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Pork

Spaghetti with Sausage and Peppers

Jun 14th, 2011
by dave.
2 comments

Sausage and Pepper sauce

Not quite sure what’s with the ridiculous weather these days but after 90 degree days in May and 50 degree days in June, I think I’m ready for snow in July. We even had a few tornados blow through and a good amount of hail! Nothing to see here right? Just your typical New England late Spring / early Summer.

Apologies in advance on the picture. As is with most of my cooking, I cook, then I eat. Sometimes I’m starving and dig in right away and sometimes I just plain forget to take a picture before putting everything away. Fortunately this time I remembered right before I chowed down (hence the hasty photo, I was famished!) but couldn’t be bothered to set up the table any better =P

About a month ago, I found myself reading a lot more about photography and chatting with some of the folks at work. Turns out there’s a photography club and they run workshops and assignments every other week. It’s always great to have another pair of eyes look at some of your shots and help you along the way, and my coworkers have been great in being patient with my questions and out-of-focus / off-balance photos. It’s definitely gotten me more interested in photography.

But…there’s a catch here. See, there’s a slippery slope when it comes to photography, especially the equipment. I got my first DSLR about 4 years ago, shot in auto-mode almost all the time. After about a year, I switched to Aperture priority mode and was wow’ed by the improvement in the pictures just by simply framing a shot. Last year I picked up a 5D from a coworker that upgraded his camera and started shooting manual mode most of the time. Now, I still suck but notice the trend here…the equipment is getting progressively more sophisticated and…expensive. Add in a tripod, external flash, and a padded bag, well…you get the idea.

…And then I went face first down the slippery slope. About a month ago, I picked up the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L lens. It hasn’t left my 5D since. But it left my wallet looking quite a bit lean.

How deep is this rabbit hole anyway?

Spaghetti with Sausage and Peppers

Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 5-6

Recipe adapted from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Italian Cooking

Ingredients:
- 3 – 4 Pork sausages (I usually like using sweet Italian), sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 12 oz can of plum tomatoes, chopped
- Salt + Pepper to taste
- 1 lb pasta (Spaghetti, Linguine, any kind of long noodle)

For tossing the pasta:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Method:
1) Peel the skin off the peppers. Remove stem and seeds, cut into 1 inch squares.
2) Add olive oil to a large frying pan. Add in the chopped onions, heat to medium high. Cook until onions start to become golden.
3) Add in the sliced sausages, cook about 2 minutes.
4) Add in the chopped peppers, season with a little salt and pepper. Give the pan a good shake/stir and then cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5) Add in the chopped tomatoes with liquid, bring to a simmer for 15-20 minutes.
6) While simmering the tomatoes, boil some water in a large saucepan/stockpot, add some salt, and cook the pasta until al dente.
7) After the pasta is finished, strain it in a colander and then pour into a serving bowl along with the butter and cheese. Toss well to get everything nice and coated. Then pour in the sauce, toss well, and serve.

Pork Katsu-don revisited

Sep 8th, 2010
by dave.
2 comments

Pork Katsudon

Recycling an old recipe today…I’ve been making a lot of the sub 20 minute meals lately and Pork Katsu-don is a classic. The cutlets, sauce, and rice can all be prepared beforehand, making this dish pretty simple to assemble (just need to chop an onion and scallion and you’re good to go). I also have a bag of Japanese pickles that I’ve been meaning to use, which helped in the decision making too =p

Not much to mention today though, been super busy (I know I know, tons of other bloggers are incredibly busy but manage to maintain, upgrade, AND post a lot. I, on the other hand, am a slacker).

Probably will start posting about some local restaurants again sometime. I just went through a year’s worth of pictures and there’s a lot to write about!

