Recipe # 50 - Stirring the Pot: Country Spare Ribs and Mustard Greens Braised in Apple Cider

I took a very long break in my quest to cook through Tyler Florence's Stirring the Pot. In fact, the last recipe I made from the book was back in mid-November. Feeling guilty, I dug out my rather beaten up copy of Stirring the Pot and resolved to get started again. With the onset of spring, I wanted to try and bang out some of the wintery dishes before the weather convinced me otherwise. Within the next week or so I will be bringing you some of Tyler's more heartier dishes, both this recipe for Country Spare Ribs and Mustard Greens Braised in Apple Cider AND Slow-Roasted Beef Ribs with Mushroom Stroganoff. Spring has already come to Kentucky, but I know it won't hurt my husband's feelings to eat such hearty and meaty meals.

Getting back into the kitchen with Tyler means a few things. First of all, it means searching for hard to find ingredients. Some of you are lucky to live in large cities with wonderful and bountiful grocery stores. I'm not so lucky. For me, this means a trip to Lexington and running around to different stores. For example, there are no beef short ribs or 4-pound pork rib roasts here in Georgetown. So, I hightailed it to the butcher in Lexington and was able to get both cuts of meat. The pork rib roast is really 4 thick pork chops attached to the bone in a roast-style. I've never cooked the pork rib roast before, so I was excited to get started.

The other part about getting back into the kitchen with Tyler is dirty dishes, lots of dirty dishes. I really love Tyler and his recipes, but I'm not excited about the prospect of doing tons and tons of dishes. There is really nothing more daunting in the kitchen than a sink overflowing with dirty dishes.

The pork rib roast was really easy to prepare and really only required a small amount of looking after. The pork is braised for a total of three hours, largely unattended, save for the every half hour when you baste. The pork, which Tyler refers to as country spare ribs is braised in apple juice, apple cider vinegar, mustard greens, garlic and thyme for 2 and a half hours covered, basting every half hour. After two and a half hours, the cover is removed and the meat is cooked until the surface caramelizes and the liquid reduces. A gravy is made by squeezing the garlic pulp into a blender along with the juices from the braising liquid. The pork is served on top of the greens and mashed potatoes. The recipe can be found HERE on Tyler's blog.


Notes/Results: I'm really glad this recipe pushed me to buy and cook with the pork rib roast. I really liked this cut of meat. I have to say that I wasn't too crazy about Tyler's recipe though. Even though the meat was braised and the directions were followed to the letter, the pork ended up overcooked and dry. Also, in Tyler's book, the pork has a glossy sheen to it, almost like it is covered in a barbecue sauce. My pork never got that caramelized, nor did the sauce look like a barbecue sauce. Not sure what happened there. I will buy this cut of meat again, but will probably braise it in a different liquid or coat the pork in some more savory seasonings. Neither me or my husband cared much for the sweetness that the apple juice lent to the pork. The pictures didn't turn out too well. The pork was rather pale looking and so were the mashed potatoes. The braising liquid, which was pureed, was also on the clear side, which didn't really add any color to the dish.


Overall, it was a learning experience. I was pretty sure I would love this cut of meat and I was right. I never like it when a recipe doesn't work out, but I do like learning about what would work. I'll chalk it up to a learning experience.

Pioneer Woman's Butter Chicken

I've really been into expanding my spice cabinet lately. Even though I have an entire cabinet dedicated to spices, I still need more. Recently, I have purchased saffron, cardamom, turmeric, and curry powder. I had fun cooking with the saffron and loved the pretty color it imparted to each dish. This week, I opened up my cardamom and was instantly in love. Who knew cardamom had such an intoxicating smell? That stuff is delicious and I'm on a mission to find new uses for it.

The first recipe I made with my cardamom was Pioneer Woman's Butter Chicken. I will tell you now that this chicken is absolutely delicious. I love the somewhat complex flavors of this dish and found it to be very comforting. I definitely suggest that you make this chicken, but only when you really want to be naughty. Why? Well, right before serving the meal, you pour in ONE PINT of heavy cream. Yes, one pint. The entire recipe serves four. I almost cried when I did it. Notice I said almost. Then I remembered that I had a pint of cream hanging around that just needed to be used up. Not one to waste food, I instantly felt better about the dish. Or at least that's what I told myself.



