A Quick Leftover Recipe: Pork Colorado

Remember that slow roasted pork recipe I shared?  This would be a great way to use some of those leftovers in the freezer.  And if you have some other kind of meat, it will work just as well--roast beef, chicken, turkey...just pull it apart with two forks and substitute it.  This meal should be simple, fast, and comforting.  It's not for showing off, though it is delicious.

Pork Colorado

Serves 8-10

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups shredded pork
8 oz. light beer (or the leftover beer juice from a slow-roasted pork shoulder)
2 cups homemade enchilada sauce
2 15-oz cans red beans (or pintos)
1 tablespoon New Mexico chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
Salt and black pepper to taste
bunch cilantro, chopped (optional)

In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat and saute the onion until soft, about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the pork, beer, and enchilada sauce.  Cover and cook until the sauce begins to bubble, about  minutes.  Stir in the beans (do not drain), chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.  Lower to a simmer, return cover, and cook until beans are heated through.  Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve over steamed rice.

Scraping together a meal when the kitchen is bare, or, why people hate the holidays, # 789534262

In all the holiday-themed travel I have experienced the past month, I am often left making do with very little in the kitchen the night before a flight.  I hate the thought of food spoiling in my fridge while I’m in another part of the country, and so I stop shopping for groceries at least five days before I leave, but as a result, those last dinners before the long trek to the airport can look pretty dire.  Or perhaps you have stayed home this year and allowed a band of marauders (like your family, for instance) eat all of your food, and you just can't stand grocery shopping yet again. Fortunately, a few staples we all tend to have around can save the day.  Well, that and booze.  Plenty of booze.

Pasta with tuna, lemon, and capers

Serves 4

1 can water-packed tuna, drained
1 small lemon
½ pound dry spaghetti, linguine, etc.
1 cup frozen spinach (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoon capers (or roughly chopped olives)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
bread crumbs (optional)

Bring a pot of salty water to boil.  Cook pasta according t package directions.  Add the frozen spinach in the last minute of cooking, if using.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the tuna (break it up a bit with a fork), juice and zest of the lemon, capers, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle a little bit of olive oil in and stir to combine.

Drain cooked pasta and toss with the tuna mixture and serve on four plates.  Sprinkle each serving with bread crumbs if desired.

Santa Fe Roasted Potatoes

Since we tend to eat light dinners like soups and salads, this stands alone as an evening meal before an early flight out in my house.  However, you could easily combine this with some cooked meat or seafood for more protein.

Serves 4

4 large russet potatoes, washed and cut into 1-in cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen broccoli
1 4-oz can chopped green chilies
1 small lime
Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, if you have it

Preheat the oven to 425°F.  On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss the potatoes, olive oil, chili powder, and salt to coat evenly.  Spread out into a single layer and bake until golden, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, thaw the frozen corn and broccoli under hot water in a colander and leave to drain. Sprinkle with a little salt to taste. When the potatoes are done, toss them with the thawed vegetables, canned chilies, and cilantro, and squeeze the lime over the top.  If you have any leftover crumbly cheese, like feta or queso, you can sprinkle that on top, as well.

A Rainbow of Brussels Sprouts!..and, er, other things...

I love my family very much, but how did they never serve Brussels sprouts when I was growing up?  I mean, seriously Mom and Dad, what the hell was wrong with you? These things are delicious!  

So, needless to say, Brussels sprouts were not a staple side dish at my childhood holiday meals, but they are now!  I think this particular recipe is my new favorite: it's colorful, easy, and it covers sweet, salty, and sour all in one bite.  And works so well with my Beer Braised Pork Shoulder for holiday meals.  

Brussels Sprouts with Sweet Potato, Cranberries, and Vinegar

Serves 8 as a side

1.5 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
½ yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (optional)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Black pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl, combine the Brussels sprouts, onion, sweet potatoes, cumin, salt, and oil.  Spread in a single layer on two baking sheets and bake at 425°F (no need tp preheat the oven) until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, about 25 minutes, stirring once or twice as they cook.

Transfer to a serving platter or bowl, stir in vinegar, season liberally with black pepper, and serve.

Down with the Christmas Turkey!

Hey, you know what I hate eating?  Turkey.  That's right, I said it.  And if you've been reading for a while, you have probably noticed that I try to avoid the subject altogether, especially around the holidays.  It's just gross--somehow bland and gamey at the same time--and a total pain in the ass to cook.  You want to slowly cook some meat all day as part of your holiday ceremonies and then actually have something edible at the end of the whole ordeal?  Try this braised pork shoulder.  And if you've got leftovers, you can freeze small bags of it for use in other meals later this winter, sans gaminess.

Beer Braised Pork Shoulder

Serves 8-10

1 4-lb pork shoulder, bone in
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1  teaspoon cumin
1/2  teaspoon black pepper, ground
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
4 bay leaves
1 22 oz bottle of beer, preferably a lager or something light

Rinse the pork with water and pat dry with paper towels. 

In a small bowl combine garlic powder, paprika, salt, cumin, and black pepper. Rub spice mixture all over roast.

Heat a large stock pot or Dutch oven over high heat and add 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil. Place roast into the hot oil and sear meat until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes each side. Add the bay leaves, onion, and beer.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer, cover, and cook at least 6 hours or until done through. 

Serve roast in chunks or shredded with a fork.