Rustic and Hearty Tuscan-style Soup

When damp, chilly weather arrives we crave warming soup at my house, and this one is right up there among the top favorites. I've shared this one before and I understand it's similar to, (or a copycat version of) Toscana soup as served at the Olive Garden restaurant. I can't vouch for that as I've never had it there.
Even though I enjoy soup at any time of year,  I only make this particular recipe when the temperatures are cool ~ it's very hearty and filling, almost like a stew.




As you can see, the ingredient list is simple; no exotic items and surprisingly, for such a flavorful outcome, you don't need to add extra seasoning except for some salt and freshly ground black pepper.
I always increase the amount of veggies in the recipe as I prefer this soup chunky, and we all know they are good for us. :)

 

You can have this on your table within about 30 minutes. It's wonderful eaten straight after cooking it, and as with most soups it is fabulous reheated the next day. When reheating I usually add more of the greens just to liven up the color a bit.



It won't win any prizes for beauty, but for what it lacks in visual appeal it more than compensates in satisfying flavor.  I hope you'll give this one a try, it has to be among my top favorite 5 soups --- maybe in the top 3.
You can get the printable copy of the recipe over on my recipe site.

I'm so happy you came by to visit, have a lovely day!
~ mari  

Pork Souvlaki

Traditional Greek souvlaki is made with lamb, but you can also use pork, chicken, beef, or fish (most often swordfish.)

I chose pork this time because I had a couple of boneless pork loin chops in the refrigerator. The marinade is very simple (you don't need a recipe for this one.) Fresh lemon juice, garlic (minced), oregano, olive oil and salt and pepper. If you like garlic add lots!

Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Cut the meat into bite-size chunks, salt and pepper generously, then toss it into a non-reactive bowl or sealable food storage bag, pour marinade over and allow to marinate for up to two hours. Much longer than that and the enzyme action between the lemon juice and meat protein will begin to "cook" the meat, producing an odd texture when grilled.

Thread the meat chunks on the skewers (add vegetables in between each piece if you like-- I used red onion pieces and cherry tomatoes), brush skewers with some of the remaining marinade. Discard unused marinade. Place skewers on hot grill, turning occasionally until meat is done. You can also cook them on a stovetop grill, your oven broiler, or even in a panini maker.

The souvlaki can be served plain, right from the skewer, or wrapped in pita bread with a little traditional (cucumber-yogurt) tatziki sauce, or on a plate along with Greek-style fried potatoes. I served these with a Greek salad, and some lemon scented rice this time.

They are so delicious, we could easily enjoy them a couple of times a month. If you give them a try I hope you like, too.

Thanks for stopping by today ~ and Happy Wednesday everyone! xo~m.

Korean-Style Grilled Pork (Daeji Bulgogi)

Yum! But first a disclaimer :)  ~ 

As far as I know, I don't possess a drop of Korean blood in my body and I am no expert on preparing Korean cuisine . . . but that doesn't stop me from enjoying it, and attempting to make it at home.  Particularly Korean BBQ (it's actually grilled, even though it is called BBQ.)

For this version I scouted around the internet and combined a few recipes that I came across.  It was a huge success at my house, and I was pleased with the outcome.

Gochujang

I discovered a key ingredient, a mystery to me prior to this time.  It's called gochujang; a fermented red pepper paste.  Vaguely sweet, with just a bit of a spicy "bite".  The paste comes in different levels of 'heat',  the one I chose is level 3 - medium hot. I don't like the feeling of my mouth on fire, and this intensity was perfect for me ~ 
 Mr. OUaP doesn't like much heat at all, he had nothing but compliments.  

You can find this at any well stocked Asian/Korean market ~ but I couldn't source any locally.  


However, amazon.com came through again!  Here's the one I ordered:

If you happen to like your dishes more spicy, I would recommend you use this one and simply add more red pepper flakes to increase the heat to your liking.  

