Thick cuts of pastured, heritage pork loin are marinated in a mixture of fermented soy, fresh ginger, garlic, coriander, anise and freshly-squeezed orange juice, then wood-grilled to juicy perfection. Served over handmade somen noodles wih braised baby bok choy, slivers of scallion, red bell pepper, toasted sesame seeds and grilled citrus..
Orange Ginger-Grilled Pork with Toasted Sesame Somen
click to enlarge
Semi-boneless quail seasoned with sea salt and smoked pepper and stuffed with wild rice, pecans, scallions and porcini mushrooms. Served with blackberry jus lié.
I wish the plate presentation were better, but I was scrambling like mad before losing the light. Oh, well..
Pan-Roasted Quail with Wild Rice Stuffing and Blackberry Jus Lie
Serves two
For the Rice
1 cup wild rice
chicken stock instead of water, in the quantity specified on the rice package
2 whole porcini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 chopped pecans
1 clove garlic, minced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
sea salt and black pepper
Cook the rice and set aside to cool. Sauté mushrooms, pecans, garlic, scallions and sage until the pecans are golden brown then stir into the cooled rice. Add 1/4 cup of chicken stock and season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.
For the Quail
4 semi-boneless quail
2 tablespoons pastured butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon poivron rouge
sea salt and smoked blacked pepper
Rinse and pat dry the quail. Tuck the wing tips. Use a teaspoon or your fingers to stuff in as much rice as the bird will comfortably hold.
Transfer the birds to a skillet. Mix together the melted butter and paprika and use that to paint the birds with. Place in a 375 degree oven until golden brown and the juices run clear, about 18 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil.
For the Jus Lié
2 pieces uncured, applewood-smoked bacon, diced
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup blackberries
2 oz port
2 tablespoons glace de poulet
2 tablespoons filtered water
Sauté bacon and shallots in a tablespoon of the drippings from the pan that the quail was roasted in. Once the bacon is crisp, de-glaze the pan with port and add the blackberries. Stir and cook until the berries begin to break apart, then add demi-glace and water. Cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, then strain or not, as you see fit.
To Serve
Split quail in half lengthwise and spoon sauce over the top. Serve immediately.
Cauliflower florets in a tomato curry with onions, ginger and whole spices, served with savory garbanzo flour pancakes with scallions and black lemon..
Cauliflower Gobi, Scallion and Black Lemon Pancakes
For the Pancakes
8 oz garbanzo flour
1 cup filtered water
3 tablespoons ghee or melted butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon black lemon
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
Mix all ingredients together in a glass bowl and allow to stand 15 minutes. Heat ghee or butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Ladle in batter to form 3″ pancakes. Cook until golden brown on both sides, then drain on paper towels.
For the Gobi
1/2 white onion, diced
6 plum tomatoes, peeled and crushed through your fingers
6 large cauliflower florets
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger
1-2 small green chiles, minced
1 teaspoon hulled cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon nigella seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon curry leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon true cinnamon nibs
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons poivron rouge
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon amchur (mango) powder
ghee or clarified butter
Sauté the onions, garlic, ginger, chiles and whole spices in ghee until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add turmeric, paprika, pepper and amchur and stir until thickened.
Add tomatoes, cauliflower and curry leaves and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
Spoon gobi over pancakes and serve immediately.
This post is part of Meatless Monday, an initiative of The Monday Campaigns,
in association with the Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health.
A little bit like ramen and a little bit like Phở, this healthy, nourishing soup is made from homemade beef stock, shiitake mushrooms, buckwheat soba, fresh scallions, grass-fed beef, herbs and whole spices..
Preparing Asian Beef Noodle Soup
Serves 2
(adapted from a recipe by Jennifer Iserloh)
4 shiitake mushroom caps
4 oz grass-fed beef (I’m using a small muscle cut from a chuck roast)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled & minced
1 finely minced hot chile pepper
1/2 teaspoon star anise
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Szechuan pepper
1/2 package organic buckwheat soba
1 cup beef stock
2 cups seasonal herbs and greens (I have pea shoots, cress, cilantro and basil), coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon pastured butter
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon traditional fermented shoyu
Set the trimmed beef in the freezer to firm up so that it is easier to slice.
Grind the anise, fennel, cloves, cinnamon and Szechuan pepper together in a spice grinder (you’ve just made Chinese Five Spice).
Pre-heat a heavy skillet over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add the butter, then quickly sauté the mushrooms, ginger, chiles and garlic until fragrant. Sprinkle a little of the 5 spice over the top and stir to combine. Unused 5 spice will keep in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Add the broth, noodles and shoyu. Cover and cook until the noodles are tender, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the beef across the grain as thinly as you possibly can. As soon as the noodles are tender, drop the meat into the boiling broth and give it a swirl. Add the fresh herbs, greens and scallions and heat until wilted, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.
This post is part of The Food Renegade’s Fight Back Friday!
Made from homemade mayonnaise, fresh herbs, capers and cornichons, sauce rémoulade is a perfect contrast for spicy, pan-fried salmon cakes..
Pan-Fried Salmon Cakes with Sauce Rémoulade
Makes 4 large Salmon Cakes
2 cans wild Alaskan Salmon, drained
2 tablespoons red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons celery, diced
2 tablespoons scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 large pastured eggs
2 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon smoked black pepper, more-or-less
1/2 tablespoon half sharp paprika or cayenne, more-or-less
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
2 pieces stale sprouted wheat bread, toasted and torn into 1/4 inch pieces
2 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter
Warm diced red bell pepper, celery and red onions in a little butter over medium-low until softened, about 3 minutes. Refrigerate.
Lightly toss together salmon, scallions, parsley, eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice and seasonings. Fold in cooled vegetables and refrigerate 1 hour.
Fold enough toasted bread pieces into the salmon mixture so that you can form patties that are cohesive and moist, but not wet.
Fry salmon cakes in ghee over medium-high heat until browned on 1 side, then flip over and cook 1 minute longer.
Place the pan in a 400 degree until the cakes are sizzling, about 5-7 minutes.
Allow to cakes to rest in the pan for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a serving plate.
Dress each cake with a tablespoon or more of cold rémoulade and optionally garnish with a bit of caviar.
For the Rémoulade
1 cup homemade mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon fresh chives
1/2 tablespoon fresh tarragon
1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/2 tablespoon fresh chervil
1 tablespoon capers, coarsely chopped
2 cornichons, finely diced
1 small anchovy fillet, minced
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Wrap tightly and refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.
This post is part of the Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet