Crispy Pork With Asparagus And Pickled Onions Recipes

PICKLED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Trim the cut end of the asparagus spears, and cut them into 3 inch lengths. Place them in a large bowl with 1/3 cup salt, and cover with water. Let stand for 2 hours. Drain and rinse under cool water, and pat dry.
• Sterilize two pint size wide mouth jars in simmering water for 5 minutes.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the vinegar, sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, mustard seed, dill seed and onion rings. Bring to a boil, and boil for one minute.
• Pack the asparagus spears, tips up, in the hot jars leaving 1/2 of space from the rim. Tuck one dill sprig into each jar, and sprinkle in 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Pour hot pickling liquid into the jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the rim. Wipe rims with a clean damp cloth, and seal with lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
• Cool to room temperature. Check seals when cool by pressing the center of the lid. It should not move. Label and date; store in a cool dark place. If any jars have not sealed properly, refrigerate and eat within two weeks.

CRISPY SEARED SNAPPER OVER PICKLED ONIONS WITH TOMATO-BACON FONDUE, YELLOW TOMATO COULIS AND MALANGA TUMBLEWEED

Steps:

• Onions: Thinly slice the onions, and place in a non-reactive dish. Combine the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour over onions and let stand for 24 hours.
• Fondue: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Cook the bacon until crispy and fat is rendered. Reserve the bacon and the fat separately. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, 2 ounces of the reserved bacon fat. Roast until the tomatoes are almost dry. Place in the blender, add the goat cheese and puree. Strain through a fine chinois and reserve.
• Yellow Tomato Coulis: Quarter the yellow tomato. Coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast for 20 minutes. Remove and puree in a food processor. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. to taste. Reserve Malanga Tumbleweed: Peel malanga and cut into thin ribbons on a turning slicer. Preheat a deep fryer or a deep pot of oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the malanga until crisp and remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve.
• Basil Oil: Blanch and shock the basil. Wring out in a clean, dry towel. Place in a blender with oil and puree for 1 minute. Let stand for 1 hour and strain. Reserve.
• Season the fish with salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour. Saute, skin side-down, in a very hot pan until skin is crispy. Turn the fish over and finish in the oven.
• Place pickled onions in the center of a plate. Rest 1 piece of fish across the onions, allowing them to peek out. Drizzle with the fondue, coulis, and basil oil. Sprinkle the bacon around the fish and top with fried malanga.

PULLED PORK SANDWICHES WITH PICKLED ONION SLAW

Steps:

• Sprinkle salt over entire pork shoulder and place in a slow-cooker with crushed garlic, cumin seeds and 1/4 cup vinegar. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 hours or high heat for 5 hours. Pork should shred easily and be very tender.
• Meanwhile, make slaw by whisking together remaining 1/4 cup vinegar, sugar and celery seed; toss with onions. Let sit up to 3 hours. Stir in cilantro just before serving.
• Remove pork from juices and cool slightly, then shred and cut into small pieces. Strain juices and pour off fat. Mix 1 cup of the juices with barbeque sauce and hot sauce to serve with pork; discard remaining juices.
• Serve pork on brioche buns piled with onion slaw and drizzled with sauce. Pork can be made a day in advance.

PICKLED ASPARAGUS II

Steps:

• Trim the bottoms off of the asparagus, and pack loosely into a 1 quart jar.
• Combine the water, white wine vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, jalapeno, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, salt and whole peppercorns in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and boil hard for 1 minute.
• Pour the hot liquid over the asparagus in the jar, filling to cover the tips of the asparagus. Cover, and cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for 24 hours to blend flavors before serving.

PORK MILANESE & ESCAROLE SALAD WITH PICKLED RED ONIONS, HAZELNUTS & PECORINO

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar with 1/2 cup cold water. Add the salt, sugar, and Tabasco and stir. Add the sliced onions and let sit for at least 1 hour.
• Set up your standard breading procedure (see page 51): one bowl with the flour, one with the egg-water mixture, and one with the panko and grated Parmigiano combined. Have a baking sheet handy to hold the pork after breading.
• Season the pork with salt. Using one hand for dry ingredients and one hand for wet, take each piece of pork through the breading procedure: Dredge it lightly in the flour, shake off the excess, dip it in the egg wash, then pack on the panko. Lay the breaded pork on the baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 200°F.
• Pour 1/2 inch of olive oil into a large sauté pan and bring to medium-high heat. Set up your drying situation next to the stove by lining a baking sheet with a couple layers of paper towels. Test to see if the oil is hot enough by sprinkling a bit of flour or a few bread crumbs into it. It should sizzle; if it doesn't-WAIT. Once the oil is hot, add the pork, working in batches so you don't crowd the pan. Cook the first side of the pork until golden brown and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes; turn and brown the other side. When the pork is done, lay it on the paper towels to drain off the excess oil and sprinkle with salt. Then keep the pork in the oven while you cook the second batch.
• Put the Pecorino, hazelnuts, and parsley in the food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
• In a large bowl, combine the escarole, hazelnut mix, and some of the pickled red onions; dress this mixture with olive oil and some of the pickling liquid and toss to combine. To serve, place a pork chop on a serving plate and top with the lovely salad.
• It's good to bread ahead! If you have the time, let the pork sit for about an hour to really set the breading. If you're in a hurry-skip it.

SLOW-ROASTED PORK SHOULDER WITH PICKLED ONIONS

Steps:

• Put a large skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is hot, add the fennel and onion. Cook and stir for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• In a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, combine the fennel seeds, coriander, red pepper flakes, chili powder, and cinnamon. Mash or buzz until you have a spice powder. Put the spice powder in a small bowl and mix in the salt and pepper.
• Put the pork, fat side up, in a roasting pan. Using a sharp knife, make small slits all over the surface of the meat. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork, inside and out, being sure to get in the incisions. Lift up the top flap and spoon the fennel and onion mixture inside the pork.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• Pour in just enough water to film the bottom of the roasting pan. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Slow-roast the pork for 2 hours.
• Increase the oven temperature to 425°F and roast for another hour, until the meat is falling apart. Carefully transfer the pork to a serving platter, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve the pork with some pickled onions on top, and chow down!