Recipes

DAN BARBER’S PORK BELLY

Blue Hill at Stone Barns near NYC, a farm/restaurant/ sustainable farming mecca, is partially the brainchild of Dan Barber, a friend of the Ossabaw and Cane Creek Farm customer. Here is his recipe for pork belly, which many people want to prepare at home these days after having it at restaurants like Stone Barns. We often have a number of pieces of belly at the market for your experimentation purposes, just ask!  SEE NOTE AT END!

1/2 pork belly
2 cups cure mix
2 quarts rich chicken stock (water can be substituted)

Rub the pork belly with the dry cure and refrigerate for 3 days.
On day 3, rinse the pork belly and place in a casserole pan as close to the size of the belly as possible. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Cover belly with rich chicken stock and cover pan. Place in oven and cook overnight, about 7 hours. Remove belly from braising liquid, drain, and cut into serving pieces. To serve, sear the fat side of the belly until crispy.

Cure Mix

1/4 cup fennel seeds
1/4 cup cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
8 teaspoons black peppercorns
4 pieces star anise
4 pieces cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons white peppercorns
4 teaspoons whole cloves
4 tablespoons ground coriander
1 cup salt
2/3 cup sugar

In a coffee grinder or food processor, grind the fennel seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon stick, white peppercorns and whole cloves. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the ground coriander, sugar and salt.

Note: This is the kind of recipe I would have run screaming away from before I went to cooking school. All those ingredients! All the time! But 1) its totally worth it and 2) Read the recipe carefully. All you really have to do is dump all the spices into your coffee grinder and press down, then dump that mixture w/ salt and sugar  over the pork. 3 days later, you throw it in the oven overnight with some canned chicken stock. Then you fry it. I’ve eaten cereal that took more work.

CANE CREEK POSOLE

This is an employee favorite. We put it on at lunch and let the broth simmer all day. The neck bones make this extraordinarily flavorful. They are a little messy, but its worth it. Don’t skip the garnishes, they really make the dish.

1 large head garlic
12 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
4 pounds Pork Neck Bones
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican), crumbled
2 ounces dried New Mexico red chiles
1 1/2 cups boiling-hot water
1/4 large white onion
2 teaspoons salt, plus 1 teaspoon
2 (30-ounce) cans white hominy (preferably Bush’s Best)
8 corn tortillas
About 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
Accompaniments: Diced avocado, thinly sliced iceberg or romaine lettuce, chopped white onion, diced radishes, lime wedges, dried oregano, and dried hot red pepper flakes

Peel the garlic cloves and reserve 2 for the chile sauce. Slice the remaining garlic. In a 7 to 8 quart heavy kettle bring water and broth just to a boil with sliced garlic and pork. Skim the surface and add oregano. Gently simmer pork, uncovered, until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. While pork is simmering, wearing protective gloves, discard stems from chiles, and in a bowl, combine chiles with boiling-hot water. Soak chiles, turning them occasionally, for 30 minutes. Cut onion into large pieces and in a blender puree with chiles and soaking liquid, reserved 2 cloves of garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt until smooth.

Transfer pork with tongs to a cutting board and reserve broth mixture. Using 2 forks, shred the pork. Discard the pork bones. Rinse and drain hominy. Return pork to broth mixture and add chile sauce, hominy, and remaining teaspoon salt. Simmer posole 30 minutes and, if necessary, season with salt. Posole may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.

While posole is simmering, stack tortillas and halve. Cut halves crosswise into thin strips. In a 9 to 10-inch skillet heat 1/2 inch oil until hot but not smoking and fry tortilla strips in 3 or 4 batches, stirring occasionally, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer tortilla strips with a slotted spoon as fried to brown paper or paper towels to drain. Transfer tortilla strips to a bowl. Tortilla strips may be made 1 day ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.

Serve posole with tortilla strips and bowls of accompaniments.

MAGNOLIA GRILL STYLE BRINED PORK CHOPS

Ben Barker was one of Cane Creek’s first and remains one of our biggest supporters.

4 cups water
1 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 small onion, thinly sliced
6 large garlic cloves, crushed
6 large fresh thyme sprigs
1 tablespoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
8 8-ounce center-cut pork chops
2 tablespoons olive oil
Molasses Barbecue Sauce (see below)

Combine first 7 ingredients in large saucepan; bring to boil. Cool completely. Place pork in large glass baking dish. Pour brine over. Cover; chill overnight.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Drain pork; pat dry. Brush pork with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill pork about 5 minutes per side for medium. Place on plates. Spoon Molasses Barbecue Sauce over.

