Quick Cook: Make crisp, juicy pork lettuce wraps - The Mercury News
Quick Cook: Make crisp, juicy pork lettuce wraps - The Mercury News |
- Quick Cook: Make crisp, juicy pork lettuce wraps - The Mercury News
- It's grilling season and 'jerks' work just fine, as these recipes show - Iowa City Press-Citizen
- Grant helps students get hands-on with pork - Agri News
| Quick Cook: Make crisp, juicy pork lettuce wraps - The Mercury News Posted: 31 May 2021 06:30 AM PDT  Years ago, we moved from our home in Switzerland to England. Among the mixed emotions, one standout was a relief to live again in an English-language culture. While I can write at length about our bumbling and surprisingly foreign experience settling into U.K. life, I will stay on the topic of language. It was one of the perks of this international move, and the excuse we used to propel ourselves to a remote corner of southeast England in our well-intentioned quest to blend in. After all, we were fluent in the local language — we only missed a sturdy pair of wellies. So, after arrival in London and a brief rental experience, we moved to a small provincial hamlet on the edge of the south coast, where we purchased a rambling, feng shui-challenged barn renovation with distant views to the Isle of Wight. Suddenly, we found ourselves feeling quite foreign with a steep learning curve before us. Among many of our adjustments, we were about to experience a crash course in British English. We quickly adjusted to referring to the car boot (not trunk) and clothing articles such as knickers, jumpers and trainers. Perhaps more important, we awkwardly learned to never, ever compliment someone on their pants (blush), for they are trousers. Our written word adjusted, as well, to include u's and t's (neighbour, favourite, learnt, burnt). The letter "z" became "zed" and was often substituted with an "s," as in finalise and civilised. The language differences also extended to food terminology. Take, for example, the notion of tea. If your child was invited home by a classmate for tea one day, rest assured your precious 4-year-old would not be served a scalding cup of Earl Grey. Most likely, he would be supplied with an early supper served to children; beans on toast is a favorite. Or if you were invited to a neighbor's home for dinner and asked to bring a pudding, not to worry whether you should recreate a butterscotch pudding recipe from your childhood or up the ante with a posh chocolate mousse. Pudding, you see, is a synonym for dessert in British English, so you would be free to go big and whip up a cake or trifle. Which brings me to one of my favorite descriptive words pertaining to food in British English: moreish. When I first heard it, I pictured long banquet tables of Arab moors digging into a sumptuous feast. I quickly learned that the word is more-ish, and it applies to a dish or food you simply cannot stop eating. It's so delicious, you want more. And moreish is what I was thinking when I wrote this recipe. While Asia is far from England, these spiced Asian pork lettuce wraps are indeed moreish. They are crisp and juicy, laced with ginger and spice. Better yet, you must eat them with your hands, which is a fun, interactive and dribbly affair, and seems to make them taste even better. So, tuck in and enjoy these little bites. One will certainly not be enough. Asian Pork Meatball Lettuce WrapsMakes 18 meatballs Meatballs: 1½ pounds ground pork (turkey may be substituted) 3 large garlic cloves, minced 3 tablespoons Panko breadcrumbs 1 scallion, finely chopped, green ends reserved for the rice 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Rice: 1 cup basmati or jasmine rice 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 small red jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and minced 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil Sauce: 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons sweet chile sauce 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves 2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger Vegetable oil for pan frying Little gem or butter lettuce leaves for wrapping Asian hot sauce, such as Sriracha Directions: Combine all the meatball ingredients in a bowl and gently mix to blend. Using a light hand, form the mixture into 1½-inch meatballs. Place on a plate and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Prepare the rice: Add the rice, 1½ cups water and the salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and remove the lid. Lay a kitchen towel over the saucepan and replace the lid. Let the rice steam for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and gently stir in the reserved green scallion ends, the chile pepper and sesame oil. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Cook the meatballs: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs to the skillet without overcrowding, and gently press to slightly flatten. Cook until well browned on all sides and thoroughly cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and repeat with the remaining meatballs. To serve, spoon a little rice into a lettuce leaf. Top with a meatball and drizzle with the sauce. Serve with additional hot sauce if desired. Lynda Balslev is a San Francisco Bay Area cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer. For more food and drink coverage |
