medium when ready to carve.

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

Turkey season is off n running here States side. Though Thanksgiving is done and dusted the next big turkey holiday is Christmas, which is only a few weeks away. Last year I did a post around this time about Salting a turkey, which is a technique used with salt to create moisture in the meat as well as adding delicious flavour. The salt draws the moisture out of the meat but then re-absorbs it so in effect you’re actually brining it in it’s own juices. Because I’ve tried and tested this technique with turkey, I was curious to see if it would work as well with a smaller cut and different type of meat. Also with peeps being tired of turkey (for now) I figured I’d go with the other white meat….pork. This turned out really tasty and is a great way put some juicy flavour into those leaner proteins like turkey breast, chicken breast and pork loin.

RECIPE:
Serves 4

1 1/2 lbs grass fed or organic pork loin chops (4 x 5 oz portions, approx.)
3 tbsp salt
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Place the raw pork chops in a large bowl or dish and coat with salt and herbs. Cover and refrigerate in same bowl for a minimum of 6 to 24 hours.

Remove chops from fridge 1 hour before cooking so they’ll return to room temperature. This is to ensure the meat will cook evenly.

Preheat grill or saute pan. Pat chops dry with paper towel before cooking. Sprinkle with black pepper. Sear on medium heat for 3 minutes on each side.

Because pork chops are so lean they will over cook quickly so you want to about cook them to medium and then let rest for 2 minutes before eating. They’ll be perfectly cooked. Easy enough right? Give it a go and let me know what you think!

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

If you’re looking for something a little different this year for Thanksgiving here’s a cool alternative. I love roast pork so this recipe is a play on the roast and stuffing but I decided to use a lean cut of pork instead. There are great seasonal flavours in the stuffing which work great with the moist crusted pork. This is also a great way to use up the leftover stuffing from turkey day. Let the cooking begin!

RECIPE:

1 1/2 lbs organic or grass fed pork loin
Olive oil

1/2 cup white onion – fine dice
1/2 cup celery – fine dice
1 cup Granny Smith apple – diced
1 tbsp fresh sage – chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme – chopped
1 cup toasted breadcrumbs
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken/veg broth
2 tbsp olive oil

3 oz Hazelnuts (Filberts) – pulsed in food processor to breadcrumb consistency

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat saute pan on medium heat for 1 minute. Add 2 tbsp olive oil along with onion and celery. Saute for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add diced apple and herbs and continue sauteing for another 3 minutes. Once softened add breadcrumbs and broth and mix everything together. Taste and season with S&P. Remove to a plate to cool.

Place pork loin on a clean cutting board and using a sharp knife slice along the side opening the loin like a book. Do not separate the top from the bottom. Once the ‘book’ is open lay some plastic wrap on top and using a mallet (or in my case a pot) flatten the loin. Season the loin with S&P.
Cut 5 equal length pieces of kitchen twine, approx 12 inches. Lay them parallel to each 2″ apart. Place the seasoned loin on top and spoon the filling in the center. Fold the top over the bottom. Tie each string tightly. Any excess filling that falls out, stuff it back in. Season the outside and drizzle with olive oil. This will help the hazelnuts to stick to the outside. Rub the seasoning in.

Preheat oven 350°F.

For the crust: Pulse the hazelnuts and place on a plate. Gently roll the loin in the hazelnuts to coat all sides.

Lay on foiled oven tray and pop in the oven for 1 1/4 hours approx or until internal temp 160°F.

When ready remove and let rest for 5 minutes to let the juices redistribute in the meat.

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible

WELCOME TO SPICE MONTH!

I’ve had a great response over the past few weeks to the ‘what the hell do I put that in’ spice month idea. Thanks to all who threw in their choice. The #1 request was ALLSPICE also known as Jamaican Pepper or Pimenta. The smell & taste of ground allspice is really aromatic and flavourful and is almost like a mix of spices like cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, though it’s not a mix at all. Rather, it is the dried fruit of the Pimenta dioica plant.

