Tag Archives: pork recipes

Cornbread, Sausage and Walnut Dressing

i love experimenting with ingredients to create a flavorful update to an already delicious recipe . This is a winning combination. I kept it simple using store bought cornbread along with sausage meat because dressing really does taste good with sausage meat. It’s a big Thanksgiving tradition in my family. I added to this many of my favorite flavors of the season, dried cranberries, walnuts, fresh rosemary and of course sage. The result is a great side to any holiday feast!

From by the bay , wishing you flavorful dressing food memories!

Maryann

Cornbread, Sausage and Walnut Dressing

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 8 cups stale cornbread, cut into 1/2” cubes and toasted
  • 1 1/2  pound  spicy sausage meat, remove casings
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 large celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 to 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

To make dressing place a large skillet on medium heat and cook sausage, crumbling the meat with a fork until fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Remove meat with a slotted spoon and place into a large mixing bowl. Add butter to the same skillet, melt butter and then add the celery and onion. Saute ingredients together until softened about 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add the walnuts and herbs cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add to the bowl with the cooked sausage meat. Add the bread cubes, cranberries and 2 cups chicken stock to the bowl. Mix the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. If the dressing is dry add more stock. The dressing can be made up to this point one day in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake. Remove from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Place dressing into a lightly buttered baking dish. Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm.

 

Favorite Summer Spare Rib Recipes

Memorial Day Weekend is the kickoff for summer grilling season, but one of my favorite dishes for summer entertaining is spare ribs. I’m sharing some of my favorite rib recipes, which are mostly prepared in the oven. These recipes are easy to make , taking more cooking time than preparation time with mouthwatering results. Try of one or all of these variations for your next summer gathering!

From by the bay, wishing you mouthwatering rib food memories!

Maryann

Spare Ribs with Bourbon Apple Barbecue Sauce
Serves 4 as main course or 8 as appetizer

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lbs. racks baby back ribs
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 1/2 cup bourbon
  • 3 tablespoons molasses
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a small sauce pan add all ingredients except for ribs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, then turn off heat and cool. Puree in a food processor and set aside covered. In a large roasting pan lined with aluminum foil place the ribs in a single layer. Place in oven to brown for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes remove ribs from pan and pour off any juice and fat. Place the ribs back into the pan. Use half the barbecue sauce and pour over and spread over the ribs. Lower the oven to 400 degrees F and place the ribs back in the oven, turning the ribs over and covering them with the remaining sauce. Bake for another 30 minutes and remove from the oven. The ribs can be served immediately or at room temperature.

Spare Ribs with Root Beer Barbecue Sauce

Serves 4 as main course or 8 as appetizer

2 1/2 lbs. racks baby back ribs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 cup ketchup

3/4 cup root beer, preferably made with cane sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a small sauce pan heat olive oil and saute garlic for one minute, then add the remaining ingredients except for ribs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, then turn off heat and cool. In a large roasting pan lined with aluminum foil place the ribs in a single layer. Place in oven to brown for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes remove ribs from pan and pour off any juice and fat. Place the ribs back into the pan. Use half the barbecue sauce and pour over and spread over the ribs. Lower the oven to 400 degrees F and place the ribs back in the oven, turning the ribs over and covering them with the remaining sauce. Bake for another 30 minutes and remove from the oven. The ribs can be served immediately or at room temperature.

Mango and Honey Glazed Spareribs

Serves 4 as main course or 8 as appetizer

2 ½ lbs. racks baby back ribs

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger , grated

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

¼ cup honey

¼ cup vermouth

½ cup soy sauce

6 ounces mango chutney

Directions

Combine all ingredients into a plastic sealed bag. Place in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or better overnight. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking dish with aluminum foil and empty the entire contents of the plastic bag into the dish. Arrange ribs in pan in one layer. Place in oven and turn every 15 minutes as the ribs brown. Bake for approximately 45 minutes. Tranfer ribs to cutting board and let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Sometimes I use country style ribs for this dish, in which case the cooking time is a little longer 1 hour. The meat literally falls off the bones – it delivers great favor and is more economic.

Tip: keep handy in the refrigerator tubes of garlic and ginger paste. They are available in Japanese specialty food stores. They are perfect for making quick marinades – without compromising the taste.

