Apple Onion Pork with Butternut Squash

Fall is in the air, but maybe not enough of an autumn chill to turn entirely to soups and stews and such...  Instead, we started with some seasonal produce with this recipe.  It's a bit of an ambitious undertaking, appropriate for a group cooking and eating evening.  Butternut squash is always a bit of an ordeal, and this preparation took longer than anticipated to cook.  On the plus side, though, the crockpot can really turn not-quite-ripe squash into a pleasant goo...  It was a shame it wasn't ready with the rest of the entree, though, because the pork and apple-onion relish (?) really could have used another savory component, and it was not nearly sweet enough to pass off as a dessert.  But it was interesting and fun, and now that I've rambled on, I guess trying to provide those thousand words to make up for no picture...  But yeah, no picture :(

Crockpot Chile Pork

I went through a phase where I was ducking out of work briefly to set up a crockpot meal about once a week - don't know why I stopped!  Aside from the Johnson family classic, this crockpot pork and peppers was maybe the biggest success.  A lot of peppers and spices in there - too many to fit into my kiddie crockpot, unfortunately.  But even cutting back gives the meat plenty of flavor and a great sauce.

The Recipe

2 lb pork roast
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 4-oz cans of diced chiles
2-3 jalapenos, diced
2 cups broth
1 8-oz can of diced tomatoes
1 tsp each of oregano, salt, pepper
1/2 tsp each of cumin, sage, paprika, cayenne pepper

Put your pork in the crockpot, then veggies, then chiles and tomatoes, then spices, then broth.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.

Outcome

Because of said mini-crockpot, I had to stretch the pork for a couple people.  With some tortilla, papaya and kale chips, made a very nice meal:

Steak Fajitas

Red meat always seems a little tricky in a humble NYC apartment.  If you're not grilling, you're probably using a second-best cooking technique, sadly.  So I was happy to find a steak recipe that actually recommends using a pan.  A little guidance on the marinade didn't hurt either.

The Recipe

1 lb flank steak or skirt steak
1 onion, sliced
2-3 bell peppers
olive oil, salt

Marinade
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Mix the marinade ingredients together, coat the steak and let sit at least an hour.  Then heat a skillet over high with oil and sear your meat for a few minutes each side.  Let it sit while you cook the vegetables.  Then slice the meat and serve with tortillas, etc.

Results

With your choice of peppers, veggies and other fajita fixin's (I liked sprinking some Manchego on mine), it makes a fun group meal.  I was a little underwhelmed by the marinade, though - the more you stuff into your tortilla, the less that flavor comes through.

No picture :(

Cider Braised Brats

This is one of my favorites. It's simple enough, with just a handful of ingredients, and you can enjoy one of your extra bottles of cider while you cook and/or eat.  You might not think that sausage could absorb much flavor from the cider, but that just isn't the case at all.

The Recipe

bratwurst
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 bottle hard cider

Melt a tbsp or two of butter over medium low, and put on your peppers and onions.  Once they're pretty well cooked, add the cider and brats, cover loosely and simmer until the sausage is cooked through.  Then char the brats a little on a grill pan, while turning up the heat to reduce the cider and finish off the veggies.

Thoughts

My only problem with the recipe is that it's a bit ambiguous with the peppers and onions.  What does it mean to "sweat" them out?  I basically soften them pretty good, and then you have to make sure to nuke them pretty well at the end.  And if you don't have a grill pan, sear the brats a bit in another pan.  And did I mention, enjoy another cider while you eat?

Spanish Potato Bake

I dug this recipe up for a "non-traditional Thanksgiving" cooking evening.  Unfortunately in that friendly competition it couldn't take the prize over some of the hardcore meat/bacon dishes, but it turned out well, got pretty positive feedback as a great side.  It's pretty hearty, could make a vegetarian entree as well.

Recipe

Sauce
3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp hot Spanish (smoked) paprika
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp olive oil
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
16 oz tomatoes
Bake
1 1/2 to 2 lbs potatoes
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow pepper, chunked
1 courgette (a.k.a. zucchini), chunked
10 oz sliced mushrooms
2 onions, sliced
3/4 cup grated Manchego or other cheese
handful of green olives, chopped

Start by boiling your potatoes, whole or in halves to go quicker.  They should be soft but hopefully still a bit firm.  Let cool and slice.

Saute the onion, then add courgette, pepper, and mushroom and saute another 15 minutes.  Then stir in the olives.

Blend the sauce ingredients together.

Then you layer into an oiled casserole dish - (half of the) potatoes, veggies, sauce, cheese, and repeat.  Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook another 15.

Notes

I do have a couple notes that might be helpful.  I've usually erred on cooking the potatoes pretty long, since even ones a bit on the mushy side work better in this combo than undercooked.  "Courgette" means zucchini.  And I haven't blended all the sauce ingredients, just minced everything pretty well - again, I figure everything's supposed to be a bit lumpy and uneven.  And Manchego may be a little more expensive, but worth it!  Think of the final product as less of a lasagna than a zesty potato salad?  Observe:

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

A.k.a. Tom Kha Gai, this one was a team effort by Emma and me on an uncharacteristically cool and rainy spring day.  As good as it was, it'll be a while before I make it again, but when winter hits, it could be a go-to dinner.

The Recipe

chicken breast - a pound and change? - cut into small pieces
1 onion, sliced
2 cans coconut milk
4 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp coconut (or sesame) oil
2 tbsp minced ginger
2 tbsp red chili paste
2 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp lemongrass - paste or minced - if you can find it

Cook onion in the oil over low heat for about 15 minutes.  Mix in the spices/sauces.  Add the coconut milk and simmer for 15-20 minutes, then the stock and chicken, raise heat to low boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until done.

