Ribbon Pasta with Pork Ragu and Fresh Sage

Follow the Braised Pork Recipe and use this new dish as a creative and tasty way to use leftovers!

 Above picture is without mushrooms, bottom picture with mushrooms. Your choice!

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 1 lb. ribbon pasta according to package until al dente. Drain.

Toss pasta with 2 cups heated reduced reserved jus from braised pork recipe, 2 cups reserved shredded pork, and 2 T. thinly sliced fresh sage.

If you like mushrooms, saute in separate pan some sliced mushrooms in butter. 

Divide among 4 bowls. Top with mushrooms. Garnish with freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.





Source: Martha Stewart Living, but the mushrooms were MY idea!

Braised Pork Shoulder

 This Martha Stewart recipe was a hoot to make and had me feeling like Julia Childs in the kitchen. There are two leftover companion dishes that are reaaaally tasty and make this one meal a 4 mealer for the week!

Active time: 50 min.
Total time: 4 hours. 50 min.

Ingredients:

6 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 bone-in pork shoulder (recipe calls for 6-7 lbs. but that is A TON of meat. I purchased about 5 lbs.)
2 T. olive oil
1 head of garlic (we're talking the whole entire bulb here!) , minced
2 tsp. fennel seeds, toasted and ground (whatever! Like I'm going to do that! I just used regular fennel seeds)
1 tsp. crushed coriander
2 cups Belgian style ale - the lighter the better
1 cup chicken stock

1.)  Preheat oven 300 degrees. Crisp pancetta in a large Dutch oven over meadium-low heat until fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.

2.) Add onions to Dutch oven. Cook in the fat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a plate using slotted spoon.

3.) Season pork with salt and pepper. Add oil to Dutch oven and sear pork, fat side down, until golden, about 5 minutes. Flip and repeat. HAHA! I don't own a Dutch oven so my little skillet had to work!

4.) Add garlic and spices to pot. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add ale, stock, pancetta, and onions; bring to a simmer. Transfer to oven, and braise pork, covered, basting every hour, until meat is falling off the bone, about 4 hours. Shred meat (just what you're using) using 2 forks, and drizzle with warm skimmed jus.

Note: If you don't own a Dutch oven either, place a large glass casserole dish or cake pan in the pre-heating oven to warm. Transfer the roast and jus and spices to the glass dish and cover with foil. This worked but try not to let steam out! Lots of foil!

To store leftovers, store jus in separate container than the pork.

Serving idea: Pile shredded pork on creamy polenta. Drizzle with jus.


For Leftover Ideas, click below:


Ribbon Pasta with Pork Ragu and Fresh Sage- TASTY

Open-Faced Porchetta Sandwich with Caramelized Apples - SOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOD.

Open Faced Porchetta Sandwich with Caramelized Apples

This is simply delicious. Like, "Oh my goodness". Perfect for Fall weather.

Follow the Braised Pork Recipe and then use leftovers for this new dish!

Ingredients:

2 T. unsalted butter
2 apples cored and sliced into 1/2 inch wedges (I love Honey Crisp apples)
3 T. sugar
1 T. water
Rustic bread (meaning, specialty loaves that are usually $5 and have a rougher texture. I like to use just a good ole Country Loaf.) When I took this picture I didn't have any bread. Still delish!

So easy:

Melt butter in skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the apple slices, sugar, and water. Stirring occasionally until apples are soft and sauce has caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Top 4 slices of toasted bread with some heated reserved pork, reserved onions from juice, and the apples. Drizzle with caramelized sauce from apples and the heated reserved juice. Then if you want to get REALLY fancy, sprinkle with some watercress.




Source: Martha Stewart Living

Pork Roast with Sauerkraut

We love this on Fast Sundays. Feeds a bunch!

Ingredients:

1 pork rump or shoulder roast about 2-3 pounds (the less fat the better)
1 or 2 bags of FRESH sauerkraut usually found near the hot dogs at the store. Do not used canned kraut. Yuck.

Place roast in crockpot and poke with fork all around. If you like sauerkraut then dump the entire contents of the kraut bag over roast. If you want a less sour roast then rinse part of the kraut under the tap water and/or dump some of the juice out.

Set crockpot on low for 7-8 hours. Serve with steamed veggies and mashed potatoes. Yummy...

Hearty Pork Stew

1 1/2 lb pork boneless loin roast, trimmed of fat
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices (1 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled parsnips
1 1/2 cups 1-inch cubes peeled butternut squash
4 cups chicken broth
1 T. chopped fresh or 1 tsp. dried sage leaves
2 tsp. chopped fresh or 3/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 T. all-purpose flour
3 T. butter or margarine, softened

Cut pork into 1-inch cubes.
In 4- 5-quart slow cooker, mix pork and remaining ingredients except flour and butter.
Cover and cook on low heat setting 6 to 7 hours.
In small bowl, mix flour and butter; gradually stir into stew until blended.
Increase heat setting to high.
Cover and cook 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

6 servings

Sweet Pork Tacos (Melissa Holmes)

2-3 lbs. pork shoulder roast
1 cup brown sugar
4 oz can green diced chillies

Cook low in crockpot 7 hours.
Taste for sweetness. You'll probably need to add about a 1/2 cup more brown sugar.
Shred and cook in juices 1 more hour.

Great with homemade tortillas (http://rachelsmartsrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/12/homemade-tortillas-melissa-holmes.html)