The chicken is marinated in a mixture of garlic, salt, black pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper, cardamom, ground coriander, and the juice of a whole lime. It needs to marinade overnight (a step that is well worth it and makes the chicken exceptionally tender). The next day, you saute an onion with butter and cook the chicken for 10 minutes before adding tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. The chicken simmers for 30 minutes. Right before serving, you pour in one pint of heavy cream and garnish with cilantro. You can find the link to Pioneer Woman's recipe HERE.

You should definitely make this chicken if you have heavy cream that needs using up OR if you feel like indulging. I'll definitely be making this chicken again one day! In the meantime, I've used up all my heavy cream and will get back to lightening things up. Summer is fast-approaching.

I wanted to submit this recipe to Foodie Friends of the Pioneer Woman, but the weekend got away from me. This is definitely a great site worth checking out! The next roundup is in two weeks and will be featuring desserts.

SPECIAL NOTE: A couple of you asked whether or not I had hot pink legwarmers and other 80's gear just hanging out in my closet. The answer is yes. We have a lot of "costume parties" at work so I have a little costume section in my closet. I wish I had pictures to share, but we forgot to take pictures on Saturday. I had some 80's pictures from our previous 80's party, but I lost them when my hard drive crashed awhile back. I'm sure there will be a next time! Over the past few months, we've done 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's parties. In addition to that, we've done beach parties, pajama parties, fairytale parties, and Greek parties. I'm going to need a bigger closet soon!

Chicken Scallopine with Saffron Cream Sauce

The weekends always go by in a blur. I usually work most weekends, which is enough to throw me completely off schedule. This weekend we had an eighties party at work and it required a little extra time getting ready. Hot pink leg warmers, check. Hot pink chandelier earrings, check. Blue eyeshadow, check. Blue mascara, check. Is my hair big enough, check. Hot pink mesh gloves, check. Looking like a fool, check.

The best part is that no one at the mall knew we were celebrating eighties day. It takes a certain amount of courage or bravery to walk into an extremely crowded mall on a Saturday afternoon, decked out in 80's garb. I don't recommend it for everyone. I thought I was at a point where I didn't worry about these things, but maybe I was wrong. I did receive some rather funny looks. By the time I reached my store I was a little self-conscious. It didn't help when my co-workers laughed at me. A little while later, another co-worker walked in looking like Punky Brewster and I couldn't help but to laugh at her. Eighties fashion is fun, but it can be so over the top ridiculous. It made for a very fun afternoon. After all, you have to put able to laugh at yourself every now and then.

I wanted to cook the Pioneer Woman's recipe for Butter Chicken this weekend, but lost sight of the fact that it needs to marinate overnight. I needed something quick for dinner tonight so I threw together Giada's Chicken Scallopine with Saffron Cream Sauce. The chicken recipe came together in record time and was a gorgeous meal.



Chicken Scallopine with Saffron Cream Sauce
Adapted from Giada's Kitchen
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound thin chicken cutlets (scallopine)
3/4 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning meat
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning meat
2 shallots, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until golden and cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a serving plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallots and garlic, and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white win, using a wooden spoon to scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine is almost evaporated. Add the chicken broth and saffron threads, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, or until reduced by half. Add the cream, salt, and pepper to the skillet and stir to combine.

Simmer for 1 minute to blend the flavors. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with the parsley if desired and serve immediately.

Notes/Results: This is a truly gorgeous dish that would be great as a romantic meal for two or even for company. It was extremely quick and easy to put together and has a lot of eye appeal. (Unfortunately for me, my pictures didn't turn out too well because it was dark when I ate this tonight) I thought the chicken had a very mild flavor, but at the same time was very pleasing to eat. I really enjoyed it and found it comforting. I think it would be great served over rice or greens, such as spinach.

This is my fifth or sixth recipe from Giada's Kitchen so far and I will be putting together a roundup and cookbook review shortly.

I'll be posting the Pioneer Woman's Butter Chicken soon. The chicken is marinating overnight for dinner tomorrow.

