Brazilian Feijoada

Due to an upcoming trip to a land of spit- roasted pig and beans, this Brazilian dish felt like a good precursor. It is pronounced fay-zwah-da (my Brazilian friend says it MUCH better than I do!) and is traditionally served on special occasions. Thanks to the lovely invention of the slow cooker, this dish was possible with little hands-on time on a weekend.

At first I was a bit skeptical. There were no spices other than salt and pepper – and just onions, chicken broth, garlic and meat/beans. I felt like it had the potential to be bland, until I realized you sear all the meat in bacon grease before putting it in the slow cooker, add a ham hock for flavor, and let them slow cook for a full 8 hours.

I am still unsure how this dish came from Cooking Light, but I will turn my head in denial because it is AMAZING. The flavor is so rich and comforting. I put orange juice in my rice (since you serve the dish with orange wedges) and it gave a good light citrus flavor to balance out the heaviness of the dish.

I have never been to Brazil, but this dish alone makes me want to take a trip immediately and have this dish in the land in which it was invented. If my slow cooker attempt was this good, I can only imagine what the real thing tastes like!

Bon Appetit!

BRAZILIAN FEIJOADA
Serves 8

2 cups dried black beans
4 slices applewood-smoked bacon
1 pound boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 bone-in beef short ribs, trimmed (about 2 pounds)
3 cups finely chopped onion (about 2 medium)
1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (9-ounce) smoked ham hock
1 tablespoon white vinegar
8 orange wedges

Place beans in a small saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil; cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Sprinkle pork evenly with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase heat to medium-high. Add pork to drippings in skillet; sauté 8 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Transfer pork to a 6-quart electric slow cooker. Sprinkle ribs evenly with 1/8 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add ribs to skillet; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Place ribs in slow cooker. Add drained beans, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, onion, and next 3 ingredients (through ham hock) to slow cooker, stirring to combine. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours or until beans and meat are tender.

Remove ribs from slow cooker; let stand 15 minutes. Remove meat from bones; shred meat with 2 forks. Discard bones. Discard ham hock. Return beef to slow cooker. (if your dish is like mine, the meat had already fallen off the bone and I could just shred in the slow cooker!).

Stir in vinegar and crumbled bacon. Serve with orange wedges and rice.

Pecan Lace Sandwich Cookies with Orange Buttercream

When I first made this recipe, I thought I had done it all wrong. The dough was barely existant (looked like enough for maybe 6 cookies), the texture was greasy and sticky (not like normal dough) and there were no levening ingredients (no eggs, baking soda, etc.). Then, when I read I was only to put 1 teaspoon of dough on the baking sheet per cookie I was certain this was destined for failure.

My fear was clearly unwarranted because I had never made a lace cookie before. Lace cookies are named for the lace-like holes in the cookie when they are baked. They are light, crisp and delicate, and require nothing to leven because they spread (and don’t worry, they really do spread!). So, when you know that what you think feels wrong is indeed right, these cookies are insanely simple to make!

The cookie is flavorful and crispy and the icing is amazing. You don’t need much icing to make them yummy – and too much might make them sickly sweet. Another word of advice is to make all the balls when the dough is warm. So, when you fill your cookie sheet and put it in the oven, roll up the remainder of the balls and place on a place so you have them ready to go before the dough hardens and gets tough to work with.

This is a great holiday recipe and looks so much more complex than it is to make.

So, when you are looking at your dough like you have done something wrong – trust in yourself and throw them in the oven. You too will be surprised to pull a delicious lace cookie out 11 minutes later!

Thanks to Bon Appetit for this one!

PECAN LACE SANDWICH COOKIES WITH ORANGE BUTTERCREAM
Makes about 18

Cookies:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup coarsely ground pecans (about 4 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon orange juice
3/4 teaspoon grated orange peel

For cookies:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir butter, sugar, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Add nuts and vanilla; stir to combine.

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until bubbling and lightly browned, about 11 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.

For filling:
Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth. Spread 1 teaspoon filling onto bottom of 1 cookie. Top with second cookie, bottom side down, pressing lightly to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container at room temperature.)

Pistachio Baklava with Orange-Cardamom Syrup

I have always had a fear of phyllo. It is thin, breakable and who REALLY knows how to use it?! No good could come of it, and it would only set me up for failure.

Although I realized this weekend, good CAN come of phyllo – baklava! My motto for cooking and baking is that the worst thing that can happen is take out, so I thought this Sunday I would attempt to make my first batch of baklava.

I will warn you, it isn’t a quick batch of cookies, hands on time was well over an hour, plus an hour of baking and an hour of cooling. But, it was one of those accomplishments I will remember – when I cut the diamonds, cooked it until it was golden and poured the syrup over top…it smelled of spicy goodness and I realized “my goodness, I just made baklava.”

