Honey Chipotle Meatballs - Three Ways

I'm calling this recipe Honey Chipotle Meatballs - Three Ways because I'm showing you how you can make this recipe using three different cooking methods.

Why three methods?
1) Sometimes you might want to grill
2) Sometimes you might want to grill but it's raining or it's snowing or it's just to darn hot (especially if it is summer and you are in Florida) so you can't grill but you can use your broiler and kind of get the same effect
3) Sometimes you don't want to grill or broil but you crave the taste! So I am providing a stove top method.

None of the methods is any better than the other, it is quite subjective as to what you do or don't want to do ...  or rather what method you want to use to cook the meal.

Now, I will say the sauce is damn good on just about anything you want to put it on.  It has enough heat and sweet that even folks who usually don't tolerate heat will enjoy it.

The meatball recipe on its own is delicious and produces a tender, moist meatball.  The cream and grated onion add that extra moisture the meatball needs to keep it from becoming a golf ball. No one wants to eat a golf ball, at least not anyone I know does.

The bacon imparts a deep, rich smokiness and my secret ingredient not only provides warm color, it also adds depth to the overall flavor. The meatballs are comprised of beef, pork and chorizo (sausage) - yes, that is a lot of flavor going on and it works beautifully.

Give it a try all three ways and let me know which is your favorite.


Honey Chipotle Sauce
1/2 cup honey
1 - 2 tablespoons chipotle chilies in  adobo (or to taste)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (unsweetened) - warning this is the secret ingredient
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, process until smooth.  You can make this a few days ahead.

For the Meatballs
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup white bread cubed
4-6 slices applewood smoked bacon
1 cup grated onion
1 heaping tablespoon garlic
1/2 - 1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo, finely chopped (remove seeds)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (unsweetened) - warning this is the secret ingredient
1 teaspoon of oregano - preferably the Mexican variety
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup of beer (drink the rest!)
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/4 pound ground chorizo (I use Spanish chorizo but you can substitute with Mexican or regular sausage)
1/4 cup cilantro
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak the bread in the cream in a large bowl
2. Cook bacon in a large skillet, Once crispy move to a rack with paper towel underneath to drain. Once cooled crumble and set aside.
3. Leave about 1-2 tablespoons of bacon fat in skillet, cook onions, garlic, cocoa, oregano, cumin and chiptole over medium heat until onion is softened.  Add the beer to deglaze the pan, stirring until all liquid has evaporated.
4. Stir  onion and spice mixture into bread and cream mixture, allow to cool to handle
5. Add beef, pork and chorizo, cilantro, bacon, egg, salt and pepper to the bowl. 
6. Mix all the ingredient by hand, Do not overwork the mixture.

You can prepare the meatballs a day ahead and keep in fridge to ready to cook in one of the three ways that follow below.

Now to Cook it Three Different Ways:

If you are using the first and second method -  first do this. Using a tablespoon to measure, roll  meatballs in the palm of your hand and thread  3-4 on to wooden* or metal skewers.

First Method:

Brush meatballs with Honey Chipotle Sauce and broil about 4 inches from heat until browned and well cooked about 8-10 minutes.

You can find a grill topper like the
one above at Bed Bath & Beyond

Second Method:

You can grill them over medium heat on your gas or charcoal grill - just take care to not move them or they will fall apart. You can use one a rectangular grill topper  (like the one in the picture)
to keep them from falling through the grates. Don't forget to brush with the sauce as you grill.

Third Method:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• Honey Chipotle Sauce

Using a tablespoon to measure, roll  meatballs in the palm of your hand, set each one on a sheet of wax paper until all the meat is used up.  Heat a skillet with one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add meatballs and brown meatballs.  Lower heat to keep from over browning, if needed. Deglaze the pan by adding in the wine, stir to scrape up the brown bits from pan then add in the honey Chipotle Sauce, Stir well, let it come up to a low boil and lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook 10-15 minutes.

Serve with  my Sweet and Savory Roasted and Grilled Corn on the Cob, hot corn tortillas, Nicaraguan Cabbage Slaw (or Ensalada de Repollo Nica) and beer! Cheers!

* If you are using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes prior to use to keep them from burning on the grill.

Lemon-Garlic Bucatini and Panchetta

Pasta ... who doesn't love it?

You know what my favorite pasta is? Bucatini!
If you've never had it, it looks like spaghetti, except it's thicker and has a hole running right through it from end to end.

And you know what that means right? Sauce gets in there, so there's sauce a inside and out. Now tell me that doesn't sound divinely delicious.

Now add panchetta (Italian "bacon" - unsmoked pork belly), garlic, cream, lemon and cheese. Lots of yummy, salty, nutty Parmesan cheese. Oh goodness, I want to get into the kitchen and make this again, it's so good!

So easy to make and the entire meal comes together in under 30 minutes. Thirty minutes to the tang of lemon, the nuttiness of Parm and the slurp of the bucatini.

If you want to jazz it up a little, add a pound of shrimp when you get to step 4. Shrimp and panchetta really play nicely together. I think you'll like it.

Round the meal out with a salad, garlic bread and your favorite wine and you are set.

Leftovers, yeah, even better the next day.  Add a splash of cream when you heat it up to loosen it up, and sprinkle with Parm. Lunch anyone?