Nigella's Noodle Soup for Needy People

Are you needy? I am. I need lots of things. I need new plates. I need a set of wooden bowls. I need a cast iron dutch oven. I need a new cutting board and it needs to be a BOOS. I need a new outdoor grill. I need at least $500 for all the new cookbooks I want. Along with my grocery list, I have a list of kitchen equipment, specialty foods, and cookbooks. Yes, when it comes to the kitchen I will admit that I am high maintenance.



My name is Kim and I have a problem. No matter how much kitchen related equipment and cookbooks I buy, I always need more! It certainly doesn't help that I work in the mall part-time. I have a great job at Lush Handmade Cosmetics, which is located inside of Macy's. When I close the store at night, I have to take the money upstairs to customer service. Ironically, customer service is located right next to the kitchen/housewares department. This is dangerous. Dangerous for many reasons. Dangerous because I get a discount, but mainly because I have a credit card and I'm alone. You see where I'm going with this, right? I'm like a kid in a candy store, only the candy store is closing, nobody else is in there, and I have free reign. Did I mention that I have a credit card?

Last night, I needed a set of wooden bowls. I had to have them. They were such a good deal, especially with my discount, or at least that's what I told myself.

Feeling needy, I made Nigella's Noodle Soup for Needy People. I adapted the recipe quite a bit (notes below). I also want to share a new item I found at Whole Foods, Dau Miu, otherwise known as snow pea shoots. Info and pictures below.



Here is what they look like out of the package


Nigella's Noodle Soup for Needy People
Serves 2 for supper, very heartily
6 oz udon noodles (dried, from a package)
3 cups chicken, vegetable, or dashi broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce (I almost doubled the soy sauce)
1 teaspoon soft dark brown sugar
1 star anise (I didn't have any, so I omitted)
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
3/4 cup bean sprouts (I omitted)
3/4 cup sugar snaps
3/4 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms (I omitted)
1/2 cup finely sliced baby bok choy
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
I added:
1 large garlic clove, minced
About 1 teaspoon or more red pepper flakes, plus more for garnish
2 sliced radishes
1 sliced green onion
handful of Dau Miu (snow pea shoots)
Roasted chili oil

Cook the noodles according to the package instructions and while their water is boiling, fill a nearby saucepan with stock, soy sauce, sugar, star anise, and ginger. (When the noodles are done, just drain them and put half in each bowl.

When the flavored stock comes to a boil, add the vegetables. They should be cooked before 2 minutes are up.

Pour half into each bowl, over the cooked and drained noodles, and sprinkle with cilantro.



Notes/Results: I've wanted to make this soup for awhile because it always looks comforting. I halved the recipe, using chicken stock, omitting the bean sprouts and mushrooms. I added two radishes, the dau miu, green onion, garlic, lots of red pepper flakes and really upped the quantity of the soy sauce (I'm addicted to sodium). I also tossed the noodles in roasted chili oil before pouring the broth over. This recipe makes a ton of soup. It was pretty tough eating the whole portion, but I was able to pull through! The additions I made to the soup made it pretty spicy and I really enjoyed all the green veggies. I questioned adding the radishes, but they turned out rather nicely. I will definitely be making this soup again with my leftover ingredients. I really enjoyed it.

I'm sending this recipe over to I Heart Cooking Clubs in celebration of soups and stews. I'm also sending a shout out to Deb at Kahakai Kitchen. Deb also made Nigella's Noodle Soup for Needy People this week and her version looks terrific! Head on over to I Heart Cooking Clubs to check out Deb's version and everyone else's soups and stews!

Book Review: I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti

I was in the library browsing through the cookbooks and came across this booked titled: I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti by Giulia Melucci. I did a little chuckle and thought, "Wow, I could've wrote a book like this". After all, which of us hasn't loved, lost and made spaghetti? Although this book was written mostly for a female audience, there are elements of it that we can all relate to.


The author, Giulia Melucci, was born and raised in Brooklyn, and describes her mother as an excellent Italian cook. She is an educated and accomplished woman who was previously the VP of PR for Harper's Magazine.

This book is a memoir highlighting twenty years of dating in New York City. Along the way, Giulia addresses her love of food and how she relies on food to help her seduce men, smooth over the rocky patches in relationships, and comfort herself during heartbreak. The men are fleeting, but the food is constant.

