Spinach and Feta Stuffed Pork Roast

   You know what happened this past weekend?  The hubs and I made our last trip back to Tennessee for this round of living in North Carolina!  In about two months we are moving back to TN for a good long time.  Crazy exciting.  We hung out at TRF on Saturday and Sunday but sadly had to leave before the final day of jousting (congrats to Paul on the tournament win!)  Being there was a little strange at first, this is the first year in a while that I haven't worked a single day of the faire.  However, I have figured out what I want to do there next year and I am crossing my fingers that it works out!

   And now on to the food because that is what this blog is about. 

   I love to stuff meat especially with things like spinach because it is like rolling up a side dish into your main meal component.  Spinach and feta is a classic flavor combination:  mild, earthy spinach and soft, salty feta, so good.  This stuffing isn't fussy or complicated with only a few ingredients.  The presentation is pretty and perfect for serving to guests.  Also, it is easily doubled to feed more people.  You will just need to adjust the cook time.

Spinach and Feta Stuffed Pork Roast
1.5 lb pork roast, butterflied*
8 oz frozen, chopped spinach
4 oz feta, crumbled
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp oregano
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus a little more)
sea salt
fresh cracked black pepper

   Thaw spinach and squeeze out water.  Combine spinach, feta, garlic, oregano, oil, salt and pepper.
   Salt and pepper both sides of butterflied pork roast.  Place spinach filling down the center of the pork.  Wrap pork around filling and tie with kitchen twine or secure with toothpicks.
   Heat a little oil in an oven proof skillet over med-high heat.  Sear pork on all sides and transfer pan to a 350 deg F oven.  Roast for 40-45 minutes.  When a meat thermometer is inserted into the pork (not to the filling) it should read 155 deg F (this applies to larger roasts as well.)  Pull out of oven, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. 
   Slice in ~1 inch slices and serve.
   Serves 4-6.

I didn't sear mine, so your whole roast will be prettier.

*Your butcher should be able to butterfly the roast for you.  This is a good basic video on how to butterfly, the same technique is easily applied to larger cuts.  Basically, you just want to open to meat enough to stuff it.

Blackberry Caramel Rice Pudding

   Until this, I had never had rice pudding.  Which means, I had obviously never cooked rice pudding.  The hubs did most of the work on this one so that was interesting....  He doesn't cook inside that much, but he is leanring and helping me more and more.  I don't suggest ever trying to verbally explain how to do something you've never done.  Making it was an adventure, to say the least, but the final product was delicious!  Eating this warm may not be the most summery of desserts, but make it a day ahead and chill it down.  Serve with fresh blackberry jam, so good.

  Also, I would not advise you to consult Jamie's Kitchen (by Jamie Oliver) for a dish you are completely unfamiliar with.  The recipes are written the way he talks.  I've had this cookbook for about 8 or 9 years now and I never realized how unhelpful it is for actual directions.

Blackberry Caramel Rice Pudding
2 C 2% milk
1/4 C half and half
1/4 C lightly packed brown sugar
4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp bourbon (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 C uncooked rice
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp blackberry jam*
1 Tbsp caramel sauce

   In a 3 qt sauce pot, combine milks, butter, sugar, bourbon, vanilla, and salt.  Bring to a simmer over medium/med-high heat.  Add rice simmer 2-3 minutes.  Then cover, reduce to low, and cook for 40-50 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  When rice is puffy and tender and about 80% of the liquid is absorbed, the pudding is done.  Cool for about 10 minutes (or chill completely).
   Serve with 1 Tbsp blackberry jam and caramel.
   Serves 4.

*Making your own blackberry sauce would obviously be the best thing.  But blackberries are not always in season and can be expensive.  We used a 100% fruit, no sweetener added blackberry spread and it was really good.

Short Cut Chana Saagwala

   Often, I can get a recipe right the first time around.  Everything deserves tweaking, but normally I can get pretty close to dead-on the first go.  If I am working with flavors I know and I am comfortable with, adjusting as I go works great.  Indian food is not my strong point.  I love it and I want to get better at making it.  Talking to the owner of Spice of India was the best mini-lesson I could have received!  Because of him, I learned how to make fantastic Indian style rice and was introduced to wonderfully cheap and tasty tandoori spice blend.  For chana saagwala, he handed me the Badshah chana masala spice blend and told me to follow the directions and just add spinach.  I didn't follow the package instructions because there is an incredible amount of salt in it.  The flavor is there though:  Indian chili powder, fennel, coriander, etc.  I would love to make my own spice blend, but the Badshah is so cheap and now I have learned to work with it.  The "short cut" is because of the spice mix.  It took about 5 tries, but I got it!  This is stuff is addictive.

Chana Saagwala
1 Tbsp oil
1 small onion, diced
1 Tbsp Badshah chana masala
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp grated ginger
1/4 tsp cracked fenugreek seeds (optional)
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp ground coriander
5-6 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed*
1 8 oz can tomato puree
1 14 oz can chick peas, drained and rinsed

   Heat oil over medium heat.  Saute onions for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic, ginger, fenugreek, and cumin.  Cook 2-3 minutes, stir constantly.  Add spinach, tomato puree, chick peas, chana masala, and coriander.  Reduce heat to med-low.  Simmer and allow mixture to reduce by about 1/4 (this is just to evaporate the water from the spinach.)  It will take about 20 minutes, stir occasionally.  (If mixture over reduces, add a few Tbsp water.)
   Serve with rice.
   Serves 4 side dish portions OR 2 main course portions.

*Forgot to plan ahead a little and didn't thaw spinach?  You can use it from the frozen state, but add it before the tomato, chick pea, etc.  Let it thaw and come up to a luke warm temp before adding the rest of the ingredients.
**Also, do not add salt at any point of this!  The tomato puree and spice mix already have the perfect balance of salt for the dish.  If you have no salt added tomato puree, cook the dish as described and taste about 5 minutes before serving.  If it needs salt, add a little bit at this point.

Duck's Grille and Bar (Swansboro, NC)

   During the deployment, some of the wives/girlfriends of 1/8 Marines started a Facebook group that was intended for support and camaraderie.  It ended up being a one big bitch fight and forum for discussing dresses and dinner plans for homecoming weekend.  I must say, overall, it was pretty amusing.  (Admittedly, I was a little upset when it got shut down because some of those asinine girls couldn't follow the retardedly simple rules of, like, not disclosing your Marine's exact location.)  Duck's is one of the restaraunts that kept popping up in mention for romantic plans.

   A month or so before I moved back to Tennessee last year, Duck's opened a location in downtown Swansboro.  (Original location in Jacksonville, NC.)  A couple weekends ago was the first chance we had to go.  It is on the second floor of a dock side building overlooking the White Oak River filled with yachts, recreational skiffs, and fishing boats.  Once you make it through the lack luster, vacant feeling, attempting to be upscale, 80s dining room you make it to the oddly carpeted deck, but the view is incredible!

   We ordered calamari to start.  After ordering, we heard the group next to us complaining about the texture.  With a half empty bottle of wine on their table, I could tell they were simply trying to sound intelligent concerning their food.  Their assesment of the calamari was that the breading and marinara were perfect but the calamari was overdone and chewy.  Now, maybe they had a completely different plate than we did, but our calamari was cooked to perfection.  While the breading was in the correct proportion, there could have been more flavor to it and it definitely could have been crisper.  And the marinara... well, it was the quality of a good jarred sauce.

   Louis had the applewood bacon wrapped sea scallops.  Again, cooked very well.  The bacon was crisp and the scallops were tender.  The scallops were huge, but that didn't play their favor.  The flavor was too diffused through the meat so the bacon flavor dominated in a rather extreme sort of way.  Also, they were served with an absolutley gratuitous ramekin of gag-inducing clarified butter.  The green beans were delicious though.

