Pork and Pineapple Fried Rice

For those who read my blog, you might be wondering where the heck I have been. Did the holidays swallow me hole? Did I bake so much I never want to see a chocolate chip again?

The true reason from my c absence is ironic really. I have been eating take out and going to restaurants the past 2 weeks BECAUSE I love to cook so much. Because I spend more time in my teeny, tiny kitchen than any other room in the house, we finally decided to redo it! Truly my dream come true.

I always try to be positive. There are those without a kitchen, or kitchens smaller than mine (although I have yet to see them). But, the terrible, outdated countertops and dirty linoleum floor had annoyed me to the point of insanity. And although I will still have a small space for my hours of cooking, it will be a pretty space. Which, truly, is all I can ask for!

My dear brother-in-law (thank you, John!) and husband (thank you, Rob!) put in new, gorgeous ceramic tile while I was on a work trip,  then my husband and I put in new trim and threshholds, put in new hardware, painted the walls a beautiful neutral color, and now the kitchen is plugged back in and back in business (no more appliances in the dining room, thank goodness!). The final step is in the beginning of February – new granite countertops.

Instead of boring you with fragments of photos, I will wait until the renovation is complete so I can give full before and afters.

Before the demo of 2011 began, I got one last recipe in – leading the way for many nights of Chinese takeout.

I am actually embarrassed to admit that since I couldn’t find Chinese sausage (does anyone know where I can find it? Findley market perhaps?), I substituted lil’ smokies. Sad, I know, but I figured it would have the same smokiness that the Chinese sausage supposedly has.

Despite my desperate substitution, the dish was amazing! Make sure to use a wok and let the rice sit for a minute to get the crusty edges that will soon become your favorite part of the dish. This one is a quickie, and can be easily done on a weeknight. Thanks to Food & Wine for this home version of take out – much better than any takeout I have had (and now I am officially a connoisseur!).

So, hears to my kitchen being open once again, and a newer kitchen on the way!

PORK AND PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE
4-6 servings

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3 tablespoons canola oil
4 ounces ground pork
3 small Chinese sausages (5 ounces), thinly sliced
3 scallions, white parts minced and green parts sliced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 hot red chile, seeded and minced
4 cups cold cooked jasmine rice or other long-grain white rice
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup finely diced fresh pineapple

1. In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce with the hoisin and vinegar. Heat a wok or large skillet. Add the oil and heat until smoking. Add the pork and Chinese sausages and cook over high heat, stirring, until the pork is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the minced scallion whites, ginger, garlic and chile and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice, breaking up any lumps with your hands as you add it to the wok, and stir-fry until heated through and lightly browned in spots. Stir the hoisin-soy sauce, add it to the wok and stir-fry until nearly absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in the scallion greens, cilantro and pineapple. Transfer the fried rice to bowls and serve.

Peruvian Grilled Chicken (pollo a la brasa)

When I saw this recipe, I’ll be honest and admit I wasn’t sure exactly what Peruvian food entailed. Latin American, yes, but each country always has its own influence, its own specialty and its own regional cuisine. After my two weeks in Italy, I learned that even two regions in the same country are rarely alike.

So when I saw lime, cumin, paprika – I nodded my head. Sure, those all made sense. But then I saw soy sauce….huh? Apparently there are many large Japanese and Chinese communities in Peru, and hence they have influenced the cuisine. Seemed like an odd combination so I thought I would try it out.

I don’t know if it was the 24 hours in marinade, the slow cooking on the grill (you leave it on longer on the side without a burner on) or the flavorful combination of ingredients, but it is amazing! Very juicy, great taste, and a perfect, easy grilling meal. I served it with some Spanish beans and it made for an easy weeknight dinner (just don’t forget to throw it in the marinade the day before).

Thanks to Gourmet for this great keeper!

PERUVIAN GRILLED CHICKEN

Makes 2-4 servings

1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
5 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), quartered (or a package of chicken thighs, like I used)
Accompaniment: lime wedges

Marinate chicken:
Blend soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and oil in a blender.

