The Elegant Occasion Food Blog, Recipes, Planning Notes, Entertaining

Pulled Pork Sliders with Fennel Cabbage Slaw

In honor of Memorial Day, which (hopefully) signifies the beginning of the summer BBQ season, I am bringing back a favorite recipe from a show I did last summer. These Pulled Pork Sliders with Fennel Cabbage Slaw are simply perfection!

Happy Memorial Day!

Pulled Pork Sliders with Fennel Cabbage Slaw

Serves 8-10

• Pork Loin Roast (3 1/2 pounds)
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced thinly
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 cups chicken broth
• Slider rolls (preferably Martin’s Potato rolls)

To Prepare the Pork

Place Dutch oven over medium high heat, and add canola oil.
Season pork with garlic salt, and place in the hot pan.
Sear the pork on both sides until a crust forms (about 3-4 minutes per side).
When the meat has seared on both sides, add in the chicken broth, onions and peppercorns.
Cover the pan and place in the oven at 325 degrees for 3 hours (be sure to turn the meat over half way through the cooking process).
While the meat cooks, prepare the BBQ sauce.

BBQ Sauce
• 2 Cups Ketchup
• 1/2 Cup Cider Vinegar
• 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Honey
• 3 Dashes Hot Sauce (Tabasco) (more if you prefer it spicy)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

The Elegant Occasion Note: This sauce can be kept in the refrigerator (covered) for four days.

Fennel Cabbage Slaw
• 1 cup green cabbage (shredded)
• 1 cup red cabbage ( shredded)
• 1 cup fennel (shredded)
• ½ cup shredded carrot
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup crushed pineapple with the juice

To prepare the Cole Slaw
In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, celery salt, sugar, pepper, Dijon, buttermilk, apple cider vinegar and two tablespoons of the pineapple juice.
Toss in the cabbage, carrot and fennel and coat evenly with the sauce.
Chill for at least one hour.

The Elegant Occasion Note: This slaw can be made 24 hours in advance, and will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.
You will have extra sauce left. It is great as a condiment for sandwiches.

To Assemble the Sandwiches
Remove the meat from the pan and discard the broth, peppercorns and onions.
Place the pork on a cutting board and shred the meat with two forks.
Place a roll in the center of a plate and spoon the pork onto the roll.
Warm the BBQ sauce and spoon over the pork.
Top with a dollop of slaw.

The Elegant Occasion Beverage Pairing: Beer, especially smoked, amber, lager or wheat.
Wine: Beaujolais or Barbera

Goat Cheese and Cabernet Onion Jam Strudel

With the season upon us for graduation parties, bridal and baby showers and outdoor entertaining in general, this recipe for Goat Cheese Strudel is a must.  Easy to make and prepare in advance, this appetizer will impress your guests.

Don’t let working with Phyllo dough intimidate you.  Watch the video to see how easy it is!

Goat Cheese and Cabernet Onion Jam Strudel

Serves 6 – 8

• 4 Sheets frozen Phyllo dough, defrosted according to package directions and laid flat
• 6 ounces goat cheese
• 6 ounces onion cabernet jam (available at The Cheese Shop of Centerbrook or specialty markets)
• 1 Egg
• 2 Teaspoons water
• 1 Stick unsalted butter, melted

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Carefully transfer one sheet of phyllo dough to the pan and (using a pastry brush) brush the dough all over with butter.

Place a second sheet of phyllo on top of the first, and repeat with the butter.

Continue these steps until the remaining two sheets of phyllo have been layered on top and brushed with butter.

Warm the onion cabernet jam in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds until it is spreadable.

Gently spread the jam onto the surface of the phyllo dough, leaving a two-inch border on all sides.

Crumble the goat cheese all over the jam.

Starting at the top edge (side furthest from you), roll up the pastry to encase the filling. Roll the strudel up until you have formed a log.

Tuck the ends under to keep the filling from oozing.  The seam closest to you will now be the seam underneath.

Brush the top with the egg wash (one egg beaten with the water).

Using a serrated knife, score the strudel gently so that when you cut it, you will be able to get between 6 to 8 slices.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes before baking.

Bake at 350 until golden brown.

The Elegant Occasion Note:  This strudel can be covered with plastic wrap and then foil.  Place in an airtight bag and freeze for up to three weeks.  Bake right out of the freezer as directed above.

The Elegant Occasion Note:  This strudel can be made with any flavor of jam you prefer.

 

Ricotta Cheesecake

My daughters adore cheesecake. Usually I make a traditional New York Style cheesecake for them whenever they want. But if I want to make a cheesecake that has a little more flavor…that is just a little more unique, I turn to this family recipe for Ricotta Cheesecake.

