Pickled Pork

Pickled Pork

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup kosher salt
8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seed
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
8 ounces ice

1 1/2 pounds fresh boneless pork, cut into 2-inch cubes

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients except the ice and the pork in a 2-quart nonreactive saucepan, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and maintain a simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the ice and stir. Place the pork into a 1-gallon zip top bag and add the cooled pickling liquid. Remove as much air as possible; seal the bag and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 days, turning the bag occasionally. Use within 2 weeks or remove from the pork from the brine and freeze.

Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo

 2 tablespoons butter
 2 cloves garlic
 2 cups chopped onion
 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
 1/2 cup chopped celery
 1 pound okra, chopped
 1/4 cup vegetable oil
 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
 1 pound chicken thighs
 1 pound andouille sausage links
 2 cups water
 6 cups chicken broth
 2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
 1 sprig fresh thyme
 3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
 1/2 teaspoon file powder (optional)

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, bell pepper, celery and okra; cook and stir until vegetables are tender and just browned. Remove from the skillet, and set aside.

Brown the sausage in the skillet over medium heat. Remove from the pan to drain on paper towels. Drain the sausage fat from the skillet, and pour in the vegetable oil to heat. Place the chicken in the skillet, and cook for about 20 minutes, turning frequently. Remove chicken from the pan, and place on paper towels to drain, leaving the oil in the pan.

Reduce the heat to low, and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux reaches a deep brown color. This should take about 30 minutes.
Stir 2 cups of water into the roux, and add the onion, garlic and peppers. Set the heat to medium, and bring to a boil. Stir in the chicken broth, and simmer over low heat. Cut the chicken into cubes, and add to the broth along with the sausage. Simmer for about 1 hour.

Add the shrimp to the gumbo, and season with thyme, parsley, salt, cayenne pepper, and hot pepper sauce. Cook for another 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the file powder.

Serve with rice

Hollandaise Sauce

1/2 cup butter

3 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Salt and white pepper to taste

Dash of hot pepper sauce( like you put on turnip greens)

2 tablespoons hot water

Finely chopped fresh parsley, dill or mint

Heat butter in a heavy saucepan until hot and foamy, but not browned. In a small bowl, whisk or beat egg yolks with lemon juice, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Gradually beat in butter, then water. Return mixture to saucepan and beat over very low heat until mixture is slightly thickened. Serve immediately or let stand over warm water for up to 30 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, mint or dill before serving.

Makes about 2/3 cup of hollandaise sauce.

I use parsley on veggies and Eggs Benedict, dill on fish dishes and mint or basil on red meats.

Jambalaya

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped( Crawfish tails can also be used, heck add both)

4 ounces chicken, diced

1 tablespoon Creole or Cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce ( or more)
3/4 cup rice
3 cups chicken or seafood stock
5 ounces Andouille sausage, sliced
Salt and pepper

In a bowl combine shrimp, chicken and Creole seasoning, and work in seasoning well. In a large saucepan heat butter over medium high heat with onion, pepper and celery, 3 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauces. Stir in rice and slowly add broth. Reduce heat to medium and  lid it up and leave it alone and cook until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender,  about 15-20 minutes. When rice is just tender stir it up. Add shrimp, chicken and sausage mixture. Cook until meat is done, about 10 minutes more. Season to taste with salt, pepper and favorite Louisiana seasoning and remove bay leaves. I add a touch of cream at this point, but that’s up to you.