And gochujang is not just for Korean food, you can stir a spoonful or two into regular American style BBQ sauce,  Pasta sauce, swirl a little on pizza, or anytime you want to add a bit of interesting heat to a dish.

Pork Tenderloin (cut into 1/8-inch slices)

I put the 1 pound pork tenderloin in the freezer for about an hour, after it firmed up, I sliced it into 1/8-inch slices. Then marinated it for 3 to 24 hours (you can marinate it for as little as 1 hour, but I recommend at least 3 if possible.)  

Tip: It's best to use natural pork (the kind without the water and salt solution added).  I always double check the label for ingredients ~ I really don't care for the kind with salt & water added as I like to control the sodium content myself.

In the marinade for 3 to 24 hours.

I actually marinated it in a resealable plastic freezer bag, this is what it looked like before I put it in the bag and refrigerated it.

The marinade consists of soy sauce, minced garlic a little brown sugar, mirin (or sherry), the gochujang, dark sesame oil, fresh ginger root, red pepper flakes (you can increase or decrease the amount of red pepper flakes to your taste ~ I used a very scant 1/2 teaspoonful, though many recipes call for 1 teaspoon or more.), a couple of green onions, minced, and an onion, thinly sliced.

The meat pieces are grilled over a charcoal (or gas) grill, for only a minute per side.  You can serve the Bulgogi with rice, or wrapped in a lettuce leaf with some kimchi (spicy fermented cabbage), and some quick pickled vegetables. 

I made the quick pickles with carrots, radishes, daikon radish, and a hot house (or English) cucumber, and a serrano chile for a little heat.  It only takes a few minutes to put these together, and they store well in the fridge for a few days  ~ a refreshing condiment to go along with the pork.

We liked this so much, it's coming up on the menu again this week. Yay, success!

If you would like a printable copy of the recipes for the pork marinade, and for the quick and easy veggie pickles, you'll find them on my recipe blog ~ here's the link.

Thanks for stopping by to visit!

Ginger Beef or Chicken Patties with Lime Noodle Salad

In my previous post  I mentioned that sometimes even in the midst of a certain season I like to switch things out; for example right now lighter colors on the table rather than the traditional oranges, golds and browns of Fall. And
I find the same goes for food in my world.

  At the beginning of colder weather we crave the traditional comfort foods that the season seems to call for.  Then after a couple of weeks of that kind of eating we're ready for something lighter and more colorful, something fresher tasting than long-simmered soups or stews.

So that's where this salad fits in ~ brighter flavors using fresh ingredients which are generally available year round.  In this salad there is a nice little mix of vegetables ~ quickly blanched snow peas, cherry tomato halves, scallions (0r slivered red onion), red bell pepper and a mix of fresh mint and/or cilantro. You could easily add thinly sliced celery, carrots, or jicama too.

The Asian-inspired lime dressing can be made mild or spicy, either way it enhances everything in the bowl-- the little meat patties (beef, chicken, turkey, or pork ~ your choice) plus the veggies and noodles. 

The meat mixture contains ginger, garlic and scallions, plus a couple of  readily available Asian ingredients not usually found in western meat patties.  (Oh, these are VERY good, and I would consider making them a little larger, served with Hoisin sauce and served up in lettuce leaf wrappers.) 

To assemble the salad I cook the noodles first, rinse and set aside. Then I prep the veggies and toss them with the noodles. The dressing goes together in moments and can be tossed with the noodles and veggies as the meat is cooking.

The patties are quickly pan fried so I do that step last as the warm meat provides a wonderful contrast to the cool vegetables and noodles.   Place on top of the veg-noodle mix and garnish with additional scallions, and mint or cilantro.

This time for the noodles I used Barilla whole grain very thin spaghetti,cooked al dente, but you can also use rice noodles (cellophane noodles) which require no cooking, just a brief soak in hot water.

If you like Asian flavors, I think you'll like this noodle salad very much ~ if you would like the recipe, you can find a printable copy on the Once Upon a Plate recipe blog.

Click HERE.