| Posted: 31 May 2021 05:12 AM PDT
CLOSE  History is full of some pretty amazing jerks. Take Charles Dickens. The English novelist known for classics such as "A Christmas Carol" and "David Copperfield" dumped his wife and their 10 children for a woman 27 years younger than he was. Jerk. Then there is John Adams. In 1798, our second president and Founding Father signed the Alien and Sedition Acts to silence his political opponents. Jerk.  Buy Photo June is here, so get the grill fired up and try some jerk-style pork chops like these. (Photo: Michael Knock/For the Press-Citizen)There have been some noted female jerks in history as well. From 1829-31, Floride Calhoun, the wife of vice president John Calhoun, led the shunning of Margaret "Peggy" Eaton, the wife of the Secretary of War John Eaton. What was Eaton's crime? Floride objected to her "low status" and to the circumstances surrounding her marriage to John. The so-called "Petticoat Affair" ultimately led to the resignation of all but one member of Andrew Jackson's Cabinet. Jerk. I have encountered my own share of jerks in my life, most memorably the coffee shop employees who didn't leave a tip after I gave them exquisite service while working as a barista at a different coffee shop in Mishawaka, Indiana, in the summer of 1995. Jerk times party of 10. But not all jerks are bad, especially when it comes to food. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the term "jerk" as in "jerk chicken or pork" comes from the Spanish word "charqui," which means dried strips of meat. The Spanish, who were the first European nation to colonize the Caribbean islands, discovered the Taino peoples cooking "jerk cuisine." The style was passed along to African slaves, who, in turn, passed it along to the Europeans. Jerk cooking typically involves coating a meat with thick paste composed of peppers and spice and then slow-cooking it over a low heat. The flavor is often smoky and more than a bit spicy. Seriously, it's fantastic. It's also the perfect way to get your grilling season started. I've included recipes for pork, chicken and burgers below. As you prepare them, think about the jerks in your own life. Maybe it's time to let that stuff go. Or maybe not. It's been 26 years, and I am still miffed about that missing tip. Jerk Pork Chops This recipe comes from Steve Raichlen's book, "The Barbecue Bible." Don't be fooled by the long list of ingredients. It's a snap to throw together. In fact, my recommendation is to prepare the marinade in the morning before work and let your pork chops swim in that marvelous stuff all day. When you come home, fire up the grill, and you will have some tasty chops in less than 10 minutes. Ingredients 2-3 boneless pork chops For the Marinade:
Use a fork to prick holes in your pork chops. Set aside. Prepare the marinade by mixing all ingredients together in your food processor (or blender). Pour over the prepared chops (I do this in a pie plate), rubbing the marinade into meat. Cover and let sit in refrigerator for at least 4 hours. When it's time to grill, preheat the grill to high direct heat. Oil the grate, and place your chops on the meat directly over the heat. Sear for 2-3 minutes. Turn and sear the opposite side. Reduce heat and close the lid on your grill. Cook for an additional 6-8 minutes, or until the chops are cooked through. Grilled Jerk Chicken This recipe is from the website Once Upon a Chef. Ingredients
Make the marinade by combining all ingredients (except for the chicken, obviously) in the food processor. Process until pureed. Place the chicken pieces and the marinade in a large sealable plastic bag. Seal the bag, and turn several times to coat. Let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (overnight works great). Allow the chicken to come to room temperature before grilling. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Oil the grate before adding the chicken. Add the chicken, skin side down. Cover and cook chicken, turning pieces occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, but not charred (about 10-15 minutes). Smaller pieces will cook more quickly than the larger pieces. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees. Jerk Burgers with Orange-Chipotle Mayo This recipe is a household favorite from the August 2002 issue of "Bon Appetit" magazine. Ingredients For the Mayo:
For the Jerk Sauce:
To make the Mayo: Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Set aside. To make the Burgers/Sauce: Process the first four ingredients in the food processor. Add the sugar, oil, soy sauce and allspice. Process until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Shape your ground beef into 4-6 patties. Set aside ¾ cup of the jerk sauce. Place your patties in a 9x13-inch pan. Pour ½ cup jerk sauce over the patties and turn to coat. Let stand for 20 minutes. Sprinkle patties with salt and pepper. Grill to desired doneness, brushing occasionally with the remaining jerk sauce. To serve, place burgers on hamburger buns. Smear a little mayo on half of each bun. Place burger on the bottom bun and spread with a little of the reserved jerk sauce. Top with your prepared bun. Read or Share this story: https://www.press-citizen.com/story/life/2021/05/31/jerk-recipes-summer-grilling-season-michael-knock/5278331001/ |
