Turkey Day 2011! Third Phase

For part one which have the appetizers.



Right, there's no turkey on turkey day, oh noes! The truth is I am not that big of a fan of turkey and it's just so damn temperamental so I'm going to be Chinese and cook pork! I used pork shoulder because it has more fat and therefore is juicy longer than a regular tenderloin.

For sides I made mushroom casserole, potato rosti, and pan fried vegetables.

Garlic Pork Loin:
Servings: 5

Pork shoulder: 1 (like around 1kg?)
Garlic: 1 1/2 heads
Salt and pepper: to taste
Butter: 1/2 stick

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 300
2. Peel the garlic cloves, boil hot water, add the garlic in until soft but still somewhat firm.
3. Trim the outer fat layer and connective tissue on the pork loin.
4. Poke holes around the loin with a knife and stuff the garlic clove in it.
5. Rub the loin with some oil and season with salt and pepper.
6. Put the loin in oven, until it is 145 degrees in the middle (light pinkness), Fahrenheit of course
7. Let butter soften at room temperature, rub it all over the loin.
8. Turn the oven to broil until the outside is brow, flip and repeat.
9. Let it rest for five minutes before slicing.

Mushroom Casserole



Ingredients:
Portabello mushrooms: 5 big ones
Cremini mushrooms: 2 small packs
Shallots: 5
Cream: 150ml
Wine: 150ml
Mozzarella: 200g
Butter
Flour: 1 tablespoon

Instructions:
1. Slice the portabello and cremini mushrooms.
2. Melt some butter in a pan at medium heat, add the mushrooms and some salt.
3. When the mushrooms are cooked, add the flour and put on low heat, stir for a minute.
4. Add the white wine, turn the heat to medium again.
5. When the wine has thicken, add the cream and stir until the cream thicken as well.
6. Put the mushrooms onto a loaf pan, top it off with sliced mozzarella.
7. Turn the oven to broil and put the pan under until the cheese is melted and browned.

Potato Rosti
Serving: 2 rostis


My favourite way to eat potatoes. You get the big potato flavour and texture because it's thick and it's really just potatoes nothing else so the flavour's like unadulterated but also the nice caramelization from frying it on a pan. At the same time because you shredded it first, it feels a lot fluffier than just simply roasting potatoes!

Ingredients
Russet potatoes - 5
Salt and pepper - to taste
Butter

Instructions
1. Heat salted water in medium heat.
2. Wash the potatoes, scrub with a sponge until clean. Put potatoes in pot.
3. When the potatoes are half cooked (fork should be going in with a little resistance), drain and cool.
4. Leave the potatoes in the fridge overnight.
5. The next day, using a grater, shred the potatoes, don't rub it back and forth the grater though, you have to push it down and then take the potato back to the top and push it down, like just in one way don't go up and down.
7. Heat up just enough butter to cover a non-stick pan at low heat, you need bout an 8 inch pan. Add half the potatoes, salt and pepper.
9. Cover with the lid, when the bottom is nicely browned, put a plate on top, flip it around so it's on the plate with the browned part on top and slide it back on the pan.
10. Cover and wait till the bottom is golden brown.
11. Repeat with the second one.

Note: Russets are best because they are the most starchy out of the common varieties so they are less held together and more fluffy, you want a soft texture with a rosti so you go with this kind of potato. As opposed to like the red potato which will be more firm.

Pan Fried Vegetables
Servings: 8



Ingredients:
White asparagus - 1 bunch
Radish - 1 small bag (20 radishes about)
Carrots - 3
White wine
Butter
Salt and pepper

Instructions:
1. Boil salted water.
2. Cut carrots into matchsticks, radishes in half, and trim off the ends of the asparagus on a diagonal bias.
3. Blanch the vegetables first until a fork can go through them but they can't be mushy. (one minute for radishes, 30 minutes for asparagus, and 2 minutes for carrots about)
4. Melt butter on a large pan at medium high heat. Add the vegetables, stir quickly, adding some pepper and white wine to taste.

So that's the mains and sides. Pork > turkey definitely. Still very juicy and have a strong kick with garlic. Also the vegetable sides are delicious and very hearty to complete with the feel of a comforting but interesting meal.