Cecils Porky Pines Recipes

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Use your hands to mix the ground beef, egg, onion, rice, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon of the garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper in a large bowl until well combined. Roll the meat mixture into 24 balls (each about 2 heaping tablespoons and 1 inch in diameter).
• Heat the olive oil in a large, high-sided oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the meatballs and cook until lightly browned on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium, then stir in the tomato puree, ketchup, remaining 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, remaining 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper until the sauce is combined and meatballs are well coated.
• Cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Bake until the meatballs are cooked through and no longer pink, the rice is tender and poking out and the sauce has reduced slightly, about 50 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and top with more chopped parsley.

PORCUPINES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, 1/2 cup of water and onion. Blend in salt, celery salt, garlic powder and pepper. Mix well. Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the meatballs; drain fat.
• In an 11x7 inch baking dish, combine the tomato sauce and 1 cup of water. Place the browned meatballs into the tomato sauce, turning to coat well.
• Cover and bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes. Uncover, and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

THE ABSOLUTE BEST PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F. In a bowl, add all sauce ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In a small bowl add the bread and milk and gently press down. Allow to soak for ~5 minutes.
• In a large bowl add the rest of the meatball ingredients. Add the panade mixture (milk and bread) to the bowl. Without overworking the mixture, gently mix just to combine. The mixture should be wet but hold a shape when you form it into a ball. Scoop enough meat mixture to form a 2" round ball (I use a large cookie scoop to measure out my meatballs). Wet your hands and shape. Damp hands are a trick to keeping the mixture from sticking to your hands! *See post for freezing instructions.
• Place the meatballs in a 3-4 quart baking dish or 9×13" baking pan. They can touch. Repeat until all of the meatballs are shaped and in a pan. If necessary, use 2 pans if you do not have a large enough pan.
• Pour the mixture over top of the meatballs. Cover the meatballs with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the cover and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165F.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before plating.
• Store leftovers in a lidded container in the fridge for up to a week.

LINDA'S FANTABULOUS PORKY-PINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Pre heat oven to 350.
• Mix meat, rice, milk, parsley, onion, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.
• Spray a 13x9 pan with cooking spray.
• Form meatballs into one ounce balls (I use a small cookie scoop). If you use the right size scoop you will fill the baking pan perfectly.
• Mix soup and water together until well blended. Pour over meatballs.
• Cover baking dish tightly with foil.
• Bake for 1 hour until hot and bubbly.
• This recipe works great for a buffet too. You can make them with barbeque sauce for a big yummy change. Have some frilled toothpicks standing by and watch them disappear!
• Hope you and your family like this variation of 'Porky-Pine' meatballs.

PORK AND GREEN CHILE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, brown pork in oil; drain. Stir in the beans, soup, tomatoes, chiles, rice, water, salsa and cumin. , Pour into an ungreased 2-qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; let stand 5 minutes before serving. If desired, serve with jalapeno slices. Freeze option: Sprinkle cheese over cooled unbaked casserole. Cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake casserole as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°. If desired, serve with jalapeno slices.

PORK CHOPS AND PADRóN CHILES EN ESCABèCHE

Steps:

• Season each pork chop all over with 1 tsp. salt and let sit at least 1 hour or chill on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet, uncovered, up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 425°. If pork chops have been chilling in the fridge, let sit at room temperature while you make the escabèche.
• Finely grind coriander seeds in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle; set aside. Heat a dry large skillet over high. Add chiles in a single layer and cook, turning with tongs or a large spoon, until evenly blistered on all sides and deeply browned in spots, 5-7 minutes. Transfer chiles to a small pot; reserve skillet. Add red onion, garlic, carrots, red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, honey, paprika, reserved ground coriander, 4 Tbsp. oil, remaining 4 tsp. salt, and 2 Tbsp. water to pot. Set over low heat, cover, and bring liquid to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring vegetables often to keep submerged, until just-cooked through and still al dente, about 10 minutes. Remove escabèche from heat and stir in oregano.
• Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in reserved skillet over high. Arrange pork chops in pan so bone ends are in the center (this part cooks slower and this will help with even browning) and press down on pork chops with tongs to ensure surface is making good contact with the pan. Cook until golden underneath, about 3 minutes. Turn pork chops over and press down on them again. Transfer to oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 130° for medium (you should still have a little pink flesh; temperature should rise to about 145° when the pork chops rest), 5-7 minutes. Transfer pork chops to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
• To serve, transfer pork chops to plates and spoon escabèche over.
• Do ahead: Escabèche can be made 2 weeks ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and let cool. Cover and chill.

MINI PORK PIES WITH PICCALILLI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line each hole of a 12-hole muffin tin with a thin strip of baking parchment across the middle that's long enough so the ends stick out a centimetre or two - use a dab of butter to stick in place. Roll out two thirds of the pastry on a lightly floured surface and stamp out 12 x 10cm circles (you may need to re-roll trimmings). Press a circle into each hole to line.
• Sprinkle 1 tsp of breadcrumbs into the base of each pie. Tip the rest of the crumbs into a mixing bowl. Squeeze in the sausage meat, discarding the skins, along with the bacon, mace, pepper, sage and just a little salt. Get your hands in and mash and squish everything together until the breadcrumbs have just about disappeared. Divide mixture between the holes, packing in firmly and shaping to a dome in the middle.
• Roll out the remaining pastry and stamp out 12 x 7cm circles. Brush with a little egg and add a top to each pie, egg-side down to stick, carefully pressing pastry edges together to seal. Brush with more egg (don't throw away leftovers) and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 mins until golden then carefully remove the pies from the tin, using the parchment ends to help you lift them out. Sit on a parchment lined baking tray, brush all round the sides with more egg and put back in the oven for 8 mins. Cool completely then eat with piccalilli, or your favourite pickle.

OVEN PORCUPINES

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients; shape into 12 balls. Place meatballs in an ungreased 8-in. square baking dish. Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over meatballs. , Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 1 hour. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer.

PORK GREEN CHILE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in cubed pork, and cook until nicely browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, and allow to cool briefly.
• Sprinkle flour over pork. With a wooden spoon, stir pork to coat, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen browned bits. Add chile peppers, jalapenos, and onions. Stir in tomato sauce and water. Season to taste with onion salt, garlic salt, and salt and pepper.
• Return skillet to medium heat. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cover, and cook 10 minutes more.