Earlier this month I posted a recipe for Creole Jambalaya with this introduction to the subject:
Classic Louisiana jambalaya comes in two basic varieties, Creole and Cajun, the former being the original dish adapted from the paella of their native land by Spanish Creoles; the latter is probably a rustic variation on the more urban Creole jambalaya. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word jambalaya comes from a Provençal French word, jambalaia, meaning a mish-mash. Traditionally the Creole version contains tomatoes while the Cajun does not. And while Cajun jambalaya usually includes Andouille sausage, the Creole jambalaya recipe in The Picayune’s Creole Cook Book (New York: Random House, 1989) calls for chaurice which is similar to fresh chorizo or Portuguese chourico.
This recipe is an adaptation of a brown Cajun jambalaya with a few twists. First, when I started prepping the ingredients I discovered that I had absentmindedly made mire poix instead of the Cajun trinity; that is, I had used carrots instead of bell pepper. Well, there is no way to unchop a carrot so I left it in and added the pepper. Second, I decided to make it with brown rice instead of white. (I used medium grain because that is what I had on hand but I recommend long grain.) Ideally one would use Andouille sausage in this dish but it is very difficult to find in most places (but it is easy to make) so I used chourico instead. Any smoked sausage would work but I avoid commercial kielbasa because it is so fatty. The real secret to Cajun jambalaya is to brown the meats and vegetables thoroughly because that is what gives it its rich dark color. Allow about 45 minutes to get everything ready for the stock. Finally, the best implement by far for cooking this jambalaya is a cast iron Dutch oven. If you do not have one, you can use any heavy pot but be careful that you do not scorch it.
Rinse the rice and leave to soak in cold water.
Melt the fat in a cast iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage slices thoroughly on each side without burning. Remove to a bowl.
Put the chicken cubes into the pot allowing them to stick to the bottom before turning. Brown them well on all sides. Remove to the bowl with the sausage.
Add the carrot, celery, bell pepper, and onion to the Dutch oven. Sauté, stirring often, until the onions are begin to brown. Add the garlic and hot pepper. Continue to cook; now stirring almost constantly, until the vegetables are caramelized but not burned, about 20 to 30 minutes all told. Pour in the chicken stock and, with a wooden spoon, scrape all the burned bits from the bottom fo the pot. The stock should turn a rich dark brown.
Return chicken and sausage to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Drain the rice and add to the pot along with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the rice is done, 30 to 40 minutes. If jambalaya is a little soupy, let it stand uncovered for a few minutes to thicken. Stir to fluff up before serving with a bottle of Lousiana hot sauce on the side.
It is said that necessity is the mother of invention. In my kitchen, however, the mother of invention is often whatever is lying around in the refrigerator threatening to go bad. For this recipe I started with the rendered pork shoulder I described earlier and some lovely summer squash from a local farmers’ market. The inspiration came in the form of some mystery stock (I am pretty sure it is beef stock but I cannot recall what I cooked in it), a scant cup of tomato sauce, and some scallion greens. The pantry yielded some chipotle chilies, garlic, and some spices. The rest, as they say, is history.
Heat the 1 tablespoon of the lard oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Sauté the scallions and ½ of the garlic until soft. Add the shredded pork and stir to combine. Add the cumin and ½ teaspoon of oregano. Pour in ½ cup of the stock and stir until absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Brush the summer squash slices with a bit of lard or oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan or grill and cook the squash until just soft. Set aside.
Over medium heat, melt the rest of the lard or oil in the same pan you used for the meat. Add the onion and sauté until soft but not colored, about 4 or 5 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and sauté for yet another minute. Stir in the chipotles, the tomato sauce, the remaining oregano, and the remaining cup of stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until nicely thickened. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°. Spread a bit of sauce on bottom of a baking dish just large enough to hold the squash in a single layer. Arrange the squash in the dish and nap with ½ of the remaining sauce. Spread the corn and meat evenly over the squash then cover with the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake in the hot oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and dish is bubbling.
In the US we tend to associate pancakes with breakfast but many cultures eat a variety of griddle cakes as a main meal. I came across the idea of scallion pancakes (for which I gladly credit Mark Bittman of the New York Times even though I completely changed his recipe) while looking for something to do with the abundance of these lovely onions from our garden. While Bittman used Chinese scallion cakes as a point of departure, I prepared a riff on Afghan scallion dumplings called aushak. These are easy to make and nicely filling. Do note, though, that they are decidedly and, perhaps shockingly to some, green.