Asian Style Barbecue Beef Short Ribs
Serves 4-6
Ingredients

For the ribs
21/2 pounds boneless beef short ribs
2 star anise
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 cinnamon stick
1 inch piece ginger, peeled
chopped scallions to garnish
For barbecue sauce
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup cooking water from ribs
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil
Directions
Place short ribs in a large cooking pot with star anise, cinnamon, garlic and ginger. Add water to just cover the ribs. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to simmer and cover with a lid for 45 minutes. Remove the ribs and place on a platter, covering with some foil. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water for the barbecue sauce. To make the sauce, add to a medium sauce pan the hoisin sauce, ketchup, cooking water, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and toasted sesame seed oil. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 30 minutes. Preheat the grill . Brush the short ribs with the barbecue sauce and grill for 8 to 10 minutes on each side. Serve immediately.

Great Balls of Fire- Memphis Style  Dry-Rub

2 tablespoons smoky paprika

1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 ½  teaspoons fine sea salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

( at the time of use 1 tablespoon white vinegar)

 

To make the rub combine all dry ingredients well and store in a covered jar. When ready to use add a little white vinegar, if using all the rub add 1 tablespoon of vinegar.

To make ribs: 

Use 4 pounds of slab baby back ribs. To prepare the ribs, remove the thin papery skin from the back of each rack of ribs. Wash and pat dry. In a bowl mix all the rub ingredients together .  Rub ½ of the mixture all over the ribs on both sides and place in a shallow roasting pan. Keep the remaining rub for later. 

Place ribs in a 450 oven for 30 minutes. Continue baking in a 350 oven for about 2 more hours. Half way through take the drippings and mix with remaining rub and baste the ribs with the mixture.  When done transfer the ribs to a cutting board and cut into pieces. Serve with your favorite  barbecue sauce. 

 
Rockin Blue Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
Makes 2 cups
 

1 1/2 cups Jack Daniel’s Black Label or Bourbon

1 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons dark molasses

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce


 Pour 1 cup of whiskey into a saucepan. Bring the saucepan to a boil and reduce the liquid to about 2 tablespoons. Don’t let the alcohol flame. 

 Add 1/2 cup of the whiskey and the other ingredients. Simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes and reduce it by about 1/3. Use it immediately or bottle it and keep it in the refrigerator for a month or more.

Best Meatloaf Recipe with Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

 

 

 

 

 

January is always an interesting month! It’s post all the holiday festivities and the height of the winter doldrums. It’s usually pretty cold and dreary, so I find food a good way to add a little spark to the month is with a good warm meal. I decided to kick up the flavor for classic meatloaf  by mixing some italian sausage meat to the usual ground beef and adding some additional flavors like grated pickle. That would have been enough, but then I added my rockin’ bourbon barbecue sauce with spectacular results! So jumpstart your New Year right out of the doldrums with this exciting twist on a classic dish!

From by the bay, wishing you rockin’ food memories!

Maryann

blog meatloaf

 

 

Meatloaf with Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

Serves 4 to 6 

Ingredients

11/2 pounds ground beef

1 pound sweet sausage meat, out of the casing

2 tablespoons shredded sour pickles ( using box grater)

1 egg

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons shredded onion  ( squeeze water out )

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1 recipe bourbon barbecue sauce ( recipe follows)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients and mix well ( your hands work best here). Place on sheet pan and form into a rectangle shaped loaf approximately 7″ by 4″. Place in oven and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with about 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce. Bake another 30 minutes , remove from oven and cool before serving. Meatloaf can be served with the remaining barbecue sauce at room temperature or warmed.

blog meatloaf 2

Rockin Blue Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
Makes 1 cup

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Jack Daniel’s Black Label or Bourbon

1 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons dark molasses

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

Directions
Pour 1 cup of whiskey into a saucepan. Bring the saucepan to a boil and reduce the liquid to about 2 tablespoons. Don’t let the alcohol flame.

Add 1/2 cup of the whiskey and the other ingredients. Simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes and reduce it by about 1/3. Use it immediately or bottle it and keep it in the refrigerator for a month or more.