   I had the Hong Kong tuna.  Normally I stay away from Asian dishes at non-Asian restaurants, but I had a couple beers at the adorable little pub up the street from Duck's before dinner so I was not thinking quite clearly.  The properly seasoned tuna was an amazing medium-rare, the wilted garlic baby spinach was enjoyable, and the ginger soy broth was lovely.  The "sticky rice" on the other hand was the more the consistency of porridge; it was gross to say the least.  When the dish arrived (in a disconcertingly prompt fashion) it was luke warm.  I love cold tuna and cold wilted salads, but this was obviously intended to be served hot. 

  We split the New York cheesecake for dessert.  It was a good cheesecake, but not a NY cheesecake.  Also it was drizzled with... wait for it..... Hersey's syrup.  Yeah, way to go.  The oddest thing of the evening, was our service.  The waitress was really nice and attentive.  Yet, this is the setting that you would like to sit back and relax, enjoying good food for a couple hours.  We were in and out in just under 45 minutes.  Maybe they are trying to hide the fact that the food is subpar with the in and out, chain restaurant-like service.

   I wouldn't tell you not to eat here, but I won't be dining here again.  The food isn't terrible, it is just unmemorable.  The views are the best thing Duck's has to offer.  After writing this review I am getting more upset than I was when I was at the restaurant.  This location has all the potential in the world with a fabulous fish market less than a mile away and I know that fantastic local produce is available.  Also, the decor... the bones are there; I can't think of a single excuse for the terrible design.  The menu doesn't even need to be changed; the execution just needs to be perfected.  (Maybe the original Jacksonville local has done that; it has been open for quite a while.  So, at this point, I would not apply this review to that location.)

   Actually, you know what?  Don't eat here.  Let it go under and make the space available for a quality restaurant with a chef that has the drive and ambition to create something spectacular.

Shrimp and Bok Choy Noodle Bowl

   Asian broth and noodles.  It really doesn't get much better.  So satisfying and comforting on a rainy day, but still light enough that you can eat a huge bowl without feeling guilty.  Originally I wanted to use bok choy.  Then it was like $3/lb at the store so we bough savoy cabbage.  Buuut, on our way back from the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores (one of my favorite places ever) we stopped by a little roadside produce stand.  The main reason we stopped was for peaches.  However, there was a lovely selection of local greens, peppers, onions, etc.  Walking through the small space, I was greeted by a box of gorgeous bok choy.  Best part?  One dollar each!  You can't beat that.  Also, they were the perfect size.  Not baby bok choy, but not the flavorless behemoths found in the store.  I had almost forgotten how much better fresh, local produce is.  Without planning it, this Asian soup became a celebration of eastern NC:  local bok choy, spring onions, garlic, and shrimp.  (Oh, and feel free to use firm tofu instead of shrimp.)

 Shrimp and Bok Choy Noddle Bowl
broth:
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp grated garlic
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1/2-1 tsp red pepper flake
5 C water
2 C vegetable or chicken broth
3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce (optional, but salt will need to be adjusted)
juice of 1/2 lime
Soup:
1 lb peeled, deveined med shrimp
3 pkg ramen noodles (flavor packet discarded)
1 med head of bok choy
1 lrg carrot
1/2 lrg red bell pepper
3 spring onions (or 5 scallions)
1/4 C chopped cilantro

   Heat oil over medium heat.  Quickly saute garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes stirring constantly for about 1 minute.  Add the rest of the broth ingredients except the lime.  Bring to a simmer.
   Roughly chop bok choy, discarding fibrous ends.  Add to broth and cook for 5-7 min.  Very thinly slice carrot and bell pepper.  Thinly slice spring onions, set aside of the green tops.  Add carrot, pepper, and onion whites to broth, cook another 5 minutes.  Veggies should be tender and broth reduced by about 1/4.  Add lime juice.
   Toss shrimp with salt and pepper.  Add shrimp and noodles to soup.  Turn heat up to med-high.  Cook shrimp through, about 5 minutes.  Just before serving, stir in cilantro and green onion tops.
   Serves 5. 

