Roasted Pork Shoulder with Tuscan Salmoriglio Sauce

Fabio’s American Home Kitchen
Fabio Viviani

 

What drew me to this recipe was the Salmoriglio sauce.  Simply put, it looked interesting.  So I figured, why not!  And I will admit that as this was cooking, I had my doubts about whether or not I was even going to like this once it was done.  But it looked interesting, so why not.  They can’t all be winners, right?  Besides, for me, this all started to try and find new ways of making the same old thing.  But first, a few tweaks…

The roast itself was very good and very tender and juicy.  However, if and when I make this particular roast again, I would tweak the sauce a bit. I would go with a little less garlic, more pine nuts, and more lemon juice.  And maybe reduce the olive oil from one cup to, maybe, ¾ of a cup. Other than that, it was quite good.

Just a quick tip about the cooking process.  Check the roast about halfway through for the level of liquid in the pot.  If you see that it’s getting too low to the point where it’s completely evaporated, add a little more stock to keep it moist.

My apologies for only having one photo of this recipe.  I forgot to snap a few pics of the prep process so all I did was take a pic of the finished product.

---

---

Ingredients:

Pork
One 4-pound boneless pork shoulder
½ cup kosher salt
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons fresh oregano
3 tablespoons fresh thyme
10 anchovy fillets, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup beef or vegetable stock

Salmoriglio Sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup pine nuts
2 shallots, finely minced
10 fresh mint leaves, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Juice of 2 lemons
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder

---

Make the Pork:  Rub the pork with salt and sugar, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

With a wet cloth, wipe the remaining sugar and salt from the pork.  Put the oregano, thyme, anchovies, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor and blend into a fine paste.  Rub the paste all over the meat.

Pour the olive oil in a pro or casserole large enough to hold the pork and turn the heat to medium.  Add thereat and brown it on all sides.  Add the stock, cover the pot and transfer it to the oven.  Roast the pork until it is fork-tender, about 3½ hours.
Make the Salmoriglio Sauce:   Combine the garlic, pine nuts, shallots, mint, thyme, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and onion powder either in a food processor or in a town with a whisk.

To serve, slice the meat in thick slices (a serrated knife works well) and drizzle with the salmoriglio.

Eggplant Parm Bake

Laura In The Kitchen
Laura Vitale

Fact:  I’m not a fan of eggplant.  However, my family is.  So being the magnanimous person I am, I make eggplant.  So this is a dish that I’m not qualified to judge.  However, if you ask my daughter, she’ll tell you it was the “best freaking eggplant parm she’s ever had!”  Her words, not mine.  And she’s nothing, if not brutally honest, when it comes to my cooking.  So I’m assuming it was at least “pretty good.”

Just a quick note, while the recipe calls for dredging the eggplant in a flour and egg mixtures, I decided to fry some of the eggplant without dredging it for a few reasons…  For the sake of expediency, because I thought dredging all of the eggplant would make the dish too heavy to digest, and lastly, (and probably the most important reason) I was running out of the egg mixture and didn’t feel like mixing more.  But I also thought it would make a nice contrast in having a combination of how the eggplant was made.

---

---

Ingredients:
1  (32-ounce) can Italian peeled plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
Salt
3 garlic cloves, sliced or minced
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
1½ cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup all-purpose flour
Safflower oil
2 medium eggplants, cut into ¼-inch thick slices
6 fresh basil leaves
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thin

---

---

Empty the tomatoes into a bowl and squeeze them with your hands to roughly crush them.

Put a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.  Add the olive oil, let it heat for 1 minute, then add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.

Add the reserved tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper.  Bring to a boil, partially cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, prepare the eggplant.  In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with ¼ cup of the parmigiano, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper.  Put the flour in a shallow bowl or on a plate.

Put the Dutch oven or large (approximately 10-inch) skillet with at least 3-inch sides over medium to medium-high heat.  Add ½ inch of the safflower oil and let it get hot.  (Put the handle end of a wooden spoon into the oil; if the oil bubbles vigorously around the handle, it’s ready.)

Line a baking sheet with paper towels and put near the stove.

Dredge both sides of an eggplant slice in the flour, shaking off any excess,  dip into the egg mixture, and add to the hot oil.  Continue to coat and add eggplant slices until you have filled the pan in a single layer.  Fry until the eggplant is golden brown on both sides, about 2½ minutes per side.  Transfer the eggplant slices to the paper towels to drain as they are done.  Continue to batter and fry the eggplant in batches until it has all been fried, adding oil between batches, as needed, and letting it get hot.

When the sauce it ready, tear the basil leaves into pieces and add them to the sauce.  Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.  Butter a 9-inch square baking dish.

