Our Christmas Mini Crown Roast of Pork

I am sorry to say, as I continue to add years to my life, doctors seem to take precedence over my blog entries, but I am now ready to pursue excellence in the kitchen once again.

This time we will enter the arena of upscale presentations by attempting the nearly impossible task of creating a MINI crown roast of Pork with only 8 ribs, Normally a crown roast consists of 13 to 18 ribs to attain a well-shaped and lovely appearing crown. However, with only two people in our house, it becomes a challenge to shrink everything we prepare down to servings of 4, taking into consideration the importance of “leftovers”. I assure you this was a daunting task but the end result was absolutely delicious and yes…we have an abundance of “leftovers”

The Ingredients I used were standard seasonings and thank goodness I was able to rescue some of our fresh herbs from the garden before the freezing weather took its toll.

Ingredients for the Pork:

4-6 cloves of garlic peeled and finely chopped.
4 or 5 stems of fresh Rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
4 or 5 stems of fresh Sage, leaves stripped and finely chopped
2 or 3 stems of fresh Thyme. leaves stripped
1 tsp.  Red pepper flakes
½ cup Olive oil
1 - 8 Rib Pork Loin Roast
Kosher Salt to taste
Butchers Twine for tying the roast. 

To make the pan sauce, you will need:

3 or 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 Ribs of celery, diced
1 Sweet onion- diced
1 Fennel bulb-sliced and diced
1 Carrot halved and ¼’ sliced
4 cups Chicken stock
1 cup (+/-) Dry white wine
2 or 3  Bay leaves
 Kosher salt to taste

Method:

Pre heat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Here’s the tricky part.  The membrane between the ribs must be slit so the roast can be curled around to enable it to stand upright. Be very careful not to slit all the way through as the ribs will then become unattached and the roast will fall apart. Also be aware the ribs must be curved outward at the finish.  By keeping this in mind, you will understand which side of the membrane to slit.

In a small bowl combine the garlic, rosemary, sage, red pepper flakes and olive oil. Sprinkle the roast with the salt and brush both sides with the olive oil/herb mixture.

Stand the roast upright and curl it around so that both ends meet and the ribs are curved outward. Tie the roast securely with two loops of twine and place the roast upright on a rack in a medium size roaster. Now would be a good time to cover the tips of the bones with foil to prevent scorching.

Place the garlic, and diced vegetables, the bay leaves and ¾ of the chicken stock and all the wine around the pork.  This will be the base for your sauce. While the oven temperature is at 425 degrees, begin to brown the meat for about 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F., roast the pork for an additional 2 1/2 hours, basting several times and rotating the pork each time you baste. If you need more liquid, add the remaining chicken stock.

With an instant read thermometer check the roast about the time you last baste it and when the thermometer reads 140-145 degrees your roast should be done about medium. Remove the roast from the oven, transfer to a serving platter, cover loosely with foil and let rest for about 25 minutes. It will continue to cook while resting.

Bring the pan juices to a boil, taste, re-season if needed, and if you wish to have a smooth sauce, remove the bay leaves, place the vegetables in a blender and pulse a few times.  This will provide you with a smooth, delicious sauce.

Now it is time to remove the twine, cut between the ribs to create chops, top with pan sauce and enjoy.

Clark Williams

Side note: If the task of curling the roast becomes too laborious or frustrating, simply place the entire roast lengthwise in a roaster and continue with the cooking instructions.

The end result will look different but will taste just as good.

Brunch Frittata Recipe - Whole Lotta Frittata

Sunday Morning Brunch

Sunday Morning brunch means something different to every family but ours is a time to review the issues of the past week, give thanks for the blessings of life and clean up the leftovers.

At our house at least, all of the above are in play but the food aspect usually centers on how many ingredients will our frittata hold while confined to a 10” skillet. I have found not only has it become a challenge but somewhat of a game while attempting to clean up the past week’s leftovers.  While prepping all the available ingredients, I often question my judgment as to the practicality of my morning endeavor but somehow, frequently with a few minor adjustments, I manage to squeeze them all into the pan.

For this Frittata I used:

8 oz.     Jimmy Dean hot breakfast sausage

10 oz.  Simply Hash Brown Potatoes

1 cup   Shredded cheddar cheese

6          Large eggs

3           Fresh button mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup Red and green bell pepper, chopped

4 Tbls   Italian parsley, chopped

2 Tbls   Butter

1 cup   Onions, chopped

             Freshly ground pepper to taste

            Oregano or Italian seasoning to taste. (optional)

8 spears Asparagus

           

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a skillet sauté crumbled sausage, set aside

In a bowl, whisk eggs until frothy.  Stir in sausage, cheese, 3 T. parsley, pepper, mushroom, onions, bell peppers, Italian seasoning and asparagus. NOTE: prepare the asparagus spears by snapping off the thick end and discarding as they are usually woody and tough. Measure the length of the spears you wish to use for dressing the frittata as shown in the picture, chop the remaining pieces and add to the egg mixture. Set the egg mixture aside.