Pork Katsu-don

Ingredients
4 Pork cutlets (boneless pork chops – about 3/4 a pound)
2 medium onions, sliced
8 eggs, lightly beaten (can use more if you like)

Sauce
3 tbsp sake
3 tbsp sugar
5 tbsp mirin
4 tbsp soy sauce
3/4 cup water
1/3 tsp Dashi flakes

For Dredging
Flour
Panko Breadcrumbs
More eggs, beaten

Method
1. Use a meat tenderizer to flatten out the cutlets.
2. Dredge the cutlets first in the flour, egg, then breadcrumbs.
3. Pan fry until almost cooked through, set aside.
4. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil and then add the sake, sugar, mirin, and soy sauce. Return to a boil, add the dashi and simmer.
5. Pour 1/4 of the sauce into a small frying pan and bring the sauce to a simmer under medium heat. Add 1/4 of the onion.
6. Slice a cutlet along the width (try to maintain the shape of the cutlet) and place in the pan on top of the onions. Then pour 1/4 of the eggs on either sie of the cutlet. Cover and simmer for about a minute or so.
7. Remove cover and serve over rice.
8. Repeat 4-7 for the rest of the cutlets.
9. Top with some chopped scallions

NOTE: If you really like sauce, you can add 50% more to the recipe or even double it.

Rad Na with Pork

Sep 1st, 2010
by dave.
No comments yet

Rad Na

It’s about time I updated “The List” that you see in the upper right corner of the page. I’ve since added quite a few new recipes and I should really reflect those up there. Getting close to that 100 number! And it’s almost been a year…about how long I thought it might take.

But anyway, another day, more noodles =)

Access to fresh rice noodles is something that should never go unused. I have a couple packets of dried rice noodles in the cupboard but I don’t think I’ve used them in the year or so I’ve had them since fresh ones are so close at hand at Hong Kong Supermarket in Allston. Just walk up, buy them and let them sit on the counter while you prep the rest of the dish. Makes for a 15-20 minute meal most times because the noodles only take a minute or two to soften and soak up all the tasty sauces in the pan.

Every time I pick up the fresh rice noodles, I almost always cook Beef Chow Fun or Pad See Ew, two of my favorites (and go-to dishes whenever I have guests). But I do have to admit, it’s nice to branch out and try something new every once in a while (Especially since I cook fresh noodles around twice a month these days…)

One of my favorite dishes while growing up was Beef Chow Fun but with a soupy gravy poured over top along with some carrots and sugar peas. I think I could still eat that almost every day. The one problem I did have with it was that it did not refrigerate well. If bought at a restaurant, leftovers would be a soupy/soggy mess the next day. The best thing would be when ordering takeout, to have the restaurant separate the gravy and the noodles, that way you only need to prepare a little bit at a time for a meal.

Unfortunately, being the smart college-educated guy I am, I cooked Rad Na (the Thai version of “wet” beef chow fun) and just drenched all the noodles (close to 2 pounds!) with the gravy. And in an attempt to remedy the situation, ended up spilling a portion of it on the floor. Serves me right I guess.

Special thanks to Appon of Appon’s Thai Food for a wonderful recipe to work off of.

Rad Na with Pork

Serves 4
Time : 20 minutes

Recipe adaped from Appon’s Thai Food

Ingredients:
- 1.5 – 2 lbs fresh wide rice noodles
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 4 tbsp canola oil
- 1 lb Pork butt, sliced thin
- 2 cups water + 1/2 chicken bouillon cube (or 2 cups light chicken broth)
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 4 tbsp corn starch mixed with 4 tbsp water
- Chinese broccoli
NOTE: I used a full bouillon cube the first time…way too salty.

Method:
1. Add the water/broth to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When boiling, add bouillon cube (if using), fish sauce, and light soy sauce. Bring to a simmer.
2. Add in the sliced pork. Let cook for a minute or two.
3. Add in the starch and water mix, stir well so that the starch doesn’t coagulate.
4. Add in the Chinese Broccoli.
5. In a frying pan, heat 4 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add in the dark soy sauce and sugar mix, give a quick stir and then toss in the fresh rice noodles. Stir fry until the noodles are starting to get soft, then remove to a deep plate.
6. Finally, pour the sauce over the noodles and serve!
NOTE: If preparing leftovers, separate the noodles and the gravy in different containers. Heat them separately and then mix them together when having your meal

Stir-fried Pork and Scallions

Jun 30th, 2010
by dave.
3 comments

Pork and Scallions

I’ve been playing around a lot with Photoshop lately (yes, it’s a real copy), trying to clean up my deficiencies in photography. It’s a great tool but it just makes me feel guilty having not set up the shot right to begin with (AND extra effort. I get lazy, I’d rather do it right the first time, hehe). But still, it’s really awesome how you can do this nowadays. I’m finally getting around to trying to improve my photography (and this helps me cover up that my lighting stinks, more on this another time). Baby steps.

