November 3, 2014 - Radio Kitchen - Liberty Delight Farm
As I prowl up and down the aisles of my favorite markets, I start to cook up ideas for the week's coming dinners. In this season of squash and beets and cabbage, I keep turning to pork as my protein of choice. One of my all-time favorite meat guys paid a visit to Radio Kitchen: Shane Hughes of Liberty Delight Farms.
Shane keeps herds of cattle and hogs as well as a hutch of rabbits and a flock of chickens, all of which he brings to market (look for Liberty Delight Farm at the Saturday Waverly market in Baltimore). Here are a few recipes that used pork and our good Maryland autumn vegetables.
Roast Pork and Autumn Root Vegetables
2 fennel bulbs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 small onions
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
4 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled rutabaga
16 baby carrots (about 3/4 pound)
1 (2 1/4-pound) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Trim stalks from fennel; discard. Cut each fennel bulb into 8 wedges. Peel onions, leaving root intact; cut each onion into 8 wedges.
3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fennel and onion; sauté 8 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Remove from pan. Add remaining oil, rutabaga, and carrots to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently.
4. Place pork on a rack coated with cooking spray; place rack in a shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle pork with sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Arrange vegetables around pork; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink).
5. Remove pork and vegetables from pan; cover loosely with foil. Remove rack. Place pan over medium heat; stir in broth, wine, and mustard, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over the pork and vegetables.
Pork Braised with Autumn Vegetables
3 tbs butter
2 pork tenderloins (about 2 pounds) marinated in mustard vingegar sauce, each cut crosswise into three pieces
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
3 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1" cubes
1 cup petit white onions, with skins removed
1 cup tart red apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1" pieces
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) low sodium chicken broth
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
2 tbs chopped fresh English thyme
3 tbs Dijon mustard
1. Melt butter in large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; brown on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Add parsnips, squash, onions, broth, and thyme; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until pork is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer pork to plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
2. Continue simmering, uncovered, until vegetables are tender and liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes longer. Stir mustard into sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cut pork diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve with sauce and vegetables.
Autumn Pork and Vegetable Stew
Salt and pepper
6 tbs olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, diced
4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 tart, firm apples, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
2 tbs minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 bottle of your favorite beer
2 tbs brown sugar
cooked broad egg noodles
1. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the pork well in batches. Remove to a bowl.
2. Wipe casserole clean and heat the remaining oil over low heat. Add onions, carrots, and apples. Stir until softened, 10 minutes, adding the garlic in the last 3 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients except noodles. Return pork and any juices to the casserole.
3. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring, until the meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Discard bay leaf; adjust seasonings. Serve over egg noodles in shallow bowls.