Cara Cara Orange Granita

   Cara cara oranges are fairly new to most super markets.  I found them at Walmart for god's sake!  However, their presence is not terribly consistent in the produce department so you many have unknowingly passed them over.  This variety of navel orange is slightly smaller than many regular oranges with a softer, smoother skin and very round appearance.  Once cut into, you'll find a deep red-y orange flesh (hence the alternative name: red navel) that is incredibly juicy and low in acid.  The flavor is definitely that of an orange but had so much more depth and complexity than regular navel oranges.  The bag I bought, had hints of pineapple and strawberry and, you are going to think I am crazy, tasted like it had a drop of citrus vodka.  I kid you not.  They are delicious!

   For this recipe you can use any variety of orange you like, but try to find the cara cara orange.  It takes this simple dessert to another level!  The intricate flavor of the cara cara and the rum turn this fruit ice into something special.  Adding the vanilla yogurt allows you to enjoy a childhood favorite with a more intricate flavor well-suited for adult palates.

Cara Cara Orange Granita
6 cara cara oranges
3/4 C water
1/3 C sugar
1/3 C dark rum*
1 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp salt
Vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream (not french vanilla)

   Combine sugar and water in a pot.  Heat over medium-high until sugar is dissolved.  Allow to cool.  Add rum, ginger and salt.
   Zest one orange.  Add to water/sugar.  Juice two of the oranges.  (If you don't want to present the granita in orange bowls, just juice the other four oranges.  If you are using another variety of  orange, know that you'll need about 2 C juice total)
   Optional steps for a fun presentation:  For the other four:  Cut a thin slice off the bottom so the oranges stand stable.  Cut a thicker slice off the top to expose flesh, about 1/4 of the way down.  (As in the picture:)

Squeeze juice out of the cut off tops.  Save the thin slices from the bottom.  Use a spoon to slowly work out the flesh of the oranges.  (A grapefruit spoon would work really well here.)  Squeeze the juice from the orange inards you have liberated from the skin.  If you accidentally poke a hole in the bottom of your orange bowl, flip the thin slice from the bottom upside down to cover the hole.  Wrap in plastic and freeze.  (Like this:)

Combine orange juice and water/sugar mixture.  Pour into a glass or plastic container with a cover and put in freezer for 8 hours to overnight.  After about 2 hours, use a fork to scrape granita.  Scrape again before serving.
*Don't use alcohol?  Leave out the the rum.  However, you will have to scrape the mixture every hour for 3-4 hours and then again before serving for the right icy texture.
   For serving, lightly pack granita into orange bowl until flush with the top.  Place a 2 oz scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt on top.  Top with more of the granita.
   Serves 4.

Bacon Fat Fried Smashed New Potatoes

   I claim no responsibility for this absolutely brilliant idea.  I saw this technique a couple weeks ago on The Chubby Vegetarian right after I had proclaimed my undying love for potatoes.  It was too enticing not to try.  Not to mention it involved the type of frying that I am totally comfortable with.  This frying involves no breading or batter, no meat, and not attempting to cook a dense item all the way through.  Basically you are just crisping up the outside.

   I made them to go with turkey burgers.  I think they would be the most satisfying with a huge portobello burger, personally.  They are a fantastic alternative to fries, because lets face, most of can't make decent fries at home.  Oven roasted potatoes are wonderful... but, they are not fried and the crispy, fried outer texture is just what you need sometimes.  I did a totally optional thing with my potatoes... bacon fat.  We had cooked bacon that day for something so I poured the 2 Tbsp or so of bacon fat that was left into the frying oil.  Jesus, my mouth is watering right now.  Obviously this makes it not vegan/vegetarian but it is so unbelievably good!  I would cook bacon just to have the leftover fat to make these.

