Parmesan Polenta with Sausage Ragù

Both the polenta and the ragù can be made ahead of time, for a quick, easy, yet delicious weekday meal.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound Nash’s Italian sausage
1 red onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/4 cups Nash’s medium-grind cornmeal (use the coarse grind if you like a more rustic texture)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat; add sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add tomatoes and boil; simmer until thick, 20 minutes. Add basil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring sea salt and 5 cups water to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan. Slowly add cornmeal and cook, stirring constantly, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy, 8 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining oil, Parmesan, and salt. Divide between bowls and top with ragù; garnish with more Parmesan. Serves 4.

We thank Saveur.com for this recipe.

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Posted on April 21, 2016

The Perfect Pork Chop

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rub down the chops with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, etc.

Heat up a skillet (cast iron, if possible) on medium-high with a little lard, oil, or butter. When ready, put chops on skillet for 2-3 minutes per side, until browned. Put the whole skillet in the oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. This is important to make the perfect pork chop!

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Posted on March 25, 2016

Shepherd’s Pie

This version of shepherd’s pie is quite reminiscent of the dish from Britain with a few small tweaks to make use of all the gorgeous produce we have as we move into spring.

1 tablespoon high heat oil
2 leeks, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 pound ground beef or Nash’s ground pork
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 cup beef or chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
1 cup diced broccoli, broccolini, or Nash’s purple broccoli
2 pounds Nash’s huckleberry gold potatoes, cut into chunks
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk (any fat content — I prefer full fat, you can also sub yogurt here)
Kosher salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil, then add the leek, carrot, and meat. Cook until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Throw the diced garlic and broccoli in after 5 minutes. Drain the fat and add the broth, tomato paste, and herbs. Simmer until the juices thicken, about 10 minutes. Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish; set aside.

Meanwhile, bring the potatoes to a boil in salted water. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes; drain. Mash the potatoes with the butter, milk (or yogurt) and salt. Spread them over the meat mixture, then crosshatch the top with a fork. Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes.

Recipe adapted from epicurious.com.

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Posted on March 10, 2016

Benedict Strata

8 slices whole-wheat bread
6 slices (4 ounces) bacon, chopped
6 farm-fresh eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel

Break the bread slices into 1-inch pieces. Place half of the pieces in single layer in greased 8-inch square baking dish. Top with 1/2 of the bacon. Repeat layers with remaining bread pieces and bacon.

Beat eggs, milk, mayonnaise, lemon juice and lemon peel in large bowl until blended. Slowly pour over layers in baking dish. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight.

Heat oven to 350°F. Remove strata from refrigerator; uncover and let stand while oven heats. Bake in center of 350°F oven until puffed, golden and knife inserted near center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.

Variation: sprinkle 1 cup finely chopped kale between the layers, and/or 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese on top for the last 20 minutes of baking.

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Posted on March 8, 2016

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin

1 pork loin (1 1/2 pounds)
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 pound bacon, thinly sliced
1 cup white wine

Preheat oven to 375°F. Pat pork roast dry with paper towels. Season pork roast with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Sear pork on all sides until browned, about 10 minutes total. Remove from heat.

Rub pork with chopped rosemary; wrap with bacon, overlapping strips slightly. Tie pork roast with kitchen string.

Roast in oven, basting occasionally with cooking juices, until internal temperature is 145°F on a meat thermometer, 35 or 40 minutes. Remove from oven. Transfer pork to a serving dish.

Make pan sauce. Place the roasting skillet on the stove top over low heat. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the pan bottom. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan. Skim off the fat. Reheat to serving temperature if necessary.

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Posted on March 8, 2016

Citrus Pork with Egg Noodles

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound boneless pork loin, cut into 2″ x 1/2″ strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 pound egg noodles, cooked, drained

Get the water boiling for your noodles.

In a small bowl combine cumin, salt and pepper. Add pork; toss to coat.

In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes or until browned.

In a small bowl blend the broth, orange juice, vinegar, and brown sugar. Reserve 1/4 cup of the broth mixture. Pour all but the reserved broth mixture into the skillet with the pork and garlic. Add the carrots. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. Cook 7-8 minutes.
Blend corn starch into reserved broth mixture. Stirring constantly, pour the corn starch mixture into the skillet to thicken the sauce. Add the green onions. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 more minute.

Toss with the noodles. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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Posted on March 8, 2016

Italian Sausage Soup

1 pound Italian-spiced pork sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups stewed tomatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
2 cups great Northern beans with cooking liquid
2 small zucchini, cubed
2 cups spinach, packed, rinsed and torn
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.

Remove from heat and add spinach. Replace lid, allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes.

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Posted on March 8, 2016

Moroccan Pork

2 lemons
2 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons paprika, preferably Hungarian
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger plus 1 pinch, divided
1 1/2 pounds pork loin, cubed
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup butternut squash, diced (1/2-inch cubes)
1 cup carrots, sliced (1/2 inch thick)
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons preserved lemon, chopped and rinsed (see note; optional)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground allspice

Zest and juice the lemon(s) to get 1 tablespoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice; reserve the zest. Combine the juice, 1/2 teaspoon oil, paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin, pepper and 1/4 teaspoon ginger in a medium bowl. Add pork; stir to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring, until no longer pink on the outside and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate.

Add broth, squash, carrots, chickpeas, onion, tomatoes, preserved lemon (if using), tomato paste, garlic, hot sauce, cinnamon, allspice, the reserved lemon zest and the remaining pinch of ginger to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the pork, return to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the pork is just cooked through, 2 to 5 minutes more.

Note: Although entirely optional, preserved lemons make this ragu more authentic. A signature flavor in Moroccan dishes, lemons that are preserved in a salt-lemon juice mixture for at least 30 days have a salty, sweet taste and tender texture. Find them at specialty food stores or online at surlatable.com.

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Posted on March 8, 2016

Slow-Cooked Pork Shoulder

1 lean boneless pork shoulder
1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
10 cloves garlic, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dry white wine
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place the sage, garlic, rosemary, ground pepper, salt, teriyaki sauce and brown sugar in a food mixer, and blend together until thick. While the mixer is still on, the add in the olive oil and white wine. Trim the fat off of the pork roast. Make several holes in the roast 1 inch deep. Place the mixed sauce into each hole and cover the roast with the rest. Cook with onions for 5 hours.

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Posted on March 8, 2016

Stir-Fry Pork with Cabbage and other Super-Vegetables

4 boneless pork chops
2 cups broccoli florets, blanched
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 sweet red peppers, seeded, cut bite-sized
1 head bok choy, thinly sliced
2 cups fresh bean sprouts, rinsed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 slice fresh ginger, minced
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup cold water

Remove fat from pork and cut into thin slices. Have veggies cut and ready. Prepare the sauce by heating 1 tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan. Sauté the garlic and ginger until sizzling. Add broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and hot red pepper sauce. Simmer 5 minutes. Stir the cornstarch into cold water until there are no lumps. Add to sauce, stirring constantly until thickened. Simmer a few minutes longer.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet or wok. Over high heat, stir-fry the pork until it’s just cooked through. Remove and reserve the pork. Add another tablespoon oil to the skillet. Over medium-high heat, stir-fry the celery and onion 1 minute. Add the red pepper and broccoli; stir-fry 1 minute. Add the cabbage; stir-fry 1 minute. Add the sprouts and cooked pork. Stir in the sauce and heat through, stirring well to blend flavors.

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Posted on March 8, 2016