Slow Cooked Pork Loin with Kale & Mushrooms over Creamy Polenta

In the past, my slow cooker has only been used for queso.  Today changed all that.  It took guts, but I put two beautiful pork loins in my decrepitly old slow cooker, closed the lid and walked away.  Much to my surprise, about 4 hours later this pork loin was perfect; moist, flavorful and delicious!

As for the Kale, who can go wrong with anything that has pancetta and mushrooms in it?

Perfect Flavor Combinations

Succulent Pork Loin in the Slow Cooker

The Chef In My Head

2 pounds pork tenderloin

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 C water

3/4 C Cabernet Savignon red wine

4 T low sodium soy sauce

4 cloves garlic, minced

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Tony's seasoning, to taste

Heat a large skillet to med-high heat with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Pat dry pork tenderloin and season with pepper.  Brown tenderloin on all sides.  Place browned tenderloin into slow cooker with the contents of the soup packet on high.  Pour water, wine and soy sauce over the top, turning the pork to coat evenly.  Sprinkle the fresh garlic over the pork leaving as much on top as possible.  Season with more pepper and Tony's.  Adjust temperature to low setting and cook for 4 hours.

Remove pork loin to platter and cover tightly with foil.  Carefully pour cooking liquid to a small saucepan and cook until liquid is reduce by half.  Thicken with cornstarch if necessary.  Check for seasonings and serve with pork loin over creamy polenta or mashed potatoes.

Note:  In the photo you will see that I did not thicken the liquid enough :/  Still tasted great, I just wasn't happy with the appearance.

Serves 6.  Enjoy!

Kale, Pancetta & Mushrooms over Creamy Polenta adapted from Bon Appetit
The Chef In My Head

Ingredients:
1-1/4 pounds kale, stemmed, washed well & rough chopped

2 C whole milk
1-1/4 C water
1 C polenta
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground black pepper

6 oz pancetta (Italian bacon) or bacon, coarsely chopped
8 oz mushrooms (such as crimini, oyster, and stemmed shiitake), sliced
2 T olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 C white wine
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 T chopped fresh thyme
1 T grated lemon peel

4 T butter
2/3 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:


Bring milk, water, polenta, salt, and pepper to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.


Meanwhile, cook pancetta in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels. Add mushrooms and oil to drippings in skillet. Sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in kale and pancetta. Add garlic, white wine and seasonings.  Cover and simmer until kale is tender to your taste. Stir in thyme and  lemon peel. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


Whisk butter and Parmesan into polenta and divide among plates. Top with kale mixture.

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Pozole (Pork & Hominy Soup)



My "Gringo" Pozole

This soup is different and so delicious.  The base is pork loin with hominy, onions and tomatoes, seasoned of course.  Then topped with a plethora of fresh veggies and cheese that gets gooey and yummy!   So I knew my family's Pozole wasn't completely traditional, now I know how spoiled I was!

Check this out!!

Ritual significance:

Since corn was a sacred plant for the Mexicans and other inhabitants of Mexico, pozole was made to be consumed on special events. The conjunction of corn (usually whole hominy kernels) and meat in a single dish is of particular interest to scholars because the ancient Mexicans believed that the gods made humans out of cornmeal dough. According to research by the National Institute of Anthropology and History and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, in these special occasions, the meat used in the pozole was human. [4] After the prisoners were killed by having their hearts torn out in a ritual sacrifice, the rest of the body was chopped and cooked with corn. The meal was shared among the whole community as an act of religious communion. After the conquest, when cannibalism was banned, pork became the staple meat, as it "tasted very similar", according to a Spanish priest.[5] (Source:Wikipedia)

"tasted very similar" YIKES!!! 

This delicious soup is made with PORK LOIN, and not your Great Aunt Ethel!!!  This is a fun soup to serve to a group.  Keep the soup heated on the stove and set up all of the condiments for your guests to garnish themselves.  For most of your friends, it will be their first encounter with this fabulous and festive (super easy on the hostess) soup!

POZOLE (Pork and Hominy Soup)

SOUP:
2 lbs pork loin, trimmed of fat and cubed in 1-inch pieces
2 quarts water
4 C chicken stock
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 med. onions, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 large Hatch, Anaheim or New Mexico chiles, roasted, peeled and diced
2 T Cilantro, chopped
2 cans hominy (one white & one yellow) drained.  *Reserve 1/2 of one of the cans.
1 T dried oregano
2 T chile powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp salt, to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Garnish with any of the following:
shredded lettuce
thinly sliced radishes
thinly sliced green onions
limes, cut into wedges
shredded carrots
chopped avocado
sliced jalapenos
shredded Jalapeno Jack cheese
shredded cheddar cheese
Tobasco sauce and/or salsa
toasted tortilla strips
sour cream

Soup:

Put all of the ingredients listed for soup into a large stock pot.  Take the reserved 1/2 of can of hominy and process it in your food processor then add it to the stock pot.  This just adds to the consistency of the soup.  Simmer for two hours.  You can make this ahead, chill and skim off the fat before reheating.  Like most soups or stews, it always tastes better the next day.  If you trimmed the pork well of any fat, skimming shouldn't really be necessary.