Serves 2 - 4

• 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 8oz panchetta - diced
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic (or more to taste)
• zest of one lemon, thinly sliced (set aside a few strands
• Juice of one lemon
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg -  beaten
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 cups fresh, grated Parmesan cheese (no canned cheese - please) reserve 1/2 cup for sprinkling over each serving
• 1 pound cooked bucatini
• Palm full of Italian parsley, chopped 

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and panchetta.
2. Saute panchetta until crispy, stirring often
3. Lower heat to medium-low
4. Add 1/2 tablespoon oil followed by the garlic and lemon zest - stirring continuously to avoid burning. Cook 2-3 minutes.
5. Stir in cream and egg, stirring continuously cook till almost bubbling
6. Briskly stir in wine to incorporate into cream mixture
7. Add 1 cup of Parmesan, the bucatini and parsley, stir well to distribute throughout.
8. Top with chopped parsley, stir well.

Serve into deep bowl, top each with additional Parmesan and enjoy!

Kielbasa with White Beans and Tarragon

Lately, I have been experimenting with kielbasa in my cooking and I have to say it is delicious! Like sausage, it is easy to cook with, and is versatile in that you can pair with just about anything: rice, pasta, beans, pita, wraps, vegetables and more. You can saute it, grill it, broil it! It cooks up quickly and doesn't dry out. In this recipe I sauted the kielbasa. It is ok for it to char a bit; it'll taste just as good with a little extra crunch. You can easily switch the kielbasa with any sausage you like if you want to change it up or if you do not like kielbasa. This recipe cooks up in 30 minutes or less, which of course  makes it a wonderful weeknight meal! My boyfriend had seconds...that is how delicious my Kielbasa with White Beans and Taragon was!

Recipe:
1lb Kielbasa, sliced in discs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
salt and pepper
1 15 oz can white beans, rinsed (like great northerns or cannellini)
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 tablespoon tarragon

1. In a saute pan, heat oil on medium heat and cook the kielbasa. Cook on each side until browned or to taste turning over to brown both sides, about 10 minutes. Set kielbasa aside on a plate.

2. In the same saute pan (you may need to add more oil), add the onion, carrots, salt and pepper (to taste) and cook, stirring constantly, until soft, about 8 minutes.

3. Add the wine and beans, simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the kielbasa and tarragon. Serve and enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana on Wednesdays with Eryka

Last Monday my boyfriend was sick. I wanted to make him a soup but I did not want to make the traditional chicken noodle soup. It clicked in my head that his favorite soup is Zuppa Toscana so I decided to make him just that. It is a heartier soup than chicken noodle and much more filling. I researched the recipe and made my adaptation of this popular recipe. You could use spinach instead of kale if you choose, just be aware that it tends to wilt and get soggy, while kale holds up very well in the soup. You could also choose to use hot Italian sausage to add a little kick. The boyfriend ate seconds and for the time being made him feel a lot better. Nothing beats a home made soup to soothe the soul or a cold!

Serves 4-6

2 TBS olive oil
1lb Italian sausage
2 russet potatoes, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1 onion, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
16 oz chicken broth
1 qt water
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups kale

1. Slice the casing open of the sausage and crumb into a medium heat pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook sausage through until browned. Set aside once done.

2. Add another table spoon of olive oil to the pan and cook onion until soft. Add the garlic; cook for about 2 minutes to not let it burn. Add the sausage back into the pan. Stir everything together and cook for about 1 minute to combine flavors. Spalsh white wine into the pan to deglaze.

3.Add the chicken broth, water, wine and potatoes to the pot. Stir everything to together, bring to a boil and cook on medium until the potatoes are ready (soft when poked with a fork/knife).

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Add the cream and kale, stir to combine. Heat for about 5 minutes to warm the kale and soften. Serve in a bowl with a side of bread. Enyoy!

Pork Chops in Dijon-Mushroom Wine Sauce

I know it's summer and it's grilling season and generally that calls for "lighter" foods.

But sometimes, in-spite of the season, you just crave some comfort food. Something warm and homey.

And that's exactly how I felt this week.  I wanted - no I craved- a creamy sauce, some mushrooms, bright green peas, white wine (to cook with and drink) smothering tender, juicy chops.

That craving resulted in my Pork Chops in Dijon-Mushroom Sauce.

Craving conquered, Hub declared his usual "this s*** is good", the highest honor ever, and I was a happy camper.

Serves 4

1-1/2 pounds boneless pork loin chops, thin cut - about 1/2" thick
Brine solution: 3 tablespoon Kosher salt, 2 tablespoons brown sugar in one quart of water
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt & pepper
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups fresh sliced cremini mushrooms*
1 large yellow onion, sliced into half moons
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups beef broth/stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup cream* (heavy or light, your choice)
1 cup frozen petite peas

Place chops in brine solution and brine in fridge overnight
Remove chops from brine, rinse, and pat dry.
Lightly salt and pepper each side
Heat a stainless steel pan over medium high heat, add oil, sear each side of chops, remove from pan onto a platter, set aside, covered with foil.
Reduce heat on pan to medium-low, add 1 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Add onions and mushrooms. Saute, stirring frequently 10-15 minutes or until onions/mushrooms a deep golden color.
Sprinkle the flour over the onions/mushrooms, stir to mix in well. Add Dijon mustard, salt pepper, stock, wine and chops. Stir until it starts to simmer lightly and slightly thicken. Reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer for 13 minutes. (Add peas in the last 5 minutes of cooking time.) Stir in cream and allow to warm through. Take off heat and add butter, stir until butter melts.