So don’t be afraid, it can be done. Just a few tips: keep your phyllo moist with a wet paper towel while you work. Also, don’t worry if it breaks – just put it together best you can because when it bakes and is cut it really doesn’t matter. Last tip – be patient! The phyllo consists of 30 layers in this recipe and takes some time to assemble.

But, the result is probably the most amazing baklava I have ever had. The orange and cardamom with pistachio and cinnamon warms you inside and out, and the sugary syrup makes you feel like a kid. I will definitely be making this again.

Thanks to Bon Appetit for this recipe and the corresponding article that chronicles how Molly Wizenberg got over her “fear of phyllo.” It inspired me, so I hope it inspires you too!

PISTACHIO BAKLAVA WITH ORANGE-CARDAMOM SYRUP
Makes about 30

1 3/4 cups plus 8 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 1/4 cups fresh orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
12 ounces shelled pistachios, toasted (scant 3 cups)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
30 14×9-inch sheets fresh phyllo pastry or frozen, thawed (from one 16-ounce package)
Powdered sugar (optional)

Simmer 1 3/4 cups sugar and orange juice in saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil over medium heat until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes. Add cardamom. Cool syrup.

Place nuts and 2 tablespoons sugar in processor. Using on/off turns, process until most of nuts are finely ground (the largest pieces should be the size of small peas). Mix nuts, 6 tablespoons sugar, and cinnamon in medium bowl.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with some of melted butter. Place 1 phyllo sheet on bottom of dish. Brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat 9 more times with phyllo and melted butter. Sprinkle half of pistachio mixture (about 1 1/2 cups) evenly over phyllo. Place 1 phyllo sheet over nuts; brush lightly with butter. Repeat 9 more times with phyllo sheets and melted butter. Sprinkle remaining pistachio mixture evenly over. Place 1 phyllo sheet atop nuts; brush with butter. Repeat 9 more times with phyllo sheets and melted butter.

Using sharp knife, cut diagonally through top phyllo layer from top left corner to bottom right corner. Cut top layer of phyllo into 1-inch-wide rows parallel to both sides of first cut. Turn pan and cut rows about 2 1/4 inches wide, forming diamond pattern.

Bake baklava until golden brown and crisp, 50 to 55 minutes. Drizzle syrup evenly over hot baklava. Cool in pan on rack. Recut baklava along lines all the way through layers. DO AHEAD Baklava can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Sift powdered sugar over, if desired.

Pork Kebabs with Orange and Thyme with Toasted Bulgur with Almonds

Ever since I met Martha Stewart a few months ago, I have had a special affection for her recipes. I saw the test kitchen, showcasing the time and energy they put into each recipes to make every flavor just perfect. And, I saw Martha’s talent and knowledge about EVERYTHING related to food. Not to mention I have only tried one of her recipes to date, and it was quickly deemed “blog-worthy.”

So, last weekend when the weather was nice and we wanted to grill out, I turned to Martha for inspiration. We had just done chicken and I feel like we always do steak, so I was looking for an alternative. I can’t believe I am saying this, but I had never grilled pork kebabs before. Chicken – sure. Steak – of course. A pork tenderloin – sometimes. But, for some reason pork kebabs never crossed my mind…

There is something in the marinade of this dish that gives the pork an amazing flavor. The ingredients , mixed with the bulgur, have a middle-eastern/Mediterranean, fresh and summery feel. I would make these for a group in a heartbeat – they are fast (can marinate before company comes) and require only 10-12 minutes on the grill.

Thanks, Martha, for giving me another keeper for my blog and my recipe box. I am sure you will give me many more!

PORK KEBABS WITH THYME
Serves 4

1/4 cup fresh orange juice, plus 1 tablespoon freshly grated zest, and orange wedges for garnish
5 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh thyme, plus sprigs for garnish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

Whisk together orange juice and zest, garlic, thyme, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Whisking constantly, pour in oil in a slow, steady stream; whisk until emulsified. Add pork; toss to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let pork marinate 20 minutes at room temperature. While your pork is marinating, make sure to soak your wooden skewers in water so they don’t burn on your grill.

Heat a grill or grill pan until medium-hot. Thread 5 or 6 cubes of pork onto each of 4 skewers; season with salt and pepper. Discard marinade. Grill pork, turning occasionally, until cooked through and slightly charred, about 12 minutes. Garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve with orange wedges.

TOASTED BULGUR WITH ALMONDS
Serves 4

1 cup bulgur
3/4 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
1 whole cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
Coarse salt
1/2 cup salted roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bulgur, and toast, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir together toasted bulgur, stock, 3/4 cup water, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until all liquid is absorbed and bulgur is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Discard bay leaf and cinnamon stick (or, if desired, leave in as a garnish). Stir in almonds and oil; season with salt and pepper.

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.