Cranberry Port Relish

Port-Cranberry Relish
Yield 2 cups

Ingredients
·  1/2 cup ruby port
·  3-4  (1- x 3-inch) strips of orange zest, cut into thin matchsticks
·  3-4 small sprigs of fresh thyme-(optional, or sub ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)
·  1/2 cup fresh orange juice
·  12 ounces fresh cranberries
·  1/2 cup sugar (I used demerara)
·  1/3 cup crystallized ginger
·  1/2 jalapeno seeded and minced
·  Pinch freshly ground black pepper

 Preparation
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the port with the orange zest, thyme, and orange juice and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to steep for 10-15 minutes and strain. Remove the thyme sprigs and return the stock with the orange strips to the pan.
2. Return to a slow boil and add the cranberries, ginger, jalapeno, and sugar. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries begin to pop. Transfer to a bowl and serve warm or at room temperature.
3. Make ahead and keep refrigerated in an airtight glass container for up to a week.

 *Note: if you prefer a less chunky sauce, use a food processor to buzz the cranberries to the consistency you prefer.

 Adapted from Food and Wine  Nov. 2002

Quick Aioli →

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1-2 garlic cloves (finely minced or grated and mashed to a paste with a pinch of salt)

• 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)

• 3-4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (to taste)

• Pinch of salt (to taste)

• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Combine the ingredients and mix well.

Quick and Easy Pizza Sauce →

There is a debate in the pizza-world on the topic of uncooked vs. cooked pizza sauce. I grew up with fresh uncooked sauce, so that is my preference, but it ultimately comes down to your own individual taste. Uncooked sauce will be a bit brighter and more tangy and have more “fresh tomato taste”. Cooked sauce will have a bit more depth. Either way, the oven will cook the sauce. Experiment and decide which is your personal preference. This is the flavorful sauce I use on my Roman Style Pizza. Roasting or micro-waving the garlic is optional, but buttery, roasted or micro-waved garlic adds a wonderful taste to the sauce. If you don’t want to bother roasting the garlic, minced fresh garlic works just fine, but don’t let it scorch or burn or it will be bitter. Adding anchovy paste or a couple of anchovy fillets adds a nice flavor note to the sauce but is optional. If you use anchovy, reduce or omit the salt in the recipe. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the pizza and add your toppings. Cooked sauce, or fresh sauce…? You decide. Mangia e buon appetito!

Easy Pizza Sauce
Enough sauce for several pizzas

Ingredients:

• 1-28 ounce can of peeled San Marzano tomatoes crushed

• ½ head of garlic roasted (or 3-4 cloves finely minced and sautéed)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1-2 tablespoons of fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dry basil

• 2 teaspoons oregano

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional; if you use, omit the salt)

• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

For uncooked sauce:
If you prefer the tanginess of fresh uncooked pizza sauce, mix the ingredients in a food processor without cooking and omit the anchovies if you don’t like anchovies. You can add additional spices to taste when you assemble the pizza prior to baking. Process to your desired consistency (smooth or chunky); adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.

Preparation for cooked sauce:

1. If you roast your garlic, remove the extra papery skin; drizzle a little olive oil over the cut faces of garlic; wrap in a foil pouch, and roast in a preheated oven at 375 for about 25 minutes. Alternatively, you can wrap the garlic in a paper towel and microwave it for about a minute until soft.

2. If you’re using fresh minced garlic, preheat a saucepan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil; wait 30 seconds, and add the minced garlic, stirring constantly until it just begins to brown. (don’t let it burn!)

3. If using roasted garlic: squeeze the cloves out of their skins into the hot olive oil and mash with a fork.

4. If using anchovy, add the fillets or paste and stir for a few seconds.

5. Immediately add the tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients. Stir and simmer for 15 minutes and remove from the heat.

6. Allow the sauce to cool a bit and add to a food processor and process on low until medium smooth. (Note: if you like your sauce more chunky, process less; if you want your sauce very smooth, process longer until you reach the consistency you like.)

7. Leftover sauce will keep in the fridge for about a week in a glass container with a tight top.

Kansas City Dry Rub for Pork →

This is a good dry rub to season pork roast or ribs. It can be used for smoking ribs or seasoning meat prior to basting with a good barbecue sauce like Bourbon-Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce.

Kansas City Dry Rub for Pork
(Copy and paste to print the recipe.)

Ingredients:

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ¼ cup paprika

• 1 tablespoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon cayenne

Preparation:

1. Mix all the ingredients well and store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. The spice mix will keep stored in a cool dark place for several months.

2. Rub the spice mix onto your meat several hours (preferably overnight) before cooking.

Adapted from: https://www.thespruceeats.com/kansas-city-rib-rub-recipe

Porchetta Spice Dry Rub →

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2020
Copy and past to print the recipe.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons crushed fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to crush the fennel seeds, rosemary and red pepper flakes. Mix all the ingredients well. Rub on meat and hour or more before cooking.

Excellent on beef, pork, or lamb.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons crushed fennel seeds

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 2 teaspoons dried sage

• 1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary

• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic

• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to crush the fennel seeds, rosemary and red pepper flakes. Mix all the ingredients well. Rub on meat and hour or more before cooking.

Cajun Spice Mix →

This spice mixture can be used in any recipe that calls for “Creole” or “Cajun” spice. It can also be used as a rub for pork or chicken.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 2 1/2 teaspoons paprika

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/4-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on your taste; I use 1/4-1/2 teaspoon for a mildly hot mix)

• 1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano

• 1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme

• 1 1/4 teaspoons dried basil

• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Stir together salt, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme, basil, and red pepper flakes until evenly blended, or mix in a spice grinder. Store in an airtight container.

Adapted from: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/149221/cajun-spice-mix/