BBQ Sauce

3 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato
3 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons chopped pitted dates
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Combine all ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to simmer before serving.)

PORK SPARERIBS WITH FERMENTED BLACK BEANS AND CHILES

This is a fun dish, and something to try when you are feeling experimental. Andrea Reusing, of Lantern Restaurant, is another early supporter of Cane Creek, and uses local ingredients in Asian dishes to the advantage of both.

5 pounds Ossabaw pork spareribs, cut into individual ribs

Marinade:
3/4 cup chopped fermented black beans
1/3 cup chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped ginger
1/2 T white sugar
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup shao tsing rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 T sesame oil
1/2 cup cornstarch

For serving:
1/3 cup chopped raw hot green chiles like jalapenos, with seeds
cilantro sprigs

Rinse pork ribs in cold water and remove any bits of chipped bone.   Combine all marinade ingredients and marinate for at least 3 and up to 24 hours.  In a bowl or dish that comfortably hold the ribs and the marinade and accumulated juices, steam the ribs until very tender, about an hour or longer.  Remove the fat from the sauce before serving with steamed rice, chopped chiles & cilantro.

SMOKED PORK TOSTADAS WITH CORN, SALSA ROJO, DRIED GOAT CHEESE, RADISHES AND CILANTRO

Ok, so you might not make this at home anytime soon. But it’s a great recipe if you ever wanted to try cold smoking! Once you have the butt smoked, cooked, and shredded, the sauce is easy enough and the tostadas will be mind-blowing.

*4 lb. pork butt
*1 head garlic crushed
1 carrot
1 rib celery
1 small onion
_ c. brown sugar
_ c. salt
2 T. crushed dried chilies
1 T. whole toasted cumin seeds
_ gal. water
_ gal. ice
*1 head garlic peeled & chopped

Add all ingredients except pork & ice to stainless pot and boil. Add ice to cool. Then submerge pork in brine for 24 hours. Remove, pat dry and air dry.

Rub garlic & little salt over pork, then cold smoke (with ice in steam pan) to smoker specifications for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 225-degrees. Place pork on rack in roasting pan and put in oven for 6 to 8 hours until very tender, but not overcooked. Let sit for 20 minutes and shred with fingers into large mixing bowl.

5 lbs roma tomatoes blanched in boiling water & peeled
2 poblanos roasted & peeled
2 pasillas roasted & peeled
2 jalapenos roasted & peeled
2 clove garlic
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon salt
1/3 lb dehydrated goat cheese or cotija, grated fine
1 tablespoon cumin
1 cup radish, sliced

Put first 8 ingredients in blender and blend. Check for spice, lime & salt & adjust if necessary. Add desired amount to pork.

To assemble: place pork on tostadas. Sprinkle goat cheese on top, then radish & cilantro. Probecho!

JEAN ANDERSON’S STUFFED MUSHROOMS

We had so much fun the day Jean came to visit – she was delighted by the serious little faces of the newborn baby goats and took some great pictures of Eliza and the kids. This recipe is a great way to use Cane Creek’s spicy hot pork sausage.

24 medium-size mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp cloth
1/2 pound spicy bulk sausage meat
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
1 tablespoon finely minced scallion or fresh chives
1 small egg, well beaten
2/3 cup soft white bread crumbs or 1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Stem mushrooms. Set caps aside and coarsely chop stems.
Cook sausage, chopped mushroom stems, garlic, and scallion in medium-size skillet 5 to 8 minutes over moderately low heat, breaking up large sausage lumps, until meat is lightly browned. Remove from heat, cool 15 minutes, then mix in egg, bread crumbs, and soy sauce.
Mound sausage mixture in mushroom caps, then arrange in ungreased 9- or 10-inch quiche dish or 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Bake on middle oven shelf 10 to 12 minutes until bubbling and browned.
Serve hot with cocktails.

PORK SHANKS WITH GREMOLATA

Pork Shanks are just a sexy sexy food: unctuous and earthy. That’s why I like it with the Gremolata- the freshness of the parsley and the acid of the orange cuts the fat and flavor of the shank nicely, so you aren’t overwhelmed.