Serve over egg noodles, or with a simple salad and a baguette to mop up the wine sauce. And please, feel free to finish the rest of that white wine too! ENJOY!

*Recipe Notes:
Use any variety of  or combination of mushrooms, that you like.
You can substitute cream with  half & half, fat free half & half, or milk of choice.
Learn more on how to brine, read my post To Brine or Not to Brine? That Shouldn't Even Be a Question

Easy Italian Sausage Skillet Dinner

Italian food is one of my other favorite foods to make. Italian dishes are usually in line with my vision of cooking: simple and fast! Nowadays, everyone is fast paced, so I believe in recipes that cook up fast recipe and that make life easier but not compromising on good, home-cooked dinners. Italian sausage is a great meat. It's absolutely delicious, full of flavor, easy to make, spicy or sweet and versatile. However, as my mom mentioned in a previous post, it is easy to get stuck on the same ol' recipe of sausage and peppers. Yes it's a great recipe but we need to change it up a little... at least for the sausage's sake! This recipe is great for sausage. If you do not have sausage on hand or do not like sausage then you may replace it with ground beef (another great ingredient). Instead of pasta for this dish I use rice and everything is cooked in one pan making it a fast easy dinner for during the week. You will notice the recipe calls for instant rice and it is important to make sure instant rice is used or it will not cook properly. I hope you enjoy this delicious sausage recipe!

Recipe:
1 lb Italian sausage (sweet or spicy), cut into 1 inch pieces
olive oil
1 green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable juice
1 1/2 cups instant rice
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese


1. In a skillet, heat oil on medium heat and cook sausage pieces until no longer pink.

2. Add the pepper, onion and garlic. Cook until crisp.

3. Add the can of diced tomatoes and vegetable juice; cook and stir until mixture boils. Remove from heat and stir in the rice.

4.Cover and let stand for 6-8 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with mozzarella then cover to melt. Enjoy!

Grilled Achiote Pork Loin Chops

For me pork chops are always tricky on the grill ... they can dry out and just turn into a tasteless mess.  However, with a little prep, you can count on these center cut pork loin chops always being tender, juicy and absolutely scrumptious! These  chops are first brined and then marinaded in achiote paste before they hit a sizzling hot grill. If you aren't familiar with achiote paste it is used in Central American cooking, particularly in my knowledge base, in Nicaraguan cuisine. It is also known as annato seed. It is especially delicious when used as a marinade on grilled meats of all kinds.

Serves 2 - 4

For the brine:
4 - 1" center cut boneless pork loin chops
1 quart brining solution: 3 tablespoon salt, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 quart water

For the achiote marinade:
1/2 cup of Achiote paste
1/8 cup white wine

Prepare brine, making sure to dissolve the salt and sugar completely. Add chops and leave in brine overnight or at least 4 hours. Remove from brine, pat dry. In a glass or zip bag add the achiote paste and the wine, mix together, add the chops. Cover or seal and let marinade for 4 hours or overnight.

Fire up the grill until it's very hot. Remove chops from achiote marinade, pat dry and salt & pepper each side.  Place on hot grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove to platter, cover with foil and let the chops rest for 5 to 10 minutes.  This will allow all the juices to redistribute throughout the pork and will make for a juicy chop.

The results are  a filet mignon type tenderness with the juiciness from the brine and the delectable flavors of the achiote paste.

Serve with a side of rice pilaf, simple salad and ice-cold German beer. ENJOY!

Want to know more about brining, check out my post on brining, which includes a handy brining chart.

Slow Cooker Hearty Red Beans and Ham Soup

Right when the weather starts to really cool in South Florida, and by that I mean low 40s, I start thinking soup. One soup
that I tend to make mostly in January and February is this Hearty Red Bean and Ham Soup.  It's a two step process BUT you can work on step one a few days ahead of time or even weeks if you go the route of the freezer. I love how rich, thick and flavorful the bean broth gets and the beans get very creamy in texture.  The best part is you let the beans cook away in your slow cooker while you are at work and you get home to a yummy, warm meal.  All you need is a little toasted bread to sop up the broth as you chow down.

Serves 4

1 pound red beans*, soaked overnight
4 large onions; 2 quartered, 2 rough chopped
2 large green peppers; 1 quartered, 1 rough chopped
1 head of garlic, unpeeled, sliced in half
3 cups of water
2 tablespoons minced garlic
6 slices center cut or turkey bacon, chopped, cooked in the microwave till just crispy
1 pound lean ham or turkey ham, cubed
1 smoked  ham shank or smoked turkey "hocks"
4 cups of beef stock or ham stock
1 cup water
2 bay leaves
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt

To par-cook the beans after soaking, add  beans, 2 quartered onion, 1 quartered bell pepper, 1 head of garlic, 3 cups of water to a deep pot. Bring to rolling boil, and allow to boil for 30 minutes, lid off. After 30 minutes, turn off heat and allow to sit for 1 1/2 hours lid on. This can portion can be done the day before or even over the weekend and stored in the fridge till you are ready to make them. You can even freeze them to leave for another day.

