Author: Heidi Lee (Page 27 of 96)

This recipe is a snap, can be stored for up to a week and can easily be doubled for large parties.  Toast points or water crackers are a great way to serve.  Enjoy!!

• 2 T. grated parmesan cheese

• 1 T. minced fresh garlic

• 2 T. capers, well drained

• 1 Cup pitted kalamata olives, drained

• 3/4 Cup pitted black olivesm drained

• 1 t. red wine vinegar

• 2 T. EVOO

• 1 anchovy fillet, patted dry (optional)

• 1/2 t. red pepper flakes (optional)

Get out your handy dandy food processor and add the cheese, garlic and capers.  Blend until smooth.  Add the olives, vinegar, oil, anchovy and pepper flakes and combine until finely chopped.  I prefer to go for a more paste like consistency, but that’s up to you.

Another serving suggestion is to use it as an accompaniment to grilled or pan seared salmon – tasty!!

As many of you may know, I often pull recipe ideas out of thin air and simply put them to paper w/o testing, retesting, dissecting and testing again.  This is one of those times.  Let’s focus on the technique of the thing…coffee marinated wood chips on the grill and a big ole’ pork butt!!  How hard can it be??? 

• 1 Pork Butt (they generally run between 5-8 pounds)

• 4 cloves garlic

• 2 Cups Ground Village Coffee Roastery Espresso Roast

• Wood Chips

• Water to cover

OK – so this is how I envision it, because I’ve never smoked anything…

In a large roasting pan, lay down your wood chips, sprinkle liberally with coffee and add just enough water to cover.  Mix well and let stand for few hours.  You don’t want them completely dry, but not sopping whet either.  If you’re in a time crunch, put them in your oven at a very low temp (150-175) to partially dry out.  The wet wood is your smoking element. 

Remove chips and line the roasting pan with aluminum foil and put a single layer of the chips down, place roasting rack over the chips.

Remove the pork butt from the frig and let stand for about 20 minutes to come up to room temperature.  Peel and halve garlic cloves and make little insertions in the pork with a pairing knife and stuff the garlic in.  Salt and Pepper the meat.

Preheat your grill to 225 degrees, leaving the center unit off.  If you are using charcoal, push the fire to one side.  Basically, you are eliminating direct heat.  If you’re using a smoker, you’re on your own here.

Put the Pork on the grill and close the lid.  Conventional wisdom suggests 1.5 hours of cooking time per pound when done in a smoker.  With a propane grill, I’m guessing about 4-6 hours.  KEY:  remove from smoker when internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.

Remove pork butt from grill and wrap in several layers of aluminum foil.  Let stand in your kitchen for 45 minutes to an hour.  Unwrap and pull the pork, placing meat in a bowl. 

Brandy Sauce:

• 1 T. Vegetable Oil

• 1 Cup Pork Shavings (preferably from the exterior of the meat – finely chopped)

• 1/4 Cup Shallot – minced

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 Cups Quality Beef Stock

• 2 T. Dijon Mustard

• 1 Cup Brandy

• Slurry of water and cornstarch

In a large saute pan, heat vegetable oil over medium high and add the pork shavings, shallot and garlic.  Let cook for 2-3 minutes until shallot gets soft.  Increase heat to high and add the Beef Stock.  Cook until reduced by 1/2.  Add the mustard and Brandy and cook again, until the smell of alcohol dissipates entirely.

Whisk in the slurry of water and cornstarch, or you could go completely off the charts and add heavy cream as your thickener.

You could serve this up as the main event on your plate accompanied with some serious potatoes, sweet potato fries, or slap it on a bun with a big piece of Havarti.  YUM!

I’m going to give this recipe a whirl over the weekend…will keep you posted.  If you have any suggestions or simply think I’m a complete LOON, do let us know:)

We were always experimenting in the kitchen when I was a kid.  My older brother and I loved to bake together and decided to recreate the popular candy of the day.  I updated it a bit for a smoother consistency, but this is basically what we came up with!  One caveat…the dishes afterward are a bitch!!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl

2 packages chocolate chips

1/4 Cup Heavy Cream

1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

In a double boiler over medium high heat, add the chocolate chips and let begin to melt.  Stir constantly and once nearly melted, add the heavy cream. 

Meanwhile, put peanut butter in a glass bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute.  Stir and return to microwave for 1 more minute.  Set aside and let cool a bit.  Spoon peanut butter into a ziploc bag and cut a small hole in the end.  (You can use a pastry bag, but that adds to the dish bitch.)

On a large, non-greased cookie sheet, spread the chocolate mixture evenly with a spatula.  Pipe the peanut butter in a criss-cross pattern over the top of the chocolate.  Use a spatula or small spoon to swirl it throughout.

Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper or cling film and place in the freezer until hardened. (About 30 – 45 minutes).  Take the cookie sheet outside and place it on a table.  Using your mom’s favorite meat mallet, whack the heck out of it until it breaks into pieces.  Get gooey chocolate all over your hands and run through the house on the ultimate sugar high!  Once your mother starts screaming bloody murder, go back outside and let her do the dishes….sorry, Mom!!

This is a very healthy recipe from my friend and Executive Chef, Jason Wyrick of Vegan Culinary Experience.  The savory from the cardamon and the sweet from the pear and agave are a great way to start your day…or finish it for that matter.  Please visit Jason’s site for more delicious recipes and sign up for his newsletter!  Enjoy!!

Baked Cardamon Pears with Sweet Agave Nectar

• 1 red pear (d’anjou), halved lengthways

• 1 tbsp. of raisins

• 2 tsp. cinnamon

• 1 tsp. cardamon

• 1 tsp. oil

• ½ tsp. lemon juice

• 2 tbsp. sweet agave nectar

• Mint for garnish

Cut the pear in half lengthways and take out the core.
Place the raisins inside the boat created when you de-cored the pear.
Sprinkle with the cinnamon and cardamon.
Bake the pear for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Make sure that there is a light coat of oil in the baking dish so the pear doesn’t stick.
Optionally, you can sauté the pear on a medium heat for about five minutes.
Put the pear on the plate and splash the lemon juice on it.
Cover it with the sweet agave nectar.
Garnish the sides with mint.

For more detail and all the nutritional information for this dish – click here!