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Have an unexpected day off to do something a little more fancy, little more schmancy than last night's macncheese...so am contemplating pork loin with new potatoes. Just saw a recipe in a cooking mag, and my mind went straight to the Kroger's meat shelf where they sit....waiting.
Location: Finally made it to Florida and lovin' every minute!
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Hi, folks. Busy, busy, busy.
Just got off the line w/Dell. Have been having computer issues. I hope he straightened it out. Problem is, he deleted some stuff. I hope it doesn't mess anything up.
Dinner tonight will be turkey breast. Maybe on the grill, depends how DH feels after getting done w/gardening.
Have a great day. Lacey, give DH a hug for us. Cyn, hang in there. The cravings will sneak up on you for quite a while, but you're strong. You can do it. We're all so happy for you here.
kelsie- I bought one of those rolls of Polenta at the supermarket. I'm thinking of slicing, frying and serving with toamtoes with mushrooms and peppers.
elston- Yummy. I love french Onion soup. Please share your recipe with us. What kind of cheese are you going to use? I like swiss instead of mozz on mine.
carlitasway- Wow I just went out in the snow. Can't even think about spring cleaning yet. Enjoy it.
If wife can get a loaf of Cuban bread from the bakery, we are making sandwiches tonight with the pork left from yesterday....We are not making a real Cuban sandwich but still good ones with the Spanish style pork and cheese...
Lisa, here are a couple of recipes that are very good!
Heat oo in a pan & cook onion & garlic until soft. Add 2 x 14 oz diced tomatoes, tomato paste, basil,
garlic powder, a little dry red wine, s&p. Simmer for 1 hr.
Cut polenta into about 12 square. Place half in a greased ovenproof dish. Spoon the tomato sauce on the polenta & sprinkle with grated Gruyere cheese. Repeat the layers and bake in oven for 25 mins. @400 degrees.
This next one is a delicious appetizer
Cut polenta into triangles. Broil until hot & speckled with brown on both sides. Spread with Gorgonzola cheese, serve immediately.
Polenta Baked with Cheese
Cut polenta into rounds. Heat oil with 1 T butter, add 2 med. sliced onions and stir over low heat until soft. Season onions with nutmeg, s&p. Butter ovenproof dish. Spread some onion slices in the bottom of the dish. Cover with a layer of polenta. Dot with butter, add a layer of Cheddar, Italian parsley and Romano grated cheese. Continue with the layers and top with cheese. Dot the top with butter. Bake 20 mins. until cheese melts.
1 (4- to 7-pound) pernil (pork shoulder with skin and fat attached)
3 to 4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper, or to taste
½ tsp. oregano, or to taste
½ tsp cumin, or to taste
1 packet Sazón, any flavor variety, seasoning mix (optional)
olive oil
½ to 1 cup bottled Mojo Criollo marinade (optional)
First you need to create a seasoning paste for the meat. If desired, you can use a packet of plain or other varieties (e.g., with achiote) of Sazón (Hispanic seasoning mix marketed under the Goya, Accent, Iberia, McCormick, and other brand names) and olive oil enough to make a medium to thin paste. Put salt and garlic in a mortar and with the pestle mash, mash, mash! Then add the rest of your dry ingredients. Add oil a little at a time, until the mix is medium thin. Combine this mixture with the (optional) Sazón and oil mixture. Then turn your pork over and poke holes in it with a knife and fill with your seasoning. Place the pork shoulder in a plastic bag or other container and pour some of the (optional Mojo Criollo) over it if desired. Do this the night before or earlier, and allow it to marinate at least 8 hours and preferably longer. If possible, turn the shoulder in the marinade a few times prior to cooking. When ready to cook, remove the shoulder from the marinade, place it in a baking dish or pan, and bake at 325°F for 4 to 6 hours, depending on size. It should be tender, like butter, and almost fall from the bone! Basting is not necessary but baste away if you wish. Save drippings for later use (see GRAVY below) or reserve for use on meat "as is" or thinned with a little stock or water.
GRAVY (if desired)
Use the reserved drippings for gravy. Let it sit in a glass and get rid of the fat on top. Add a can of chicken stock, salt, and pepper if you need it. Then add some Wondra gravy and sauce flour (or plain flour) a little at a time until it is as thick as you like it.
COMMENTS:
1. The quantities and proportions are NOT exact requirements. The main emphasis is that the paste should be intense with garlic and obviously salty and oily. Slow cooking allows the inside to cook nice and tender and the outside to get crusty. The skin becomes what is known as chicharrones (cracklings or cracklins). Frankly, this is the best part in the opinion of many…okay then, ME!
2. Thinly sliced onions that have been sautéed until translucent in olive oil or some of the oil from the meat drippings make a nice topping for the servings of meat.
3. Suggested side dishes include black beans with rice or congri [black beans and rice cooked/mixed together, AKA Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians)] topped with raw onions, fried sweet or starchy plantains, marinated green beans, Cuban or Italian bread, simple green salad, guava shells with cream cheese and cardamom, and some good Cuban coffee or espresso.
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