chicken broth

How to Use Stolen Plums to Make Caramelized Chestnuts & Brussels Sprouts

16 Nov 2011
Caramelized Chestnuts & Brussels Sprouts

This Is Just to Say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

Why would I start a post about Caramelized Chestnuts & Brussels Sprouts in a Cider Vinegar Glaze with a William Carlos Williams poem about stealing plums?

Well because I am a part of a group of people who relish in stealing metaphorical plums whenever and wherever we can. And like the plum thief in the these lines above, we are not really sorry when we do. Because it satisfies something in us. Something about us. I feel lucky to know these people. But if it weren't for our shared love of the symbolic plum, we may never have met. And if it weren't for the internet we may have never known the bond we share. The bond that makes us an extended family.

So how does a group of people like this celebrate the plummiest Holiday of them all– Thanksgiving?

Well, with our mouths wide open of course. Because open mouths lead to open hearts. So I was happy to share a little pre-holiday food love with my second family of online plum lovers. We got together to make and share a pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving meal. We did it partly to bring you Holiday inspiration. But we gathered together mostly because the ripe plums, "so sweet and so cold", compelled us to.

So make the jump and check out the meal we brought to our Thanksgiving table. Because we hope you are inspired to steal a few plums yourself. GREG

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Caramelized Chestnuts & Brussels Sprouts in a Cider Vinegar Glaze

Brussels Sprouts and Chestnuts
By jgreghenry Published November 10, 2011
Prep time: 20
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb fresh chestnuts
  • 4 T unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 2 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
  • 1 pn each kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 c cider vinegar
  • 0.25 c granulated sugar
  • 0.25 c chicken stock

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Using a paring knife or a chestnut knife, cut a large X into the shell of each chestnut on one side. Arrange on a baking pan in a single layer, cut side up. Roast until flesh is tender, and the peels begin to open, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven.

Using gloved hands if necessary, immediately remove and discard shells from still warm chestnuts, keeping chestnuts whole if possible. Set chestnuts aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter with the oil in a large saute pan set over medium-high heat. Add Brussels sprouts cut sides down; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, shaking the pan once in a while, and turning them over once or twice until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Add roasted chestnuts. Cook, gently stirring occasionally, until Brussels sprouts are tender and spotted deep brown, about 15 minutes.They may be made ahead to this point and kept aside at room temperature for several hours. Do not refrigerate or they will get mushy.

Just before serving. Add vinegar, sugar, remaining butter cut into small pieces and stock. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid has been reduced to a syrup and the vegetables are nicely glazed, 5 or 6 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, and serve.

Source: Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Choosing a Cut That's High on the Hog- Braised Pork Sirloin

26 Sep 2011
Braised Pork Sirloin with Tomatoes, White Beans & Sage

OMG. I have a simple and satisfying meal. It perfectly bridges the season between summer and autumn. Braised Pork Sirloin with Tomatoes, White Beans & Sage. Sounds delicious and seasonal, right? But it also offers me an opportunity to discuss something I have not talked about in almost three years of writing this blog. Which is shocking to me. I mean how can there be any virgin territory in three years of blogging.

And I don't mean pork. This ex-virgin has been porked. In fact the word pork appears in 141 posts. That's is out of almost 700 posts. That's a pretty strong pork ratio. Oink. Oink! Wink, Wink!

No the subject I seem to have missed is talking about the myriad of pork cuts. Which is a bit shocking. I mean I have read Fergus Henderson's The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating. I have even eaten nose and tail. My last post was jowl. But truth be told. Snout thru jowl to tail is fun information. But I suspect lots of us could use a bit of briefing on the more common cuts of the pig.

Seems like a good idea, but here I am three paragraphs into this post and I realize there is no freakin' way. There are just too many cuts of pork. I can't possibly discuss them all without you wanting to butcher me! Take ribs. Pork back ribs = pork backribs = pork country back bones = pork loin back ribs = pork ribs for barbecue = Canadian pork back ribs. These are all just different names for pork baby back ribs. All those names and I am not even including spare ribs!!

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Braised Pork Sirloin with Tomatoes, White Beans & Sage

braised pork with tomatoes and white beans
By jgreghenry Published September 26, 2011
Prep time: 45
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 2 T olive oil
  • 0 salt & pepper, as needed
  • 2 pork sirloin steaks, about 1.5" thick
  • 2 clv garlic, peeled & sliced
  • 1 large onion, halved and sliced into slivers
  • 1 lb whole cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1 cn white beans, drained & rinsed
  • 2 T sage leaves, sliced, plus more for garnish
  • 1 c chicken broth, or as needed

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Season the pork sirloin steaks well with salt and pepper. Sear them in the skillet on both sides until well browned. Transfer to a platter, and keep warm.

Reduce skillet heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the garlic slices; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion and continue cooking until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they begin to pop, about 6 minutes. Stir in the white beans and sage leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Return the pork chops to the skillet, adding enough broth to come about 1/4 of the way up the side of the skillet. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes. Remove cover, adjust seasoning, and continue cooking 15 minutes, or to desired doneness.

Remove meat from skillet and let it rest about 4 minutes. Reduce the liquid in the beans, tomatoes and onions if desired. Pour the bean mixture onto a serving platter, topping it with the pork sirloins. Garnish with additional chopped sage and serve warm.

Notes:

Substitutes: pork tenderloin (slice medallions from it) or pork sirloin chop

Visit Norway- Cold Beet & Fennel Soup with Norwegian Snøfrisk Cheese

23 Jul 2011
Chilled Beet & Fennel Soup with Snøfrisk

I don't know what to say. I have been writing lately about my trip to Norway. I had a great time. The people I met and places I saw were beautiful. It's a quiet peaceful country.

But yesterday unspeakable violence came to Norway. I can't understand why and I am sure you cannot either.

I watch the news and my heart aches. I think to myself. Why? How? Why? But because I have been relating my experiences in Norway these past few days I feel the need to do something. Or say something.

But how do you respond on an act of evil?

A blog can be a lot of things. A blog can be informative and it can be entertaining. But first most a blog is a way for one person to express himself in just the way he chooses. It's not always easy and I don't always do it or say it just right. Sometimes I wonder why? Why do it at all?

I don't have the answer and soup won't fix it, but cooking is what I do.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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