Snow. Saturday Dinner, Docs and Surgery.

Saturday night and Sunday morning it snowed. Not as much as some places, but it gave us a good covering. Sunday afternoon it was sunny which means the snow we have won't last long. I suppose it's to do with Global Warming which some people think doesn't exist, but we certainly don't get the snow we used to.

I was planning to do a Steak Diane on Saturday, one of our favourites, I discovered, to my horror, I didn't have any mushrooms. I always have mushrooms. But not Saturday. I ended up making a dish called Steak à la Moutarde. Similar because it used cream and brandy. I will give you the recipe tomorrow.

Busy week this one. Foot nurse Tuesday, Urologist for Matt Wednesday, Family Doc for me on Thursday. Plus bowling of course. I have still not heard anything about vascular surgery so I will have to start making noises although I really don't want to go in, but I need to. I keep hearing stories from other people that the doctors don't care if you are older. I hope this is not the case at the moment.

So today you get two recipes for the price of one because the New York Times recommends not serving one without the other. And if you haven't burned your mouth off after these two recipes you have my admiration. I have a feeling I might cut back a tad on the hot peppers.

Haitian Pork Griot

Pork griot (pronounced gree-oh) is one of Haiti’s most loved dishes, and it’s easy to see why. Big chunks of pork shoulder are marinated in citrus and Scotch bonnet chiles, then simmered until very tender before being fried crisp and brown. This recipe departs from the traditional in that instead of frying the meat, it’s broiled. The pork still gets charred edges and bronzed surface, but broiling is easier and less messy to do. However feel free to fry if the skillet calls out to you. And do make the

traditional cabbage, carrot and chile pepper pickle called pikliz (pick-lees) for serving, which gives the rich meat just the right spicy-vinegar punch.

1 small Scotch bonnet or habanero chile
1 medium onion, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
¼ cup fresh chopped Italian parsley, more for serving
1 Tbs kosher salt, more to taste
1 Tbs coarsely ground black pepper
6 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more thyme leaves for serving
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ cup cane vinegar or cider vinegar
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
3 lbs pork shoulder, not too lean, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 Tbs coconut oil (melted) or olive oil, more as needed
Cooked rice, for serving
Pikliz, for serving (see recipe below)

1. Quarter the chile and remove the seeds and membranes. Finely chop one quarter; leave the rest in whole pieces. Handle pieces carefully, preferably while wearing gloves; they are extremely hot.

2. Transfer quartered and chopped chiles to a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid. Add onion, bell peppers, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme and garlic. Stir in vinegar, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice and Worcestershire sauce. Mix in pork. Cover pot and refrigerate overnight.

3. The next day, remove from refrigerator at least 1 hour and no more than 3 hours before cooking. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place pot over high heat and bring liquid to a simmer; cover and put pot in oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

4. Using a slotted spoon, remove meat from pot, allowing all excess liquid to drip back into the pot and picking any bits of vegetables or herbs off the meat. Transfer meat to a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle meat with 2 tablespoons oil and salt to taste, and toss gently to coat.

5. Strain braising liquid, discarding any solids. Return sauce to pot and simmer over high heat until reduced by about half, about 25 to 30 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Broil meat, tossing occasionally, until meat is evenly browned, about 5 to 10 minutes. You want it nicely browned in spots but not so brown that it dries out.

7. To serve, drizzle meat with additional oil and top with sauce, parsley and thyme leaves. Serve on a bed of rice with pikliz on the side.

Servings: 6
Source: New York Times

Pikliz

In Haiti, this spicy cabbage, carrot and chile-laced pickle, which is pronounced pick-lees, is traditionally served with rich meats and fried foods, like the pork dish griot. Its bright, fiery tang mitigates the heaviness and balances out the flavors. It’s also a wonderful condiment to serve with rice and beans, noodles, roast chicken, or other gently flavored dishes that need a little zipping up. Like most pickles, it will keep for weeks in the refrigerator. Make sure to take care when handling the

chiles; gloves are recommended here.

2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated (1 cup)
½ medium green, red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (1 cup)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
4 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, seeded and very thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 ¼ tsp kosher salt
12 black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
1 ½ cups cane vinegar, cider vinegar or white vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lime

1. Combine cabbage, onion, carrot, bell pepper, scallions, chiles, garlic, salt, peppercorns and cloves in a large bowl. Toss well.

2. Pack vegetables into a large (1 quart) jar with a tightfitting lid. Pour vinegar and lime juice over vegetables. Press down on vegetables if needed until they are completely submerged in liquid. Cover with lid and refrigerate for at least 3 days before opening. Stored covered in refrigerator, pikliz will last for at least 3 weeks, if not longer.

Yield: 1 quart

Source: The New York Times

Have a great day