Cuisine: Hot Pineapple Pork Loin

I was inspired to create this recipe after eating at Mission Chinese Food with my husband and dear friend, Victoria. The food brought me to another world: Chengdu. I was reminded of a meal I had there that was out-of-this-world spicy. It started with this pickled dish that numbed the tongue. Then, they brought out all of the spicy food.

Mission Chinese Food also had a pickled dish that numbed the tongue. I loved it. I devoured the cucumbers, peanuts, and cabbage. My forehead was sweating profusely. It was as if I was still outside in the rain, and that feeling of exhilaration that comes from spice rushed over me. I was in heaven. Or more precisely, I was right back in Chengdu at this restaurant of fine dark stained wood and deep red.

The unique flavor that numbs the tongue is the Sichuan peppercorn. I have a ton of it at home, and I have been neglecting it. It isn't for everyone, so I use it sparingly. After dinner at Mission Chinese Food, I knew I had to dust it off and create a new recipe. Thus, the beginnings of Hot Pineapple Pork Loin was born.

I'm not sure how I thought to pare all of the different flavors. It just kind of came to me. Or, the rub did at least. The addition of the pineapple came because I knew I needed to cook it with some liquid at the bottom of the pan. The liquid helps keep the pork loin nice and juicy. I didn't want to use just water, so I ran across the street to the liquor store. My choices were limited to apple juice, orange juice, a small bottle of cranberry juice, some limeade, and there it was...pineapple juice. Yup, the one in the can from Dole. I grabbed it and headed home.

The result is this amazingly tender pork loin that has a hint of heat from the crust of the rub and a nice tart sweetness from the pineapple. Sure it's not a dish you would find in Chengdu or Mission Chinese Food, but both are owed a debt of gratitude for first introducing me to the Sichuan peppercorn and reminding me how much I love it.

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What you need:
1 tsp caraway seed
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp black peppercorn
1 tsp pink peppercorn
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn
seeds from 4 cardamon pods
1 tsp fried onion
2 tsp salt
2 tsp fried garlic
1 tsp paprika
3 lb boneless pork loin
1 can pineapple juice

What to do:
Make a rub for the pork by putting all the spices in a spice grinder and processing until fine. Rub all over the pork and let sit for at least one hour. Heat over to 500 degrees. Place pork on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour all of the pineapple juice into the pan. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes. Base the pork carefully with the pineapple juice. Bake for another 10 - 15 minutes, or until the pork starts to brown nicely.

Reduce heat to 300 degrees. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour more basting every 10 minutes or so. Turn the pork loin over after about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, place pork on a dish, cover, and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the pineapple juice into a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and simmer to reduce liquid to about half.

Slice pork loin and pour a little of the juice on top.

Enjoy with roasted yams or sweet potatoes and your favorite greens.

Tip: Roasting the yams or sweet potatoes is simple. Start by slicing them lengthwise into quarters. Toss in oil to coat and sprinkle lightly with salt. Put them into a pan and place in the oven when you turn the pork loin. Bake for about 45 minutes. Carefully turn the yams or sweet potatoes over at least twice to ensure even cooking. The yams or sweet potatoes will be incredibly soft and tender.

Cuisine: Amazing Anaheim Pepper Chicken

I was at a loss for what to make for dinner, so I opened up my cupboards, freezer, and searched through my produce bowl. I found a couple of chicken breasts, a can of El Pato Tomato Sauce, some potatoes, and an Anaheim pepper. I tend to keep my kitchen fairly well stocked. (You never know when the zombie apocalypse [or a spontaneous dinner party] is going to happen, and it's good to be prepared.)

Ideas starting swirling in my head, and then I looked at the clock. I didn't want to be in the kitchen for two hours. It was getting late. But I did want to make something quick and easy, something that would still be tasty.

The liquor store across the street from my apartment was still open. I zipped over and got a head of garlic, an onion, and a lime. I set to the taste of being creative in the kitchen. What I crafted was Amazing Anaheim Pepper Chicken.

It is a very simple dish. It is one of those "set it and forget it" type recipes. There isn't a whole heck of a lot that goes into it, but when you take it out of the oven it is to be savored. Each bit has a little heat, a nice sweet tartness, and the yumminess of a fabulously cooked potato. Enjoy.

***
You Will Need:
3 Chicken Breasts
4 Large Yellow Potatoes
1 Yellow Onion
5 Cloves Garlic
1 Can El Pato Tomato Sauce
2 Anaheim Peppers
1 Lime
Salt

What To Do:
Dice potatoes, and sprinkle salt on them. Place in a colander over a bowl. Set aside for an hour, allowing potatoes to drain.

Meanwhile, slice the chicken breasts into thirds. Dice the onion into large chunks. Put garlic through a press. Combine potatoes, chicken, onion, garlic, and tomato sauce and toss.

Spread evenly in a baking dish, making sure the chicken is laying flat. Dice the Anaheim peppers and sprinkle over the chicken/potato mixture. Sprinkle lime juice over everything.

Bake at 350degrees for 40 minutes.