You may know allspice from hot spiced cider or pumpkin pie but what about in savory cooking? Allspice is one of the most important ingredients of Caribbean cuisine and Jamaican Jerk has become one of my favourite dishes to date. Jerk seasoning principally relies upon two items: allspice (called “pimento” in Jamaica) and Scotch bonnet peppers or habanero peppers, the hottest peppers on the planet. (Don’t use them and then go to the bathroom, believe me it’s no fun…….I’ve heard.)  I remember the first time the Missus made this for me, very vividly in fact–I was convinced she was trying to blow my head off. Being from Ireland, we’re not exactly renowned for our spicy palates so needless to say this was an experience for me. I looked like I was sunburned with my big red head and the river of sweat running down my face. Not pretty. That’s what I call the curse of the habanero. Since then, we’ve scaled it back and have mastered the recipe so both the savory and sweet sides marry with a gentle little kick of spice.

As you can see, this recipe has several spices involved which makes it a champion on the health brigade. Allspice is an effective digestive aid so the consumption of allspice with meals can result in stronger digestion, can reduce gas and bloating, and can ease nausea. Thyme is rich in germ-killing compounds. Cinnamon is a metabolism booster that also helps ease diarrhea and drys up the sniffles. Cayenne contains capsaicin, which interferes with pain transmission and can increase metabolism and fat-burning ability by up to 25%. Can’t beat that for health in a meal!

My favourite Jerk dish to eat uses Seitan, though traditionally in the Caribbean, Jerk was meant for pork or goat. Since I haven’t come across too many goats here in Venice, I’ve made the seitan and pork for you along with chicken.

RECIPE:
Serves 6-8

2 lbs Organic grass-fed Chicken (portioned, ie. breasts, thighs, drumsticks)/Pork Loin
or 2 lbs Seitan

JERK SAUCE RECIPE:

1 tbsp + 1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp + 1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried sage
1 tsp cayenne (or more if you can handle the heat)
1 1/2  tsp white pepper
1 tbsp + 1 tsp agave
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (or use a whole one or even a habanero if you’re feeling daring)
1 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 large lime – juiced
1 large white or yellow onion – chopped
1/3 cup soy sauce (I like San-J’s organic wheat free tamari)
1/3 cup olive oil

Before you get nervous of all the ingredients, trust me when I say it’s worth it. Besides, the rest of the prep & cooking is easy peasy.
TIP: Whether you’re using a jalapeno or a habanero, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly after handling or wear gloves. Also, if you’re nervous about the heat, start by using 1/2 of my recommendation. You can always add in more along the way but you can never go back.

SEITAN DIRECTIONS:

I use pre-packaged Seitan I get from Wholefoods market though I’m going to give it a go myself one of these days. I like both kinds so I used both (2 boxes of each). Take the seitan out of the package and cut it into chunks/slices and place in a large mixing bowl.
Add all remaining ingredients in a blender and blitz until well combined. Taste and adjust heat to your desired taste. NOTE: Can be made a day ahead but keep in mind that the heat graduates over time.
Pour jerk sauce over seitan and marinate for at least an hour. Refrigerate ’till needed.

When ready to cook add sauce and Seitan in large saucepan and simmer over medium low heat for 30-40 minutes, until sauce thickens. The Seitan is already ‘cooked’ so you’re really only cooking the sauce and letting the seitan absorb the jerk seasonings. If you’ve never tried seitan, don’t judge it on it’s looks, it’s damn tasty and this is an excellent way to introduce yourself to the ‘wheat meat.’

CHICKEN DIRECTIONS:

Follow the Jerk sauce directions as above. Place all chicken pieces in large casserole dish and pour jerk sauce over to marinate. Refrigerate from between 2 and 4 hours.

Remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking to let return to room temp. Save some of the Jerk sauce for basting while grilling,

You have two options here to cook the dish.

1. Put chicken and sauce in large deep skillet and cook on medium heat covered until meat falls off the bone. Basically the same method as the Seitan for approx 1 1/4 hours.