In a skillet, melt one T. butter over medium heat. Firmly press the hash brown potatoes into the pan to conform to the pan shape and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.  After 3 minutes, check the color and texture of the potatoes. When they are firm enough to flip, shake the pan to release the potatoes so they will easily slide onto a flat surface.  The flat surface can be either a dish or platter large enough to accommodate the potatoes. Carefully return the potatoes to the original skillet making certain the uncooked side of the potatoes is face down (the flip). Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes, cook for 2-3 minutes.  Transfer the skillet to the oven to finish.  Continue to cook until the eggs are set and the potatoes are crisp.

When finished to your satisfaction, slide the frittata onto a large platter, garnish with the remaining parsley, slice and serve. Serves 6-8.

Clark Williams, Personal Chef

Beer Can Chicken Recipe - One Two Cha Cha Cha

Beer Can Chicken

When my daughter comes to visit, she always asks me to make beer can chicken....now is it because she knows she gets to consume the excess beer or is it the fact that she likes to talk to the chicken like it's a dancing talking bird? Quite humorous.

The brand you choose should be one you like to drink and as the summer months are warm, a few extras on ice wouldn't hurt! 

Ingredients:

1                      3 ½-4 ½ lb. Fresh whole chicken       

1                      12oz. Can of beer

                        Dry seasoning rub

                        Butter for basting

Option               Handful of mesquite, hickory or applewood wood chips for smoking soaked in water for 1 hour and placed in a chip smoker box on the grates

Seasoning Rub:

3 T                   Black pepper

3 T                   Kosher salt     

1 tsp                Liquid smoke

½ cup              Brown sugar, tightly packed

½ cup              Spanish paprika

2 tsp                Granulated onion

2 tsp                Granulated garlic

1 tsp                Cayenne pepper

Tip:                 Combine the liquid smoke with the salt for even distribution of the smoke flavor then combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly, set aside in tightly sealed container to prevent caking until ready to apply.

Method:

Preheat grill for indirect medium heat. Dry the chicken thoroughly with paper towels, apply rub to the entire carcass making certain to put some inside the cavity. Fold the wings to the back of the chicken (no trussing necessary). 

Pour about 1/3 of the beer from the can to prevent the beer from boiling over during the cooking process. (It is your choice what to do with the 1/3 portion of beer). Insert the can of beer into the cavity. Place the chicken in an upright position on a metal tray (I use a foil pan with 1”sides which also serves as the drip pan), spread the legs to act as a support for the chicken while cooking. Cook for 1 1/2 hours, basting intermittently, or until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh reads 180 degrees F.

Remove from grill and let rest 15 minutes. Carefully remove the beer can from the chicken paying particular attention to the contents of the can being very hot.

Cut, serve and enjoy.

**Note, the cook time in this recipe is for my grill. Many grills do not have high BTU's and will take longer to cook. You can always finish in a 350 degree oven if your cook times are not working as noted above.

Enter the wild world of blogging 101

A K A , retired old guy posts his first blog page.

My name is Clark Williams, also known as the foodie guy down the street. My neighbors seem to know when I am home and more so, when the next batch of pesto will be ready. My love of food stems back 50 + years while making my way through the food industry from blending spice compounds for a custom application to seeing  the final product emerge and tasting the blissful end results.

In my retirement years and with my love of all things food, I decided to persue becoming a personal chef just for the pure love of the craft. My intent was to fine tune the skills I had acquired in the food industry and take them to the personal level.

My first post will comprise of a tried and true recipe I wish to share, and if I don't break Blogger in the process, I look forward to coming back and sharing more.

Fresh Fruit Tart

Ingredients:

Crust:

½ cup              Confectioners sugar

1 ½ cups          AP flour

1 ½ sticks        Unsalted butter, softened and sliced

Filling:

1 pkg.             Cream Cheese (8 oz), softened

½ cup             Granulated sugar

1 tsp               Pure vanilla extract

Topping:         Fresh strawberries, kiwi slices, blackberries, raspberries

Glaze:

1 can              Frozen limeade concentrate (6oz) thawed

1 Tbsp           Cornstarch                  

1 Tbsp           Fresh limejuice

¼ cup            Granulated sugar                     

Whipped Cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 F

For the crust:  In a food processor, combine the confectioners sugar, flour, and butter, process until the mixture forms a ball.  With your fingers, press the dough into a 12” tart pan with a removable bottom, taking care to push the crust into the indentations in the sides of the pan.  Pat until the crust is even.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until very lightly browned.  Set aside to cool.

For the filling and topping:  Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together until smooth.  Spread over the cooled crust.  Start your design from the edge inwards. Cut the strawberries into ¼” slices and arrange around the edge of the crust.  For the next circle, use kiwi slices. Add a circle of blackberries and raspberries finishing with a whole strawberry in the center to finish.

For the Glaze:  Combine the limeade, cornstarch, limejuice, and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until clear and thick, about 2 minutes.  Let cool.  With a pastry brush, glaze the entire tart.  You will not use all the glaze.

Refrigerate the tart.  About 15 minutes before serving, remove and slice into 8 wedges and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Serves 8