Fried Smashed New Potatoes
2 lbs baby new potatoes (the very small variety)
Sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
vegetable oil
2 Tbsp rendered bacon fat

   Thoroughly clean potatoes. If needed cut the large ones in half so all potatoes are roughly the same size.  Bake at 350 deg F for about 45 minutes, until a knife easily inserts into potato without resistance.  Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes (Or longer.  Ths step and the smashing step could definitely be done ahead of time.  Just make sure to bring potatoes to room temp before frying.)
   Use a wide flat metal spatula or your knife blade to smash potatoes.  Place flat on potato and use the palm of your hand to apply even pressure to potato.  (Wiggling it a little as you smash helps, I found.)  Your potatoes should look like this:

   In a heavy bottomed pot or deep skillet (I prefer cast iron), add oil to a depth of 3/4 inches.  Add bacon fat.  Heat over medium/med-high heat until bubbles rise rapidly from the end of a toothpick when dipped in the oil.  Place potatoes in oil, do not crowd the pan.  Fry for 3-4 minutes per side until crispy.  Drain on paper towels and immediately salt and pepper. 
   To keep potatoes warm while the rest are frying, place on a baking rack on a sheet tray in a 250 deg F oven.
   Serve with your favorite potato dipping sauce.
   Serves 4.

Mojitos!

   WTF?! crazy stuff is happening with those blog posts from last Thursday/Friday.  I just realized the tags were messed up so I fixed them and then it reposted with today's day?  Oh well, I hope blogger never has another shutdown like that one. 

   Ok, I couldn't resist another post for today.  After a week, I need to get things caught up.  So, mojitos.  Classic Cuban drink.  It is so delicious and refreshing.  In the last couple of years, it has become a very "in" drink.  Some variations of it are fantastic.  Others are.... well, disgusting.  Sorry, no other way to say that.  This is not a drink that you should ever buy pre-bottled.  Fresh mint and fresh lime are the soul of this drink!  There is no way a bottle isn't going to give you that.

  For Christmas, my mom bought Louis a comprehensive cocktail guide.  (Mr. Boston's, if you are curious.)  Last weekend we stocked up our "bar" (aka the top of our fridge.)  So he has been experimenting with the recipes.  The mojito recipe in the book calls for what we both decided was way too much mint and club soda.  Well, I don't like club soda.  It is like carbonated, slightly salty, nothingness.  I prefer tonic.  I can't think of a single cocktail where the two mixers couldn't be switched.  Plus, I love the slightly citrusy note of tonic and I think it is more bubbly.  Oh, and we use diet tonic so the drinks don't end up overly sweet.

Mojito
(per drink)
1 1/2 tsp super fine sugar
1 lime, halved
2 large mint sprigs
2 oz light rum (we use Cruzan)
diet tonic water (or club soda, if you like it)
ice

   Place sugar and mint in the bottom of glass.  Squeeze in both lime halves; drop one half into glass.  Muddle (mash) together.  (A wooden spoon works if you do not have a muddler.)  Add rum, stir vigorously to dissolve sugar.  Fill glass with ice.  Top with tonic/club soda.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

   As much as I want to share another smoker recipe, I will refrain for today.  My mom and I first started making pizza from scratch at home about 10 years ago.  Buffalo chicken pizza was one of the first out-of-the-box originals that we made.  To this day, I have not seen a decent buffalo chicken pizza on any menu.  Often, they have fried chicken (that you know was frozen) dipped in generic buffalo sauce and then slapped on top of a regular pizza.  Boring, greasy, gross.  I am not saying there isn't a fantastic buffalo pizza out there; I am just saying I have not encountered one.  If you are going to have a unique pizza, build it from the bottom up.  Think about it as an entire composed dish as opposed to just a base with toppings.