2. Grill ‘em up (as I did). Fire up the barbecue and sear each side ’til golden and cooked through. Keep basting chicken pieces with marinade while grilling. If you feel the outside of the chicken is getting too charred, move the chicken directly away from the heat to where the flame isn’t as high. Cook for between 20 – 25 minutes. The dark meat will take longer to cook.

PORK DIRECTIONS:

Marinate refrigerated from 4-6 hours. Because of the lime juice, don’t marinate it overnight. The citrus will start to cook the meat and you don’t want that.

Remove pork from fridge 1 hour before cooking to let the meat return to room temp.

Preheat oven to 420F.

Preheat grill or large grill pan if cooking indoors. Season pork on all sides with S&P and sear on high heat for 3 minutes each side or until nicely browned. Save some of the marinade for basting.

Place on a foiled oven tray and add 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth. Baste the seared pork with more of the jerk sauce before putting in the oven. Roast in oven for 20 minutes, approx or until internal temp 160F. Baste again after 10 minutes. I add the broth to help keep the pork moist by creating steam in the oven. I use this method on lean proteins like pork, chicken and turkey as they are lower in fat so tend to dry out easier while cooking.
Remove and let rest for 5 minutes before carving. This enables the juices to redistribute back into the meat.

Spice Week recipe 1…….Done.  Make sure you let me know how whatever recipe you try works out.

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

I saw this idea in a recent Cooking Light magazine and I must admit, it intrigued me. What?–Chefs can’t get inspired by another’s recipe? Bollix!
I loved the fact that it used ingredients perfect for this time of year and it used something I don’t usually cook with, blackberries. This is seasonal cooking at its best guys.
The original recipe was Grilled Pork with Blackberry Sage Sauce but I decided to take it a step further, transforming the fresh blackberries into a marinade instead. I’m telling you, I was bang on!

As you know, pork has had some bad raps in the past but you can easily work it into your healthy diet with out worrying. The tenderloin is the leanest cut of pork. A 3-ounce serving contains 120 calories and 2.98 grams of total fat, which is as lean as a skinless chicken breast. I will stress that buying organic or grass-fed meat is the way to go here. (More of my research on this to come.) Don’t be afraid of this recipe. It probably looks complicated but it really is super easy.

RECIPE:
Serves 4

1 lb Organic or grass fed pork loin
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (for roasting)

PORK MARINADE:
1 lb blackberries
2 shallots – minced
1 tbsp fresh sage – chopped
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp agave (vary this amount depending on how sweet or tart the blackberries are)
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat medium saute pan on medium heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and saute shallots for 1 minute, stirring. Add everything except broth and simmer for 2/3 minutes until berries start to break down.

Add broth and simmer for 5-6 minutes. Pass the marinade through a sieve retaining the liquid. Discard the contents of the sieve. Let liquid cool completely before adding pork loin to marinate.

Marinate pork from 2 to 6 hours, refrigerated. You could marinade it over night if you wish.

Remove pork from fridge 1 hour before cooking.

Preheat oven to 420F.

To cook: either sear on a hot grill or in a hot saute pan. I used the grill to get some added flavor from the charcoal and brilliant grill marks. Sear all sides until nicely browned, 4 min. each side approx. Place seared pork on a foiled oven tray. Add the chicken broth to the tray and pop in the oven for 20 minutes approx or until internal temp. of 165F. (You probably know this is one on my favourite tricks to keep lean meat moist.) Once cooked, remove and let rest for 10 minutes loosely foiled before carving. This will let the meat relax and the juices redistribute back into the meat.

NOTE: Resting meat after roasting is an important technique and ensures the meat stays juicy.

TIP: I add the broth to the pork while roasting to create some steam in the oven and helps keep the meat moist. I use this technique when cooking lean proteins like pork, chicken or turkey.