To make the beans, place the par-cooked beans and liquid in the slow cooker. scoop out the garlic and large pieces of onions or bell pepper.  Add all the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the salt  (see my post "Salt Will Keep Your Beans from Softening" for more info on bean cookery). Salt only once the beans are completely softened. Set slow cooker on hi for 4-5 hours or low for 8-9 hours.  You can make this stove top and first bring to a boil, allow to boil for 5 minutes then cover and simmer 2-3 hours or until the beans have softened.

Serve into deep bowls by itself or over rice and lots of toasted bread to soak up the juices.

Recipe Notes:
*I use Central American red beans.  They are tiny but have an incredibly deep rich red color and the flavor is amazing.  They are creamier in texture once softened then regular red beans.  Check your local Hispanic market for Central American red beans or use regular red beans if you can't find them.
You'll notice that I say to use either ham or turkey products, the choice is up to you.  Either is delicious.  If you want to cut on some calories use the turkey products.

Super Cheesy Baked Penne

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year (all late!) from Wednesdays with Eryka! I'm back for the new year and ready to share more delicious recipes with you. This past holiday season Christmas and New Year's both landed on Wednesday so I have been MIA. So as the holiday season rolled in I noticed countless recipes for turkey, ham and roasts, but since this year I was hosting a small Christmas day dinner I decided to change it up a bit by making one of my favorite things in the whole world... pasta! Why not? Not only is it pretty simple to make, it is a crowd pleaser and it usually makes a lot so you're not worried about under feeding your guests. What makes this pasta slightly different from your everyday pasta with red sauce is the added spice of cinnamon. Yes, you read right, cinnamon! It adds a warmth to the dish and leaves an excellent after taste that, for me personally, makes you want to eat more. It was perfect for the holidays. Now you can take out the cinnamon but you'd be missing out! For those of you who like to plan meal ahead of time, you can make this sauce a few days ahead, whether it's for your own family dinner or a get together, because the longer the sauce sits the more the flavors mingle, become best friends then become best friends with your taste buds. In short, the sauce will taste better the longer it sits. My favorite part is the gooey, melted cheese top layered coming out of the oven; that paired with the hint of cinnamon is a delicious culinary experience. I hope you enjoy this recipe and use it for a future holiday dinner or even for a cold winter night with your family. Enjoy!

Recipe:
Olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 lb pancetta, chopped
1/2 lb ground hot Italian sausage
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock
2 32-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped basil, fresh
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
2 lb penne, cooked
2 8-ounce mozzarella bricks, grated

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add garlic, bay leaf, and pancetta. Brown all together for about 1 minute. Add all the meats and break apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 5-7 minutes.

2. Add the carrot, celery and onion into the meat mixture. Cook together for about 5 minutes then add the red wine. Cook for about 1 minute; add stock, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and brown sugar.

3. Stir in the cinnamon, parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce to medium low and cook for 20-25 minutes (At this point you can either serve it with pasta as indicated in the next step or store the sauce in the refrigerator/freezer until ready to use.)

4. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In an oven safe casserole dish, toss the sauce with the pasta; stir to make sure it is all distributed evenly. Layer the shredded mozzarella cheese all over the top. Place in the oven until cheese is gooey (I also placed it under the broiler for a few minutes with the oven door open to slightly brown the cheese). Enjoy!

Weekly Recipe Round-Up December 30, 2013 - January 3, 2014

It's time for the Weekly Recipe Round-Up at the Fork Ran Away with the Spoon!
This was an odd week, with a break right smack in the middle for New Years, and then back to work for the rest of the week.  It really threw me off, I couldn't seem to get into the swing of things. The first official full week of the new year, will see me back to running 3 - 4 times a week (I miss my running) and lot more meal planning.  The holidays just ran right over me and at one point I just gave up on everything! It's time to get back on track.

This week's Recipe of the Week was Creamy Turkey & Spinach Stuffed Crepes.  It had the most shares and likes by our awesome followers and for that we Thank You!  Here's what was cooking in the kitchens of The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon this past week.

Featured on Monday:

Creamy Turkey & Spinach Stuffed Crepes

The ingredients for the stuffing, turkey, cream cheese greens, are fairly straightforward but when put together they create a creamy, luscious meal that your family will want often. The use of ground turkey really lightens up the crepes and keeps the meal feeling light. Pair it with a light salad, a glass of white wine and you have a well-rounded and satisfying meal.

Featured on Tuesday:

Top 7 Most Viewed, Liked and Shared Recipes of 2013

The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon's "Top 7 Most Viewed, Liked and Shared Recipes of 2013". Why seven? Simple it's my favorite number and let's face it everyone else will be doing top 10 or 13. Click to see which recipe got over 5,000 pageviews in one day!

Featured on Friday:

Monteria Cubana - Roast Pork in Cuban
Criollo Sauce

This classic Cuban recipe, Monteria, uses left over Cuban roast pork, and is cooked in onion, peppers, garlic, seasoned with oregano and cumin. It is then simmered with raisin, olives, capers and a tomato-y "vino seco" sauce. It's absolutely delicious and the aroma will having you wanting to dig in ASAP!

