Category: Pork
Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
Stuffed mushrooms…..I remember my mother making these for the BIG football games; my father loved them stuffed with sausage and cheese. In a nod to our improved diets, I offer a vegetarian version. I have up-graded the technique a bit by pre-roasting them until they begin to exude liquid and then stuffing and baking a second time. I think it reduces the ‘squeak-on-the teeth’ factor. I also don’t chop up the stems to use in the stuffing; half the stem is tough and the other half is dirt-caked. Instead, wash the stems and make broth with them and chop up fresh mushroom caps to add to the stuffing mix.
SPICED ‘SMOTHERED’ CABBAGE and APPLES by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
I don’t know when, where or how I started using ‘smothered’ as a cooking technique. I know that I didn’t invent it. So, I ‘Googled’ it: Lo and behold it is a bona fide cooking technique with roots deep in Southern cuisine. It is defined as covered, slow cooking with minimal added liquid. I ‘smothered’ the red cabbage by slow cooking it, covered, in the oven, in apple cider vinegar and its own juices released during the cooking process. The result is a silky, deeply flavored side dish worthy of your holiday table. I am going to serve it alongside a Crown Roast of Pork!
Pork Milanese with Roasted Butternut Squash and Fig-Balsamic Glaze By Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
“Milanese”: in the style of Milan. It’s the technique of breading and pan-frying (aka sautéeing) a cutlet of thinly sliced veal, chicken or pork. The results are crispy, moist and irresistible.
There are a couple of “chef hacks” that can help you in your quest for excellent results.
First, start with ½ inch (or thinner) cutlets. Lay them flat on your cutting board and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Using your closed fist, gently pound each piece a bit flatter. Resist the urge to pound them super-flat with a meat bat or rolling pin. While it may be cathartic after a long day, it pounds the juices out of the meat and it’s too thin to get a good solid bite of crispy meat in the finished product.
