Pork Chops w/Fig Orange Sauce

I really don't think there is any meat that goes quite as well with fruit as pork does.  I happened to come across dried organic figs (with no added sugar or oil!)  at the grocery store the other day and I knew they'd be perfect with orange over a thick cut juicy pork chop.  I was right...

Pork Chops with Fig/Orange Sauce

3 tbsp. coconut oil

4 thick cut bone-in pork chops (1 inch), room temperature

1/2 c. onion, small dice

7 ounces dried figs

1/2 c. fresh squeezed orange juice

1 c. vegetable stock

2 tbsp. kerrygold butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Chop the figs into small pieces and put in a bowl with the orange juice.  Allow the figs to macerate.  Usually about 1 hour depending on how soft the figs are.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over high medium high heat.  The point of this step is to sear each side of the chop.  You don't want it to burn but you need it hot enough to produces a deep golden sear.  

Generously salt and pepper both sides of the pork and then add to the now almost scorching pan.  Sear for 3 minutes per side and then immediately place each chop onto a rimmed sheet pan.  Place in oven.

Allow to cook for about 20 minutes or until the center is soft firm.  The benefit to having your pork chop at room temperature before cooking will ensure even cooking through out the whole chop.  Plus, if you know where you get your pork from, as you should, you don't need to worry about any bacterial issues.  Promise.

About 10 minutes into the cooking drain all but 1 tbsp. of remaining fat and oil in the sauté pan.  Return pan to medium heat and the add the onions.  Cook until translucent.  Then add the figs, cooking an additional 3-5 minutes.  Add the stock and allow it to reduce by 1/2.  Then add the OJ and again allow it to reduce by 1/2. To finish the sauce, whisk in the kerrygold butter.  When it starts to thicken, remove from heat and salt and pepper to taste. 

Enjoy!

Oh!  I served mine over a cabbage, kale and chive sauté.  Perfection.  

Hearty Beef Vegetable Stew

I am not sure what is better...chicken noodle soup or beef stew.  They both are the quintessential food, at least to me.  

But if we are going to stay paleo, beef stew is going to have to be the winner.  While I really make a killer chicken soup, there is something to be said about chicken noodle soup.  It really doesn't compare.

This beef stew is a perfect combination of flavors.  And I promise the wait is worth it!

Hearty Beef Vegetable Stew

6 tbsp. coconut oil

1 c. onion, small dice

1 c. carrot, small dice

1 c. celery, small dice

1 c. green beans, sliced into 1" pieces

1 c. broccoli, small pieces

8 ounces mushrooms, quartered

2 zucchini, small dice

1 tbsp. dried thyme, rosemary and parsley

5 1/2 c. beef stock

1 lb. flank steak, pounded well and cut into 1 inch cubes

3 tbsp. arrowroot

2 tbsp. ghee

Over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp. of the coconut oil and sauté the onion until dark golden brown, about 10 minutes.  

Add the green bean, carrot and celery.  Cook until all of the vegetables start to soften, about 15 minutes.

Add the broccoli, zucchini, mushroom, dried spices and 5 cups of the beef stock.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.  Simmer until all of the vegetables are soft.

Allow to cool and then put in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.  This allows the flavor to develop.

When you are ready to finish the stew, heat the remaining coconut oil over medium high heat in a large sauté pan.  Generously salt and pepper the flank and then sear evenly, about 3-5 minutes.  After all pieces are done add them to the stew.  

Put the stew over medium heat and allow to cook for about 30 minutes.  

In the cooled large sauté pan, add the remaining 1/2 c. stock. Whisk to incorporate beef drippings. Then add the arrowroot and whisk until combined.  Slowly pour into stew and stir, allowing the stew to start to thicken.  

Add the ghee and stir until it is melted and mixed well.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Coconut Lemon Pepper Shrimp

This month my challenge is the Whole 30.  If you aren't familiar with it, it's very similar to paleo but with a little extra push on whole food.  Meaning, no paleoified baked goods, no sweeteners (that are allowed on paleo) and no grassfed dairy.  I started Monday and it will be fun coming up with recipes that are specifically Whole 30 but completely paleo too.

The first night I made an incredible beef stew, but since I just posted a soup I will wait a few days to get that recipe on the blog.  Last night shrimp was on the menu.  But not any shrimp, mind you.  Insanely good coconut lemon pepper shrimp.  So good that I didn't even miss the butter I would have used to finish the sauce for this dish.

Coconut Lemon Pepper Shrimp

1 lb. shrimp

zest of 3 lemons

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tbsp. freshly ground pepper 

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. coconut oil

1 1/2 c. vegetable stock

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tbsp. coconut butter

Place the shrimp in a bowl with zest, juice of 1 lemon, pepper and salt.  Stir until shrimp are evenly coated.  Do not allow this mixture to sit too long as with traditional marinades or it will start to cook the shrimp. 

In a large saute pan, heat the coconut oil over medium high heat.  Add the shrimp and cook until pink and slightly firm, about 3-5 minutes until they look almost cooked through.

Remove and set aside while you do the sauce.

Add the stock and remaining lemon juice and reduce by half.  Then and the coconut butter and whisk until it blends and sauce starts to thicken, which will be pretty quick.

Salt and pepper to taste.  

Return the shrimp back to the pan and heat for an additional minute, stirring to coat.

Serve over caulirice.

Turkey Vegetable Soup

The holidays have finally passed and it seems like life is slowing down a bit.  We have tried to stay busy over the break, but the cold, and I mean COLD weather outside makes it hard to want to go out and do anything!  

Anything but make soup that is.  Over Thanksgiving I boiled down my turkey carcass for turkey stock and stored it in the freezer.  I love having homemade stock.  Store bought, even the "real" stocks aren't even comparable.