Pork
6 2 1/2-inch-thick pork shank pieces
1/2 pig’s foot (optional)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
5 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes in juice, tomatoes coarsely chopped
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 cup medium-dry Sherry
3 dried ancho chiles,* halved, stemmed, seeded
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Spanish sweet paprika (pimentón dulce) or Hungarian sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 1/4 pounds smoked ham shanks

Garbanzo beans and gremolata
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 15 1/2-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
1 large garlic clove, minced
Large pinch of saffron threads
2 thin prosciutto slices, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds
1 tablespoon grated orange peel

4 thin prosciutto slices, torn into strips (for garnish)

For pork
Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle pork shanks and pig’s foot, if using, with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy wide pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sauté shanks and foot until brown, about 12 minutes per batch; transfer to baking sheet. Add carrots, onion, garlic, and thyme to pot. Sauté until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add coarsely chopped tomatoes with juice, broth, Sherry, chiles, tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and coriander. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits from pan bottom.

Return shanks and foot, if using, to pot. Place smoked ham shanks in pot, arranging all in single layer. Return to boil. Cover pot and place in oven. Braise until pork shanks are tender, about 1 hour 40 minutes.

Tilt pot; carefully spoon off all fat. Simmer pork uncovered over medium heat until sauce thickens to desired consistency, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Pork can be made 1 day ahead. Cool about 30 minutes. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing.

Meanwhile, make garbanzo beans and gremolata: Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add beans, garlic, and saffron. Sauté until heated through, about 5 minutes. Mix in chopped prosciutto. Sprinkle beans with salt and pepper. Mix parsley, almonds, and orange peel in small bowl for gremolata.

Place 1 pork shank on each of 6 plates. Spoon sauce around. Spoon garbanzo beans around shanks. Sprinkle with some of gremolata. Drape prosciutto strips over shanks. Serve, passing remaining gremolata.

BABBO’S GUINCIALE

We’ve never worked with Chef Mario Batali (crossing our fingers!) but it is obvious the man knows his way around a hog. Here is his recipe for guinciale, basically bacon made from the jowls of the pig instead of the belly. Sliced almost translucently thin, it elegantly takes the place of bacon in almost any dish.

Makes 2 pounds

_ cup sugar
_ cup kosher salt
10 to 15 whole black peppercorns
4 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves
2 pounds hog jowls

1. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, salt, peppercorns and thyme. Coat the hog jowls with the mixture, rubbing gently. Place the jowls in a nonreactive casserole, cover, and refrigerate for 5 to 7 days.

2. Remove the jowls from the casserole and tie a piece of butcher’s twine around the middle of each. Hang the jowls in a dry cool place (it should not be warmer than 60ºF.) for a t least 3 weeks. They should be firm and dry, with a slight give. Slice and use like bacon or pancetta.

MORETON NEAL’S ITALIAN SAUSAGE DRESSING

This recipe, from wonderful local food writer Moreton Neal, is great for Thanksgiving or just as a hearty main course on a weeknight. According to her recipe, you can cook it inside (wet) or outside (dry) the bird depending on what kind of stuffing you like.

8-12 cups ciabatta or other coarse bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
4 tablespoons (or more) olive oil
2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
2 large yellow onions, chopped
5 large ribs celery, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup Marsala wine
Chicken or turkey broth

Sauté the sausage in olive oil until brown. Set the meat aside. In the fat remaining in the pan, sauté the vegetables until soft. Add herbs and salt and pepper during the last minute of cooking. Pour the vegetables into 8 cups of the bread and stir to mix. If the dressing seems too greasy, add more bread. The mixture should not be too dry.

Add Marsala to the hot pan, stir and heat two minutes. Pour wine into bread mixture, stirring to distribute evenly.

Spoon dressing into the cavity of turkey (unless it will be cooked in a garbage can) and roast the bird in your usual way. Or put the stuffing in a greased casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake for a half hour or more (depending on the thickness of the casserole dish) until thoroughly heated. Check the dressing after several minutes. To compensate for the natural juices of the turkey, you may need to add chicken broth and a little melted butter to keep it from becoming too dry.

JEFF’S ROOT BEER GLAZED HAM

Our ham steaks are a great cut of meat, a steak-like center cut of
the ham with the bone, but many people don’t go for them because they
are not use to cooking with fresh ham. Jeff Barney, a head honcho at Chatham County Marketplace, has probably done more to popularize this cut than anybody else around with his delicious Root Beer Glaze.