Stuffed Pork Chops and Cloudberries
Finally! I did something with a pork chop other than cook it with pears and red onions! This time it was pistachios. And Stuffing. And Polenta. And Arugula.
I had leftover dressing from the other night, so I reworked it a bit. I added some chopped pistachios, a handful of mixed dried berries and raisins and made a deep slit into the chop. I stuffed it with the aforementioned dressing, rolled it in even more crushed pistachios, and into a 350° oven it went for about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, I made a creamy polenta with milk and leftover asiago cheese, and cooked up a bag of arugula in olive oil and a splash of lemon juice. Dinner took about 45 minutes to make. 35 minutes of that time were out of the kitchen doing other things...
Victor was in doing the cleanup (we have a great system; I cook, Victor cleans. Victor cooks, Victor cleans) and next thing I know, the mixer is mixing away. Victor is redirtying the kitchen - making a cream roll. I came in just in time to see him rolling the sponge cake in a powdered sugar sprinkled kitchen towel. It cooled quickly (it's winter. House is not that warm.) He took cloudberry preserves and whipped it into heavy cream for a great light filling.
It was light, it was rich, it was decadent and sooo flavorful.
And he cleaned up the kitchen, again.
Family Fun
It started with an innocent phone conversation... Who wants to get together after Christmas? Every year - except last - we've had a family Christmas with some of Victor's cousins a week or so after Christmas. What used to be just the Martorano's and the Rinaldi's grew this year to include the Peditto's, as well as the eldest surviving Monaco. 40 people, give or take. What a blast we had!
The emails started flying - who could make it, who couldn't. Emails saying we're coming even if you don't invite us... (Actually, we didn't officially invite anyone except Uncle Victor and Aunt Lonnie.) Usually for these things we do all the cooking. Both of us really enjoy doing it. Cooking for 40 is infinitely easier than cooking for 4. Really. However, this time it was suggested that we pot-luck it a bit to try and give us a bit of a break. One said they'd bring this, another that... Ideas and recipes were burning up the internet. Now... it's not that I'm a total control-freak or anything (okay, I am, but that's another story for another time) but the thought of having people to my home and having said people bring the food frightens me. What if there's not enough?
I mean, I can see it happening... Everyone getting into their cars and heading off to the closest fast-fooderie saying "Can you believe it?!? They didn't have enough food..."
Okay... so I'm neurotic. But no one ever leaves our house hungry! Ever. It's a rule.
Naturaly, I had no reason to fear... We had food. Did we ever have food... We made meatballs and sauce (excuse me... gravy) as well as sausage with onions and peppers, baked ziti, and a big ol' salad. And then the food started arriving... Hot crab dip with homemade Italian bread toast. Bags and boxes of chips, crackers, dips and tapenades. An antipasto tray of every conceivable Italian meat, marinated mozzarella, roasted peppers, stuffed hot peppers... Platters of vegetables and tapenades... A half-dozen different breads and rolls... And sangria, and wines, and beer, and sodas of every flavor...
And desserts...
It was Steve's birthday a few days back, so - because he specifiically said no birthday cake - we got him a birthday cake. Well - his sister did. From an Italian bakery in North Jersey. It was a Napoleon cake. Layer after layer of flaky dough filled with a rich cream filling and topped with a silky fondant-type icing... OMG! Leah made a Cranberry Pear pie with a crumb topping that was fantastic. Aunt Lonnie brought pumpkin and apple pies from her favorite Philly bakery, and Joanna brought her famous wedding rings - that 8 year old Elizabeth made! Plus brownies and, and... I'm drawing a blank. I know there was more...
My fear of not enough food were unfounded, of course. We had more food than many small emerging nations. We started pulling out the tupperware to make doggie bags for everyone to take home. and still saving lots and lots for us!
It was just so much fun sitting around and talking with everyone, laughing and joking, talking politics, andjust enjoying being with one another... It's what family is all about.
And just think - in less than 3 weeks we get to fly to San Francisco and do it all with my family to celebrate Pop's 84th birthday! Definitely what family is all about!