In my house growing up, we only had this cheesecake on the holidays.  But I find myself making this wonderful rich and creamy dessert quite often. The addition of ricotta to what is normally a cream cheese based filling, really gives this cake a different, lighter texture.  And the addition of almond extract, cherries and orange zest give it a very sophisticated flavor. Remember, the key to a perfectly baked cheesecake is leaving it in the oven with the oven turned off at the end of the cooking time.

Ricotta Cheesecake

For the Crust

• 1 ½ Cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

• 3 (8-ounce) Packages Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 12 Ounces whole milk ricotta, room temperature
• 1 ¼  Cups sugar
• 4 Extra large eggs, room temperature
• 1 Teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract (if not using the almond extract, use 2 teaspoons of vanilla)
• 2 Tablespoons drained, chopped maraschino cherries
• 1 Tablespoon orange zest
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
• 4 Ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (such as Ghirardelli)
• 1 ½ Teaspoons flour

Chocolate Topping

• 6 Ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 6 Ounces heavy cream

To Make the Crust

Mix the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar and butter and press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, until the crust turns golden.

Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

The Elegant Occasion Note:  If you prefer a chocolate crust, simply use crushed chocolate wafer cookies in place of the graham crackers).

To Make the Filling

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment whip the cream cheese, ricotta and sugar.

Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is thoroughly mixed in before adding the next.

Add the extracts and both zests.

Remove the mixer from the stand and stir in the cherries.

Place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl and toss it with the flour (this will ensure that the chocolate pieces do not sink to the bottom of the cheesecake).

Pour the entire bowl of chocolate pieces (with the flour) into the cheesecake batter and stir to incorporate.

Pour the batter into the pan.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, and then reduce the oven temperature to 300 and bake for another 30-40 minutes (depending on your oven), or until the center of the cheesecake jiggles slightly when the pan is moved.

Turn the oven off, and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door cracked open for 20minutes.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it rest on a cooling rack for one hour.

While the cheesecake cools, make the topping.

To Make the Topping

Place the chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl and microwave for 40 seconds.

Remove the bowl from the microwave, and let the mixture sit for a minute or two, then stir the mixture until smooth.

Drizzle the ganache on top of the cheesecake (I like to take a fork and dip it into the chocolate, then move the fork over the top of the cheesecake in a “to-and-fro” motion to make a cool pattern.  Regardless of how you do it, the taste will be delicious!

Refrigerate the cheesecake for a minimum of four hours.

The Elegant Occasion Note:  This cheesecake will remain fresh for up to 4 days, as long as it is stored in the refrigerator and covered well with plastic wrap.

The Elegant Occasion Beverage Pairing: Sauterne (sweet dessert wine) or Champagne.

Spaghetti with Olive Oil and Oranges

A few years ago I had the pleasure of working with a terrific producer.  Not only was he very talented in the area of Television production, but he was also a wonderful cook.  He told me about a pasta dish he loves to make once the weather gets warmer.  The sauce is composed of olive oil, oranges and basil.  It sounded interesting to me, and so I tried to create a version of it.

Spaghetti with Olive Oil and Oranges is one of those light, yet extremely flavorful dishes that you will turn to time and again this spring and summer.  It is the perfect dish for a luncheon or as a first course to a delightful dinner alfresco.  Enjoy!

Spaghetti with Olive Oil and Oranges

• ½ Cup fresh squeezed orange juice (from about 4 large oranges), plus one orange cut into slices.
• ¾ Cup olive oil
• 2 Cloves of chopped garlic
• 1 Teaspoon garlic salt
• ¼ Teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 Pound spaghetti
• ½  Cup chopped fresh basil
• Parmesan cheese for garnish (about ½ cup shaved with a potato peeler)

To Make the Sauce

In a sauté pan over medium heat add the olive oil and garlic.

When the garlic has turned golden in color, add the orange juice, salt and red pepper flakes.

Let the sauce simmer for 3-5 minutes.

To Prepare the Pasta

Fill a pan with 6 quarts of water and bring to a boil over high heat.

Add two teaspoons of salt to the boiling water.

Drop in one pound of spaghetti and let cook until al dente’ (about 9 minutes).

To Plate the Spaghetti with Oranges

Drain pasta.

Place pasta directly in the sauté pan with the olive oil and toss to coat over low heat.

Taste and check for seasoning, adding more salt and/or pepper if necessary.

Pour spaghetti into a serving bowl.

Add basil and toss to coat evenly.

Garnish with fresh orange slices around perimeter of the bowl or platter and grated parmesan cheese.

The Elegant Occasion Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc