Easy Dinners: Pom-Peach Compote Pork Chops

It's the hottest part of the summer! Making dinner when your house is sweltering is probably not you favorite things to do. I understand. That's why my blog comes in handy. I try my darndest to make things easier, with easy sauces, make aheads and quick tricks to make it easier to get dinner on the table without all the fuss and muss. In that arena, I like compotes. Compotes are basically a fruit "boiled" down in it's own juice or in water and sugar until the pectin in it's meat / skin breakdown and thicken it. My favorite way to use compotes is to pour them over meat when I usually would just throw them in the oven with a few sprinkling of spices. Like today....I took out Pork Chops. I usually sprinkle "Complete seasoning", some garlic, salt & pepper and a dash of olive oil and they're in the oven.
Today I just wasn't in the mood. I wanted more.

So I looked through my fridge and found the container with my homemade cranberry sauce...nope. Then I spotted the compote I made from Peaches and Pomegranate juice the other night for my poundcakes and the lighbulb came on! Pomegranate juice is tart, Peaches are sweet, now if I just add a layer of spice I'm golden. Sure enough...I had it! I took the pork chops sprinkled with Complete Seasoning, garlic and Red Pepper Flakes then spooned some of the compote over them, placed them in the oven and Voila! Beautifully seasoned, moist and flavorful pork chops with no muss and fuss!! Just the kind of stuff I like to pass on to you guys!

This post is about compotes. Not necessarily pork chops.

Compotes; How do you make them? How do you save them? How do you use them? Those are the questions I'll answer for you.

What are Compotes?
Well, as I explained compotes are a "sauce like" component that is made from "cooking/boiling" fruit in water and sugar or in juice. The juice can be it's own juice (ie: peaches in peach nectar or oranges in orange juice etc...) Now, I am the kind of person who like to live on the edge (LOL) I like combining flavors. In this case I combined pomegranate juice and chopped peaches. (Left the skin on) added a little sugar because I was initially going to used in a Baked item (poundcake) where it would need a sweeter note. This made for a great savory addition because the mixture of the sweet and tart. Adding the red pepper flakes added an additional layer of flavor to bring it more to the savory side. You can do this with many things.
Think about this... Maybe I wanted to make those pork Chops BBQ. Could I still have used the compote? SURE ! How you ask? It's Easy.... Take a cup of the compote, add some ketchup (or tomato juice), worcestershire, grated onion and  liquid smoke and I now have a Pom-Peach BBQ Sauce. Oh, and by the way... Have some Regular bottle BBQ sauce at home? Honey BBQ, Original BBQ, Chipotle BBQ? Add some compote to the already made BBQ sauce and You are THE HERO of that BBQ! Nobody will ever know how easy that was! See??? It's not really hard. but, that's what I'm here for. to give you the inspiration!
How do I save the compote once it's made? There are many ways. Do you do any canning? Jar these babies up and have them all winter long. Don't can? No problem. Let the Compote cool completely. place in a closed container in your fridge. It will last for a few weeks (2-3). Want to keep it longer? Freeze it.
Place 1 cup amounts of the cooled compote in ziploc bags and lay flat in your freezer. When you need it again, take it out and let it defrost in the fridge.
How do you use Compotes? Ohhhhh the uses never end! As I said previously I use them in poundcakes, and as a glaze for pork chops. How about as a filling for a cupcake, a topping for a shortcake, a topping for your favorite ice cream, a topping for your morning toast? I love compotes as a fresh side for a heavy meal.
Compotes can be used in lots and lots of ways! Be daring, think of different pairings for more hits on those flavor receptors! You are going to love them! Enjoy!

Mother's Day Fave: Stuffed Cabbage

This Mother's day weekend my Son was 1500 miles away he sent flowers but I had to cook :) So I decided I would make one of my absolute faves! I love Stuffed Cabbage. I updated the recipe to substitute tomato juice for tomato sauce and also included a Pictorial Tutorial to help with assembly.

Hope this make it easier to pass it on! 

I would love it if you "Pinned" it as Tutorials are awesome on Pinterest!

Ingredients:

Medium Head Green Cabbage (par boiled)

(Filling)

1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef

1/2 lb Ground Pork

2 C Cooked Rice

2 Tblsp Olive Oil 

1/2 C Onion (chopped)

1 Tblsp Garlic (chopped)

2 Tblsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp Celery Salt

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Black Pepper

(Sauce)

3 cans (4oz each) Tomato Juice

1/4 medium Onion (grated)

1 stalk Celery (grated)

2-3 Tblsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 C Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp Butter

1 Tblsp Vinegar

1 Tblsp Lemon Juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

Prep:

Cut Head of Cabbage in half.