   This recipe is different than the original buffalo chicken pizza we made.  The original is absolutely delicious, but I am going to save that for grilling.  This one you really want to cook in the oven.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Pizza Dough
Corn meal
3 oz light cream cheese
1 Tbsp butter + 1 tsp
~1 Tbsp hot sauce (I use Tabasco) + 1 tsp
1 tsp honey
1 (normal sized) chicken breast
1 C shredded mozzarella
1/2 C crumbled bleu cheese (~2 oz)
1 lrg roma tomato, thinly sliced
oil
salt and pepper

   Sprinkle a baking sheet with corn meal.  Stretch dough to fit 13x9 sheet.  (Or ~12 in circle.)  Pre-bake for 5-7 minutes at 450 deg F, until bottom is very lightly golden brown
   Combine 1 tsp hot sauce and 1 tsp butter.  Slice chicken breast, salt and pepper.  Cook chicken in a little bit of oil over med-high heat for a couple of minutes.  Only cook about halfway through.  Toss in hot sauce and butter.  Let sit for 10-15 minutes.
   Combine cream cheese, 1 Tbsp butter, 1 Tbsp hot sauce and honey.  (Actual amount of hot sauce varies depending on personal taste.)  Spread over pre-baked crust.
   Arrange sliced tomato over cream cheese mixture.  Sprinkle with mozzarella and blue cheese.  Evenly distribute chicken over pizza..
   Bake at 450 deg F for 10-12 minutes.
   Serves 4.

South Pacific Smoked Scallops

   I seriously did not intend to leave for a week.  Last Friday we took the computer, my ancient MP3 player, and my iPod to Best Buy in hopes that the Geek Squad could transfer the protected files from the MP3 player to the iPod.  No such luck.  I would just re-load all the CDs except that some punkass little teenager stole over 100 CDs out of my car almost 5 years ago.  Looks like I am going to have to (illegally--shh, you didn't read that) download everything.  I legitimately paid for it all once, I have the right to do it!

   My computer would have been really helpful this past week too.  Louis had duty Wednesday which meant he was working for 30+ straight hours.  Normally it wouldn't be a big deal.  However, the realization that I was totally alone without shit to do hit me hard.  I had no projects.  No one to cook for.  This boredom was magnified by the fact that this is the first time I have lived without a pet.  Not even a goddamn fish!  No projects, no work, no other living creature except the couple of invading fruit flies....  I laid around watching Ghost Hunters for like 12 hours!  Basically what I mean by this is that I seriously miss my cat.  Right now, I might trade Louis for him.  No, um, just kidding.........?

   Alright, this weekend looks like it is going to be really nice.  Perfect for grilling.  This marinade is fabulous on scallops and shrimp.  It would also be great on chicken, pork tenderloin, salmon, vegetables.... almost anything really.  And you do not have to smoke the scallops.  You can grill them or broil them on high heat for a couple minutes per side and they would be just as delicious.  Obviously, the smoke flavor will be missing but it will still be crazy tasty!

South Pacific Smoked Scallops 2 lbs diver scallops (abductor muscle removed)
1/3 C low sodium soy sauce
1/4 C pineapple juice
1/4 C cider vinegar
2 Tbsp brown deli mustard
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

   Combine all ingredients.  Refrigerate for 1-3 hours.
   Set up smoker according to manufacturer's suggestion with charcoal and wood chunks.  (We used applewood, but hickory would also work.)
   Skewer scallops on soaked bamboo skewers for easier transfer.  Leave about 1/2 inch between scallops.  Smoke for 20-25 minutes.
   While scallops are cooking, place extra marinade in a pot.  Bring to boil over med-high heat, reduce by about 1/3 to create sauce.
   Serves 4-6.

(PS--After a week away, it literally took me 1.5 hours to decide which recipe to blog.)