Spare Ribs with Root Beer Barbecue Sauce

Several years ago, I became intrigued by the use of soda in home cooking. All the sugar in soda is perfect for creating a caramelized bark on meats such as pork. Also, the idea of soda in cooking has such a nostalgic feel to it. I loved the idea of root beer as the main ingredient for a barbecue sauce, I, mean come on it’s ROOT BEER! This sauce can be used with many meats, but I especially like it for baking ribs. I suggest you pick up some bottles of root beer tonight and try it out!From by the bay wishing you bubbly food memories!
Maryann
root beer

Spare Ribs with Root Beer Barbecue Sauce

Serves 4 as main course or 8 as appetizer

2 1/2 lbs. racks baby back ribs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 cup ketchup

3/4 cup root beer, preferably made with cane sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper


Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a small sauce pan heat olive oil and saute garlic for one minute, then add the remaining ingredients except for ribs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, then turn off heat and cool. In a large roasting pan lined with aluminum foil place the ribs in a single layer. Place in oven to brown for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes remove ribs from pan and pour off any juice and fat. Place the ribs back into the pan. Use half the barbecue sauce and pour over and spread over the ribs. Lower the oven to 400 degrees F and place the ribs back in the oven, turning the ribs over and covering them with the remaining sauce. Bake for another 30 minutes and remove from the oven. The ribs can be served immediately or at room temperature.

 

Mango and Honey Glazed Spareribs

Living and working in Manhattan is one of the best experiences in the world. There are however, tradeoffs around the contraints of apartment living. For someone like me,who has a passion for cooking, a small city kitchen requires alot of creativity and organziation. Entertaining in small spaces can be challenging. So when I bought my house by the bay, among the many wonders this house had to offer such as sweeping views of the water, open spaces, a great kitchen, there was one feature that I had no idea how much I would love.  Wait for it …….a walk in pantry. I love my pantry! Just keeping it stocked with interesting food items is fun. My souvenirs from traveling are now often food to place onto my pantry shelf in anticipation of creating some new dish. When I start thinking about a recipe I walk into the pantry and rummage through the shelves looking for ingredients to inspire me. The recipe below for Mango and Honey Glazed Spareribs is one such recipe. I always have some of Major Grey’s Mango Chutney on my pantry shelf.
Major Grey’s chutney is a combination of mango, lime juice, raisins, tamarind, onion and spices.  My dad loved this chutney and it’s exotic taste. I pulled the chutney off the shelf because it was getting close to the expiration date ( this is a whole other aspect of pantry living, managing to expiration dates ).  I used the chutney as the base to my glaze and the results were amazing.

From by the bay wishing you lovely chutney food memories!
Maryann

blog spare ribs

 

Mango and Honey Glazed Spareribs

Serves 4 as main course or 8 as appetizer

2 ½ lbs. racks baby back ribs

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger , grated

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

¼ cup honey

¼ cup vermouth

½ cup soy sauce

6 ounces mango chutney

Directions

Combine all ingredients into a plastic sealed bag. Place in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or better overnight. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking dish with aluminum foil and empty the entire contents of the plastic bag into the dish. Arrange ribs in pan in one layer. Place in oven and turn every 15 minutes as the ribs brown. Bake for approximately 45 minutes. Tranfer ribs to cutting board and let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Sometimes I use country style ribs for this dish, in which case the cooking time is a little longer 1 hour. The meat literally falls off the bones – it delivers great favor and is more economic.

Tip: keep handy in the refrigerator tubes of garlic and ginger paste. They are available in Japanese specialty food stores. They are perfect for making quick marinades – without compromising the taste.

 

Cubano Burger

 

