The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (54 page)

PORK

pork chops with herb stuffing

SERVES 4

1 cup cubed (
³
/
₈
inch) rustic bread without crusts

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

¼ cup olive oil

½ cup finely chopped onion

¾ cup finely chopped celery

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon mixed chopped parsley and thyme

2¼ teaspoons ground coriander

½ cup plus 3 tablespoons chicken stock

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

4 bone-in pork chops (9 ounces each), cut horizontally to the bone

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup dry sherry

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast the bread cubes on a baking sheet until golden, about 7 minutes. Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the celery; cook 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl. Reserve the skillet. Toss the bread, herbs, ¼ teaspoon coriander, and 3 tablespoons stock with the onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

2.
Stuff the chops. Using a fork, mix and mash the garlic, 2 teaspoons coriander, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon oil; rub onto the pork. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the pork until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes; flip, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook until the pork registers 155°F, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate; cover.

3.
Add the sherry and ½ cup stock to the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until reduced by half. Serve with pork.

molasses-glazed grilled pork loin

SERVES 8 TO 10

Leave a cool spot on the grill for cooking the roasts after they are glazed; turn them frequently to avoid burning.

1 12-ounce jar unsulphured molasses

¼ cup grainy mustard

2 teaspoons dry mustard

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 boneless pork loin roasts (3 to 4 pounds each)

1.
Heat a charcoal or gas grill. In a small bowl, whisk together the molasses, grainy mustard, and dry mustard, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2.
Tie each pork loin with kitchen twine in four to five places to form a nice, round shape. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Sear until well browned on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes total.

3.
Brush with the glaze, and cook, turning and basting frequently, 5 minutes. Move to the cooler part of the grill, and close the lid. Continue cooking, basting and turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F, 30 to 40 minutes.

4.
Transfer the pork to a serving platter, and let rest 10 minutes before carving.

roasted pork shoulder with sage and coriander

SERVES 10

2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

Coarse salt

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 boneless pork shoulder (about 6 pounds), trimmed

1.
Toast the peppercorns and coriander seeds in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely. Transfer to a food processor. Add the garlic, shallots, sage, and 1 tablespoon salt, and grind to a chunky paste. With the processor running, slowly add the oil; mix until well combined.

2.
Untie the pork, if tied. Rub the pork with the spice mixture. Put it in a resealable plastic bag, and expel air; seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, overnight or up to 3 days. Let stand at room temperature 1 to 2 hours before cooking.

3.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll the pork, and tie it into a compact log with kitchen twine. Transfer to a small roasting or medium baking pan. Roast 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 150°F, about 2 hours 15 minutes. Transfer to a warmed platter, cover with foil, and let rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

maple-glazed smoked vermont ham

SERVES 15 TO 20

One to two hours before baking, remove the ham from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.

1 smoked bone-in ham (10 to 12 pounds), room temperature

½ cup apricot jam

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

¾ cup pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons dark rum

1 garlic clove, minced

Fresh bay leaves, for garnish (optional)

Kumquats, for garnish (optional)

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Fit a large roasting pan with a rack; place the ham on the rack. Cover tightly with foil. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, 4 hours.

2.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small saucepan, heat the jam until liquefied. Strain through a fine sieve into a small bowl; discard the solids. Stir in the mustard, maple syrup, rum, and garlic.

3.
After 4 hours, remove the ham from the oven, and brush with the glaze. Continue baking the ham, glazing every 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of the ham (avoiding bone) registers 140°F, about 1 hour more.

4.
Remove from the oven, and transfer to a carving board or platter. Garnish the ham with bay leaves and kumquats, if desired. Slice thinly around the bone, and serve hot or at room temperature.

pancetta-wrapped pork roast

SERVES 4

1 pork loin (1½ pounds)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus several sprigs

¼ pound pancetta (Italian bacon) or bacon, thinly sliced

8 to 10 cipollini or small white onions, unpeeled

1 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Sear the pork on all sides until browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

2.
Rub the pork with the chopped rosemary; wrap with the pancetta, overlapping strips slightly. Lay a rosemary sprig on top; tie the pork with kitchen twine. Scatter onions and rosemary sprigs around the pork. Roast in the oven, basting occasionally with cooking juices, until the internal temperature is 145°F on a meat thermometer, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven. Transfer the pork and onions to a platter; cover with foil.