Monteria Cubana - Roast Pork in Cuban Criollo Sauce

Monteria ( pronounced "moan-teh-ree-ah") is a dish from the area of Cuba known as Camaguey.  It's east of the town my mom grew up in, Camajuani. Monteria is Cuban country food, farmer's food, peasant food, whatever you want to call it. Traditionally, this is made on December 25 and January 1st, the days after Christmas and New Year's Eve, when, again, traditionally a whole roast pig is made to celebrate. The day after the celebration all the remaining parts of the pig, (head, feet, visceral parts, skin etc) are used to make Monteria. Now, hold on, don't click off the page, we aren't using pig head or feet for this recipe, I am just sharing the origins.  What we are using is left over Cuban roast pork, that is cooked in onion, peppers, garlic, seasoned with oregano and cumin. It is then simmered with raisin, olives, capers and a tomato-y "vino seco" sauce.  The results are out of this world delicious. This is how my mom made it and one of the dishes The Hub always looked forward to after the holidays.  He would always ask my mom if she was going to make it, he could never remember the name but she knew exactly what dish he was describing. For many years after my mom passed away, I never made it, then one year after the holidays, I had a good amount of roast pork left over and I surprised The Hub by making it just for him.  He, of course, gobbled it down, and he loved it because it reminded him of all the times she would make it just for him. My mom spoiled my husband (a.k.a. The Hub) rotten... seriously she did! If he wanted a particular meal all he had to do was half mention it and the next day she was at the door, meal in hand. They had a great relationship, something I know is pretty rare, and I am always thankful for. And because of this, I am dedicating this recipe to my mom and the Hub.  Cheers!

Serves 4-6

1 1/2 pounds of cooked Cuban roast pork, medium dice
1 tablespoon olive oil or pork lard
2 large onions, medium dice
2 bells peppers (any color) medium dice
1/4 cup minced garlic
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 to 1 cup juice from pork roast*
1 generous teaspoon cumin
1 generous teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 - 1/2 cup green olives, plus 2 tablespoons brine
1/4 cup non-perils capers
1 cup vino seco* (no salt added)
2 tablespoons sour orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1 generous palm full Italian parsley, chopped

Heat pan over medium heat, add oil or lard, onions, peppers and garlic. Saute, stirring often for 5 minutes or until onions become soft and translucent. Stir in tomato paste and once incorporated into vegetable mixture, gently stir in roast pork. Pour in pork juices, stir gently and then add remaining ingredients, except parsley. Allow to come to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Before serving stir in parsley.

Serve over white rice, along with sweet fried plantains. Enjoy!

*Recipe Notes:
If you don't have pork juices from the roast, you can use chicken stock or if you have it ... pork stock.
Vino Seco is a Cuban cooking wine.  Normally I never use cooking wine but there is something that Vino Seco adds to the flavor that just can't be duplicated by white wine.  I buy the Spanish brand Artañan because they make a "no salt" version  It's a bit pricey but I think worth it. However, if you can't find it at your local grocery store, then by all means use a dry white wine or sherry.

My Parent's Authentic Cuban Roast Pork

When I was a child, then a teenager and into my late 20's, I would watch my parents prepare Cuban Roast Pork for our Christmas eve dinner celebration. It led, on many occasions, to little friendly battles between my parents (Aida & Eloy) about how much of any one ingredient to add to the Mojo Sauce (pronounced "moe-ho"). When one parent would leave the kitchen, the other parent would sneak in more of the ingredient he or she thought the sauce needed more of. Believe me, this was funny and pretty darn entertaining to watch. In the end though they managed to pull off the most crazy good and delicious Cuban Roast Pork ever. It was so good that their friends would actually call them to make it for parties that they were hosting or going to. It took me many years to figure out the right ratio of garlic, spices and seasonings, because of course nothing was ever written down or measured. It was always a bit of this, a bunch of that, a palm full of this and that. I do have a few of my own tweaks that I think elevate the flavor, like the brine process, but the flavor is the beyond delicious, and the memories those flavor and smells evoke are always welcome and priceless. My brother and I carry on their tradition of celebrating on Christmas eve with roast pork, Cuban black beans, and yucca drenched in garlic-mojo sauce, it's how we pay respect and honor our cultural traditions.  So ... Feliz Navidad to all our readers and followers!

A few recipe notes: Prep time is at least 72 hours before the actual cooking time, so be sure to plan ahead.  This is one recipe where the brine and the  marinade (the Mojo sauce), need  time to do their thing, which is what makes the pork juicy, tender and divinely flavorful. Don't skip or rush any part of this recipe. The time investment is well worth it.

1 - 10 pound pork shoulder

For the Brine:
6 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 head of garlic smashed up (no need to remove peel)
Water

In a microwave safe bowl, add four cups of water, heat until the water boils (about 3-4 minutes). Add salt and sugar, stir until dissolved, then add garlic. Allow to come to room temperature. Place your pork shoulder in a small Styrofoam cooler, add ice, the cooled brine solution and enough water to cover the pork shoulder. Brine for 12 - 24 hours, adding ice, if needed. Once the brine time is up, discard solution and go to the next step.