July 4th is just around the corner and for the first time in a few years, I’ll actually be in town (That means Chowderfest!). There’s all kinds of things that go on in Boston July 4th weekend, it’s a great time to visit the town. Historical tours, demonstrations, parades, and the famous concert on the Esplanande (sp?) given by the Boston Pops (1812 Overture with cannons, can’t go wrong with that). And the open secret is that the best time to go is for the dress rehearsal. You get the whole concert minus the crowds. On July 4th, it gets BUSY. Last time I went, it took 2 hours to get home but well worth it. Great time for a picnic too =P

Stir-fried Pork and Scallions

Time: 20-30 minutes
Serves : 3-4 with rice and vegetables

Adapted from Grace Young’s Breath of a Wok

Ingredients:
– 1 to 1.5lb Pork Butt, sliced
– 1 1/2 tsp ShaoHsing Rice wine
– 2 tsp light soy sauce
– dash of fish sauce
– 2 tsp Corn Starch
– 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
– 1/2 tsp white pepper
– 3 thin slices of ginger
– 6 stalks scallions, sliced into 1 inch pieces
– 1/2 tsp salt
– 1/2 tsp sugar

Method:
1. Mix together the ShaoHsing rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, corn starch, fish sauce, and pepper. Marinate pork for at least 10-15 minutes.
2. Heat a wok or frying pan over high heat. Once the pan is hot (water boiling off a split-second after touching the pan), add 1 tbsp oil and the pork. Stir fry for about 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the scallions, salt and sugar. Stir fry until the pork is done. Serve with rice

Pulled pork sandwich

Apr 21st, 2010
by dave.
4 comments

Pulled Pork

Slow cookers are awesome. I only have used it a few times, but I love how you can set it off by itself, come back in a few hours and have a tasty meal ready to go! It’s really helped when preparing multiple dishes for a few guests and most of all, it’s something I can let cook while watching football =)

I recently joined a food blogger community, FoodBlogForum, and everyone there has been a great resource, I’ve learned a ton from organizing recipes on my computer to picking out a tripod for my DSLR. I can’t thank Jaden from SteamyKitchen and Diane from WhiteOnRice enough for their hard work. I wish I could find the time to do half of the things that they manage! I’ll be spending a lot of time there trying to improve on the blog and I hope you all will benefit too. Maybe there will be some more changes to the site after all!

Pulled pork is one of my favorite BBQ foods to eat. Jason (Bite-the-Bullet BBQ post) makes some of the best pulled pork I’ve ever had. I usually prefer the drier pulled pork with a little bit of sauce as opposed to the softer texture pulled pork that this recipe makes but alas, I don’t have a smoker so I had to make do with the slow cooker!

Recipe adapted from Whole Foods

Pulled Pork

Active time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : At least 6 hours
Serves : 4-6

Ingredients:
– 2 – 3 lb Pork shoulder or Pork butt
– 1 Medium Onion, sliced
– 16-20oz BBQ sauce
– 1/2 cup water
– 6-8 cloves garlic
– Pepper/spices to taste

Method:
1. Place half of the sliced onions on the bottom of the slow cooker pot. Add the whole pork shoulder in and place the other half on top of the meat.
2. Pour half the BBQ sauce over the pork and pour the water into the side of the pot. Add the garlic.
3. Cook at least 6 hours on high (My slow cooker only had low/high settings). After a couple hours, use a wooden spoon to break up the meat (Or, do this step later after the pork is finished).
4. Serve with hamburger buns or bread of your choice.

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