Summer is almost here! The pool is open. The lounge chairs and umbrellas are set up. Blue skies and bright sun are overhead. I can walk into my backyard and imagine I’m on vacation, hmmm the South of France, Southern California, I think today feels like South Beach, Miami. South Beach is my inspiration for this Cubano Burger. Poolside dining doesn’t get better than this american twist on the cuban sandwich. I make my burger with ground pork mixed with fresh citrus, then  accented with ham, cheese and roasted garlic. Try this burger and whisk yourself and your guests off to South Beach too!
From by the bay, wishing you South Beach food memories!
Maryann
blog cub burg
Cubano Burger
Serves Six
Ingredients
1 head of garlic
1/2 teaspoon olive oil, plus more for brushing the grill
2 pounds ground pork
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons orange juice
6 ciabatta rolls
12 slices baby swiss cheese
12 dill pickle slices
6 slices boiled ham
1/2 cup store bought mayonnaise
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rub olive oil on head of garlic and wrap garlic in aluminum foil. Place on baking sheet roast for 30 to 35 minutes until garlic feels soft, then remove from oven and cool. Cut top off garlic head and squeeze garlic cloves out of skin and into a bowl. Mash garlic and then add mayonnaise and mix well. Cover and place into refrigerator until ready to use. In a mixing bowl add the ground pork, pepper, cumin and citrus juices. Mix well with your hands and form 6 patties. Fire up the grill. Brush grill with olive oil and cook patties approximately 15 minutes per side, until pork is cooked through. Once ready, cut rolls in half, place on baking sheets and top each side with a slice of swiss cheese. Remove from oven once the cheese starts to melt. To assemble : take one half of bun with cheese, place burger on top, spread garlic mayonnaise on burger, add slice of ham, then pickle slices and top with other half of the bun. Repeat to make the remaining burgers. Serve immediately.

From by the bay wishing all my readers a Happy Memorial Day!
Maryann

Red Wine Braised Pork and Chestnut Stew

At this time of year, I find joy in putting some great ingredients together and letting them braise slowly in the oven. This is inspired by a dish I had once in a London restaurant. When I returned from my trip, I worked on recreating my meal. Over the years I have tweaked the ingredients. I believe this version is actually better than the original! I attribute it to the final ingredient added in this last version the juniper berries, it adds a nice herbal under note to the favor of the stew. On the next cold wintry night fill your kitchen with the warmth and fragrance of this delicate stew.


From by the bay wishing you warm food memories!

Maryann


blog pork and wine



Red Wine Braised Pork and Chestnut Stew

Serves 4-6


2 ½ lbs cubed pork loin

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bottle red wine

2 bay leaves

4 juniper berries

1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

15 oz whole roasted chestnuts from jar


Directions


Preheat oven to 350F. Mix flour together flour with salt and pepper in bowl. Add pork cubes and coat well. In dutch oven heat both oil and butter, sauté pork cubes until browned on all sides. Add garlic and sauté another minute. Next add the red wine, bay leaves, juniper berries, sage and chestnuts. Bring to a boil, then turn off flame. Cover and place into the oven for 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with noodles, rice or steamed spinach.

 

 
 

Cooking with Red Hot Chili Peppers

blog hot peppers
 

The other day I ran into a friend Eva who offered me some hot chili peppers from her garden. She and her husband Al had a large harvest of hot peppers, too many for them to use. I , of course, jumped at the chance to spend a weekend cooking and experimenting with an ingredient. When the peppers arrived, I was thrilled to have a big bowl of color in my kitchen: all that red, green, orange and yellow. The first thing I quickly tried was a red chili mayonnaise that I planned to use with grilled shrimp as a main course or appetizer. I also thought that the red chili mayonnaise would be terrific to make panini’s  -a fun twist on a ham and cheese. My next recipe I decided to adapt my grandmother’s beef goulash recipe and make a pork goulash, using cubes of pork with peppers  and onions for a fiery dish. This meal started with a crostini of toasted bread and fresh ricotta cheese, topped with fresh chopped red chilis, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with some coarse sea salt. I wish I had  a bowl of chili peppers in my kitchen every weekend and you will too when you try some of these recipes. 

 
From by the bay wishing you the hottest of food memories!
Maryann

 
Word of caution when cooking with chili peppers: I suggest using disposable latex gloves especially if you have sensitive skin, like I do. I also wear contacts and trust me you don’t want to place you fingers anywhere near your eyes after handling fiery peppers! The heat of the chili comes from the seeds and the membrane inside the pepper, so to control the amount of heat in your dish, I suggest removing all seeds and membranes.
 
blog more hot peppers
 
Red Chili Mayonnaise
1 cup store bought mayonnaise
3 small red chilies, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend well. 
 
blog chili mayo
 
Chili Ham and Cheese Panini
Serves 1
2 slices sourdough bread
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon red chili mayonnaise
3 slices virginia ham
2 slices gruyere cheese
2 slices dill pickle toppers
Heat panini press or skillet. Butter two slices of bread. Buttered sides are the outside of the sandwich. On one side of bread – not buttered spread the chili mayonnaise, add the ham , then cheese and pickles. Top with the other slice of bread , press down and then toast until cheese is melted and bread browned. Serve immediately.
 