Cuisine: Pork Fried (After a Long Weekend) Rice

I love all types of fried rice. Whether it is curried Vietnamese fried rice or Mongolian beef fried rice or fried rice and beans. All of them are wonderful, especially as a comfort food on cloudy, foggy days.

The key to perfectly cooked fried rice starts with day-old cooked rice. If you don't, it will turn out okay. But it will not be as crisp with the tiny charred bits that make fried rice so delectable.

This recipe seems involved, and it kind of is. But it is broken out into three phases to make it a little more understandable and sequential. Follow this recipe as is, and you will have perfectly spicy pork fried rice.

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Phase One
You Will Need:
4 cups Jasmine Rice, cooked and set aside
1/2 Yellow Onion, diced
1 White Onion, diced
3 Carrots, peeled and diced
2 Serrano Peppers, cored, seeded and diced
5 cloves of Garlic, sliced
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 to 2 Tbsp. Grapeseed Oil
2 Tbsp. Water
Salt to taste

What To Do:
Melt 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. oil in a pan.
Add onions and carrots, and saute 10 minutes.
Add serrano and garlic.
Add butter, and if needed - more oil.
Saute mixture for 10 minutes.
Add water.
Saute 5 to 10 more minutes - or until water evaporates.
Set Aside.


Phase 2
You Will Need:
3 Pork Chops, diced
1/2 tsp. White Pepper
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 Tbsp. Butter
1 Tbsp. Oil

What To Do:
Melt butter and heat oil over medium heat.
Combine ALL ingredients (from this phase - pork, pepper, salt, etc), and saute until the pork is slightly crispy.


Phase 3:
Add the onion mixture (Phase 1) to the Pork Mixture (Phase 2), and add the Jasmine Rice.

To this mixture, you will add:
1 tsp. Soy Sauce Paste
2 Tbsp. Chili Paste
2 Tbsp. Butter

What to do:
Mix ALL INGREDIENTS and cook, covered, over low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make sure the bottom browns, but doesn't blacken!

Cuisine: Nouveau Kimchi Recipe

I love, love, love, love kimchi. I like its spicy heat and vinegary finish. It is a flavor explosion that always puts me in a good mood. Kimchi, however, is most definitely an acquired taste. Not everyone likes it because the "salt" is fish sauce, which has a very strong and pungent flavor.

I created Nouveau Kimchi for those that do not like fish sauce. Instead, I substituted Worcester Sauce. Yes, Worcester Sauce has some anchovies in it, so there is a fishy flavor. It is, most definitely, not as fishy as fish sauce. I also replaced the sugar with maple syrup. These two substitutions created a Nouveau Kimchi that still reminds you of traditional kimchi but with a little of the south thrown in.

*****
Ingredients:
1 head green cabbage, quartered, cored, and roughly chopped
3 carrots, completely peeled using a peeler
2 bunches green onions, cut into 1-inch chunks and then sliced
3 jalapenos, diced
3-inch piece of ginger, grated
1/8 cup Worcester Sauce
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup chili flakes
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
2 tsp sesame oil
1 TBSP pure maple syrup
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup salt

Directions:
Fill a large bowl with water and add half a cup of salt. Stir to combine. Add the cabbage and let sit for about four hours. Discard water. Mix in all the other ingredients. Let stand overnight. Enjoy the next day.

Cuisine: Black Beans and Rice

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2-3 jalapenos, finely diced (seeds removed if less spiciness is desired)
5-7 cloves garlic
2 1/4 cups long-grain rice
2 cans black beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes (no salt added variety; do not drain)
2 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning (I make my own, but any ol' Cajun seasoning will do)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt
pepper
3 cups water
parsley or cilantro

Directions:
In a saucepan, saute onion, jalapenos and garlic in olive oil for about 5 to 7 minutes. Add rice and stir. If needed, add a little more oil to ensure rice is completely coated. Add beans, tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, oregano, salt, pepper, and water. Stir to distribute all ingredients evenly in pot. Taste for saltiness. Add more salt or Cajun seasoning if needed.

Cover and bring pot to a boil. Reduce heat to a very low simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Check once adding more water if needed. Remove from heat and set aside for about 10 minutes. Serve with chopped parsley or cilantro

Cuisine: Spicy Veggie Chili

This just came together. I started cooking not knowing what I was about to prepare only that I wanted something with...even that I wasn't sure of. I selected an onion and looked at it. It looked lonely, so I added another. Then, the soyrizo, carrots, jalapenos, and garlic said "eat me", and the jar of pepperocinis and the half eaten bag of frozen corn said "finish me". I had a lone can of El Tapo tomato sauce sitting on my shelf and one can of diced tomatoes. They seemed as lonely as the onions and seemed a very fitting companion to these other fine flavors. I looked at the simmering stew, and it looked almost naked. Something was missing. I opened the cabinet and there it was. One last can of white beans. Perfecto! This spicy veggie chili was born. And with it a new recipe to pass along.

