What are you eating????

As you know (well, at least most of you) I've worked in the food safety industry for the past 10 years. Its a line of work that I am very passionate about and I find it really interesting.

One thing I like to do is keep my friends and family abreast of the latest issues. When you don't work in the industry you may not hear about the latest news and be aware of the risks we take everyday just by having a simple meal. I'm not trying to scare people but I do think it's important to be educated about the things you are eating.

One of my favorite resources for up to date Food Safety News just came up with a widget so I thought it was an awesome thing to add to my blog. Now you can find all your food safety info right here on STK! Knowing about the things you eat is key to a healthy life so I hope you find it useful. Plus, its great party conversation.

Pork and Stilton

This is one of our favorite recipes. I cant believe I haven't blogged about it before!

A little background...many years ago H wanted to make me dinner. He found this recipe and gave it a go. Unfortunately, it turned out pretty bad, the sauce curdled and it was a big mess. We wanted to make it again and it turned out to be another FAIL. Ugh, so frustrating. It's an easy recipe but for some reason it kept turning on us but we were determined to conquer it. On the 4th try we finally got it right! Woohoo!

Don't let my story deter you...it is easy. The trick is to simmer the port/broth down until its slightly thick then once you add the cream DO NOT let it come to a boil. The original recipe says to boil it but that is a big mistake and where we went wrong initially. The cream will burn and when you add the Stilton it will cause it to curdle. The magic word for this recipe is SIMMER, SIMMER, SIMMER.

Serves 4

I N G R E D I E N T S:

1-2 pork tenderloins
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup full-bodied port
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping (heavy) cream
1/4 pound Stilton cheese, crumbled (Can be found at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. Stilton is a strong blue cheese)
2 fresh jalapeno chilies, halved lengthwise, stemmed, veins removed, then finely diced


I N S T R U C T I O N S :

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Use a small sharp knife and trim the surface fat and silvery membrane from the pork.

Place the oil in a 12" pan and brown each tenderloin on both sides over medium-high heat.

Transfer the the tenderloins to a roasting pan. Bake until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees, about 15 - 20 minutes.

Discard any accumulated fat from the frying pan and deglaze over medium-high heat with the port and broth. Allow the liquid to reduce to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to MEDIUM before next step.

Stir in the cream then add the cheese and chilies and cook until the cheese melts. Never allow the sauce to come to a BOIL. Maintain over medium heat only.

Once tenderloin is cooked through, remove from oven and allow to rest for at least 5 min. Slice the pork across the grain, fan equal portions onto 4 plates and spoon the sauce atop the meat.

Serve with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables.

Enjoy!

Chili con carne

I found this Chile Con Carne recipe on Epicurious and I just had to try it. It has over 200 reviews and 92% of people said they loved it. Sounds like a winner to me!

For those of you who don't know about Epicurious...you should check it out! It's where you can find recipes from Gourmet, Bon Appetit and other yummy cooking magazines. There is even an iphone app which is really cool...I actually came across this recipe on my phone while at the grocery store. Its great for those times when you don't know what to make for dinner.




Recipe from Gourmet Magazine - February 1990
Serves 6
(Note: items with ** are those that I have changed from original recipe)

2 large onions, chopped (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 carrots (Chop most of carrots in mini chopper and then coarsely chop the rest by hand) **
2 pounds boneless beef chuck **
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon crumbled dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
1- 29 ounce can tomato sauce **
1 - 14 ounce can beef broth **
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2- 16-ounce cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained **
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped **

In a kettle cook the onions in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until they are softened, add the garlic, carrots, bell pepper, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the chuck and cook it over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up any lumps, for 10 minutes, or until it is no longer pink. Add the chili powder, the cumin, the paprika, the oregano, and the red pepper flakes and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the tomato sauce, the broth, and the vinegar, bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer it, covered, stirring occasionally, for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the meat is tender.

Add the kidney beans and salt and black pepper to taste, and simmer the mixture, uncovered, for a few more minutes (until beans are warmed through)

Serve with garlic bread, corn bread or chili cheddar shortcakes

We loved this recipe. Its definitely a keeper! Oh, also this can be frozen for up to 2-3 months and reheated.