Tip: I have found that plain old Styrofoam coolers stay colder and the ice lasts way longer then insulated plastic coolers. If you don't have or want to buy a Styrofoam cooler and you have the space in your fridge then by all means use your fridge.  Space is a premium in my fridge so it's hard to have a large piece of pork, in a brine solution, in the fridge.


For Mojo (pronounced "moe-ho") Sauce 
30 cloves of garlic
3 teaspoons Kosher salt
3 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 onion chopped, finely
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons cumin
2 cups of sour orange juice
3 limes juiced
2 1/2 cups olive oil

Using a mortar and pestle, crush and mash up the garlic, salt and peppercorns.
Add the next 5 ingredients to a blender or food processor and the garlic mash from the pestle. Blend or pulse until smooth and all ingredients have been liquefied. Heat the olive oil until it reaches a temperature of about 220-225 degrees. We aren't frying here, we are infusing the flavors into the olive oil. Add in the liquefied ingredients, stir and gently heat through for 1 minute, then take it off the heat and let it cool completely.

Tip: Make the Mojo sauce the same day you begin the brine process, because the longer it sits, the more the spices, herbs and seasoning will meld!  Be sure to store it in the fridge. Take out a few hours before using so that it comes to room temperature.

To Prepare the Pork:
1-2 heads of garlic, cloves separated and skins removed.
Mojo Sauce
1 Large heavy duty turkey injector

Begin by straining the Mojo sauce to remove any bits that may clog your injector.  Do NOT throw out the bits captured by the strainer. Set aside.
Score the skin in 2 to 3 places. Do not remove the skin. The scoring will allow the fat underneath the skin to baste the pork as it cook and it makes for the most heavenly crackling you will ever taste. (Fights have broken out over the crispy crackling at my home!) With a very sharp pairing knife, deeply puncture the pork meat in several places and insert a garlic clove or two as you go. Once you have used up the garlic cloves move on to the flavor injector. Think of the surface of your pork as a grid and starting on the skin side begin injecting the Mojo into the pork. Turn it over and continue injecting until you have used up all the sauce. Remember this captured bits? Rub them all over the skin side.
Place the pork in a large container, skin side up and allow to sit in the fridge, covered, from 12-24 hours. The longer it sits, the better the flavor.

To Cook:
Remove from fridge at least 2 hours before cooking so that it comes to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees. Remove pork from container, reserving the Mojo sauce that will have oozed out during the marinating process. Pat pork dry, and season generously with kosher salt and pepper to taste. Place pork skin side up on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan. Place in oven and cook at high temperature for 30 minutes, then lower temperature to 325 degrees for 3 - 4 hours or until internal temperature reads 170 degrees. Use the reserved Mojo sauce to baste the pork as it cooks. Be sure to boil the Mojo sauce for a few minutes, so as not to contaminate the pork with raw pork juices, as you baste.
Once cooked, take out of the oven and allow to rest, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. Break apart the crispy crackling and set aside and then begin to break up
the pork meat into long thick shreds or chunks. Now, it's time to party!

Serve with Aida's Cuban Black Beans, white rice, yucca* and fried sweet plantains*, Cuban (preferably) bread, and your favorite beer and wine and of course ... Cuban Flan* (*Recipes coming within the next week). ENJOY!

Weekly Recipe Round-Up Week of December 2 - 7

Another week closer to the holidays! Is it me or is December just flying by at break neck speed?  I've done absolutely no shopping and I am not quite sure how I am going to get it done. The next few weeks are just packed with things to do, and places to go!  This week we had some really great recipes starting with a yummy soup, to a delicious dessert and ending with a fabulous bacon-wrapped roasted and stuffed Pork Tenderloin.

This week's Recipe of the Week was featured on Wednesdays with Eryka,

Individual Apple Pie Stuffed Pastry Shells .  It had the most shares and likes by our awesome followers and for that we Thank You!  Here's what was cooking in the kitchens of The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon this past week.

Featured on Monday:

White Bean & Spanish Chorizo Soup

Perfect for the cooling temperatures we are all experiencing no. Great Northern White Beans! I am completely enamored of these dusty white little gems.  When cooked they are soft and creamy, and have a rich buttery flavor. The addition of the Spanish chorizo adds an extra depth of flavor.

Featured on Wednesdays with Eryka:

Individual Apple Pie Stuffed Pastry Shells 

These are the perfect individual serving sized dessert. Sweet and savory apples with warm cinnamon and sweet brown sugar melt together and offer up the perfect little dessert. Great for the holidays.

Featured on Friday: 

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Onion and Apricot

In my Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Onion and Apricot the stuffing consists of apricots soaked in orange liqueur, caramelized onion that are cooked down in brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and orange liqueur and juice. Drooling yet? Then the pork tenderloin is wrapped in bacon and roasted off to tender perfection. I am pretty sure you are drooling now!

