At last weekend’s New York Culinary Experience, Spotted Pig chef April Bloomfield taught a class called PORK. Watch the video and see how she roasts, stews, and sauces different cuts of meat. Then check out the full lineup of recipes for the class, below.
Roasted Pork Loin w/Roasted Vegetables & Spicy Tomato Sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the Roast Pork
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons Maldon sea salt
3 tablespoons fennel seeds (freshly grinded)
5 ½ lbs pork loin with skin and bone (skin scored)
For the Roasted Vegetables
½ cup olive oil
4 medium carrots (peeled, topped, and tailed)
2 medium fennel (outer layer taken off and quartered)
1 large red onion (root left on and quartered)
For the Aromatic Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red chili (whole and pierced with a knife, this will prevent explosion)
300 g chopped tin tomatoes
1½ tablespoon coriander freshly ground
¼ stick small stick of cinnamon
7 garlic cloves with the germs taken out
2 teaspoons salt
Procedure
For the Roast Pork
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Season scored pork skin with salt and fennel powder, then use what falls off to season sides, ribs, and base of loin.
3. Allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
4. Place in a pan and drizzle 3 Tablespoon olive oil over skin and place in oven.
5. Cook until internal temperature is 150ºF ~ 90 min.
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing or serving. (I like my pork pink; 150ºF is a temperature that is well done. If you prefer pinker pork, take out when you consider it to your liking.)
For the Roasted Vegetables
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Heat oil gently in a pan until lightly smoking; add carrots, fennel, and onions.
3. Fry vegetables until golden brown on all sides and turn off heat.
4. Sprinkle with salt and then place in oven and cook until soft ~ 25 min.
5. Place on a family style platter or arrange on a plate in any way that takes your fancy. When turning the vegetables handle with care as they might break up a little.
For the Aromatic Tomato Sauce
1. Place oil in appropriate size pan and lightly heat.
2. Add chili and garlic, fry until golden brown.
3. Add coriander and fry for a second more.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and salt; stir and turn down heat.
5. Cook for 15 minutes on low until slightly thick and holds itself.
Pork Hock & Apple Soup
Serves 4 (Hearty Servings)
Ingredients
For Ham and Stock
1 ½ lbs Brined Ham Hock
3 quarts water
2 ¾ cups cider
1 bay leaf
4 peppercorns
For Soup
½ cup olive oil
5 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch dice
7 medium parsnips, cut into 1-inch dice
3 onions, white or Spanish, cut into 1-inch dice
1 ½ lbs potatoes, 1 inch dice
1 head garlic peeled
2 tablespoons salt
3 apples, 1-inch dice
2 tablespoons mustard
Procedure
For the Ham & Stock
1. In large stockpot combine ham hock water, and cider.
2. Simmer for about 3.5 hours or until meat is tender and falling off bone.
3. Remove ham hock pick meat off the bone and reserve.
4. Reserve cooking liquid, you should have about 2 quarts of cooking liquid. If less, top off with water to reach 2 quarts.
For Service
1. Heat olive oil in large heavy pot.
2. Add carrots, parsnips, garlic, and onions and cook until golden brown and soft. This will take around 35-40 minutes. Try and concentrate your vegetables by cooking them low and slow. This will help develop sweetness and complexity.
3. Add salt, potatoes and apples. Cook until potatoes are soft.
4. Add ham and reserved liquid and cook for 20 minutes on low until vegetables are broken down. This will help thicken the soup.
5. Add mustard and season to taste.
6. Finish with drizzle of olive oil in each serving bowl.
Pork and Veal Meatballs with Swiss Chard & Tomatoes
Serves 4
Ingredients
For Meatballs
1 ½ lbs Ground Pork, ground extra fine
1 ½ lbs Ground Veal, ground extra fine
½ lb extra fine bread crumbs
2 ½ tablespoons Maldon Sea Salt
¼ cups Parmesan (optional)
½ cups flat leaf parsley (rough chopped)
For Sauce
1 garlic head, peeled and cut into rustic chunks
1.35 lbs tinned tomatoes, drained with eyes removed and unwanted skin discarded
¼ cups olive oil
1 bunch chard, washed and dried (stalk and leaves separated)
2 tablespoons Maldon Sea Salt
2 teaspoons ground chili
1 ½ quarts of water
½ cup flat leaf parsley (rough chopped)
Procedure
For Meatballs
1. Place meat, breadcrumbs, salt and parsley in large bowl and mix well until uniform in texture and combined evenly.
2. Divide into 2 oz balls and roll between clean hands until smooth on outside.
3. Place on a tray and refrigerate until needed.
For Sauce
1. Heat oil in pan on medium heat.
2. Sauté garlic until brown. Remove garlic with slotted spoon and reserve for later use
3. Slice chard stalks and add to oil. Cook until tender and brown, stirring occasionally.
4. Add chopped tomatoes along with browned garlic and cook 20 minutes until thick and the bottom of the pan starts to brown slightly. Turn off heat.
5. In a clean sauce pan, add 1½ qt water and 2 tablespoons of salt. Blanch leaves for 5 minutes (reserve blanching water). Remove leaves and allow to cool on tray.
6. Add reserved blanching water to tomato and stir.
7. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
8. Gently drop in meatballs and simmer for 20 minutes.
9. Add blanched chard leaves and cook for another 10 minutes.
10. Finish with remaining parsley and extra chili (optional for those who prefer spice).
Note: All the ingredients in this dish should look at one with each other. A happy blend of pork and veal meatballs melded with the lemony and earthy chard.
