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10 Legs in the Kitchen

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10 Legs in the Kitchen

Tag Archives: polenta

Pork (for Dad), Polenta (for Linda) & the Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree

22 Sunday Aug 2021

Posted by Stacey Bender in family gatherings, the kitchen

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

apple chutney, polenta, sous vide pork, Three Little Figs Puddletown Pub Chutney

I haven’t visited this space for awhile now and although I’ve had a lot to say, now is not the time to to say it all; I will however, say just enough.

I (we, actually) lost our father recently. I have two brothers and a step-brother, so I really can’t say it was just I who lost my father. My step-mother also lost her husband, of 34 years. Our extended family and many friends, lost a generous man, mentor, confidant, and dear friend.

I don’t feel the need to elaborate anymore on the specifics; they are private, and hard to relive. Certainly, at least hard to speak about here, a space where the focus is (primarily) food, but as it always takes a personal slant, as good a place to continue this journey as anywhere.

My father loved food. As do I (so the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree). Eating is a big part of (all of) our lives. Eating involves many things, such as sustenance, satisfaction, necessity, conversation, controversy, love, happinesses, losses, and so much more…

My dad loved eating. One of his favorite foods was pork. And banana cream pie, and chicken fried steak (I’m still not sure which he liked more), but that is another discussion.

Linda, his dear wife, my step-mother and friend, will eat pork, but, she prefers so many other things more; such as, any kind of vegetable, muesli, crab cakes, basted eggs, duck à l’orange, leg of lamb, and..yes, polenta. The first time I ate polenta was with her, during one of our first outings, just us two gals! We ate at a (then) new place in Pioneer Square called Carmine’s, owned by the late Carmine of Il Terrazzo Carmine’s, which was(and still resides) just across the street from the new place and a block east of my, at the time, loft.

I met Linda at the entrance after work, while Dad was in attendance of a ballgame at the old Kingdom (long before it was imploded). The brick arches, low light and casual air about Carmine’s was in stark contrast to the formality of it’s mothership across the street; a place known by those with old money and (some of) Italian decent. It is still favored by those in-the-know who have been in residence here for awhile. Even us without said old money or Italian heritage.

Linda and I were seated at a booth, down the narrow hallway toward the back, but still central to the fantastic chaos of casual kitchens. We both ordered wine, white wine is all I remember of that. Then the waiter, with dark hair and a thick mustache rambled out the specials of the evening. I had barely heard a thing when Linda said we would take the bruschetta. And so it was then, that I was first introduced to polenta. The special appetizer du jour: polenta bruschetta, which consisted of grilled bread, topped with grilled polenta and a smattering of cheese, surely a heavy dose of garlic, and perhaps herbs? To me at the time, it was a revelation. I wanted to know what this marvelous food was and how I could make it for myself. I have never replicated that bruschetta, but polenta has been in my repertoire ever since I was able to figure out the best way to make it (hint: proportions are critical, as are consistency and seasoning).  

Had Dad been dining with us, he would have asked that the bread be burnt. Dad liked his toast burnt, and the more burnt the better. I share this trait with him, but I am more of a timid toast burner, with tendencies toward the slightly-charred side of the spectrum, rather than the actual blackened end. Actually, had Dad been dining with us, he would have ordered the mussels to start and proceeded to eat each and every one, sopping up the sauce with (burnt) toast. He would have done this, all the while looking across the table at us as he made a crack or two about our plain, uncolored plate of polenta. He would have spoken in his light-hearted, sarcastic voice, right eye lit with a slight sparkle under his enormous eye brow, squinting disapprovingly, with just enough of a snicker at the end that let us know he was having a wonderful time. The waiter would arrive back and Dad would ask him to leave the pitcher of ice tea right before ordering a pork chop, double-cut and sauced in whatever it was sauced in, or served with at the time. To finish would be a monstrous dessert, especially if there was one on the menu with bananas, and especially if it was also accompanied by creme.

The coffee must be hot, the milk in it warmed, and if he were drinking that night, a long pour of whiskey, two pieces of ice and water, just so.

I raise my glass to Dad, and finish with a meal that he would have surely and thoroughly enjoyed, polenta and all.

In fond remembrance of G. Kent Edwards (aka: Dad, Father, Kent, Grandpa Kent, Friend), 1939 -2021 – Salute!

Let them eat banana creme cake!

Print

Sous Vide Pork Chop over Creamy Polenta, Puddletown Apple Chutney & a garnish of fresh herb salad

French for “under vacuum”, sous vide is a remarkable way to cook and an ironic way to describe my emotions at this moment. I know my father would have loved this pork; so tender, simple and delicious. A large, gregarious man with a huge appetite but simple tastes, this dinner would have made him rave (although, he might have preferred tater tots to polenta…talking to you brother Mark).