SERVE WITH
I paired my berried pork with glazed baby carrots. DID YOU KNOW? For the best anti-cancer boost you should cook carrots whole? A new study from scientists at Newcastle University found that the anti-cancer properties of carrots are enhanced 25 percent if they are cooked whole rather than chopped up beforehand AND they taste better when cooked this way. It happens to be my favourite way to cook (and eat) carrots so this is great news.

GLAZED BABY CARROTS:

8-10 oz baby carrots
Trim the green tips from the carrots. Place them in a mixing bowl with 1 tsp agave/honey, 1 tsp ground cumin, S&P, drizzle olive oil. Toss together and lay in a single layer on foiled oven tray. Lay a sheet of foil over and pop in oven for about 10 minutes. Easy and delicious.

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

Can pork be part of a healthy diet? Pork can easily be a healthy part of a well-balanced diet. Many cuts of pork are as lean as skinless chicken. According to The Daily Pork, lean pork is a great source of lean protein and many essential vitamins and other nutrients. A 3-ounce serving of pork tenderloin is an “excellent” source of protein, thiamin, vitamin B6, phosphorus and niacin and a “good” source of riboflavin, potassium and zinc. Want to see how the cuts stack up?

What about those chipotle peppers? What are they? Chipotle peppers are firey smoked or dried jalapeño peppers. Smoking chipotles began as a way to keep them from rotting, since the jalapeño was prone to quickly deteriorate when stored. You’re most likely to find them in many Mexican and Southwestern dishes, including salsas, spice rubs, BBQ sauces and hot sauces. You can find them in the ethic or Mexican food aisle at the grocery, depending on where you live, tinned or dried in packets. I’m using tinned for this recipe. NOTE: one pepper does not mean one can, unless you want your head to catch fire.

RECIPE:
Serves 4

3 lbs grass fed pork loin (off the bone)

Pork marinade:
1 cup fresh squeezed OJ
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (canned), chopped, keeping seeds
¼ tsp salt

Mix marinade ingredients together and pour into a large Ziploc bag along with pork. Coat pork in bag and refrigerate for between 1-4 hours.

Sauce:

1 shallot – fine dice
2 cups fresh squeezed OJ
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
1 tbsp fresh chopped chives
1 tbsp chopped chipotle pepper (or more if you can handle the spice!)

Saute shallots in 1 tbsp olive oil in preheated medium saucepan for 2 minutes. Add OJ and let reduce by half on a simmer. Add fresh ginger and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Reduce 15 minutes and add cilantro, chives and chipotle to sauce.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Place marinated pork on a foiled oven tray and roast in oven for 30-40 minutes or until internal temp of 165F. Once cooked let rest for 10 minutes with foil loosely over the meat.

When ready to serve, slice the pork and spoon orange chipotle sauce over. The pork is super succulent and the sauce is light, sweet yet spicy. I served it with roasted butternut squash and couscous. Brilliant!

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

On the radio this morning they were talking about a woman who was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She went in for surgery and turns out she was misdiagnosed, though they did find something and this something was alive. The culprit of her symptoms was a living worm believed to have stemmed from eating undercooked pork and un-hygenic handling.

Cysticercosis is an infection caused by the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, from the consumption of contaminated food, such as unwashed veg or undercooked pork. The infection occurs when the tapeworm larvae enter the body and form cysts. When the cysts are found in the brain, the condition is called neurocysticercosis. The tapeworm that causes this is found worldwide, though infection occurs most often in rural, developing countries with poor hygiene where pigs are allowed to roam freely and consume human feces.

Now, before you swear off pork for life – keep in mind that these tapeworms are extremely rare in the US pig population. Why? Because of improved sanitation systems, strict food processing and handling regulations, especially on pork products, and generally high levels of hygiene practiced. Doctors say washing hands, especially after using the bathroom, cooking meats thoroughly, especially pork, and washing fruits and veg are the best ways to avoid the disease. Being a chef, I’d say wash, wash, wash; Wash your hands, wash your food, and wash your food stations (prep and cooking areas). No need to burn that bacon but be sure to cook your pork.

Feeling brave? Click here to view the video.

Sources : Health Leader