To assemble the eggplant part, spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.  Arrange one-third of the eggplant slices in the pan to cover the bottom, overlapping them.  Add about one-third of the remaining sauce, half of the mozzarella, and one-third of the remaining parmigiano.  Repeat a second time, layering the eggplant, sauce, mozzarella, and parmigiano.  Top with a final layer of eggplant, the remaining sauce, and the remaining parmigiano.

Bake until the sauce is bubbly and the top is golden, about 20 minutes.  Let cook for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

---

The Cheesiest Ever Mac & Cheese Bake

Laura In The Kitchen
Laura Vitale

I made this to accompany the crab cakes as a side dish.  But make no mistake, it can stand alone as a meal in itself.  It was surprisingly good and really simple to make.  I would definitely say that it was quick and easy and didn’t require a lot of attention.  So making it along with the crab cakes didn’t cause any difficulties at all.  I was able to time both dishes to be ready at the same time.

---

---

Ingredients:
½ pound dried corkscrew pasta
2½ cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for topping
¼ cup fresh or dried plain bread crumbs

---

Preheat the over to 400°F.  Butter an 8×12 inch baking dish

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and broccoli.  Cook until the pasta is al dente, following the package instructions.  Drain the pasta and broccoli and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, put a medium (3-quart) saucepan over medium heat.  Add 4 tablespoons of the butter, wait for it to melt, then stir in the flour.  Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste.  Pour in the milk in a slow stream while whisking constantly.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the same has the consistency of heavy cream, 4 to 5 minutes.  Add the mustard and Cheddar cheese, stirring in a figure eight motion, until most of the cheese has melted.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the sauce and ½ cup of parmigiano to the pasta, mixing to coast the pasta evenly.  Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan.

In a small bow, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.  Stir in the bread crumbs and then scatter the crumbs over the stop of the pasta.  Grate a bit more parmigiano over the top.

Bake until the sauce is bubbly and the top is golden brown and crispy, 20 to 25 minutes.  Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

---

Pasta with Braised Short Ribs

Laura In The Kitchen
Laura Vitale

There’s only one way to describe this dish…  good stuff!  As I go through my various cookbooks, there is no shortage of short rib recipes.  And eventually I will try most, if not all, of them.  But for now, this one was definitely worth making again.  The only thing I will confirm is that you will definitely need more than the 1½ cups of beef broth, so have extra on hand.  But besides that, I didn’t need to make any adjustments to the recipe at all.  And on an additional note, it’s also great as leftovers a day or two later.  And that’s always a winner at my house since certain people aren’t huge fans of sandwiches.  At least not too often.  🙂

---

Mis en place in action!  

---

Ingredients:
¼ cup safflower oil
4 beef short ribs (about 1½ pounds)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup all purpose flour
2 large carrots, cut into ½-inch dice
1 large onion, cut into ½-inch dice
2 ribs celery, cut into ½-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1½ cups red wine, such as merlot
2 springs fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
1½ cups low-sodium beef broth, plus more if needed
1 pound dried penne pasta
6 fresh basil leaves
Parmigiano-Reggiano

---

 

---

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Put a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the oil and let it get hot.  Season both sides of the short ribs with ½ teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Dredge the ribs in the flour, shaking off the excess.  Arrange the ribs in the pan and cook until golden brown and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.  Remove the short ribs to a plate.

Add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic to the pot, seasoning with ½ teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften, 5 to 6 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring it into the vegetables for about 1 minute.  Add the wine and simmer, stirring, until it reduces somewhat, about 1 minute.  Add the rosemary, thyme, and broth, bring to a simmer, then return the short ribs to the pan, submerging them in broth.

Cover and bake until the ribs are completely tender and falling off the bones, about 2½ hours, checking periodically and adding a bit of broth or water to keep the ribs submerged.

Carefully transfer the ribs from the pan to a work surface.  Use two forks to shred the beef into bite sized chunks, or let stand until cold enough to handle and shred the beef with your fingers.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook until it is al dente, following the package instructions.  Drain well, reserving ½ cup of the starchy cooking water.  Return the pasta to the pot and cover to keep it warm.

Skim any visible fat from the top of the same, then use an immersion blender to puree the sauce in the pot until it thickens slightly.  (Alternately, carefully transfer half of the hot save to a blender, process until smooth, then stir back into the remaining sauce.)

Return the shredded beef to the sauce and give it a good stir.  Return the pot of meat and sauce to medium heat and stir in the pasta and basil, along with a little of the reserved pasta water, if needed, to keep it saucy.

Serve family style, with a generous grating of parmigiano over the top.

---

The end result.

Brown Butter Crab Cakes

Essential Emeril
Emeril Lagasse

These crab cakes interested me because they have very little added to them.  A lot of crab cake recipes out there have bread crumbs or some sort of filler added to them which takes away from the taste of the actual crab.  Now in the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that I left out the red bell pepper because I’m not a fan.  But other than that I followed the recipe as it was outlined.  I’m telling ya…  good stuff!  And as an added bonus, for those that are interested, these crab cakes are gluten free.  Anyone that knows me, knows I don’t follow a gluten free diet.  Heck…  I’m Italian, it’s probably against my religion.  🙂   But, for those that do, here’s a tasty option to add to your menus.

I will add that when I fried them they came a little “loose” because I inadvertently bought claw meat as well as the lump crab meat.  The lump crab meat holds the crab cake together much better than the claw meat, so learn from my mistake!  🙂  But I will say that the taste was in no way affected by my mistake.

---

---

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat
¼ cup finely diced onion
2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely diced celery
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
½ cup canola oil, for frying

---

 

Before cooking

---

Line a small baking sheet or platter with parchment, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, pick over the crabmeat and remove any shells or cartilage and set aside.

In an 8-inch sauté pan, combine the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and better.  Over medium-low heat, allow the vegetables to slowly toast in the butter until they are well caramelized and the butter has foamed and begins to brown, 15 to 17 minutes, stirring a few times.  Once the butter has browned, remove the pan from the heat and drizzle with the lemon juice.

Pour the butter and vegetables over the crabmeat,and add the Old Bay and mayonnaise.  Stir well to incorporate the ingredients, making sure the brown butter is spread throughout.  Divide them mixture into 4 equal-sized portions, and firmly shape so they are about the shape and thickness of a hockey puck.  Set them on the prepared baking sheet.  (You can also use a 3-inch mold or biscuit cutter to shape the cakes.  Place the ring on a baking sheet and press mixture firmly into it.)

Once formed, cover the crab cakes with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight to allow the brown butter to solidify.

Remove the crab cakes from the refrigerator and set a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-low heat.  Heat the oil until hot, then carefully add the crab cakes to the pan, using a flat-edge metal spatula.  Cook until the bottoms are well caramelized and the tops are barely warm, about 5 minutes.  Turn the cakes over and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until golden.  Serve immediately.

---

It looks like a mess, but it tastes great!

Sausage and Mash with Caramelized Onion Gravy

What’s For Dinner
Curtis Stone

I made this last night and definitely enjoyed it.  I was looking for a new twist on the usual sausage and potatoes that I make, and was not disappointed.  The only thing I would adjust would be when making the onion gravy, I would have had a little more gravy added to the onions.    Also, I used a combination of sweet and hot sausage because John prefers hot sausage where I prefer sweet.  And finally…  not a fan of chives so I opted out of those.  But other than that, it was a winner! 

---

---

Ingredients:

Mash
2 ½ pounds large baking potatoes, such as russets, peeled and quartered
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup whole milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Gravy and Sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, halved and cut into ½-inch-thick half-moons
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
¾ cup low-sodium beef broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound pork sausages, pricked with a fork
¼ cup 1-inch lengths fresh chives, for serving (optional)

---

To make the mash:  Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover completely with salter water, and bring the water to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.  Drain.

Return the potatoes to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes to evaporate the excess liquid.  Reduce the heat to low, add the butter, and mash the potatoes with a potato masher or ricer until nearly smooth  Whisk in the milk.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Keep warm over very low heat.

Meanwhile, prepare the gravy and sausage:  Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil, then add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes, or until golden and caramelized.  Reduce the heat and stir in the butter.  Stir in the flour and cook, stirring often, for about 4 minutes, or until the flour is lightly browned.  Stir in the vinegar and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in the broth, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly and has no raw flour taste, about 2 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cover and keep warm.

Heat another large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the sausages and cook, turning occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the are browned and show no sign of pink when pierced to the center with the time of a small sharp paring knife.

Mound the mash on dinner plates.  Top with the sausages and spoon the gravy over all.  Sprinkle with chives, if using, and serve.

---

Drunken Chicken

Fabio’s Italian Kitchen
Fabio Viviani

This might look familiar to you, but that’s because I’ve made a version of this from a different cookbook.  But…  my goal is to try similar (or, as in this case, the same) recipes, from different chefs,  and compare them.  So let’s compare.

For starters, I really enjoyed the first one, and this one just did me in.  It was delicious!  And the chicken came out tender, and juicy and tasted amazingly good.  However, for my own personal preferences, I might reduce the amount of wine the next time and slightly increase the portion of broth.  Don’t get me wrong, it was truly delicious, but I’m just curious to see if I mix things up a bit, what the difference would be.  

Also, most drunken chicken recipes call for red wine, however, this one calls for white wine.  Again, for a different twist on an old favorite.

---

---

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon flour, plus extra for dusting
½ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 pound pearl onions, trimmed and peeled
6 cloves garlic, halved
3 cups white wine
1½ cups chicken stock, plus a bit more on hand just in case
2 sprigs tarragon

---

Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika, then dust it with flour.  Heat the oil in a deep sauté pan, add the oregano, and brown the chicken on all sides, about 10-15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add the onions to the pan with the chicken drippings and season with salt and pepper.  Cook over medium heat, and when the onions begin to caramelize, add the garlic and cook until it is golden brown.

Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom with a flat wooden spoon.  Put the chicken back in.

Add 1½ cups of the chicken stock and the tarragon and bring the mixture to a boil on high heat.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook, turning the chicken pieces over a few times, until cooked through, about 30 minutes.  The meat should come off the bone easily when pulled with a fork.  If necessary, add more stock as the chicken cooks to keep it from drying out or frying.

Take the chicken out of the pan again.  Remove the tarragon sprigs and add the remaining tablespoon of flour.  Whisk the sauce until it has no lumps.

Put the chicken back in the pan and cook for 2 more minutes.

Beef and Wine Stew with Black Olives

Fabio’s American Home Kitchen
Fabio Viviani

I tried this stew out a couple of weeks ago (and haven’t posted it till now – sorry!) and while it wasn’t bad, at all, I wouldn’t call it a favorite either.  Don’t get me wrong, it was very good.  But it also calls for pitted black olives which are marinated in an extremely salty brine.  At least those are the only pitted black olives that I know of.  If you know of others, I’ll just say that I guess it’s an Italian thing because I never saw pitted black olives that were marinated/cured any other way.  Because of the saltiness of the olives, if I ever make this stew again, I would decrease the amount of salt the recipe calls for.  The stew itself, on it’s own, wasn’t salty at all.  But once you combine it with the olives, then it needed some “adjustment,” in my opinion.

I’ll tell you, though, what *was* fun was lighting the marsala on fire.  That was pretty cool.  And shouldn’t you have fun while you’re cooking?  I know I enjoy the heck out of cooking, so this adds a little extra fun into the preparation.

---

---

Ingredients:
2½ pounds beef round, cut into 1½ inch cubes
¼ cup flour
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup Marsala
1½ cups red wine
½ cup beef stock
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme tied with twine
One 1-inch long strip of orange peel
1 cup button or cremini mushrooms, halved
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup pitted black olives
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

---

Dust the beef with flour.

Melt the butter with the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the meat and brown it until the outer red color is gone, which can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it!

Increase the heat to high, add the Marsala and, with the help of a long match, set the alcohol aflame and let it burn out.

Add the red wine and let it bubble fast for about half a minute.  Add stock and bay leaf.  Season with a dash of salt and pepper and add the bouquet of thyme and orange peel with the mushrooms and garlic.  Turn the flame as low as possible, cover the pan with at least 3 layers of parchment paper, and then place the lid over it.

Cook the stew for about 3 hours.  Five minutes before serving remove the thyme bouquet and add the pitted black olives.  Taste for seasoning, add parsley for color, and serve with crusty bread or boiled rice.

Beef Stew

The Pioneer Woman Cooks – Food From My Frontier
Ree Drummond

I don’t think anyone would disagree when I say that beef stew is definitely a comfort food. But there’s so many versions out there, I figured why not try a few and see which ones we like best.  And this one has beer!  That may be a plus or a minus depending on your tastes.  And while I’m definitely no fan of beer, I don’t mind cooking with it.  Lastly, the only thing I left out of this one was the minced parsley at the end.  Maybe it’s me, but parsley doesn’t go with beef stew.  Besides, the recipe actually makes a point of saying it’s optional.  So I opted out.

This recipe was fairly easy and there wasn’t a lot of prep involved.  The most time consuming part is the 3 hours it takes to make from start to finish.  But that can be said of any stew, not just this one.

Quick note:  Towards the end where the recipe says to take a cup of the liquid and add the flour to thicken the stew, I actually repeated that step twice to thicken it a little more.

---

 

---

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 pounds beef stew meat
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can or bottle of beer
4 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon paprika
1½ teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly grated black pepper
4 new potatoes, quartered
4 carrots, unpeeled, roughly sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Minced parsley, for garnish (optional)
Crusty bread, for serving

---

Start by heating up the olive oil and butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Throw in the stew meat and quickly brown it on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Remove the meat to a clean plate and set aside.

Throw the onion into the pot, the reduce the heat to low.  Stir the onion around to cook until softened, about 3 minutes.  Then throw in the garlic and stir it around to cool for a minute.

Pour in the beer, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, paprika, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Finally, return the met to the pot, cover it, and simmer the stew over very low heat for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender.  If the liquid level gets too low, add 1 to 2 cups hot water as needed.

Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot.  Stir them in and continue simmering for 30 minutes more, or until the vegetables are tender.

To thicken the stew, remove 1 cup of the cooking liquid and whisk in the flower.  Pour the flower mixture into the pot and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, or until the stew is very thick.  Add parsley at the end  and serve with crusty bread if desired.