Pork Roasted the way the Tuscans Do

I've posted about this method of preparing pork tenderloin before... you can see the previous post by clicking HERE.

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This is my entry for this week's Saturday Blog Showcase.

I hope you'll please join us!

Hosted on alternate Saturdays by my friends Ann, of Thibeault's Table and Lori, of All That Splatters.

(clickable links)



It's Ann's turn to host this week ~ please click HERE to read more about Saturday Blog Showcase, and to visit this week's participants.
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I have been a fan of Joanne Weir (click) for quite a while, and I was so pleased when our friend Monique introduced me to this recipe a couple of years ago.

It's absolutely delicious! Don't feel locked into this combination of herbs, you can play around with it and add any herbs or flavoring ingredients you like. (Pesto, Tapenade, sundried tomatoes, etc.) It's great meal at home, but also perfect picnic fare.

For a PRINTABLE copy of the recipe, you can find it on my recipe blog by clicking HERE.

Pork Roasted the Way the Tuscan Do ~

Joanne Weir's recipe

4 servings .
Joanne says: "This is a wonderful and easy technique for pork roasted inside a baguette with wonderful fresh herbs and of course garlic and olive oil! I'm sure this will become a favorite of yours too - it's great to bring on a picnic lunch!"

Preheat oven to 375-degrees (F)

2 teaspoons fresh chopped sage

2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon fennel pollen (My notes: I omit because it is not readily available)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and sinewy tissue

1 loaf crusty baguette

Optional ~ about 3 to 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Method:
Mince sage, rosemary, pepper, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and fennel pollen (if using) together, spread out on the work surface for later, the sear the pork as follows:

In a frying pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Place the pork in the pan and cook, turning occasionally until it is golden brown on all sides (this will take about 8 to 10 minutes.)

If you you like, at this point you can smear the seared pork with Dijon mustard before rolling in the herbs. (This step adds a bit of moistness to the meat, which I prefer.)

Roll the pork in the herb mixture and set aside. Next cut, or slit the baguette in half the long way and scoop out most of the soft insides. Brush the inside of the baguette with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Nestle the pork on the inside of the baguette so that the pork is well enclosed.

Trim off the excess ends of the bread. With kitchen twine tie the bread to secure the pork at 1 to 2 inch intervals.
,

Place the pork on a baking sheet and roast until done, 145 to 155°F (when instant read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin) About 25 to 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven, allow to rest 10 minutes.

Remove the strings and cut into slices. It's wonderful warm, and is flavorful enough to serve at room temperature as well.

.

All stuffed and tied, ready for the oven. No need to be particular as to how you tie it, the aim is to keep the pork securely in the bread while roasting.

Easy to slice and serve, and the mustard makes the pork moist and tender.

I served it with a simple fresh salad, I particularly like it with herb roasted mixed vegetables or ratatouille.

For a printable copy click HERE to go to my recipe blog.
I'm also participating in Foodie Friday ~ please stop by our host's blog ~

Designs by Gollum to see all kinds of visual treats! Thanks for hosting us Michael.


Thank you for stopping by today!

Pork Tenderloin with Herb Glaze

This recipe is from Caprial and John Pence; originally created for pork chops, I used a pork tenderloin instead of the chops.

The glaze is flavored with Herbs de Provence and honey (I substituted Agave syrup*), Dijon mustard, minced shallots and garlic then finished with a small amount of butter.


First the meat is seasoned with salt and pepper then quickly seared stove top in a very hot pan. In the meantime the glaze ingredients are blended together and poured over the meat in the pan, then placed in the oven to roast for about 20 minutes. A tablespoon of butter in stirred into the pan drippings and served over the meat.



The finished dish is delightfully perfumed from the herbs, it is slightly sweet and absolutely tender and delicious. I served it with roasted sweet potato slices and creamy cabbage slaw with Granny Smith apple.


I think this would make a perfect party dish as the meat could be seared and the glaze made in advance. Then just roasted off 20 minutes or so before serving.