Thanksgiving Dinner
We're rapidly approaching my almost most favorite holiday! I love Thanksgiving - a day devoted to family and food. Especially food!
Thanksgiving is our holiday. Christmas is in North Jersey with Victor's sister, and Easter is down the road with his brother. So - we have to make a big deal out of it. (Of course, big deal is all relative - we never, ever lack for food in this house!) And it's a day to cook from scratch. No premade turkey from Boston Market and pies from Costco. This is the ultimate sharing of food with the family day. And that means fresh. Yes, it takes time, and since I'm working right up to Thanksgiving day, I shall have to organize well. It is so worth it.
I've been slackin' this year. Usually by this time I have planned the menu, made the excel spreadsheet with menus, recipes, shopping lists, etc. I finally figured out the menu a few minutes ago. I don't necessarily have recipes together, but at least I now know what we'll be serving - more or less. I am really, really trying to cook less this year. We always have an obscene amount of food - and leftovers - literally - for days. Wish me luck.
The menu itself is fairly traditional. There are certain things that are here every year: Roast Turkey - not brined - with gallons of gravy, Nonna's stuffing, Marie's Sweet Potatoes, and that one can of sliced jellied cranberry sauce in my mom's little crystal dish that she served it in every year. I'm adding the Pumpkin Polenta this year, the hors d'oeuvres always change, and other than Pumpkin Pie, the desserts are what I feel like doing. The two fruitcakes were made last month and are sitting in the basement. I just added more brandy.
(Just back from the Farmer's Market with a few additions to the menu!)
Hors d'oeuvres:
- Baked Brie
- Brie Fondue
- Cheeses and Salami with Asst Breads and Crackers
- Puff Pastry Cranberry and Cheese
- Pumpkin Wontons
The Dinner:
- 32+ lb Turkey
- Gravy
- Nonna's Stuffing
- Apricot Walnut (or Pecan) Stuffing
- Mashed Potatoes
- Pumpkin Polenta
- Marie's Sweet Potatoes
- Candied Sweet potatoes
- Green Beans
- Fresh shelled Peas with Butter
- Green Salad with Pumpkin Dressing
- Marie's Cranberry Relish
- Triple Cranberry Sauce
- Canned Cranberry Sauce (one can for sentimental reasons)
- Pumpkin Rolls
- Cranberry Butter
Desserts:
- Pumpkin Pie
- Eggnog Pie
- Eliza's Buttermilk Pie
- Pecan Cranberry Tart
- Apricot Macadamia Nut Fruitcake
- Traditional Fruitcake
If I can keep the amounts in check, I think we'll be fine.
Okay, scratch that last sentence. I keep adding things. We're going to have a lot of food. Oh well.
Italian Bread Salad and Tuna and Cannellini Beans
Okay... it's been a bit hot outside. Too hot to do any serious cooking, but never too hot to eat! Even though the A/C is running and the house is comfortable, I just haven't been in the mood for anything too heavy. We decided to do an Italian Bread salad at work this week. We have these REALLY good roasted red tomatoes that are just perfect for anything! Even though I've consumed more than my share of it there, decided I wanted to make it at home, too. It's yummy! The basic recipe is:
- 1 container Roasted Red Tomatoes
- 1 jar Marinated Artichokes
- 1/2 container Perlini Mozzarella
- 2 cups cubed Artisan Italian Bread
Mix tomatoes (undrained) with artichokes (drained) perlini mozzarella (drained) with the cubed Italian bread in an attractive serving bowl. Eat. That's it! No muss, no fuss!
At home, I added red onion and roasted red peppers because, well... I wanted to.
And then Victor made the most yummy Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad to go along with it! Talk about gastronomic heaven!
- 1 can Tonno tuna packed in oil
- olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 4 tsp chopped fresh sage
- 1 can cannellini bans, drained
Drain oil from tuna into medium bowl. Add enough olive oil to measure 3 tbsp total. Add vinegar. Add onion, parsley and sage. Mix in beans and tuna. Season with salt and pepper.
We served it on thick slices of toasted Italian bread. Damn, it was good! The herbs were fresh from the garden, the bread fresh and lightly toasted... Simple flavors... Ya can't beat it!