I also had some turkey that I froze just to be used in soup.  But there is a key to using meat already cooked in soups.  It must be added last and not allowed to come to a boil.  That makes meat chewy and tough.  

This soup is perfect for a blistery day and will warm you right up.

Turkey Vegetable Soup

2 tbsp. coconut oil

1 c. onion, chopped small dice

1 c. carrot, chopped small dice

1 c. celery, chopped small dice

1 c. butternut squash, chopped small dice

2 tbsp. dried thyme

2 c. frozen peas (yes, I used sweet peas that I froze from my organic garden...sue me)

6 garlic clove, sliced

8 ounce mushrooms, sliced

8 c. turkey stock

2 c. shredded turkey breast

salt and pepper to taste

In a large dutch oven, heat oil over medium temperature.  Add the onions, carrot and celery and cook until the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the squash, mushrooms and thyme.  Cook so the mushrooms release moisture and then it starts to reabsorb, about 10 minutes.

Add the peas, garlic and stock.  Stir well.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and cover almost all the way.  When the vegetables are tender, add the turkey, salt and pepper to taste.  Cook over medium until the turkey is warmed.

Balsamic Vegetable Compote

It's been a while friends.  I wish I had a really good excuse..oh wait, I do.  I have been really, and fortunately so, busy with my photography business.  I really am lucky that people want me to take their pictures. I love it.  I love getting to know people and I love having the opportunity to capture special moments in their lives.  Maybe you can tell by my food pictures as well.  There really isn't anything that doesn't capture my eye.  I believe beauty can be found in all things.  So much so that I have a special project that I am starting in January.  I'll share more later, but you really came here for food.  And I promise, even though I have been busy editing, I have still had time to cook and have come up with some wonderful new recipes to post!  Starting with this one...

I love warm mixtures of vegetables in the winter.  Don't get me wrong, vegetables are good anytime of year, but there is something comforting about vegetables in winter.   I don't know why that is, but I love that we have a great variety available now a days than we used to.

This compote, an idea I got from my fruit compote, would be perfect with almost anything.  The night I made it I served it with salmon, and then had it the next day by its self.  A delicious combination of flavors that you will love.  Promise.

Balsamic Vegetable Compote

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 c. onion, medium dice

2 c. zucchini, medium dice

2 c. eggplant, medium dice

1 c. tomato, medium dice

4 cloves garlic, whole

1 tsp. thyme, rosemary, and oregano (dried-if you want to use fresh, that is perfectly fine but you will need to increase the quantities to 3 tsp. each and put them in at the very end!)

2 tsp. mushroom salt

1/4 c. excellent quality balsamic

freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.  Remove the cloves and set them aside to cool.

Add the onion to the pan, cook until tender and translucent, 5-7 minutes.  Add the zucchini and eggplant, stir to to coat.  Cover and increase heat to medium high.  Stir often and cook about 10 minutes or until vegetables start to soften and moisture from vegetables has been almost absorbed. 

While the vegetables are cooking, press the cooled garlic.  Add the garlic, tomatoes, spices, salt and pepper.  Cook for about 5 minutes and then add the balsamic and allow to reduce.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  Finish with fresh thyme.

Maple Bacon Scones

The weather is changing...the bitter bite of winter is making its appearance.  That means warms drinks start the day out.  One morning I was going to make a Maple Bacon muffin but I decided to make a scone instead.  First, you have to actually like scones, which for a lot of people, isn't so.  But you can't go wrong when said scone can be lightly dipped in a chai.  Now that, my friends, along with an extra side of bacon, is a perfect morning.

Anyway, I have a few friends who are my testers.  The first one came by and gave them an A+. The second one was delivered three and texted me shortly thereafter to say all three were gone.  And that is was the best bakery item I have ever made.  Even better than my Samoa's and Cake Balls...WHAT?  Anyway, there isn't much more to say when you get those kind of reviews.  

Oh yeah there is.  And that would this....this was my first experiment and I nailed it.  Sometimes even I amaze myself.  And the second, I just wanted to brag a bit, show you the picture and then tell you I'm not even posting the recipe.   But you can buy them from me if you are in Des Moines!  

Bam!

The Perfect Pulled Pork

One thing I really, really enjoy is a good, and I mean GOOD pulled pork.  There are so many options with a big 'ol pot of pulled pork.  But I am also simplistic in that I want to enjoy the flavor of the pork or add sauces later.  I am a master, and I kid you not, at ribs.  Best ribs ever.  Really.  But I have always found pork roasts to be dry and hard to chew.  I want it soft, tender and moist. 

So this is what I did...and frankly, I nailed it.  If you don't have a big smoker, and I don't, this is great because you can get the same result.  

The Perfect Pulled Pork

1 5-7 pound pork shoulder roast

3 tbsp. hickory salt (my favorite is from Williams Sonoma)

1 1/2 tbsp. freshly ground pepper

Make sure the pork roast is room temperature.  This is key.  It allows for even cooking and allows the fat to render slowly.  

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Generously coat the pork shoulder with the salt and pepper and rub it evenly.

Place the pork in a stock pot large enough to hold it and put a lid on.  Place the lid on and cook in it in the oven for 8 hours.  Remove and allow to cool. 

NOW...place the pork in the fridge for a day.  Turn the pork roast one or twice during that time to allow juices/fat to redistribute into the pork.

A day later, preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Put the pork back in the oven and cook an additional 4-6 hours depending on the size of your roast.  You'll know it is done when it is falling off the bone.

I promise it will take every bit of restraint you have to not eat every little piece.  Really. 

And what do you do with the pork now?

Well, last night I tested a tamale recipe.  Testers are trying them today, so we'll see!