Put chicken in a large sealable bag and add marinade. Seal bag and marinate, chilled, 8 to 24 hours.

Grill chicken:
If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom and lid of grill. Light a large chimney starter full of charcoal (preferably hardwood). When coals are lit, dump them out along opposite sides of bottom rack, leaving a space free of coals (the size of the quartered chicken) in middle. When you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill rack directly over coals for 3 to 4 seconds, coals will be medium-hot.

If using a gas grill, preheat all burners on high, then reduce heat to medium-high.

Discard marinade, then pat chicken dry. Oil grill rack, then grill chicken over area with no coals (or over a turned-off burner), skin side down first, covered, turning over once, until cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes (add charcoal to maintain heat).

Pork Tenderloin Stir-Fry with Tangerines and Chili Sauce

As you may know, I generally don’t make Asian food since it tends to be common restaurant food for my husband and I. But lately, I have realized that you can make some pretty great Asian food at home – not the same ambiance as our favorite little Thai restaurant, but great for a unique weeknight meal.

This recipe is from my favorite, Bon Appetit. There is something about the citrus and spicy chili sauce that gives it the perfect spicy-sweet combination. Make sure to get the red sweet chili sauce (often in your International food aisle) not the chili-garlic sauce that is a brown color. I almost made the mistake of thinking “it is about the same thing, right?” since I had chili-garlic on hand. But, when I ended up buying the sweet chili sauce and tasted it – wow, totally different sauce! Not saying it wouldn’t be potentially good with the chili-garlic, but it is out of this world with the sweet garlic!

PORK TENDERLOIN STIR-FRY WITH TANGERINES AND CHILI SAUCE
4 Servings

1 1 1/4-pound pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, then cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
4 small unpeeled tangerines or clementines, cut (with peel) into 3/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup Asian sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
6 baby bok choy, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick ribbons, tough bases discarded
5 green onions, thinly sliced on diagonal, divided

Place pork tenderloin strips in medium bowl; sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss with cornstarch to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced ginger; stir 30 seconds. Add pork tenderloin strips; stir-fry until pork is beginning to brown and is almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add tangerine pieces; toss 30 seconds. Add sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and Chinese five-spice powder; boil until sauce in skillet thickens slightly, tossing to blend, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil, bok choy, and half of sliced green onions. Stir-fry just until bok choy is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to bowl; sprinkle with remaining sliced green onions and serve.

Orange and Ginger Chicken

I am one of those people who rarely orders out what I can make at home, and rarely makes at home what I normally eat out. That being said, I don’t make as much Asian food as I should.

My husband and I frequent a great little Thai restaurant in our neighborhood almost every week – RuThais. It is one of those places you go where you feel as if you are just going to a friend’s for dinner. We went there on our first date, attended the owner’s baby shower and even stopped in for dinner after getting engaged (yes, they knew even before our friends). But besides the fact they are our friends, their food is fantastic. They make the best Thai food in the city, and we have to go almost every week to get our fix.

But, I decided to break out of my cooking rut and try an Asian dish at home, since Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Korean food are hands down my favorite. This recipe seemed simple enough, and it was fantastic. I love the kick of the red pepper flakes, so I added that touch to the recipe (but you could certainly omit if you wanted).

Thanks again to Bon Appetit for this one!

ORANGE AND GINGER CHICKEN
Serves 4

4 boneless chicken breast halves with skin
All purpose flour
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
Pinch of red pepper flakes

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; dust with flour. Melt butter with oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sauté until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate. Add ginger and red pepper flakes to skillet; stir 1 minute. Add brown sugar and mustard and stir to blend into drippings. Add orange juice and orange peel. Simmer until sauce is slightly reduced, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet. Simmer 3 minutes. Turn chicken over and add green onions. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thick enough to coat spoon, about 3 minutes longer. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Transfer chicken and sauce to platter.