Serves 2
Break up the ground meat into a non-stick skillet and brown over medium heat. Remove to a strainer to drain. Wipe out the skillet.
Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and trim the scallions then separate the white parts from the green. Coarsely chop three quarters of the greens and finely chop the rest. Mince the white parts and set them aside.
Add the larger portion of scallion greens to the water and cook about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid. Puree the cooked scallions in food processor, adding just enough of the cooking liquid to allow the machine to do its work. Add the egg, 1 tablespoon of oil, and 1 tablespoon of yoghurt to the scallion puree and pulse to combine. Set aside.
Heat a bit of oil in the skillet and fry the seeds until fragrant. Add the minced white parts of the scallions, the garlic, and ginger. Sauté until softened. Sprinkle on the ground spices and cook for another minute or so. Return the meat to the pan and mix with the onion mixture. Stir in the tomato sauce and ½ cup of the scallion cooking liquid. Turn the heat down and simmer gently while you prepare the pancakes, adding a bit of the cooking liquid if the meat dries out.
Prepare a griddle or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Combine the flours and baking powder in a medium bowl along with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix in the scallion puree and, if needed, enough of the cooking liquid to make a smooth batter. Lightly oil the hot griddle and make four medium-sized pancakes out of the batter. Turn when bubbles appear on the top. They should be nicely brown on both sides.
While the pancakes are cooking, stir ½ cup of yoghurt into the meat sauce and heat gently to warm through. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve the pancakes hot with the meat sauce and perhaps a dollop of yoghurt.
The other day, inspired by a newly-purchased can of Hungarian hot paprika, I thought I might make chicken paprikash. The usual accompaniment for that dish is spaetzl, a sort of egg noodle, so I went to the Web to see what gluten-free options existed. Most used some proprietary “GF flour” mixture and various ingredients that sounded better suited to a chemistry set than to the kitchen. Two recipes, however, caught my eye: one using glutinous or “sticky” rice flour commonly used for Asian dumplings; the other using buckwheat flour. On a whim I decided to try combined both those with regular white rice flour and proceeded as if making ordinary fresh pasta. Aside from being a bit yellowish green from the buckwheat flour, the result was excellent. I used Bouchard Family Farms white buckwheat flour but regular buckwheat flour should work as well. (Bouchard’s buckwheat flour is only available in the northeast or online. Note, though, that while a three-pound bag costs less than $6 at Hannaford’s, it is an outrageous $16 online.) The glutinous rice flour is readily available in most Asian markets or online.
Mix one-third cup of each flour with one-half teaspoon of baking powder. Form into a small mound on the countertop and make a well in the center. Add an egg (or two to three yolks—I only had one egg on hand) to the well and, using you fingers, incorporate the flour into it. When the eggs is completely mixed in add cold water a bit at a time until the dough hold together. Divide it into three or four small balls. Roll out each ball on a well-floured surface (use the regular rice flour) with an equally well-floured rolling pin until it is about one-eight inch thick. Square the rolled dough and cut into one-inch wide strips about 2 inches long.
Bring a large pot of salted water, preferably with a drainer insert, to a boil. Drop the pasta into the rapidly boiling water a few at a time. Cook for about five minutes or until all the pieces are floating. Drain and rinse in cold water. Turn onto a kitchen towel and allow to dry for a few minutes.
To serve, melt some butter in a large, non-stick skillet and toss the spaetzl, along with some freshly chopped parsley if you wish, for a few minutes until warm.
Authentic Jamaican meatloaf is made from spiced beef wrapped in a dough called coco bread and rather resembles a calzone. My interpretation omits the wrapping and adds some pork to the beef but uses typical jerk seasoning and traditional techniques. The British brought many Indians to the Caribbean in the early 19th century as indentured servants and the cooking styles of the region reflect their influence. Another change I have made is to substitute steel-cut oats for the bread crumbs that would typically be used to avoid gluten. If that is not a problem for you just revert to bread crumbs. For the full island experience, serve this meatloaf with baked sweet potatoes, spinach (or callaloo if you can find it), and a cold glass of Red Stripe beer. Enjoy, mon!
Rinse the oats, cover with cold water, and allow to soak for at least 30 minutes.
Using a food processor chop the onion rather finely and remove to a bowl. Mince the garlic then the pepper in the food processor. Film a non-stick frying pan with oil and add the onion. Fry, stirring often and adding more oil if needed, until soft and just starting to color. Add the pepper, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until well browned then add the pepper and allspice. Fry for a few more minutes until very aromatic. Set aside to cool.
