Pork Loin Cured In Spiced Apple Cider With Ricotta Gnocchi Braised Lettuce And Corn Food

CIDER-ROASTED PORK LOIN WITH PICKLED APPLES AND CHILES

Steps:

• To make the pickled apples, in a small pot, combine 1/4 cup water with vinegar, sugar, allspice, coriander and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Put apples and jalapeños in a medium heatproof bowl or jar, and pour hot vinegar mixture on top. Let cool to room temperature and let pickle for at least 2 hours. (Mixture can be made up to 1 week ahead and stored in the refrigerator.)
• Rub pork all over with rosemary, fennel seeds, salt and pepper. Refrigerate, fat side up and uncovered, for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place pork on a rimmed 11-by-18-inch sheet pan. Scatter apples, onion, garlic and cinnamon stick in an even layer around pork loin. Transfer baking sheet to oven rack, and add chicken stock, then carefully pour in cider (it's best to position pan in oven, then pour in liquid). You may not need all of the cider here. You can add more later as it roasts - stop if it threatens to overflow.
• Roast until pork reaches 135 degrees internally, 35 to 50 minutes. Keep an eye on the pork. If all the cider evaporates and baking dish starts to burn while the pork is cooking, add a splash more cider.
• Transfer pork to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, transfer roasted apples, onions and garlic to a serving platter (discard cinnamon sticks). Scrape jus and any golden bits from baking sheet into a small pot, and bring to a simmer (add a little more chicken stock if needed). Whisk in butter and a pinch of salt and cook until the sauce is reduced by about a third (you just want to thicken it up a bit), 3 to 7 minutes. Pour in any juices from the cutting board where the pork loin is resting.
• Slice pork and place on a serving platter, along with the roasted apples and onions. Drizzle some of the sauce and also some of the liquid from the pickled apples on top. Garnish with the rosemary, and serve with pickled apples and jalapeños alongside.

PORK LOIN BRAISED IN MILK

Steps:

• Combine the rosemary, sage, garlic, and salt and pepper in a small bowl and rub it all over the pork. Place the pork on a large plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a few hours.
• Place a medium heavy pan that will hold the roast somewhat snugly over medium heat and add the butter and oil. When the butter begins to foam, add the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly golden on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. (Keep your eyes on the butter so it doesn't burn and reduce the heat a bit if needed.)
• Add 1 cup of the milk and stir to loosen the browned bits attached to the bottom of the pan. As soon as the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pan, and simmer until almost all the milk has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add 1 more cup milk and continue cooking, basting and turning the meat a few times, until most of the milk has evaporated. Cook the pork in this manner, adding the milk 1/2 to 1 cup at a time, until it reads 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 hours. (The pork can be cooked up to this point 1 hour or so ahead. In that case, cook only until it reaches 155 degrees F, because it will keep on cooking as it sits in the hot pan juices.)
• Remove the lid and raise the heat to high. If no more milk is left in the pan, add 1/2 cup or so more. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to release the browned bits and turning the pork once or twice, until most of the milk has evaporated and the meat has a rich, golden brown color. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let it rest for about 10 minutes while you finish the sauce.
• Spoon off some of the fat from the pan. Add 1/3 cup water and stir quickly, over medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan until only the brown glazed clusters of milk particles remain.
• Cut the meat into 1/2-inch thick slices and serve topped with a bit of the pan juices.

PORK LOIN CURED IN SPICED APPLE CIDER WITH RICOTTA GNOCCHI, BRAISED LETTUCE, AND CORN

Steps:

• For the brine: Combine all the ingredients for the brine in a large non-reactive pot. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Allow to steep for 30 minutes, then cool in an ice bath. Place the pork loin in a container large enough to submerge it and pour the cooled brine over the pork. Make sure the entire loin is submerged, use a heavy plate, if necessary. Cover the container and place in the refrigerator at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours to cure.
• Remove the pork from the brine, discard liquid. Dry the pork loin with a cloth and cut the loin into 8 (8-ounce) fillets. (You may alternately roast the entire loin whole, then slice medallions for presentation.)
• For the braised lettuce: Cut the lettuce through the core into 16 wedges, reserve. Blanch the corn in salted water until tender, then cool and drain, reserve. Cook the apples over medium heat with a tablespoon of butter in a skillet until beginning to brown. Cool and reserve.
• In a large heavy bottomed skillet, large enough to hold all the pork loins (or 2 smaller pans), heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Season the pork with salt. Saute the pork fillets about 7 minutes each side for medium.
• For the gnocchi: Meanwhile prepare the sauce. Have a pot of salted boiling water ready for the gnocchi. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the lettuce quarters in batches with a pinch of salt and brown on both sides. Remove from the pan. Repeat until all the lettuce is browned. Return all the lettuce quarters to the pan, and over medium high heat, deglaze the pan with the white wine and apple cider. Reduce to a glaze. Add the pork stock and corn kernels and bring to a simmer. Mount the sauce with the remaining butter, add the chopped thyme, adjust seasoning, and reserve warm.
• Cook the gnocchi until they float, then transfer them to the sauce to coat. Divide the lettuce, corn, gnocchi, and sauce among 8 large bowls. Top each with a pork fillet.