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Onion and Apricot

I hadn't made pork tenderloin in a long time and this past weekend I decided it was time to bring it out and prepare one of my own favorite stuffed pork tenderloin recipes. Yes, stuffed and you all know how much I like stuffed foods. Tenderloin can be pretty dry because of it's leanness but if you follow my steps, you will have the most juiciest and flavorful pork tenderloin ever. The stuffing consists of apricots soaked in orange liqueur, caramelized onion that are cooked down in brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and orange juice and liqueur. Drooling yet? Then the pork tenderloin is wrapped in bacon and roasted off to tender perfection. I am pretty sure you are drooling now! This recipe surpassed the Hubs flavor barometer with  very speedy requests for seconds. The best part is because I made two tenderloins at once, I had a meal for later in the week that because of the brine process allowed me to heat up it up without lost of moisture. This meal was superb!


2 pork tenderloins (1 pound each), brined (*See recipe note)
1/2  - 3/4 cups orange liqueur
1 cup dried apricots*
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions. thinly sliced
2 teaspoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 large oranges, zest grated and juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
24 slices of center cut or turkey bacon
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 teaspoon, fresh rosemary, minced
2 tablespoons of very cold butter, cut into small cubes*


Heat the orange liqueur and add in cup of dried apricots, taking care that they are

all covered. Set aside to soak while the onions cook.
Heat a large deep 12" oven-safe skillet (preferably stainless steel) over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the onions. Cook for 10-15 minutes or till tender and golden. Add the sugar, vinegar and orange juice and cook covered, over low heat for 20 minutes. Take apricots out of the liqueur and chop, add, along with liqueur, to the onions during the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Remove lid and continue to cook until all liquid is evaporated. Remove from pan and allow to cool.

Mix 1 tablespoon olive oil, cloves, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside. Butterfly the tenderloins.  Here is a great "how to" video that takes you step-by-step  through the process . Once butterflied, place the pork between two pieces of plastic and using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound gently until roughly 3/8 of an inch thick. Rub both sides of the tenderloins with the olive oil mixture.

On the work surface overlap 12 slices of bacon, lengthwise, per tenderloin. Lay  tenderloin over bacon and spread half the apricot-onion mixture over each  tenderloin. Roll pork and bacon at the same time and then tie with kitchen twine (see video link shared above).

Heat over to 425 degrees F.

In the oven safe skillet used to cook onion, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and brown all sides of each tenderloin. Place in preheated oven and roast until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees (about 20 minutes +/-). remove from pan and tent with foil.
To the pan add the broth, wine and rosemary and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until liquid is reduced by half. Reduce heat to low and whisk in butter, one piece at a time. Allow one piece to melt before adding the next one. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.

Remove strings from pork and slice about 3/4 to 1 inch thick, drizzle slices with sauce.

Serve with buttery mashed potatoes and garlic-butter sauteed green beans. ENJOY!

*Recipe Notes:
I highly recommend that you brine your pork tenderloin.  It will keep it moist and flavorful during the cooking process.  See my post "To Brine or Not to Brine?  That Shouldn't Even Be a Question " on how to brine.
For the liqueur soaked apricots, if time permits, soak for a few hours prior, it really kicks up the flavor.
Place the cubed butter in the freezer to guarantee it is extra cold.
If you don't polish off the two tenderloins and have a whole one left over, carefully wrap in foil and store in fridge. On the day you want to eat, take it out of the fridge at least 1 hour before eating. Heat in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven, tightly wrapped in it's foil for about 20 minutes.

Weekly Recipe Round-Up - November 10th - 16th

Can you believe that we are already half way through November? Just this past week alone flew by at what felt like an insane pace!
This week's Recipe of the Week was Zippy Ketchup and Mustard Chicken featured on Wednesdays with Eryka. It had the most shares and likes by our awesome followers and for that we Thank You!  Here's what was cooking in the kitchens of The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon this past week.

Featured on Monday:

Potaje de Garbanzo / Cuban Chickpea and Chorizo Stew

The recent "cool" weather inspired me to make one of my favorite Cuban potajes (stew) ... Potaje de Garbanzo.  I think of a potaje (poe-tah-hey) as not quite a soup, not quite a stew and not quite a porridge. It's a hearty chickpeas (garbanzo), simmered with Spanish chorizo, ham, smoked pork shank, Cuban calabaza and potatoes. To me, the perfect spoonful has a piece of chorizo, calabaza, and chickpea swimming in the smokey, paprika infused tomato-y broth.

Featured on Wednesdays with Eryka:

Zippy Ketchup and Mustard Chicken

It may surprise you that the main condiments used to cook the chicken in this recipe are ketchup and mustard. It's an incredibly easy to make, budget friendly and mostly importantly absolutely delicious dish - and that's makes it's a Wednesdays with Eryka recipe.





Featured on Friday:

Grilled Chicken with Corkscrew Pasta in Preserved Lemon and Garlic Sauce

This recipe starts by marinating the chicken in preserved lemon, the lemon brine and lots of garlic. It is then grilled to perfection. While your pasta cooks you create a luscious, lemon and garlic infused creamy sauce that will coat the ridged, corkscrew pasta. Those lovely ridges are what help hold the sauce onto the pasta and deliver the most amazing bite.