3.
Make the pan sauce: In a small bowl, combine the butter and flour. Pour off the fat from the skillet; place over medium heat. Add the stock, scraping bottom of skillet to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; reduce the liquid slightly, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the butter mixture; cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with the pork and onions.

five-spice pork tenderloin

SERVES 6

Five-spice powder is a pungent seasoning mix used widely in Chinese cooking. It is made of equal parts ground cloves, cinnamon, fennel seed, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns. For a recipe, see Basics.

¼ cup Chinese five-spice powder

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 pork tenderloin (about 1¾ pounds)

3 tablespoons canola oil

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine the spice powder and salt on a plate; generously coat the pork tenderloins. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, and pour in the oil. Add the tenderloins; brown well on all sides, about 4 minutes per side.

2.
Transfer to the oven, and roast until the meat is cooked through, about 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the center registers 160°F. Remove from the oven; let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Serve.

grilled sausage with arugula pesto

SERVES 4

Save extra pesto to use on other grilled meats or fish. It will last up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

1 bunch (about 4 ounces) arugula, stems trimmed, washed

4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1½ teaspoons coarse salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

8 assorted Italian pork sausages, both hot and sweet varieties (about 1 pound)

1.
Make the pesto: Place the arugula and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides if necessary. Add the cheese, salt, pepper, and olive oil, and puree until smooth and well combined.

2.
Heat a grill to medium-high. Prick the sausages with a fork to allow excess fat to drip. Grill until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Serve the pesto over the grilled sausages.

boneless pork chops with apple chutney

SERVES 4

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for seasoning

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning

4 boneless center-cut pork chops, cut ¾ inch thick (1¼ pounds)

1 large onion, cut into ½-inch dice

4 green apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice

½ cup cider vinegar

½ cup golden raisins

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the pork chops; add to the skillet. Sauté until golden brown, about 2 minutes; flip. Cook 2 minutes more; place the pan in the oven. Roast until the meat is cooked through and registers 155°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

2.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat; add the onion. Sauté over medium heat until translucent and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the apples; sauté 4 minutes more. Add the vinegar, raisins, ginger, mustard, and cayenne. Stir well to combine; cover. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very tender but still holding their shape, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve over the pork chops.

brine-cured pork kabobs with jalapeños and pineapple

MAKES 8

Brine-curing the pork makes it soft, tender, and juicy. The pork is cut into small pieces, so it only needs to be cured for 4 hours.

6 cups cold water

¼ cup sugar

3 tablespoons coarse salt, plus more for seasoning

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

1 tablespoon allspice berries

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1¾ pounds pork loin, cut into 1½-inch cubes

½ pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks

16 medium jalapeño or other hot peppers, cut in half lengthwise

Spicy Molasses Glaze (recipe follows)

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1.
Combine the water, sugar, salt, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice, and garlic in a nonreactive bowl. Add the pork, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Drain, and set aside.

2.
Thread 4 cubes of pork, alternating with pineapple chunks and pepper halves, onto 8 skewers. Brush with glaze, and season with salt and pepper.

3.
Arrange the skewers, off direct heat, on a hot grill. Grill, rotating the skewers and brushing with remaining glaze and olive oil to prevent sticking as necessary, until the pork is cooked through but juicy in the center, about 12 minutes, depending on the heat of the grill. The pineapples and peppers should be soft and charred.

spicy molasses glaze

MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP

Brush on fish, chicken, and burgers.

2 tablespoons molasses

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 serrano chiles or jalapeño peppers, minced

1 piece (1 inch) fresh ginger, peeled and grated