Remove Core

Place Cabbage in Large Pot, cut side down.

Add Water to Cover.

(Secret: Add 1 Tbsp Baking Soda, 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice and Salt to water. This Baking Soda reduces the gassy "after effect" of the cabbage) The rest is for flavor. ;)

Boil Cabbage until softened to roll. (about 10 mins @ rapid boil)

After 10-15 mins, drain and allow to cool.

Prepare Sauce: 

In a Saucepan, saute grated onion and butter until onion translucent.

Add remaining ingredients, whisk to Combine.

Bring to boil to dissolve sugar. Once sugar is not visible, boil rapidly for 5 minutes.

Cover and Reduce heat to Low. Simmer until ready for it.

Filling: 

In Saute Pan warm Olive Oil.

Saute Ground Beef and Ground Pork in the Olive Oil.

When Meat starts to sear, Add Onion and Garlic.

When Onion is translucent, Add 3-4 tbsp of the Sauce.

Combine.

Lower Heat to Medium Low. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add Cooked Rice.

Combine Well.
Remove from heat when filling is thoroughly combined and heated through.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Prepping Baking Dish:

Cover bottom of  Baking Vessel (I used 13x9x2) with sauce. (about 1/3 of sauce for same size pan)

Making Rolls: 

Place 1 Cabbage Leaf on a flat plate. Using Tbsp, scoop filling and mold into cannell

Place filling at edge of cabbage leaf closest to you.

Fold edges of cabbage inward.

Roll filling into cabbage leaf, folding the ends inward as you continue.

Place Cabbage Roll in baking Vessel with folded edge at bottom of pan

Continue rolling until pan is filled

Cover Cabbage Rolls with Sauce.

Bake @ 400°  for 30 mins. Serve.

Note: For the Sauce. I wanted the onion and the celery grated as I like a smooth sauce. It also seems to have an effect on the onion that makes it less potent. It seems to "melt" into the sauce this way.

It truly was a great outcome. Hope you try it soon!

Enjoy!

Orange Chipotle Ribs, Slow Cooker Delight

Good Morning! Today I am sharing a recipe before I have the photo. Not normal for me..I usually take great care to wait until the dish is done and take the painstaking process to get a great shot to complete the post. Today I decided to post the recipe so you can cook along with me! The Recipe is so good and the sauce smells outstanding so I know it will be a Winner!! So here ya go!

Orange Chipotle Ribs

Ingredients:

3 pounds Ribs
(can use Pork, Beef, or even Boneless Pork Cubes, That's what I used)
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Orange Marmalade
4 oz Orange Juice
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tblsp Soy Sauce
3 tbsp Brown Sugar
4 Garlic Cloves minced (Try to use fresh here. It really makes a difference)
2 tsp Chipotle in Adobo (I used 1 pepper minced and 2 tsp sauce)
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Ginger (opt. Also try to use fresh)

**Note on some things: I used Boneless Pork Cubes.(they were partially frozen) I used Chipotle in Adobo (but you can use Chipotle Chili Powder). I used Bluebird Orange Juice (ya know those little cans? I keep em in the house just for this reason ;).This recipe is versatile..Work with what you have in the house.

Instructions:
Using a 6 Quart Crock Pot  Place Met in bottom of Crock Pot, no need to sear meat. I actually put the meat in the crock pot a lil frozen...
In a bowl combine all sauce ingredients.
Pour sauce over meat and cover.
Cook in crock pot on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5.

Meat will come out tender and Sauce divine!!
Serve with Rice and fresh veg.

**If you are using a bone in rib, the meat should be fall off the bone tender. If you like the meat to stay on the bone cook a little less. Reduce cooking time by an hour or so.

Enjoy!!

El Rinconcito & Mofongo!

I do eat out at a restaurant once in a great while. What that does is put quite a bit of pressure on the restaurant owner whether they know it or not. As I rarely eat out..I usually choose the restaurant by my previous experience there or by Rave review from someone close to me. The El Riconcito comes to me through previous experience. It is a local, close by little place that I have experienced multiple times.