Poor Giulia is rather unlucky in love. She dates almost every type of man along the way: artist, lawyer, banker, and writer, kind and unkind, ready to commit and afraid of commitment. Along the way, Giulia finds culinary inspiration in each new relationship, cooking to express her love.

I thought I would be able to relate to the author about love and loss, but found that I had a hard time doing so. At times, she comes across as desperate and willing to put up with all sorts of shenanigans (alcoholic boyfriends, men with one thing on their mind, and downright mooches). At other times, she seems blinded by love. Poor Giulia gets her heart broken over and over again. Some of the heartbreak is a little difficult to read about.

What I did relate to was her love of cooking. Giulia's book helped me to realize why I've come to love cooking so much. Cooking is the one constant in Giulia's life, just as it is in all of our lives. We cook with love in our hearts, both because we love to cook and we love those we cook for. Our passion for cooking guides us through all our ups and downs and is there for us no matter what, pushing us in new directions and taking us on new adventures. Cooking is a way for us to feel close to others who are no longer with us, just as it is a way for us to bond and make new relationships. You can be young or old, wealthy or poor, intelligent or not; none of this matters because cooking comes from the heart. We all have the same freedom in the kitchen. Cooking is what gives us peace, it is where we feel comfortable, it is what calms us, but mostly it is a way of sharing our heart.

There are many recipes peppered throughout the book, mostly Italian-inspired. I chose the First-Date Butterflies because I thought the name was extremely clever. Giulia whips up a batch of these First-Date Butterflies to bring herself back to earth after a particularly steamy first date.



First-Date Butterflies
*Adapted from I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti by Giulia Melucci*
Serves 2 or 1, with enough for lunch the next day
Salt
2 cups (4 ounces) farfalle
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
pinch red hot pepper flakes
1 (6 ounce) can tuna packed in olive oil (essential) - I subbed chicken
1 tablespoon capers
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons dry white wine
splash olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
Freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. This sauce is so quick and easy, you can make it while the pasta is cooking. When the water is boiling rapidly, add a large dose of salt and the pasta, then cover the pot until the water is boiling rapidly again. Uncover the pot and give it a few good stirs.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, add the onion and hot pepper, and saute until translucent, about 2 minutes. Open the can of tuna and drain as much of the oil as possible (I do this by pressing the disengaged top of the can against the tuna over the sink with as much force as I can muster). Add the tuna(or chicken) to the onions, then the capers, the salt and the wine. Lower the heat and cook until the pasta is ready.
Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the tuna(or chicken), add a splash of olive oil, the chopped parsley, and a few grindings of black pepper.



Notes/Results: Giulia ate very well for a single girl! This pasta was nothing like the ramen noodles that graced my stove as a young single girl. The sauce was delicious and delicate with a salty bite from the capers which I really enjoyed. I would make this again, especially since all the ingredients can be pulled from the pantry.

"There is logic and order to cooking. What you put into it has everything to do with what you get out of it. With love, it's not so cut-and-dried." - Giulia Melucci

Hearty Tomato Soup with Lemon and Rosemary Cream AND Pecorino Crackers

This Hearty Tomato Soup with Lemon and Rosemary Cream is definitely a grown-up version of the traditional tomato soup. This is a hearty soup, with lots of body, thanks in part to the addition of the cannelini beans. This recipe is another winner from Giada's Kitchen, which in my opinion, is her best cookbook yet.

Hearty Tomato Soup with Lemon and Rosemary Cream
Serves 6-8
About 250 delicious calories, even with a dollop of cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, chopped (I think I used about 4-5 cloves)
1 (15 ounce) can cannelini (white) beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (I used dried)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I used about 1 tsp. red pepper flakes)
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup heavy cream
Zest of one lemon

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of the rosemary, and the red pepper flakes. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, covered.
Puree the soup in a blender in batches, being careful to remove and discard the bay leaf. Return the soup to the soup pot and keep warm over low heat. Season with salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold in the lemon zest and remaining teaspoon of rosemary. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and dollop with lemon-rosemary whipped cream. Serve immediately.


