For the protein, I had some lean ground pork, so made meatballs with granny smith apple, and an apple cider reduction sauce using some Ace Joker hard cider. This is a medium dry cider with a distinctly champagne-like taste and texture. I added a little rosemary and cinnamon to the meatballs, and the cider reduction had some honey, cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of cloves. I browned the meatballs in a pan, then finished them in a 300 degree oven. I reduced the cider by about two thirds. It worked great as a dipping sauce.
For the starch I made rice with black cumin seeds. I placed two cups of white long grain rice, 4 cups water, a tablespoon of black cumin seeds, and a teaspoon of kosher salt in my rice cooker, and cooked it. It went very well with both the meatballs and the reduction sauce.
Recipes
Pork and Apple Meatballs
1.2 lbs lean ground pork2 shallots, minced
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1/2 granny smith apple, diced
2 medium eggs
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
a pinch nutmeg
2 Tbsp. canola oil
In a large bowl, mix everything except oil together. Form meat mixture into golf ball sized balls. Add oil to a medium hot pan, and fry meatballs until golder brown. Transfer pan to a 300 degree oven, and bake until cooked through.
Apple Cider Reduction Sauce
24 oz. (two bottles) Ace Joker Hard Cider4 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
a pinch ground clove
Place all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until volume is reduced by about 2/3.
Goat Cheese Chili Rellenos
4 medium sweet chilies8 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. goat cheese
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. plus 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
four eggs, separated
Roast chilies on a gas grill or over a gas burner, until chilies are soft, and skins blackened all around. Cool, then peel off skins. Make a small slit in each chili, and use a small spoon to remove seeds and inner membranes.
In the bowl of a mixer, add cheeses, cumin, and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt. beat until smooth, then transfer to a piping bag. pipe cheese mixture into the slit in each chili. Do not over fill.
In a chilled bowl, beat egg whites to medium peaks. Whisk egg yolks with 1/4 tsp. salt. Fold yolks gently into egg whites.
Lightly coat chilies with flour. Dip chilies into egg batter, coating liberally. Fry in 375 degree oil until golden brown on both sides.
Happy eating!
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