Saturday, December 18, 2010

Red Chile Pork Tamale Pie

"Bake the pie in a dutch oven set inside a large roasting pan of water for perfect results."

INGREDIENTS:


-FOR PORK FILLING
16 large (about 4 ounces) dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded and each torn into several pieces
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
1/2 teaspoon cumin, preferably freshly ground
1  ancho chili in adobo (out of a 4 oz can)
3 pounds lean boneless pork (preferably from the shoulder), cut into 2-inch cubes
6 cups water,divided
1 whole mexican cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons Kosher salt


-FOR THE BATTER
2 tablespoons oil or bacon grease
1 medium onion,finely chopped (about a cup)
2 large garlic cloves,minced
1 (28 -ounce) can diced tomatoes,drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can creamed corn
1 (6 -ounce) can pitted black olives,drained and chopped
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups yellow or white cornmeal
1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
1-2 jalepeno peppers stemmed,seeded and finely diced
1 cup cheddar or jack cheese,shredded


METHOD:


-FOR PORK FILLING
In a large blender or food processor (or working in batches),combine the chiles,garlic,pepper,cumin and the ancho chile. Add 3 cups of the water,cover and blend to a smooth puree. Strain the mixture through a medium-mesh strainer set over a large dutch oven,stirring puree with a wood spoon to aid straining process.
Add the meat, the remaining water(3 cups),the cinnamon stick and 2 teaspoons Kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover with lid and transfer pot to a preheated 225 degree oven and cook 2 hours. Uncover and cook about 1 more hour or so until the meat is fork tender and the sauce has thickened.
Remove pork pieces to a cutting board and discard cinnamon stick. Pour cooking sauce into a separate sauce pot and set aside for use on the finished dish.Wash the dutch oven for use in the next step.
Use a fork to shred the pork into small pieces and set aside to cool to room temperature.







-FOR THE BATTER
Meanwhile,adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat to 325 degrees. Return dutch oven  to stovetop and heat 2 tablespoons oil or bacon grease over medium heat. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened,5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic and saute until fragrant,about 30 seconds. Add drained tomatoes,corn,olives,1/2 teaspoon pepper and jalapeno. Saute 2-3 minutes,then melt in 6 tablespoons butter.
Whisk cornmeal,milk and eggs in a medium bowl until smooth. Slowly pour cornmeal mixture into pot,stirring constantly to prevent clumping,and cook until mixture is slightly thickened,about 1 minute.
Carefully pour half (about 4 cups) of cornmeal mixture into a large bowl and reserve. Smooth surface of remaining cornmeal mixture in pot,then top evenly with 1/2 cup of the cheese and the reserved shredded pork.
Pour reserved cornmeal mixture in bowl evenly over the pork layer and smooth surface. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Arrange pot inside a large roasting pan. Place roasting pan on oven rack and carefully pour enough boiling water into the pan to reach one-third of the way up sides of dutch oven. Bake until cornmeal mixture is firm,dry and lightly browned, 60-90 minutes.Corefully remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes. While the tamale pie is cooling,reheat reserved pork cooking sauce in saucepot. Scoop out servings of pie with a large serving spoon onto plates and surround with heated sauce.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Towering Eggplant Parmigiana for Two

"An unconventional method and elegant presentation for a classic dish. Select eggplants that are of even diameter for best results.You may only need one large one. To create the towers you will need 2 empty washed 28 oz. tomato cans that have the labels and both ends removed to stack the eggplants into. Use the tomatoes in the sauce recipe that follows."

Ingredients:




  • 1-2 medium eggplants (not more than 4-inches in diameter), sliced into 8  1/2-inch-thick rounds
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 cup  flour
  • 4 cups canola or vegetable oil
  • 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped
  • 3 ounces Parmegiano Reggiano cheese
  • 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
  • 2  tablespoons olive oil salt and freshly ground pepper
  • @ 2-3 cups Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)

Method:

  1. Use only the widest slices of eggplant if they taper at the end.Lay eggplant slices in a single even layer on a rack set over rimmed baking sheets; generously season with salt. Let stand 15 minutes to release excess moisture; pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Place flour in a shallow dish; dredge eggplant slices in flour, shaking off excess. In a large pot, heat canola oil to 300 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches, add eggplant slices to hot oil and cook, turning once, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain; repeat process with remaining eggplant.
  3. Place Mozzarella and Parmegiano cheeses in the bowl of a food processor; process until just combined. Add basil leaves and olive oil; process until well combined. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a disposable pastry bag.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  5. Set two washed 28oz. tomato cans that have the labels and ends removed in a large shallow baking dish. Place a dollop of tomato sauce at the bottom of each can. Top with a slice of eggplant. Cut a small hole from the bottom of the pastry bag and pipe a layer of cheese mixture on top of eggplant. Top with another dollop of sauce, followed by another slice of eggplant. Repeat process until you have reached the top of the ring mold or have created four layers, ending with a slice of eggplant. Top with a little tomato sauce.
  6. Transfer to oven and bake until cheese is melted and eggplant is warmed through, about 15 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully transfer filled ring molds to individual serving plates. Allow to rest on plates @ 5 minutes to aid ring removal and assure stack doesn't fall apart upon can removal.Carefully remove can and spoon remaining tomato sauce around eggplant towers before serving.