Pecorino Crackers
Makes 24 crackers
1-1/4 cups freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the cheese, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter. Using a hand mixer, beat the cheese mixture and butter until combined. Add the flour 1/4 cup at a time, mixing only until incorporated and the mixture holds together. Place tablespoon-size balls of the dough on the parchment-lined baking sheets, tapping the dough down gently with your fingertips. Bake until just beginning to brown at the edges, about 15 minutes. Let the crackers cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer them to a serving plate.




Notes/Results: I really liked this tomato soup. In fact, I think I almost liked it better without the dollop of cream. The soup itself has a lot of body, from the beans, and a wonderful fresh flavor. It seems that the carrots helped to tone down the acidity of the tomatoes. Either that, or the San Marzano tomatoes really make some great soup. The dollop of lemon and rosemary cream is a fun addition and makes this a great soup to serve to company. It's very pretty! This is a healthy soup that will become a staple recipe for me. It's low in calories, even with the addition of cream. The crackers, on the other hand, are dangerous. They are really good and addictive. I baked up 6 of them and then I ate four very quickly. After eating four of them in a row, I reasoned with myself and put the rest of the dough in the refrigerator so I could share the love later. They are buttery, cheesy, crispy deliciousness and pair wonderfully with this soup.

I am sending this recipe over to my friend Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper Sundays roundup. Each Sunday, Deb has a roundup of soups, salad and sandwiches. Check it out!

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

As a young girl, my favorite show was Mary Poppins. This was back before the days of Cable TV, or VHS tapes, or DVD players. I waited, rather impatiently, for Ms. Poppins to grace my TV screen.
God help anyone who would disturb me during my Mary Poppins time. After all, I had to concentrate. How in the world did she fly with an umbrella? Why were her cheeks so rosy? How was it that she could snap her fingers and the room would clean itself? All I knew was that I wanted to be her.
I wanted to be Mary Poppins so bad that I made up the Mary Poppins game and encouraged (maybe even forced) my friends to play along. The game was a simple concept really. I was Mary Poppins, naturally, and my friend and her brother were Jane and Michael Banks. (Yes, we're still friends to this day.) I would dress as Mary Poppins and ascend the stairwell with my umbrella. Jane and Michael would stand at the bottom of the stairs and sing to me. Once their song was finished, I would hold onto my umbrella and fly down the stairs. NOTE: My Mother hated this game. My friends didn't like the game, but went ahead with it anyway. I loved this game! I should be embarrassed to admit I did any of this, but I'm not. And, I'm still a sucker for Mary Poppins.

Right now you are asking yourself: What does Mary Poppins have to do with twice-baked sweet potatoes? One word:

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

I was trying to think of how to describe them, and this is the only word I could come up with. If you like sweet potatoes, then you really have to try these!

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4
About 210-250 calories per serving
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 -2 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced (I used 2 or 3 garlic cloves)
1 bag baby spinach (about 9 ounces ) (I used half a bunch of chopped kale)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 slices turkey bacon (feel free to use regular old bacon here)
4 ounces low-fat cream cheese
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. Scrub sweet potatoes, prick with fork or knife, season with a little oil, salt and pepper, wrap in foil and bake for about an hour or until tender.
Meanwhile, in a deep saute pan, heat the olive oil and cook the onion for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Add the entire bag of spinach (or some chopped kale) and scallions, cover and cook 3 to 4 minutes until the spinach has wilted.
In another pan, cook the turkey bacon until crisp and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. When cooled, chop the bacon into small pieces and reserve.
When the sweet potatoes are tender and through baking, let cool 5 minutes, then slice in half and scoop out inside of potato into a bowl. Add cream cheese, buttermilk, salt, pepper and vegetable mixture. Stir until desired consistency.
Coat your baking pan with a little oil. Place sweet potato shells onto baking pan and fill with mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown . Top with bits of turkey bacon and serve.

Notes: I adapted this recipe from the cookbook Cook Yourself Thin. These were hailed as healthy potato skins, but the skins never really got quite crispy enough to qualify as a potato skin. They were, however, absolutely lip smacking and delicious served over a bed of garlicky kale. I enjoyed them just about as much as you could enjoy anything. I served these twice-baked sweet potatoes as a meal themselves, but you could easily use them for a side dish.

Enjoy!!