Slow Smoked Pork Shoulder with Napa Cabbage Slaw and Queso Fresco

Ingredients
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large white onion, chopped
2 heaping tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 or 2 chipotle in adobo, finely chopped
1 boneless pork shoulder (about 5 pounds)
Warm corn tortillas

Napa Cabbage Slaw, recipe follows
Hot sauce
Fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup crumbled queso fresco

Directions
Special equipment: 2 cups wood chips (hickory or apple), soaked in water 30 minutes

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme, garlic, onions, ancho chile powder, brown sugar, cumin, coriander, orange juice, lime juice, 1/2 water and chipotle, and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool. Put the pork in a large pan and pour over the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the pork from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.

Preheat a charcoal grill for indirect heat and place the soaked wood chips on top of the coals.

Place the pork on the grill, cover and let smoke until the temperature inside the grill is 220 degrees F. Add chips as necessary to continue smoking until the internal temperature of the pork reaches140 degrees F. Then just let the pork finish cooking until the internal temperature reaches about 190 degrees F. This can take about 5 hours. Let the pork rest 30 minutes.

Shred the pork and serve in the warm tortillas topped with some Napa Cabbage Slaw, hot sauce, fresh cilantro leaves and queso fresco.

Napa Slaw:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons canola oil1 teaspoon celery seeds
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 green onions, coarsely chopped
2 serrano chiles
1 head Napa cabbage, finely shredded
1 large carrot, julienned
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco

Whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, oil and celery seeds until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the green onions and serrano chiles. Place the cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Add the dressing and the queso fresco, and toss to combine.

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Slow Smoked Pork Shoulder with Napa Cabbage Slaw and Queso Fresco

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 2 heaping tablespoons ancho chile powder
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 or 2 chipotle in adobo, finely chopped
• 1 boneless pork shoulder (about 5 pounds)
• Warm corn tortillas
• Napa Cabbage Slaw, recipe follows
• Hot sauce
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco

Directions

Special equipment: 2 cups wood chips (hickory or apple), soaked in water 30 minutes

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme, garlic, onions, ancho chile powder, brown sugar, cumin, coriander, orange juice, lime juice, 1/2 water and chipotle, and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool. Put the pork in a large pan and pour over the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the pork from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.

Preheat a charcoal grill for indirect heat and place the soaked wood chips on top of the coals.

Place the pork on the grill, cover and let smoke until the temperature inside the grill is 220 degrees F. Add chips as necessary to continue smoking until the internal temperature of the pork reaches140 degrees F. Then just let the pork finish cooking until the internal temperature reaches about 190 degrees F. This can take about 5 hours. Let the pork rest 30 minutes.

Shred the pork and serve in the warm tortillas topped with some Napa Cabbage Slaw, hot sauce, fresh cilantro leaves and queso fresco.

Napa Slaw:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon celery seeds
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 green onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 serrano chiles
• 1 head Napa cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco

Whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, oil and celery seeds until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the green onions and serrano chiles. Place the cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Add the dressing and the queso fresco, and toss to combine.

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Throwdown Cuban Sandwich with Homemade Pickles

Ingredients
Pork:
1 (4 to 5 pound) bone-in pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Canola oil
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons aged sherry vinegar
1 head garlic, cloves removed and peeled
2 medium Spanish onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
Handfull fresh oregano, stems with leaves
Clover Honey


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Season the pork with salt, pepper and cumin. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven until it begins to shimmer. Add the pork and cook until golden brown on all sides.


Add the stock, juices, vinegar, garlic, onions, bay leaves and oregano, bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to the oven. Braise until fork tender (between 180 and 190 degrees F), about 1 1/2 hour to 2 hours. Remove from the oven, transfer pork to a platter and let rest 15 minutes before slicing or shredding.


Strain the braising liquid into a medium pan, bring to a boil and let reduced slightly, adding honey and salt and pepper if needed. Toss some of the braising liquid with the shredded pork to moisten.


Homemade Pickles:
3 Kirby cucumbers, sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
3/4 cup packed coarsely chopped fresh dill
2-3 tablespoons sugar
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon dill seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
Put the sliced cucumber in a medium bowl (which has a fitted lid).


Combine 1 cup of water, the vinegar, dill, sugar, garlic, salt, dill, mustard and coriander seeds in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar and salt is dissolved. Remove from the heat and taste for tartness, add more sugar if too sour and let cool to room temperature.


Pour the cooled liquid over the cucumbers, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 48 hours, stirring the mixture at least once.


Roasted Garlic-Dijon Aioli:
1 cup prepared mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
5 cloves roasted garlic, pureed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Whisk together mayonnaise, mustard and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld.


For Sandwiches:
8 to 10 Cuban breads, sliced 3/4 of way through
Roasted Garlic-Dijon Aioli
Shredded pork
Homemade Pickles
1 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese
1 pound thinly sliced good-quality ham
Spread both cut sides of the bread with a tablespoon or so of aioli. Add the pork, a few slices ham, and a generous layer of pickles. Top with a few slices cheese.


Press the sandwiches in a hot panini grill until outside is toasty and cheese is melted.


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Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients

Meatballs:

• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped and Sauteed
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup pure olive oil

Tomato Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 (28-ounce) cans plum tomatoes and their juice, pureed in a blender
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small bunch parsley
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 6 basil leaves, chiffonade

Spaghetti:

• 12 cups water
• Salt
• 1 pound #8 or #9 spaghetti
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Garlic Bread:

• 1 stick soften butter
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 country loaf, cut into 3/4-inch slices

Directions

For the Meatballs: Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, except olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls and fry until golden brown, but not cooked through completely. (remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.) For the Tomato Sauce: Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add pureed tomatoes and juice, bay leaf and parsley, pepper flakes and salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add meatballs and let simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Remove the bay leaf and parsley, add the basil and serve.

For the Spaghetti: Bring salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain well in a colander, toss in sauce, serve with meatballs and Parmesan cheese.

For the Garlic Bread: Combine butter and garlic. Spread evenly on bread and broil until browned.

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Spaghetti

Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf with Balsamic Glaze

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large zucchini, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 yellow pepper, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 1 pound ground beef chuck
• 1 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan
• 1 cup ketchup, divided
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, peppers, garlic paste, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook until almost soft, 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together the eggs and herbs in a large bowl. Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the ketchup, 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar, and the cooled vegetables and mix until just combined.

Mold the meatloaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.Whisk together the remaining ketchup, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake the meatloaf for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

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