Mix the beef and pork together well in a large bowl. Drain the oats and mix in along with the onion and spice mixture. Lightly beat the egg and add it with the salt, rum, and water. Mix everything well and turn into a lightly oiled 5-inch by 10-inch loaf pan, pressing gently to eliminate air pockets. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and quickly invert the loaf pan onto it so that the loaf comes out. Bake for 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160°F.
This simple dish of steak and French fries is classic bistro fare. In US the steak is usually New York strip but in France it is more often a thin slice from the rump, like the sirloin tip steak I use. And while in this country the steak is almost always cooked on a grill, in France it is pan fried in a bit of butter. Portion sizes are much smaller there too, usually 100 grams (3.5 ounces) and never more than 200 grams. The French fries have to be crispy and piping hot so timing is critical to successful steak frites. The thin steak should not rest very long so make sure that the fries are nearly done before you start the meat then pop them back into the hot oil for a minute or two before serving. Above all, remember that this is plain bistro food; do not be tempted to gussie it up with a sauce. A pat of compound butter is all you need. Traditionally, steak frites are served without a vegetable but you can add a green salad if you wish.
Serves 2
First make the compound butter by creaming together in a small bowl the softened butter, garlic, parsley, and salt. (Or, if you are lazy like I am, use a minichopper.) Spread the butter mixture onto the center of a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a 1-inch cylinder then twist the ends of the plastic to make a tight sausage. Place in the refrigerator to cool. (There will be more than you need for your steak frites but it keeps well.)
Turn on deep fryer to 300°F or, if you do not have an electric deep fryer, heat at least 2” of oil in a heavy pan monitoring the temperature with a thermometer. Peel the potatoes and, using a French fry cutter or mandolin if you have one, cut into even ⅜-inch strips. Put into a bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes. Remove one half of the potatoes from the water and dry well on a kitchen towel. Fry for 3 minutes then drain on a cooling rack or in a screen colander. Repeat with the other half of the potatoes. These can be done ahead of time.
Turn the deep fryer up to 375°F. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels then season on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a cast iron skillet first on medium heat then on high heat. Fry the potatoes, in one batch this time, until lightly brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Let drain while you cook the meat. Add about a tablespoon of butter to the skillet and put in the steaks. Turn after 2 minutes and return the fries to the oil for another minute. Remove to the colander and season with a bit of kosher salt. Plate with the steaks, adding a generous pat of compound butter to each steak. Serve immediately.
Originally from the Canary Islands mojo criollo, literally creole sauce, is a popular garlic, onion, and sour orange marinade used throughout the Caribbean. It is readily available in most supermarkets with a reasonably well-stocked Latin foods section. I used it to marinate a butterflied pork tenderloin that I seared quickly on a griddle. (Had the weather been more salubrious I would have done it on the charcoal grill.) I served it sliced with Caribbean black beans and, mixing cuisines a bit, Yucatán-style achiote rice.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Remove the membrane (silverskin) from the pork and trim any excess fat. Lay the tenderloin on a cutting board and, using a sharp knife, carefully cut it parallel to the board to ¼-inch from being sliced into two pieces. Unfold and flatten. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and pound to ¼-inch thickness with a meat mallet or heavy skillet. Place in a shallow pan just large enough to hold it and pour on mojo criollo to barely cover. Set aside.
Rinse the beans and pick them over for any small stones or discolored beans. Put a bit of olive oil into a pressure cooker and brown the bacon lightly. Add one half of the chopped onion and sauté until just softened, 3 or 4 minutes. Add the pepper and garlic for continue to cook for another minute. Put the beans into the pressure cooker along with four cups of the water. Cook at high pressure for 25 to 30 minutes then allow the pressure to release normally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
While the beans are cooking, sauté the remaining half of the onion and the rice in a bit of olive oil in a heavy pot with a tightly fitting lid for 2 or 3 minutes. Mix the achiote paste into the remaining two cups of water and pour over the rice. Season with ½ tsp. of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and correct seasoning before serving.
Set a griddle or large skillet over high heat. When very hot, film with olive oil and sear the pork quickly on each side. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Make a small cut in the meat to check for doneness and continue to cook for until just slightly pink. Remove to a cutting board and slice thinly to serve, garnished with the cilantro leaves.