©El Ronconcito de Santa Barbara

El Riconcito or "The Little Corner Nook" for us anglos. The restaurant is very literally a corner nook of a place in a very nondescript shopping plaza. As soon as you step in you are transported into a Latin Cafe. Very casual, warming and comfortable. The decor is that of a "Latin Cafeteria" A purposeful combination of Puerto Rican and Cuban Distinctions.
I came to find El Rinconcito because I had been watching a Food Network Show where a restaurant in South Miami had showcased their most distinct menu item "Mofongo". I live in an area of Miami very heavy in Cuban flavor and had not had the pleasure of trying "Mofongo". As I am very "picky" on what restaurants I choose, I researched reviews and found that the restaurant highlighted in the show had become very commercial. Went by the way side the idea of the local true to it's origin menu. The Showcased restaurant had descriptive reviews that stated "cold food", "lack luster" & "over priced". I saw within those reviews a little nudge to a little "Mofongo Treasure" 2 blocks from my home. Could I be that lucky? I was. that same day I visited El Riconcito. The Mofongo was delightful! I had to agree. This made me a believer and have ever since agreed with the reviewer in that I had found a gem here.
Last night I jotted on over to my neighborhood "nook" and expected my favorites to be as they always are. I guess expecting consistency in this day and age may not be a good way to go about things. It is my opinion though that if you frequent certain restaurants you want consistency. I am sorry to say I didnt find it Last night at El Rinconcito. I understand that the economy may be less than what a restauranteur dreams about but I would hope that this would give his consistent good food the opportunity to shine for those who are loyal.
Let me express that my findings are my own, my companion had little to say regarding the Waiter's most generic "sexist" behavior and astonishment that we wanted a booth for 2 people. The waiter never made eye contact with me nor did he answer my (English) questions regarding some changes, I clearly noticed with the food. Any and all conversation was directed to my male companion. I have no doubt had the food shined as it always had I would not be making remarks on the waiter's behavior, but when you do decide to trek out of the comfort of your home to spend hard earned dollars for a meal, you expect the food to be "decent" and the service to be as well.Unfortunately this was not the case at El Rinconcito last night.
I had hopes... here are the things I noted: The menu had changed. An Anglo person would have a hard time ordering in this restaurant. I would not recommend this restaurant to an anglo couple, unless they were well versed in latin food. The texture and flavor of the food has markedly changed, even though the waiter remarked to my companion in perfect Spanish that there had not been a change in management nor a change in chef (head cook). Portions sizes have reduced. This may have come from a change in ingredient quality and from a change in price of ingredients overall. The prices have gone up about 33%. Where a meal that included dessert used to cost $30.00 for 2 people, now cost $40.00. Now, let me state again, I understand the reason for this change and would be accepting of it, had the consistency remained the same. While I agree $40.00 including dessert is dirt cheap for a meal, I have no problem paying that and more if the meal is what I am expecting.

Upon arrival we were given a basket of Garlic bread. My companion dove in with full luster. I on the other hand was wary as the garlic was very very prominent and wowwed me with a small bite. I was conservative here. I also knew that my order was always more than I could handle so I wanted to make sure I didnt fill up on bread. I ordered the "Mofongo and Masitas" or as the menu states: "Mofongo con Masas de Cerdo Frita"
Mofongo is a mash of green plantains that have been poached or fried. In this case deep fried green plantains are mashed in a wooden container with garlic, then pork fat (chicharrones) is added for flavor.
Masas de Cerdo Frita are Marinated Pork chunks that are then deep fried to a crisp and moist perfection.
The Masitas as I call them were wonderfully crisp to bite into and then a fantastic moist inner loveliness. Really good. The Mofongo..bland. We even had ordered more chicharrones because we like the little crisp to break up the mash of the plantain..and it didnt help. You are given a cup of liquid alongside your meal. This liquid used to be a delightful and flavorful "broth" that was a wonderful little moisture addition you could choose to add to the Mofongo. The liquid I was given last night was fatty and very heavy. It left a pastiness on your tongue. I was very disappointed.
We ended the evening with Traditional Flan and Cafe con Leche. Sublime. No problems with either. I did note that the flan had cinnamon and it had not had cinnamon previously. Again when asked, the waiter stated there had been no kitchen nor management changes...

What I have to say is this...If you have a local haunt, a local little "nook" that you frequent. Let them know how important their consistency is to you. Let them know that you come back for the flavors and service you know and love. They might not realize how much it means to you or to their business. I am sorry to say that even though my companion had no problems during the meal..he was up until 4 am with indigestion. I'm not really sure if it was the food or the garlic.. but either way..it had never happened before.

Unfortunately El Rinconcito is not my favorite little "nook" anymore.