Pineapple Pork and Long Bean Stir-Fry

My garden has finally started producing some beautifully delicious vegetables! I had an abundance of Chinese long beans and Chinese cabbage and what better way to put these delectable vegetables to good use than in a Pineapple Pork and Long Bean Stir-Fry. I love how tender the pork becomes when tenderized with baking soda, then marinaded in ginger, garlic and soy, with a little heat from a few Thai chilies! The Chinese long beans, similar to string beans, add that a mild asparagus-like flavor. The Chinese cabbage, similar to bok choy, is sweeter and softer than green cabbage. Not only is this dish beautiful to look at, it has a very big "yum" factor, that I think you will enjoy! And, The Hub, my eternal taste-barometer, barely came up for air, and when he did it was to ask if there was enough for seconds. Yup, it's a hit!

Serves 4-6

To super tenderize the pork:
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 pounds pork loin, sliced into bite size strips

Sprinkle over top of pork and with clean hands, massage into strips. Allow to tenderize for 30 minutes. Rinse pork strips under cold water, repeat once more to make sure all traces of baking soda are gone.
Want to learn more about tenderizing with baking soda? Check out my post Baking Soda as a Tenderizer.

To marinate the pork:
2 pounds pork loin, sliced into bite size strips
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons ginger, grated
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1-3 Thai chilies, seeded, membrane removed and finely chopped (optional)

Hearty Lentil Soup with Sweet Potato & Ham

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 
Ah lentils. They are delicious little nutritious morsels, that I believe are a legume that has gone overlooked. Lentils are hearty not mention that they have a lot of nutritional benefits. Want to know what they are? Here are a few fun facts about lentils: lowers cholesterol, full of fiber benefiting your heart, blood sugar and digestive health, good source of protein, increases energy and can help lower your weight by making you feel full. If those aren't some great benefits to get lentils in your life I don't know what is. To me, it's a power food. The recipe I've provided compliments the lentils with added vegetables to make this meal heartier. Obviously, to make lentils you will need some type of liquid... you can choose water or follow my tip; half ham stock and half chicken stock. Ham stock you ask? I use Goya Ham Flavored Concentrate; they are little packets of granulated ham that you add to water. Voila: ham stock! I like to use chicken stock as my other half of liquid to add even more flavor. I use this recipe with split peas as well (green or yellow). You can use pieces of cut sausage in this soup as well as regular potatoes instead of sweet potato. Edit as you wish but do try this recipe it is delicious!

Recipe:
1 16oz package lentils
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ham hock
1 ham steak, cubed or cubed ham
4 cups ham stock
4 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
splash of white wine (optional)
2 sweet potatoes, chopped

Slow-Cooked Kale and Ham

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 
I don't know about you but sometimes I may order a meal because of the sides it comes with.  I recently had a delicious kale cooked with ham at a local eatery that was out of this world. So, of course,  I set out to recreate the kale I had and I am really thrilled with how delicious it was. My version has a wonderfully smokey scent and the taste ... hammy with hints of bacon ... is comfort food all the way. Warm, and hammy, it's a perfect side dish.  Because this is a slow cooked kale, the bitterness that turns some folks off of kale, disappears and the kale itself takes on a slightly spicy taste that is simply amazing. If you have your doubts about kale, this recipe may turn you into a fan!


1- 1 pound bag of kale
2 quarts of ham stock*
1- 2 ham hocks
8 ounces of  ham steak, diced
1 package of center cut bacon*, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 or more Thai chilies (optional), cut in half and lightly smashed

Red Wine Braised Italian Sausage in Spicy Tomatoes, Olives & Capers

A Two for Tuesday Recipe    
Sometimes I fall into a rut with Italian sausages and go with the usual sausage with onion and peppers. Not that there's anything wrong with that but I needed a change! And that is what led me to developing this recipe. I braised the sausages in red wine until the wine completely evaporated and started to crisp up the skin. The sausages take on the deep color of the wine and are then simmered in a spicy tomato, olive and caper sauce. Was it good? Nope ... it was mouth-watering! The Hub, had seconds and he's my  "this stuff is good" barometer ... if he's having seconds I know it's a home run.

Serves 4

1 pound Italian sausage
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a press
1/4 cup of drained non-pareil capers, roughly chopped
1/2 cup of drained kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 pounds of roma tomatoes, diced or 1- 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes, including juice
1 teaspoon fresh or 1/2 dried thyme
I bay leaf
2 pinches of sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste (If you don't like heat just leave it out)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound linguine or pasta of choice

Roll 'em Up Cabbage Rolls

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 

This is one of my favorite recipes, using my own personal favorite, unsung, and under appreciated "hero" ... the cabbage.

I take you step by step on how to prepare the cabbage leaves, make the bundles and even what steps you can do ahead of time. My recipe incorporates some non-traditional methods, and spices, like using a cooked onion mixture, balsamic vinegar, and a dash of nutmeg.  The sauce is simply a marriage of tomatoes, good beef stock, red wine and a splash of balsamic vinegar. It's cooked down while you prepare the bundles and doing this imparts a real depth to the flavor to the sauce. Cheers to my hero ... the cabbage.




Serves 4

10 cabbage leaves, blanched.

Onion mixture:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 pinches of salt
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup beef stock

Meat mixture:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 the cooked onion mixture
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon onion powder
3 - 5 gratings of nutmeg or 1/4 teaspoon of powdered nutmeg
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooked white rice

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Except for the cooked onion mixture, this can be done one day ahead and all you need to do is add the cooked onion mixture on the day of cooking.