Category Archives: Pork

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

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I found this vintage French copper mold on ebay.  It’s actually one of a trio of molds:

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I’m not sure what you would mold in these — maybe pate or aspic?  Maybe they’re just decorative.  Of the three, the pig with his curly little tail is my favorite, and the inspiration for today’s recipe.

Have you ever wondered why a whole roasted pig is usually served with an apple in its mouth?  One urban myth is that it’s to keep the pig’s mouth open in order to let toxic gasses from the pig’s stomach escape during roasting.  It turns out that it’s purely aesthetic.  Reportedly, as the pig roasts, its jaws tighten into an unsightly grimace, and the apple helps prevent, or at least minimize, that.  It is also believed by some that the tradition, which goes back 800 years, may be symbolic of the pig’s life cycle.  In the fall, pigs were fattened up on apples, and an apple in the pig’s mouth is thought to have been a way to symbolize the life and death cycle.

I’m not a big fan of the whole roast pig with an apple in its mouth thing.  Maybe it’s because my dog Jasper likes to pretend he’s a whole roast pig with an apple in his mouth:

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photo-8 copyYou can put lipstick on a pig . . . .

Not long ago, I came home to discover that my friend had dropped off a bunch of leftovers from a business dinner, including roast pig:

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Although there wasn’t enough for a meal for our family, there was plenty to use in Spaghetti Carbonara.  The recipe is adapted from one from Martha Stewart, and although most traditional recipes call for pancetta, you can use any smoked pork product — bacon, Canadian bacon, prosciutto, roast pig — and it will be just as good.  Martha’s calls for half a cup of half and half, but do yourself a favor and just use 2 tablespoons — you’ll still get the desired taste and effect.

The kids were so happy to have this rich dish for dinner that I earned a “thanks for making dinner, Mom.”  They literally pigged out on it.  Were they happy enough to help with the dishes?  Yeah, right, when pigs fly!

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SPAGHETTI CARBONARA
Author: 
Recipe type: Pasta
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
  • 2 tablespoons half and half
  • ⅓ cup minced roast pig (can substitute bacon, ham, etc.)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
  2. While pasta is cooking, whisk together eggs, Parmesan cheese, and half and half in a medium bowl.
  3. Drain pasta and transfer to large bowl, Immediately add egg mixture to hot pasta and toss to combine (the heat from the pasta will cook the eggs). Add roast pig, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, as desired, and serve immediately.

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Kids were happy as pigs in mud eating Spaghetti Carbonara!

SHREDDED SALSA PORK TACOS

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I found this family of carved wooden pigs at an estate sale.  They have no markings, but I would guess they were made in Mexico.  Cute little guys, aren’t they?

Naturally, they inspired me to make a pork dish, and I thought it might be fun to set them out on the table when I served it.  Well, the kids thought it was hilarious when they found them standing guard over the Shredded Salsa Pork Tacos I made for dinner.  They cracked themselves up rearranging the pigs.

PIg stacking

Pig train

You might have predicted that the pigs would end up arranged like this:

You might have predicted the pigs would end up arranged like this

Because my kids are, in fact, kids, the pigs eventually wound uplike this (most likely influenced by watching our dogs or Sex in the City)

I don’t know whether the kids liked the Shredded Salsa Pork Tacos, but they were laughing so hard at their pig antics that they were gasping.  It was a fun meal.

This recipe is one of the easiest ones I know.  Although I usually shred my own lettuce, dice my own tomatoes and onions, grate my own cheese, churn my own butter (kidding — just seeing if anyone’s reading), you can just as easily pick these toppings up already prepared, cutting your prep time to about 5 minutes.

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SHREDDED SALSA PORK TACOS
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup salsa or picante sauce
  • Flour tortillas
  • Shredded iceberg lettuce
  • Assorted toppings -- grated monterey jack cheese, diced tomatoes, diced onions, pickled jalapenos, diced avocados
Instructions
  1. Trim tenderloin of any silverskin. Cut tenderloin into 2-inch pieces and place in a medium stock pot. Add salsa and beef broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, until pork is very tender and shreds easily with a fork, approximately 1-½ hours. Using two forks, shred pork. Raise heat to medium high and continue to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, approximately 5 to 10 minutes longer.
  2. To assemble tacos, fold tortillas in half and place shredded lettuce in tortillas. Top with shredded salsa pork, and add toppings as desired.

Lined up at the toppings trough

Is it Taco Tuesday yet?