In many parts of the world meat is used as a flavoring element rather than as the central ingredient or a meal. Not only is that economically and environmentally desirable but it is nutritionally better as well. This recipe shows how a small amount of meat, in this case homemade smoked pancetta, can add a great deal of flavor to a dish without adding much fat. I served these over brown rice that I cooked in the oven along with the lentils. Of course, you could leave the meat out altogether and still have a lovely dinner. I adapted this recipe, quite loosely, from Jamie Oliver, The Naked Chef (New York: Hyperion, 2000) 162.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Rinse the lentils well and set to drain. Put the garlic into the working bowl of a food processor and mince finely. Add the parsley and chop well. Finally add the onion and pulse to a medium texture. Set aside.
Brown the pancetta for about 3 or 4 minutes in a heavy pot with a tightly-fitting lid over medium heat adding a bit of olive oil if needed to prevent sticking. Add the vegetables and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened but not browned. Mix in the lentils then stir in the stock. Season with a good grind of black pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and braise in the oven, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes or until the stock is absorbed. Taste and season with salt.
Often referred to as Italian bacon, pancetta comes in several forms. The most common in the US, pancetta arrotolata, is cured, rolled, and air dried for up to several months. In some parts of Italy, notably Calabria, it is made in a flat slab, pancetta tesa, sometimes including ribs and often cured with hot spices. In the northern Italian region of Veneto it is smoked and quite resembles American bacon. Whichever version you prefer, it is easy to make for far less than the $7 to $12+ per pound you would pay in the market. Incidentally, I hedged my bets by rolling one piece and hanging it in the basement but smoking the other over apple wood.
Using a sharp boning knife, remove the skin or have your butcher do it for you. (Don’t throw away the skin; save it to make fried pork rinds.) Place the pork belly meat side up on your cutting board and using the same sharp knife level it by cutting off any high spots. Repeat on the fatty side then square the pieces with a large chef’s knife. (Save the trimmed bits for Double-Cooked Pork.) Rinse the meat well and pat dry.
Coarsely grind the peppercorns and juniper berries with a mortar and pestle. (Or spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and crush with a heavy pot.) Combine with the rest of the cure ingredients in small and mix well.
Rub each piece of pork with cure being careful to coat them on all sides. (It is easiest to do this in a rimmed baking sheet so that the cure does not wander away.) Double-wrap each piece tightly with plastic wrap, or put into a large plastic freezer bag. Put the wrapped meat onto the rimmed baking sheet and place another sheet on top. Weight with several cans or anything else that comes to three or four pounds. Set on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for from seven to 10 days, turning daily.
Remove the pork belly from the refrigerator and rinse off the curing mixture under cool running water. (It’s OK if a few bits of pepper or spices stay behind.) Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
To make pancetta arrotolata, place a piece of the cured meat lean-side up on a clean, large cutting board. Starting from the thinner end roll very tightly. You may need to roll, unroll, and re-roll it a few times to get it really tight. Tie snuggly with butcher’s twine at 1-inch intervals leaving a foot long loop at one end. Hang the pancetta in a slightly cool, dark, moderately humid place where air can circulate freely around it. Ideal conditions are around 60°F and around 60 percent humidity. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from air vents. (I hung mine in the basement which in the winter is a bit cooler and dryer than ideal but workable nonetheless.) Let it hang for at least two weeks. It will emit a subtle aroma, which is fine. If it starts to smell rancid or rotten, discard it. When it is done, wrap in plastic to store. It will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks or in the freezer for several months.
To make smoked pancetta, finish it for about 2 hours at about 200°F it in a water smoker using apple wood chips according to the manufacturer’s directions. Wrap and store as above.
Hedgehog mushrooms are one of two species of Hydnum, H. repandum or H. umbilicatum, similar to chanterelles. (As nearly as I can determine the ones I bought at Wegman’s today are the latter.) Like chanterelles they are delicious cooked with shallots in a bit of butter. A splash of dry sherry and a dash of cream round out a lovely sauce for pork medallions—pieces of pork tenderloin pounded thin and quickly sautéed. Serve them over mashed potatoes accompanied by a peas and pearl onions.
Heat the oven to 170°F then turn off. Put two dinner plates into the warm oven.
Cut four 1-inch thick pieces from the center of the tenderloin. Remove the membrane (silverskin) and trim any excess fat. Stand the pieces on a cut side and pound to an even ¼-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. When hot put the pork medallions into the pan in a single layer. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes per side then remove to a plate in the oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil.
Reduce heat to medium, add the shallot to the pan and cook until softened but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they give off their liquid, about another 2 or 3 minutes. Pour in the sherry and boil until nearly gone, deglazing the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the cream and boil for a couple of minutes until the sauce is nicely thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Return the pork to the pan along with any juices that accumulated on the plate. Turn to coat with sauce. Serve immediately.