So tender and juicy ~ and leftovers reheat beautifully the next day.
5 out of 5 stars around our table!


* One person in our family is a diabetic so I often substitute Agave Syrup for honey or other sweeteners. It is slightly sweeter so I use a little less, the wonderful thing is that it metabolizes differently and registers low on the Glycemic Index. If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, you can find it on my recipe blog ~ click HERE.

Carnitas ~ Little Pieces of Browned Pork

Here it is, my all-time favorite Mexican dish. If I could choose only one Mexican dish to eat, this would be it ~ hands down.



I first tasted Carnitas over 30 (!) years ago at a little roadside restaurant in Mexico. On a very warm summer afternoon we pulled into the dusty parking lot where an enormous cauldron was bubbling furiously, suspended over an open wood fire.We quickly walked past the heat of the fire into the cool, darkened dining room.




I had no idea what treats would be in store for us as we took our seats against the wall. The specialty of the house was Carnitas, we were urged to order them...
but just what they were I did not know.

First our icy cold beverages arrived and soon after a large basket of hot, handmade flour tortillas were delivered to our table with a huge platter of little pieces of browned pork. Generous piles of cilantro, sliced avocados, thinly sliced radishes, scallions and sliced onions were arranged at one end of the platter. A large bowl of the best fresh (uncooked salsa) I had ever tasted was set beside the platter. A warm tortilla, succulent little pieces of browned pork and whatever condiments desired wrapped in a fresh, warm homemade tortilla? Heaven! :)I was determined to recreate this delicious meal at home... but how to prepare the meat?
Was it roasted? Fried? Did that enormous cauldron out in front of the cantina play a part in producing these delicious morsels? How was it seasoned?? At the time it was mystery to me, but I knew I HAD to have that recipe.I was on a mission to find out, my Spanish was abysmal so it was futile to ask the proprietors of the cafe. Keep in mind that this was years and years ago, before PCs were household fixtures, so I scoured the library's cookbooks... and learned about a British woman, Diana Kennedy. A remarkable person who embraced the culture and foods Mexico with great passion. She had moved there years before and had made it her life's work to delve into all of the varied cuisines of Mexico and share them with the rest of us.There it was... in her book "The Cuisines of Mexico" THE recipe for Carnitas.And I was so surprised to learn how simple the recipe actually is.Small pieces of pork (not too lean), simmered in lightly salted water until the water evaporates and the pork just tender. The pork is allowed to brown gently in the accumulated juices until slightly crisp on the outside and fall apart tender.
Sometimes I use pork shoulder, but recently country-style pork ribs were on sale so I used those ~ and actually prefer them, instead of dealing with a huge hunk of pork. The ribs are easy to cut into the proper size for this dish, without a lot of handling of raw pork ~ if that sort of thing makes you queasy.I have made carnitas countless times over the years for family and friends, they make a wonderful dish for a casual party. I keep the meat on a warming plate (or you could use a slow cooker, with the lid askew so the meat doesn't steam), and warm flour tortillas alongside. I offer a few of bowls of fresh salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and plates of sliced radishes, cilantro, sliced avocado, and shredded cabbage or lettuce, so each person can assemble their own ~ it's a fun food to serve (and eat!) I have a few of her books, but if I could have only one of hers, I would choose either this one... Or this one, (her most recent):


From My Mexican Kitchen: Techniques and Ingredients, by Diana Kennedy

Diana's are the most authentic, concise and comprehensive Mexican cookbooks written in the English language that I have found. I've given them as gifts to several cooks I know through the years and they have the same feelings about her cookbooks.The recipes are clearly written, and easy to follow. They are packed with essential information on making your own authentic Mexican food; ingredient explanations & descriptions, recipes for appetizers, soups, salsas, guacamole, beans, rice, seafood, meats, chicken, desserts, breads, and desserts, etc.If you would like a printable copy of Diana's recipe for Carnitas, please click HERE to find it on my recipe blog.Thank you for stopping by, I hope you have a wonderful day!