***
Ingredients
3 to 4 T olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 can diced jalapeno
5 cloves garlic, diced
1 soyrizo
1/3 jar pepperocini including garlic cloves, diced
1 can El Tapo Tomato Sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
salt
pepper

Directions
Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the onion and saute for five minutes. Add carrots and saute for another five minutes. Turn heat down to medium high and saute for another five minutes. Add the jalapeno and garlic and saute for five minutes. Add the rest of the oil and add the soyrizo. Fry for fifteen minutes. Add the pepperocini and saute for five minutes. Add the tomato sauce and entire can of tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the corn and beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Serve with your favorite starch.

This was served with Orzo Casserole from Epicurean.

Cuisine: Spicy Chipotle Pork Stew

Yesterday, I was in a funk. So I decided to cook. This is what I created. It was the perfect remedy. It is very spicy and comforts the soul.

To make it less spicy, add less chipotle peppers and jalapenos.

***
For the marinate:
1 small onion, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch Italian parsley, roughly chopped
2 tsp. salt

Mix all of the above inredients together. Set aside for about 30 minutes. Drain and reserve any liquid.

For the rub:
1 tsp. smoked chiplotle powder
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. spicy smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground corriander
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
3 lbs. tamale pork, cubed in large chunks

Mix dry ingredients and rub on pork. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Then mix with marinate. Set aside for another 15 minutes. Drain and reserve any liquid.

Cooking the pork:
2 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP safflower or other vegetable oil

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add pork. Fry pork on all sides. Pork should brown, and there should be bits of seasoning stuck to the bottom of the pan. Remove pork from dutch oven (it will not be cooked fully) and set aside in a covered bowl.

The vegetable base:
1 red bell pepper, cut in large chunks
1 1/2 small onions, cubed
3 carrots, cut in large strips
2 1/2 jalapenos, cored, seeded, and diced
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix vegetables together with salt and set aside for about 10 minutes. Drain and keep any liquid.












Place vegetables in dutch oven after pork is removed. Cook vegetables making sure to scrape off burnt seasoning off the bottom for about 10 minutes on medium high heat. Not all seasoning will come off. Remove vegetables and set aside.

The stew base:
4 chipotle peppers (from canned chipotle peppers), cored and seeded, plus all adobo sauce
2 cans whole tomatoes, roughly chopped
7 cloves dry roasted garlic, sliced (This can be done over the stove in a dry pan with garlic cloves still in their skins. It takes about 15 minutes.)
1/4 cup water

Cook chipotle peppers and adobo sauce in dutch oven, scrapping the bottom to remove as much of the burnt seasonings as possible for about 5 minutes on medium high heat. Add tomatoes and all their juices. Continue scraping bottom of dutch oven and cook for another 5 minutes. Add all reserved liquids and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and water. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add vegetables and pork and cook for another 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Beans and potatoes:
3 small potatoes, cubed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp. salt

Mix potatoes and salt and set aside for 15 minutes. Drain all liquid. Add pinto beans and potatoes to stew once it has been removed from heat. Taste stew to see if additional salt needs to be added.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Cover dutch oven and cook for 1 hour. Mix twice as it is cooking. Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes. Sauce will thicken. Remove and cool for 10 minutes.

Serve with Cabbage and Tangerine Slaw, Mexican sour cream, and fresh tortillas.

Click here for a grocery list for the above dinner.

Cuisine: Sweet and Spicy Grilled Chicken

I made this for my friend Marisa Saturday night. It was a lovely evening. I couldn't believe how warm it was at 8:30 when we started grilling. We were even able to sit outside and enjoy our dinner amidst the noise of traffic and the glow of street lights. This was paired with grilled corn, curtido, and my special spicy fruit salad.

Enjoy! And don't forget to leave and comment and share your story/recipe!

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Ingredients
8 chicken breast halves
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup spicy vinegar (can be found in most Asian groceries)
2 tablespoons hot paprika
1/4 teasp0on hot pepper
1/4 teaspoon whit pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon anise
8 cardamom pods, crushed
1/2 gallon of water
olive oil

Directions
In a large bowl combine all the ingredients and set aside for about two hours.

Drain and rinse all chicken. Pat dry with paper towel. Rub lightly with olive oil making sure to coat each breast.

If using a gas grill (that's what I used), turn all burners to high and heat. Right before adding chicken turn burners down to medium high.

Place chicken breasts on grill and close cover. Let sit for about 4 to 6 minutes. Check breasts. If breasts have visible dark brown grill marks flip them over and cover grill. If they do not, turn heat up slightly and cover for another 2 minutes. Then, flip and cover.

Check again after 4 to 6 minutes. Flip again this time making sure to new grill marks run perpendicular to current grill marks. Cover and let set 3 to 4 minutes. Check, flip, repeat.

Remove breasts from grill and let sit covered for about 5 minutes. Enjoy.

For an extra tasty treat! Turn the left over chicken breasts into chicken salad. Mince two to four breasts, half an onion, and one jalapeno. Mix with mayonnaise until texture resembles chicken salad. Enjoy on wheat bread with Swiss cheese.