Serve in warm soup bowls and let your guests and family garnish themselves.  It is ALWAYS a crowd pleaser and I guarantee you will be asked for the recipe again and again. 

Now I guess if your Great Aunt Ethel really is a problem, you can improvise on your ingredients, I'll never tell....



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Spring Break Feasts

Our son Collin(pictured far left) came home for Spring Break from Rice University and brought his friend Dan (pictured far right) and their Harem. The girls from left to right: Beth, Annie, Julia, Katherine, Liz, Aida, and Megan. We thoroughly enjoyed their visit. They were the nicest, brightest, and most polite house guests! Individually unique, interesting and fun to be around! For me personally, a great opportunity to do what I enjoy most cook and host!

Feasts prepared and enjoyed began with a cheese assortment upon their arrival. Since not all of them our from our great state of Texas, they ventured out that evening in search of some local Bar-B-Q and wound up at one of my favorites Granzin's Bar-B-Q in New Braunfels, worth a visit just for the potato salad. The next morning my husband and I prepared Eggs Benedict, Apple Strudel French Toast, Cinnamon Raisin French Toast, Coffee and Orange Juice. They spent a day enjoying the Riverwalk and came home hungry! Later that evening, we enjoyed the biggest Pork Loin (about 7 pounds) I have ever prepared, with Fresh Roast Asparagus, a Whole World Salad (it had the whole world in it!), Cornbread Dressing and French Bread. And sent them home with fresh baked Pumpkin Cranberry Bread.

Parents, you can be extremely proud. Your children have grown up to be lovely adults! Beautiful manners, considerate, polite and truly wonderful and considerate house guests! They are each welcome back anytime and we hope to see them again soon!

Pork Loin Roast with Orange Marmalade/Apricot Sauce

This can be prepared with any size pork loin, I would still make the same amount of sauce. I poured the sauce over the sliced roast but you can, pass the sauce instead.

7 pound boneless pork loin roast (the big ones can be found at Costco)

4 T Hot Dijon Mustard

4 T Regular Dijon Mustard

Fresh Ground Pepper

Kosher Salt

8 oz jar Orange Marmalade

8 oz jar Apricot Preserves

2 T Light Karo Syrup

1/4 C Pomegranate Vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Put pork loin roasting a large baking dish (9x13). Combine mustards in a small bowl and spread over top and sides of roast. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and generous amounts of fresh grown pepper. Place in 350 degree oven, uncovered and roast until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees (about 1-1/2 hours). Remove from oven, let rest covered in foil for about 10-15 minutes. Slice in 1-1/2 inch thick slices. Ladle sauce over roast slices and serve.

Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine marmalade, preserves, Karo syrup, vinegar and spices. Bring to boil and simmer until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

Roasted Asparagus

2 bundles of thick asparagus, break ends at natural break

olive oil

sea salt fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil and arrange asparagus side by side. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, turn to coat. Place baking sheet in oven and roast for 15 minutes. Note: if you can only find thin asparagus, then back off on length of time to roast for about 10 minutes. Can be served at room temperature.

Whole World Salad

This is what I had on hand, just use what you have on hand and make it your own!

Arugula Baby Spinach Caperberries

sliced cucumber

quartered tomatoes

green onions, large dice

roasted beets, sliced and diced

Red, yellow and orange bell peppers sliced thinly

Feta cheese broken into large chunks

Kalamata olives

Dressing:

1-1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp Maggi

1/4 C Balsamic Vinegar

1/3 C extra virgin Olive oil

Combine dressing ingredients until well incorporated, set aside to dress salad just before serving

Candied Pecans:

3/4 C pecan halves

1/4 C brown sugar

3 T butter

1/4 tsp cinnamon

dash of salt

Combine ingredients in medium saucepan over medium heat, toss until the sugar begins to crystallize. Pour out onto granite or foil to cool.

Toss vegetables in large bowl. Break feta & pecans over salad. Toss with dressing. Top with fresh ground pepper and serve.

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ITALIAN MEATBALL SOUP

Colorful, flavorful soup, “souper” easy to make.
My personal take on Rachel Ray's &  Giada's soups.