blog hot chili peppers
 

Chili Pepper and Pork Goulash

Serves 4-6

 

3 pounds cubed pork stew meat

4 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

4 cups onions finely chopped

6 medium size assorted chili peppers without seeds and membranes, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

4 cups chicken stock

1 jar 12 ounces of roasted red and yellow sweet peppers

Zest of 1 lemon

 

Directions

 

Mix flour, salt, pepper and paprika in a sealed plastic bag. Add pork cubes into bag and coated with flour mixture. In a large Dutch oven heat olive oil. Sauté floured pork cubes until browned. Remove browned meat into bowl and place aside. Add remaining olive oil to pan and sauté the onions with chili peppers until softened. Add the caraway seed, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf. Sauté until fragrant about one minute. Add the tomatoe paste. Deglaze with the vinegar and stock , then add the meat and roasted peppers. Bring to a boil, then lower heat , cover and simmer until very tender, approximately 2  to 2 1/2 hours. Remove from heat add lemon zest and serve with noodles or rice. 

Marinated Pork Chops with Fresh Plum Sauce

On my grandparents farm on Long Island, they had a full orchard of fruits trees. I would help my grandfather with tending the orchard from pruning to netting the trees to hanging little wooden snakes to scare off the birds. One of our favorite crops were the italian plums. We would gather the plums and my grandmother would made her close friend Mitzi’s plum cake. This recipe is a wonderful yellow cake that envelopes the plums. It’s easy to make and delicious to eat. We would just feast on those tiny jewel like fruit! I’m also including one of my favorite barbecued pork chops recipes served with a wonderful plum sauce. Hope you enjoy this food as much as we all do here by the bay!
From by the bay wishing you the plummiest of food memories!
Maryann

PS Remember to subscribe to my weekly blog, so you don’t miss out on my new recipes.

blog plum pork

Marinated Pork Chops with Fresh Plum Sauce

Serves 4

4 boneless ¾ inch think center cut pork chops

Marinade

¼ cup honey

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Directions

Place pork chops and all marinade ingredients into a sealed plastic bag and mix well. Place in refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours up to overnight. Remove from marinade and grill pork chops on a hot grill for approximately 8 minutes per side to be well done.

Fresh Plum and Merlot Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons shallots, chopped

6 Italian plums, stoned and chopped

2 tablespoons honey

½ cup merlot wine

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil and add shallots, sauté for 2 minutes until soft. Add the plums and simmer for 15 minutes, add honey, wine,  balsamic vinegar and ground ginger and continue to simmer until the liquid is reduced in ½ and thickened. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Serve warm fresh plum sauce on top of the grilled pork chops.

Goat Milk Braised Pork Loin

 

This recipe is adapted from a meal I shared at a friend’s home outside of Florence many years ago. It started my love for the herb rosemary. I had never had meat braised in milk before and  as an inexperienced american it seemed odd to me, but it was so delicious. The milk creates a lovely gravy after braising. Over the years I have evolved the recipe by adding onions for another dimension of flavor and by trying goat milk . Although this dish works great with cow’s milk, I find the results with goat milk to be slightly sweeter and makes for a creamier gravy. This is probably a matter of personal preference.  Either way this is recipe that is simple to make and big on taste.

From by the bay, wishing you milky food memories,
Maryann

Goat Milk Braised Pork Loin

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 lb boneless pork loin roast

2 mediume vidalia onions, peeled and thinly sliced

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 cups organic goat milk or cow’s milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
optional: garnish with gremolata – recipe below

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. In dutch oven heat butter and oil on stove until hot, add the pork loin and brown on all sides. Remove from pan and place to side. In same pot please add the onions and sauté until soft, add back the pork, add rosemary and milk. Cover and place into the oven for two hours, stirring occasionally. Let pork rest slice and serve with onion and milk gravy. Garnish with gremolata.

Gremolata

Ingredients
1/2 cup italian parsley, finely chopped
1 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions
In a bowl add parsley and minced garlic. Into this bowl finely zest the lemon. Add salt and mix. Refrigerate until ready to use. This can be used to compliment veal, pork or fish.