Pork and Tofu Stir Fry

I've never cooked anything with tofu before, but this was a great entry. I saw the recipe in last weekend's Wall Street Journal. It's really tasty! I actually really liked the tofu. It absorbs all the flavor and is sort of creamy and smooth. It's not vegetarian or anything because of the pork, and the miso paste gives it a great depth of flavor. I altered the recipe slightly because I couldn't find the special Korean chili paste.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb ground pork

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp ginger, minced

2 medium onions, finely diced

1/4 cup white miso paste

2 tbsp chili paste (I used chili garlic)

1 cup chicken broth

2 lb silken tofu, cut into big pieces

2 big scallions, thinly sliced

cooked white rice

Mustard-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

I got three wonderful cookbooks from my brother-in-law, Austen, this year (it's a tradition now) one being Pickles, Pigs, & Whiskey. Even though I was on vacation in Florida last week, I couldn't resist trying one of the recipes immediately - the Mustard-Crusted Pork Loin. Yum! It was so flavorful, and the mustard mixture that you rub on the pork is my new favorite condiment. I want to put it on hot dogs and sausages, and it would be fabulous for pigs in a blanket at a party. This makes a lot and we were eating it for days, so it would be a good dinner party main course. I served it with more couscous-style cauliflower (just switching up the seasonings a bit).

Serves 6 (recipe says 4, but I think it's more like 6)
Ingredients:
2 pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each
salt and pepper
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup grainy mustard
2 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tbsp plus 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup grated shallots
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
3 cups panko breadcrumbs
5 tbsp clarified unsalted butter
3 tbsp chicken stock
1/4 cup apple cider
1 1/2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Herb-Crusted Pork Chops

This is a great, great weeknight meal. The bread crumbs keep the pork chop super juicy and are crispy and flavorful. You can use any herbs you want/have. I served the pork chops with roasted purple potatoes and green beans.

Ingredients:

2 pork chops

1 slice bread, crusts removed

big handful fresh herbs (I used tarragon, rosemary, thyme, and parsley)

lemon slices for serving

salt and pepper

egg

flour

1 tsp dijon mustard

Jinya Ramen

Last week, I went to Jinya Ramen with some friends. My friend Chelsea had recommended it, and she was not wrong. It was delicious! The broth is just so flavorful. I had the Tonkatsu Spicy, which was a pork ramen. It wasn't all that spicy, but was really satisfying and savory. I couldn't eat even half of the noodles, but I ate all the veggies, meat, and broth. They also have great condiments on the table, including a spicy garlic oil and some chili powder. I would definitely go back, and I'm drooling thinking about that broth. It must take them forever to make it.

Spicy Pork Meatballs and Fennel Tomato Sauce

These meatballs are great - the pickled peppers give them a unique spicy flavor - and the sauce goes really well with them. The fennel gives it a little sweetness and not too strong of an anise flavor. I have lots of leftover meatballs, so I plan to make a meatball sub for dinner tomorrow. You could also just serve them with toothpicks as an hors d'oeuvre.

Ingredients:

Meatballs

2 lb ground pork shoulder

2 cups bread, cut into 1/4" cubes

2 tbsp chopped fennel fronds

2 cloves of garlic, mashed into a paste

10 pickled pepper slices, minced

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tbsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

Bolognese

Another Barbara Lynch recipe here. She said that her secret ingredient was chicken livers and I really wanted to test it out. It's a great, hearty sauce. It's very meaty and not very tomatoey, so different than what I would normally think of for bolognese, but it was so flavorful and rich and a perfect Sunday dinner with a little pasta and some Pecorino.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large celery stalk, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
5 oz chicken livers, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh sage, chopped
salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground meat, 1/2lb each pork, veal, and lamb (or beef if you can't find lamb)
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 14.5-oz can chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Kalua Pig

While we were in Hawaii, Jamie and I feel in love with Kalua pig. It's the Hawaiian version of pulled pork and it's great. They served it on nachos and on taro buns with BBQ sauce. Since I had the time, I made it last weekend and it was fab. I halved this recipe and it was still big enough for one dinner for three with BBQ sauce on a bun, one lunch for three in a grilled cheese, one dinner for two with nachos, and three lunches with BBQ sauce on a bun. So basically, it's a lot! It's totally worth it, though, because you can use it so many ways - and you'll save money on lunch for the week!

I made a pineapple barbecue sauce to go with it, but any BBQ sauce will work. I also served them on brioche buns instead of taro - it was great! The sweet, soft brioche bun was perfect with the rich pork and tart sauce. Yum yum yum.

Ingredients:

1 large banana leaf (I got these at Essex Street Market)

3 lb bonless pork shoulder, cut into 3 pieces

1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt

1 1/4 tbsp liquid smoke

Apple-Stuffed Pork Chops with Cider Garlic Glaze

I had some good friends over for dinner last night and one of them, Charlie, requested these pork chops. I made them for him once before for helping me carry a table from my sister's apartment to my then new apartment. They're super tasty and a really special weeknight meal. The sauteed apples are so tasty, I'd love to find another use for them. The sweet of the apple and the rich butter, the salt, and the kick of the chipotle powder is awesome. The cider glaze is also incredibly good - syrupy but with garlic. Yum! I served it with minted pea puree. (Jamie loves pea puree, so it's becoming a staple in our house.)

Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 bone in pork chops, the thicker the better
1 1/2 apples (I used 1 Granny Smith and half a Gala) peeled and thinly sliced
3 cups apple cider
4 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper

Carnitas tacos with spicy roast pineapple salsa

I had a few people over for Cinco de Mayo and wanted to try making carnitas - one of my fave taco options. They were delicious, and though you have to have a few hours to kill before you serve them, it's not a lot of work, just a long cooking time. The meat was extremely tender and flavorful and the spicy and sweet salsa went perfectly with the pork. I also like to top tacos with some very thinly slice radishes - gives it a fresh crunch and looks pretty too! This would be perfect for having a bunch of friends for a casual Mexican night, maybe adding in some carne asada and other salsas. Just throw it all in the pot a few hours ahead of time.

Carnitas

Ingredients:

3 pounds pork shoulder, cut into cubes

2 cups water

1 white onion, peeled and cut into quarters