  • Author: Stacey Bender

Ingredients

Scale

PORK

(2) 1 inch thick boneless pork rib chops

1 tsp “Stacey’s Magic Mix” (aka: 1 part each Maldon’s sea salt, black pepper corn, coriander seed, cooked in a low oven temp until fragrant, grind fine)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 TB butter and 1 TB olive oil

Herbs (whatever you have fresh or none at all), chopped

POLENTA

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup corn meal (preferably…)

1 TB butter

1/2 tsp salt

2 cloves garlic, slightly crushed 

1/4 cup grated mozzarella (optional)

SALAD

Chopped fresh herbs and greens such as:

Baby kale

Thyme

Basil 

Arugula

Green onions

Tarragon (but Dad was not a fan of this herb)

Italian parsley

Instructions

Polenta

Bring the water, salt, butter & garlic to a simmer.  

In a slow stream, whisk in the cornmeal.

Turn the heat to low, continuously stirring until it thickens. Stir in the grated cheese and keep warm until serving.

Salad

Clean and chop enough for each plate to have just enough (this is a personal decision as to how much is needed).

PORK

Dry each chop with paper towel and sprinkle with the magic mix. It should evenly coat each chop but not saturate. Rub this in and let sit until you are ready to cook. As everyone who knows me knows, I am not one to hurry. Dad often ate well past his mealtime.

Heat a pan on high and add oil to just coat the bottom of the pan. Add the pork, turn the heat to medium and scatter the garlic over to sear (a minute or two).

Turn and turn off the heat. You might choose to lift the chops so as to sear the edges as well.  

Meanwhile, fill a stockpot with water, insert your Joule or other sous vide device and set heat to 144 degrees F.

Add the meat and juices to a sous vide bag, add a smidge of maple syrup and seal the bag, sealing out the air.  

Put the bag in the water and turn in the timer.

When done, remove from bag and pat meat dry. Sear in butter, slice and serve over polenta, alongside a nice apple chutney topped with the herb salad.

Notes

At a time like this, shortcuts are necessary and in this case, very welcome. Puddletown Pub Chutney is a chutney of apples, onions, coffee and beer (seriously). A perfect combination for many occasions, I think. It is delicious alongside this pork and polenta as well as many other things. Check it out, I don’t get paid for promoting anything here.

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10 Sunday Nov 2013

Posted by Stacey Bender in Ginger + Buddy, the kitchen

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

fennel, Icelandic lamb, Lamb shanks, polenta

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Buddy barks, walks to the kitchen and expects me to follow, each time he turns to retrieve me, he makes it one step less, back to the kitchen, before repeating. Tonight we have braised lamb shanks heating in the oven but it could have been seaweed, okay, not seaweed but surely something of lesser interest because he isn’t in a discerning state right now.

He is convinced he is hungry (all in his head) and notes I am taking a break. Actually he, more likely, suspects he has missed our dinner altogether, perhaps in between naps. Why else would I be so relaxed away from my post in the kitchen? It doesn’t matter that they have been sufficiently fed (both with raw bison, dry duck & potato kibble, not to mention the cruet bowl typical at happy hour).

They have been outside twice, sniffing, rummaging and doing their business in the yard. Two minutes ago they were angelically settled in on the couch as if they had already brushed their teeth and slipped into their footsies to watch a little show before bed. Stan Getz was serenading us from the HiFi as Tom and I caught a moment of pause; we were not quite ready to eat. Apparently too much time had lapsed between courses for Buddy though because nanoseconds after I had had this thought of angels, I heard the lil’ devil bark.

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Buddy has made it a new habit to use his voice in trying to get me to obey. It used to begin silently with Buddy at my feet, a tilt of his head, one ear cockeyed and eyes begging me to follow. Next came the sound of his toe nails scurrying to his bowl. Then back to my feet. A small squeak would escape in case I hadn’t noticed him as he ran back to the kitchen. When I don’t make a move, he returns, short stubby legs wobble beneath him as he musters the loudest plea he can make, then retreats once again. Tonight, he skipped to the end and went from sleeping to barking without all the foreplay but each time he retreats, he makes it one step less to the kitchen, as if in disbelief that I sit unmoving to appease him. Yet, I do always appease him, in the end.

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VERMOUTH BRAISED LAMB SHANK – alongside melted fennel, carrots and polenta

Growing up, lamb was my all time favorite thing which, I guess, is a little odd for a kid who was not a particularly good eater. Every year I look forward to Whole Foods bringing in Icelandic lamb; it is quite lean and has a clean, delicate flavor. I usually buy it every week until it is no longer available. For those that don’t like lamb, you should give this stuff a try and you might just be surprised to find that you like it after all. Do try to buy grass fed; If using a fattier lamb shank, you might need to de-fat the liquid that becomes the sauce.