| Grant helps students get hands-on with pork - Agri News Posted: 12 May 2021 12:00 AM PDT  MENDOTA, Ill. — Students in Melissa Sallee's foods classes at Mendota High School are learning more and fearing less about the food they eat. But students aren't just eating foods like ground pork Sloppy Joes, pulled pork and warm garlic bacon pasta, they are learning how to prepare them. "One of my platforms is that I want students to understand, you don't have to use a mix or something already prepared," Sallee said. A big part of how they are able to get experience handling and preparing pork, from ground pork to bone-in pork chops to pork butt, is a grant from the Illinois Pork Producers Association. This is the second year that Sallee has received the IPPA Food Service Grant. "A great part of the pork grant is that I feel like students are afraid of cooking meat. It seems easier to cook processed things, so I really like that students are able to get hands-on learning," Sallee said. She teaches a series of foods classes, starting with Foods I, which teaches kitchen safety, from learning how to put out fires in the kitchen to using knives safely, washing dishes and then nutrition and wellness. "We talk to them about being considerate of what you are putting into your body," she said. In the Foods II class, students learn about kitchen hygiene, food safety and sanitation, foodborne illnesses and how they are spread. "We talk about transfer of bacteria, time and temperature for use of food, accidental poisoning through food and food allergies," Sallee said. The Real World Even with the coronavirus pandemic, which has greatly changed how teachers teach and students learn, Sallee has been able to keep up the hands-on and experiential learning. Students take turns coming up to do different tasks in her classroom, which includes a fitted-out lab, with stove, oven, sink and refrigerator and freezer. With class sizes much smaller and classes divided up, Sallee has adapted her lessons and class time. "This class is working on sanitation for dishes. They are making a poster for that. Then I call them over, one at a time, to reduce the amount of contact. We do things like how to prep garlic, pulling apart a head of garlic, how to remove the skin," Sallee said. Students prepare food that they then get to eat in class. They also learn how to store ingredients and leftovers. "We start with simple things, like ground meat or grilled cheese with bacon. I do try to implement healthful recipes, and it gets more complicated as the classes advance," Sallee said. Many students come to the foods classes with some experience in cooking at their homes. "I like to make egg dishes, and I like making tortillas with my mom," said Gladys Payan, a sophomore. Ashton Dewey, a senior, said he enjoys making main-dish meals at home. Along with nutrition, students also learn about food allergies and sensitivities. "I learned that people can have food allergies and food sensitivities and how to cook with that in mind," Dewey said. A Cut Above Sallee plans the different menus and lessons around what she can purchase and that's where the grant, which was pork-specific, helps. She was able to purchase pork from ground meat to pepperoni and bacon to bone-in pork chops and a pork butt. "My other Foods II class worked with the pork butt. They had to touch it when it had blood on it and feel the bone. I think that kind of exposure helps create less fear," she said. Students in the advanced Foods III class watched a pig being processed. "We talk about the different cuts. We had a dinner and we made pulled pork and they made difference sauces for that. They learn about low and slow cooking for the less tender cuts of meat," Sallee said. With the grant, Sallee is able to purchase cuts, like the pork butt and the bone-in chops, that she might not get otherwise. "Meat is expensive and I'm trying to shift away from just doing things that are cheaper, like desserts and sweets, to things that are more nutritional. You think about pork and the B vitamins that it provides. I want them to have more exposure to that so I am so grateful for the grant and being able to purchase the pork," she said. The foods classes at Mendota High School are part of the Family and Consumer Science curriculum that also includes child development and styles and textiles. The department is part of the Career and Technical Education Department that also includes agriculture classes, business classes and industrial arts classes. According to the Illinois Pork Producers Association, the Food Service Grant was created to teach students about pork production and the meat itself. The grants are made available through an application process and all Illinois high school culinary, food services and consumer education programs are eligible to apply. The grants are made possible through the IPPA marketing committee and Pork Checkoff funding. |
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