SOUP BASE:

 3 T Olive oil

 5 slices bacon, chopped

¼ tsp. liquid smoke

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced or grated

2 heads Escarole, cleaned well and rough chopped

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1 tsp Red pepper flakes

Nutmeg, freshly grated, to taste, be generous

1 15oz can Cannellini beans (white kidney beans)

2 Quarts Chicken stock

3-5 C. water, as needed

1 lemon, zested

MEATBALLS:

⅓ pound ground beef

⅓ pound ground veal

⅓ pound ground pork

1 egg

2 handfuls bread crumbs

Splash of milk

1 handful grated Parmesan cheese

¼ tsp Allspice

½ tsp Tony’s

 ¼ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Pepper

1 handful fresh Parsley, finely chopped

SOUP PREP:

 Heat olive oil in a heavy soup pot over med-high heat. Add bacon and Liquid Smoke, cook until crisp, remove about half of the grease. Add onion and garlic and saute just until they begin to caramelize. Add the escarole and wilt. Season with Nutmeg, Salt, Pepper, and Tony’s. Add beans with juice. Stir well. Add chicken stock, increase heat to high and deglaze, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pot, bringing to a boil.  Add meatballs. Make sure you have added enough water to cover as meatballs are added, stirring as needed to make room. Adjust heat a little lower and continue to boil for about 10-15 minutes to cook meatballs. Turn off heat, and add lemon zest. Serve with more grated Parmesan at table.

MEATBALL PREP:

Combine all ingredients for meatballs. Use hands and mix until just combined. Over mixing will make meatballs tough. Dampen hands and form into balls about the size of a walnut. Set aside until needed.

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Navy Beans - Thick and Hearty

I admit it I'm getting lazy lately.  These were too easy (after the propane tank was refilled - woops).    After two days on the stove they are just right.  Thick and hearty comfort food.  A nap is next on my agenda.

Super Easy Navy Beans

1 (16 ounce) pkg dried Navy Beans
1 (4 ounce) piece of Salt Pork (great with leftover holiday ham bone)
1 Onion, medium dice
4 stalks Celery, medium dice
3 cloves Garlic, finely diced
2 tsp. dried Thyme (or 5-6 stems fresh thyme)
1 Bay leaf
Salt & Freshly gound pepper
4-6 Cups Chicken Stock (not broth)

Pick through Navy beans for small rocks or debris, rinse and drain.  Combine all ingredients in a large heavy stock pot.  Bring to a rolling boil for approximately 2 minutes.  Run out of propane, let rest for at least an hour while you get tank refilled.  You actually need to let them sit for at least an hour before beginning to simmer. Bring pot back to boil then reduce to simmer.  Simmer, covered, for at least 3 to 4 hours. Better if refrigerated overnight.  Reheat and bring to simmer uncovered.  Discard Salt Pork. Break up some of the beans with the back of your spoon if you like to help thicken.  Serve steming hot in front of a great fooball game on TV.

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Pork Loin Stuffed with Brautwurst

I know zip, zilch, zero, nada, nichts, absolutely nothing about German food.  I will now formally apologize to all the German folks out there, some of them really good friends, I just don't get it or understand it.  Names of food like Sauerbraten, Wienerschnitzel, Rouladen, Goulash; just don't sound that appetizing to me.  My soul exposure to German food has been Ruben Sandwiches, Sauerkraut on my hot dog a few times and visits to Der Wienerschnitzel through the drive-thru as a kid.  But, one of my dearest friends is full-blooded German and one of the best cooks I know.  Yesterday he suggested a garlic peppercorn flavored pork loin stuffed with brautwurst.  I didn't want to tell him at the time that I have never even tasted brautwurst.  I'm telling you it's just the name that turns me off, but I bought it, I cooked it and I really liked it!  I got a few instructions from him and dove right it in.  It is probably different than what he told me, a few minutes had passed by the time I got home from the store and my CRS is kicking in big time lately.  So here is my French, Spanish and Irish blood-lines interpretation of German food, well sort of, if you get really technical.

Pork Loin Stuffed with German Brautwurst

1 pre-packaged Garlic and Peppercorn marinated Pork Loin (about 1 1/2 pounds), split length-wise and butterflied, pounded out until about 1/2" thick

3 links brautwurst

fresh baby spinach (I forgot this part),  it is really more to show the different layers than for flavor

4-6 Tbls parsley, roughly chopped

1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp garlic salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

4 Tbls Dijon mustard + more to coat outside of pork loin

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread out flattened pork loin, long side closest to you.  Lay fresh spinach in single layer on pork loin. Remove and discard casings from Brautwurst and spread on top of layer of spinach.  Sprinkle top of Brautwurst with cayenne, garlic salt, pepper and parsley.  Press into Brautwurst a little.  Spread Dijon mustard over top of parsley.  Roll pork loin, starting with side closest to you.  Place seam side down on baking sheet covered with foil. Coat outside of rolled pork loin with remaining Dijon mustard.  Bring ends of foil up to ends of pork loin to keep stuffing from coming out during roasting, do not cover with foil.  Roast pork loin for about 35 minutes.  Internal temperature 150 degrees.  Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.  Serves 4.  (Vielen Dank, Emil)

With this, I served salad with Raspberry Walnut Dressing and cherry tomatoes, toasted walnuts, dried cherries and goat cheese along with wild rice with the stuffed pork loin.  You can see where the spinach layer would have really made a difference with the presentation.  I think next time I will make a dijon wine sauce to go with this but it turned out really moist and delicious as it was.

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