PIADINI WITH APPLES, HONEY, AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• 2 hours before the party:
• Core and slice the apples. If you¿re not using immediately, squeeze lemon juice on them to prevent discoloration.
• When your guests have arrived:
• Wash and roughly tear the frisee into a salad bowl. Add the apples. Drizzle with olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon of the honey, salt and pepper. Set aside
• Divide the pizza dough into 4 sections. On a floured board, stretch and roll the dough into thin disks with a rolling pin. The dough may also be stretched by hand, but rolling will give you a thinner crust. Coat the flattened dough with olive oil and place onto a very hot, preheated outdoor grill. (this can be done indoors on a cast iron stovetop grill pan. Set the burners to medium, medium-high and make sure to preheat the pan.) When you see bubbles rise to the surface, flip the dough. It should be slightly browned on the bottom.
• Put 1 tablespoon of the honey and 1-ounce of blue cheese, to taste, on the top of the crust. Close down your grill and wait for the cheese to melt. When it is nice and gooey, take it off the grill and top with the cool salad and apples. Repeat with remaining dough and ingredients. Fold it over, eat and enjoy.

SPICY PORK LOIN AND LETTUCE WRAPS

Steps:

• Cook the pork: Season the pork all over with the salt, then sift the paprika through a fine mesh sieve over the pork. Heat a cast iron skillet large enough to hold the pork. Add the oil and when it begins to smoke lightly, use a pair of metal tongs to place the pork into the hot oil. Cook over high heat, turning the pork often, browning on all sides, until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F in the thickest part of the tenderloin, about 15 minutes total (if you like a little more "done", cook a few minutes longer on each side). Remove the pork and allow it to "rest" on a flat surface. If you like a little more "done", cook a few minutes longer on each side.
• Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, honey, fish sauce, and ginger. Add the scallions. Taste for seasoning. Set aside.
• Assemble the wraps: On a large serving platter, arrange "cups" of lettuce leaves, 2 to 3 layers of lettuce per cup. Form the cups with one leaf inside another with the lettuce spines stacked on top of the other.
• Slice the pork into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Top each lettuce cup with 3 or 4 slices of pork. Season the pork with a little more salt, then top with the chiles. Drizzle the meat with some of the sauce. Top with the cilantro leaves. Top with more sauce if you like.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK LOIN WITH SAUTEED APPLES

Steps:

• Combine the salt, pepper, sage and thyme and rub into pork.
• Wrap pork in plastic wrap and chill 2 hours or overnight.
• Pat pork dry with paper towels.
• In a large, ovenproof casserole heat oil over moderate-high heat until hot but not smoking and brown the pork.
• Transfer to a plate, pour off all but 2 tblsps fat, and cook onion and garlic over moderate heat, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Return pork to casserole, add cider and bring to boil.
• Braise pork, covered, in a preheated 350F (165C) oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
• Transfer to a heated platter, discard string and let stand 10 minutes.
• Spoon off fat from pan juices and puree pan juices with a blender (or immersion blender).
• Season to taste.
• Serve in a sauceboat.
• Arrange sautéed apples around sliced pork.

APPLE CIDER PORK POT ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
• Season the pork with the salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the pork and brown well on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Remove the pork and add the onion wedges to the pot. Cook for a few minutes, letting them get a little color but being careful not to let them burn.
• Return the pork to the pot, placing it on the bed of onions. Add the cider and 1 cup (235 ml) water and bring to a simmer, then wedge the apple pieces under the meat among the onions. Toss in the thyme.
• Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender, shreds easily, and is a deep brown color; the apples will have caramelized.

NORMANDY PORK WITH APPLES & CIDER

Steps:

• Heat half the oil in a large pan and brown the meat in batches. Don't overcrowd the pan, and only turn the meat when it has a deep brown crust on the underside, as this will add lots of flavour to the stew. When one batch is cooked, tip it into the slow cooker and continue with the next batch, adding more oil as you need it.
• When all the meat has been transferred to the slow cooker, add the onion, carrots and celery to the pan and cook for 5-10 mins to just soften, scraping any meaty bits up from the bottom of the pan. Tip the veg into the slow cooker. Add the lardons to the pan and fry until crispy. Pour in the cider, bubble for 1 min, again scraping the bottom of the pan, then tip the cider and lardons into the slow cooker too. Add the apples, stock cube and herbs to the slow cooker, pour in 400ml water, season well and turn the heat to Low. Cover with the lid and cook for 6-8 hrs until the meat is very tender. (If you don't have a slow cooker, tip all the ingredients back into the pan, cover with a lid and cook for 3 hrs over a low heat, stirring every now and then to prevent it from catching on the bottom. You may have to add a splash of water during cooking if the sauce looks dry.)
• Turn your slow cooker up to High. Add the crème fraîche and mustard to the stew and check the seasoning. If the sauce is thin, you can thicken it with the cornflour - ladle 2 spoonfuls of the sauce into a pan and bring to a simmer, mix the cornflour with 1-2 tsp cold water to make a paste, then stir it into the sauce. Once thickened, return the sauce to the slow cooker and cook for 10 mins more on High, stirring occasionally (or for 5 mins on the hob). Serve with mashed potato, greens and extra mustard and thyme, if you like.