INGREDIENTS

LAMB

Lamb shanks – 1 per person – this recipe will handle between 2-4. With a big enough pot and slight alterations to quantities, you could certainly do up to 8.
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper for seasoning
Dijon mustard – 1 tsp per shank
Flour for dredging
2 TB olive oil
1/2 cup vermouth to deglaze pan

1 sweet or yellow onion, sliced and cut in half – approximately 1 1/2 cups
1 cup diced carrots
A few fennel fronds and ends, trimmings from the fennel that will cook alongside the lamb
4 cloves garlic, chopped – you can certainly use more or less; I like to use more rather than less
1 jalapeño – cut in half, seeds and stem removed, course chopped
1 TB olive oil for sautéing

1 lemon cut in half
2 tomatoes (preferably from the vine) cut in half
1 – 1 1/2 cups white vermouth
1/2 – 1 cup veal, beef, lamb or chicken stock

VEGETABLES

Whole carrots – (2 or 3 per person), cut in half lengthwise
Fennel bulb – (1 per two people) trimmed of stems and frond, cored, cut in half lengthwise
sweet onions – (1 per person), skin removed, cut in half

POLENTA

1/2 cup corn meal (I use whole grain un-processed but any will work)
1 1/2 cups water or stock
2 tsp kosher salt
1 peeled garlic clove, peeled and slightly crushed
A pinch of sugar (if it is handy and you remember)
Cheese, shredded – approximately 1/4 cup (or as much as you like to bring the taste to your liking, cheddar is good in polenta but today I used crumbled goat cheese)

PREP

Season the lamb with salt and pepper. I actually use a meat seasoning that I make myself by roasting black pepper corns, coriander seeds and Malden sea salt and grinding them with a mortar & pestle. Rub the seasoning into the meat and then rub over the Dijon, massaging it in as you go.

20131110-100151.jpg

Heat a large, shallow Dutch oven over medium heat then add the oil, heating until it glides freely over the bottom of the pan. Dredge the lamb in flour and brown on all sides. It is important to let the lamb brown, undisturbed until it releases itself from the pan without tugging; this will be several minutes so be patient and make yourself useful doing other prep or relax with a glass of wine as you watch over it until it is ready to be turned. Repeat until all sides are brown.

Deglaze the pan with the vermouth. I really like this part. The liquid hits the pan with a large burst of noise and sets off an exciting puff of steam that makes my heart skip a beat thinking the pan will explode, yet before I can even finish this thought, it tames itself and threatens to disappear. You must work quickly to scrape the bits from the bottom of the pan, then transfer it to a plate, juices, bits and all.

Wipe the pan clean and repeat with the heat and the oil. Add the chopped onion, carrot, fennel fronds/stem, garlic and jalapeño. Work this around the pan over a medium low heat for about 10 minutes until the vegetables become somewhat tender.

20131110-100739.jpg

Squeeze in the juice from the lemon and add the rind into the pan. Toss in the tomatoes then pour over the vermouth and stock. Bring this to a simmer then put the lamb on top, pouring over any juices that pooled under the lamb.

Now you have a few choices: add the carrots fennel and onion halves now (which I am inclined to do), or wait until near the end of cooking time. Either way, you can remove them when they are cooked to the consistency you most prefer.

20131110-100953.jpg

I like to pull my carrots out before they become so soft that they can be mashed. I like leaving the onions and fennel in almost to the end so they are really meltingly soft, but I do pull them out after a few hours so they don’t melt into the liquid but rather still retain enough structure to hold themselves up on the plate. Sometimes I like to keep my fennel on the crisp-tender side. In this case 1/2 hour in the oven is all that is needed then a little time on it’s face in a pan of butter to caramelize the top; for purposes of today though, soft and silky.

COOK

I know, you are already cooking but up to this point I consider it still prepping because that was the do ahead part. Top the dutch oven with a lid and transfer it to a 300 degree oven. Keep your eye on the lamb; every now and again peek under the lid. You can baste the meat with the liquid or poke it around a bit.

Three hours (+/ -) it should be meltingly tender, so if your poking around reveals that this time table is on track, consider adding the fennel, carrots and onions 2 hours into it (if you didn’t do it up front). This will give you enough time to have them cook nicely but not melt away.

Remove the lid for the last hour so that the meat develops a nice color. Just keep your eye on it once in a while so you don’t lose all the liquid; add a little water, stock or vermouth if needed.

20131110-101627.jpg

Remove the pan from the oven and separate out the large vegetables and the lamb on a plate or shallow bowl. Put the cooking liquid (with chunks of diced vegetable) through a chinois (or use a strainer or food mill). Really press to squeeze all the flavor from the solids. This will be your sauce.

If making this the day before you plan to eat it, wait on the above step. Let the contents of the pan cool to room temperature instead, cover and store it in the fridge. If any fat has congealed on the top when you retrieve it the next day, scrape it with a spoon and discard. Put the whole pan in a 350 degree oven and let heat through, approximately a 1/2 hour. Now continue with the step above.

20131110-102847.jpg

TO MAKE THE POLENTA add all but the cornmeal and cheese to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and slowly whisk in the cornmeal in a steady stream. Once all the cornmeal is in the pan, use a stir spoon to stir it continuously until it thickens and pulls away from the side of the pan, usually 5-7 minutes. Stir in the cheese and season if needed.

I often make the polenta up to an hour before I am ready to serve just so I get it out of the way. I put it in my warming drawer but sitting over a double boiler works too, as does a reheat in the microwave; but with this option, a little added water is required.

PLATE

In warm pasta bowls, put down a spoon of polenta and place the lamb shank slightly askew. Tuck in the fennel and onion, a few carrots and spoon over a little sauce.

20131110-103929.jpg
And don’t forget to “throw a dog a bone” – carefully and with supervision.

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