Results

So yeah, it was really good.  A lot of elements, but they go in in phases, so you can prep the next batch while the previous one is cooking.  We had some (friendly, of course) debate over the proportion of broth to solid ingredients, as well as the possible addition of mushroom.  And it's a little tricky to find the exact right amount of sriracha to balance flavor and heat.  But overall a success and something to make a seasonal favorite!

It was very good, but look - it's mostly broth!

Emma, feel free to add your notes or pictures!

Lemon Rosemary Salmon

Salmon is one of those pieces of meat that's worth trying a few different ways to figure out what works best for you (and your pescatarian friends).  This recipe is a pretty simple way to do it, relying on just a few hard-working seasonings - butter, lemon, salt, rosemary (I just use both separately, no making special salt in advance for me).

The Recipe

about 1 lb salmon fillets
1 lemon
rosemary, salt, butter

Place pats of butter on a baking dish with the salmon on top.  Sprinkle with salt and rosemary, put more pats of butter and slices of lemon on top.  Broil for 15 minutes* or until done.

Notes

* I just don't get the recipe's broiling instructions.  A low broil took *way* more than 10-15 minutes (unless you're going for lemon rosemary sushi).  Maybe they meant high?  In any case, something to be aware of if you try it out.

Here's a nice piece of salmon with maple-mustard beans, a very tangy/acidic preparation...

South Dakota Beef Brisket

It is a grave oversight that we have not yet taken the time to give this family gem its due.  This recipe goes back to the early days when the courageous Johnsons first came over from Sweden and settled in America's heartland, persevering through harsh conditions, tenuous relations with the Sioux, and encroachment from the pesky Norwegians.  It was passed down to me with great solemnity.  Here it is documented for posterity.

The Recipe

One pound beef roast
One bottle of ketchup
One can of Coke
One packet of French onion soup mix

Cook in your crockpot on high for about 6 hours. 

Give thanks to Odin and eat.

Thai-Style Minced Chicken

The first time I encountered ground chicken, I was kind of grossed out.  However, add enough Asian sauces and spices and it turns out I'll enjoy myself pretty thoroughly.  I've made this recipe twice now, both times doing about the same thing for the main componentry but taking the rest of the meal, fixin's and whatnot, in very different directions.  See below for notes.

The Recipe

1 lb ground chicken
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1-2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 cup basil, sliced
peanut (or sesame) oil

Heat a tbsp of oil over high, then add onion, then bell pepper for a minute or two each, then garlic briefly.  Set aside, and heat two more tbsp of oil and lightly brown the chicken.  Stir in the veggies and jalapenos, then soy sauce, then fish sauce, then basil.  Serve over rice.

Notes

For the stir-fried chicken, I've generally started with sesame oil in place of peanut oil in the spirit of using what I have on hand.  I'm not sure exactly how they expect the onion and pepper to be cut (small but not too small?), but there isn't really a wrong way, maybe just a slower one...

The last instruction they give is to serve over rice.  I've done that, and it got pretty positive feedback.  Originally, though, I'd kind of leaned toward a Latin fusion approach, subbing in turkey as a New World fowl and serving (to myself) in tortillas.  I only thought to capture that approach on camera:

Crispy Roast Chicken with Lemon-Herb Sauce

Obviously I can't let Emma have the last word in crispy chicken...  This one comes courtesy of America's Test Kitchen, and while it's more labor intensive than some other recipes, it's hard to argue with the results.  The skin does crisp up deliciously, and it makes me want to cook with shallots more. To wit:

The Recipe

3 1/2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken, mix of parts
1 - 1 1/4 c chicken broth

1 medium shallot, minced
1 tsp flour (optional?)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp parsley, minced
1 1/2 tbsp chives, minced

butter, salt, pepper, olive oil

Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil medium-high, and add chicken skin-side down until golden-brown (5-8 minutes).  Flip chicken, lower heat to medium-low, add 3/4 c broth, cover and cook 10-15 minutes.  Remove chicken to a plate and liquid to cup.  Wipe skillet with paper towel, heat oil medium-high and add chicken again, skin-side down until "deep golden brown" (about 5 minutes).  Remove (back) to plate and cover; skim fat from reserved liquid and add broth to about 3/4 c.

Now, heat shallot over low heat, about a minute.  Add flour and cook about 30 seconds; add broth, heat to medium-high, simmer and scrape up chicken bits...  Reduce to about 1/2 c, stir in juices from resting chicken, remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, parsley, chives, and butter.

The Results

Re-reading the recipe, I'm not sure I added all the herbs, but the shallot-lemon-broth sauce was still excellent!

Stewed Collard Greens & Chorizo

I don't have much to add to this recipe, but it's just too good not to share here.  You get your meat and veggies in one very savory pot/bowl.  Just follow the recipe!

The Recipe

1 bunch collard greens, leaves removed from stems and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 lb fresh chorizo, casing removed
1 quart stock
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp hot sauce

Brown the chorizo in a bit of oil in a soup pot.  Then add stock, vinegar, soy sauce and hot sauce, put in the collard greens, cover loosely and stew for about 20 minutes, until the greens are soft and wilted.

Notes

My only notes: The biggest thing is to use fresh chorizo, not the smoked and packaged type.  I use chipotle Tabasco sauce, and a substitution for vegetable stock is pretty tasty too even though it's still not vegetarian-friendly...

And turns out I do have a picture (with the wrong chorizo, though):