Tomato Basil Sauce


Ingredients:





  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2  small onions, finely diced (@1 cup)
  • 4 cloves garlic,peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes,hand crushed
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Method:
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, 10 to 15 minutes.Add garlic and pepper flakes .Cook 30 seconds to release aroma.Add tomato paste to a hot spot in the pan and allow to caramelize for a minute,then incorporate into onions and garlic.
  2. Add wine and allow to reduce until almost all the liquid has evaporated @ 3-5 minutes. Add tomatoes,sugar and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally and taking care not to let sauce stick to the bottom of the pot, about 90 minutes or up to 2 1/2 hours for a more concentrated sauce.
  3. Remove from heat ,allow to cool and puree in a blender in batches until smooth, adding basil leaves as you blend. 
  4. Season with salt and pepper and reheat to use immediately or let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to use, 3 to 5 days.



Wednesday, December 1, 2010

"Tourtière" French-Canadian Meat Pie

New Englanders go bonkers over French Canadian meat pie. There are as many variations on this recipe as there are French-Canadians.Each family has it's own favourite recipe,so there is no one that is absolute. My luxe version is a combination of those traditional pork filled meat pies with the addition of minced chicken livers deglazed with Cognac,onion,clove and fresh ground allspice. It is then simmered slowly in wine and rich chicken stock until the all liquid has evaporated. Tiny diced raw potatoes are added toward the end of the simmering process,followed by a folding in of cooked mashed potatoes as a thickener. The meat mixture is then baked in a deep dish tart shell enrobed in my favourite "American Test Kitchen's" recipe for full proof pate brisee until golden brown.I serve this at room temperature with dijon mustard sweetened with just a kiss of 100% grade A maple syrup.This is a time consuming recipe,but think of it as a labor of pure unapologetic carnivorous love.

ingredients:

3/4 teaspoon baking soda
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons water
2 pounds ground pork
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions,finely diced
Fresh ground black pepper
1 fresh ground clove,@1/8th teaspoon
2 teaspoons freshly ground allspice berries
2 cloves garlic,minced (or more to taste)
2 chicken livers,minced
1/4 cup Cognac or brandy
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoons fresh sage,finely chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme or savory
12 oz. russet potato shredded (@1 extra large or 2 small )
double crust storebought pie dough or homemade pate brisee
1egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water

method:


1.)Dissolve 1&1/2 teaspoons salt and baking soda in 2 tablespoons water.Mix into ground pork and let sit 30 minutes at room temperature.Meanwhile,heat oil in a large dutch oven set over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking.Add onion,1 teaspoon pepper,ground clove and allspice.Cover and sweat 3-5 minutes,stirring occasionally to prevent browning.
2.)Uncover,increase temperature to medium high and add minced chicken livers,stirring briskly into onions until broken down and lightly cooked,@ 30 seconds.Add cognac to deglaze until evaporated.
Add ground pork,breaking it up with a wooden spoon @5 minutes until slightly browned but still pink.
3.)Add wine,chicken stock,bay leaves,sage and thyme or savory. Bring to a low simmer and cook,stirring occasionally until liquid is almost evaporated,about 45 minutes to an hour.
While meat is simmering,peel and shred 1 large potato and put into a medium bowl. When meat liquid is almost gone, toss potatoes into the meat mixture.Cook another 10 minutes until all liquid is absorbed and potato is tender.Remove from heat,fish out bay leaf and transfer mixture into a large bowl or 9x13 inch baking pan and refrigerate uncovered for at least an hour.
4.)While meat is chilling,prepare your favorite homemade pie crust according to directions or store-bought pie dough and chill.
Place a baking sheet on the lowest rack in oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
5.)Roll out first pie dough layer and line a 9 inch round x 11/2 inch deep dish tart plate with a removable bottom or a 9 inch glass pie plate.Fill with meat chilled mixture,spreading evenly to the edges and mounding slightly on top.Cover with second pie dough,tuck around the sides of the bottom crust and crimp edges to seal. Mix egg and water together in a small bowl and brush all over pie crust.Cut several slashes in the top to release steam.
6.)Place pie on bottom rack in oven and bake about 45 minutes or until crust is golden and juice is bubbling through slits in pie.Cool pie on a wire rack 2 hours.Release pie from tart tart pan (if using).Slice and  serve at room temperature or cold refrigerated with a generous dollup of maple dijon mustard.

 maple dijon mustard

1/2 cup grey poupon mustard
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or more to desired sweetness)

Whisk together in a small bowl and allow to serve at room temperature spread generously on meat pie slices .