Refsclan Chopped Christmas
The Larry tribe of the Refsclan opted for a creative, cooking Christmas. Instead of exchanging gifts, we exchanged recipes, inspired by the Food Network's show Chopped. We each submitted a surprise ingredient (that started with the first letter of the youngest person's name in that household). The five ingredients were: fennel, water, honey, pork and dill pickles. Each household had a week to create an original recipe using at least three of the surprise ingredients. These are the submissions (listed in the order they were submitted). Make and enjoy!
Vote now for your favorite recipe!
Balsamic Honey-Glazed Pork Loins
Key ingredients: Fennel, Water, Honey, Pork
Recipe Ingredients:4 Pork Loins (Approx 12"x 2") Trimmed and washed
16 Toothpicks (soaked in water for 30 mins.)
1 package bacon-at least 12 slices
1 apple-cored, peeled, and cut into rings
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
1/2 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. honey
2 TBSP finely chopped fennel
1 tsp. salt mixed with 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 TBSP olive oil
Recipe Instructions:
Put toothpicks in water to soak 30 mins.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees
- Wash loin/filets. On wax paper or suitable space, sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of meat. Sprinkle fennel on one side (leave meat with fennel side up)
- Wrap bacon around meat- start with 3 strips per filet- holding in place with toothpicks
- Place meat in baking pan and arrange apples on top of meat. Bake for 1 hour.
- At 1 hour, brush honey (or maple syrup!) on top of each loin filet. Brush on again at 1 hour 15 mins.
- Ten mins. after 2nd honey application, prepare the balsamic glaze. Heat olive oil over medium high heat, adding onions when hot. Saute onions for 3-4 mins.
- Add vinegar and brown sugar, stirring frequently, until brown sugar is completely dissolved.
- The meat should be done (if bacon looks done, meat is done) at 1 hour 30 mins. total cooking time. Remove from oven. Drizzle 1/2 of vinegar glaze over meat and chill meat and glaze overnight in refrigerator. (You can just eat it all hot too as a meal).
- Once chilled, cut meat into bite-sized cubes, using your hand and not a fork to hold meat steady (so as not to put unnecessary holes in meat). Stick in a toothpick for each piece and transfer to serving platter.
- Serve cold with remaining chilled vinegar glaze as a dipping sauce.
Serves about 10 (60 bite-sized appetizers)
Kickin' Sweet n Sour Pork
Key ingredients: Dill Pickles, Fennel, Water, Honey, Pork
Recipe Ingredients:1 lb. pork loin
1 to 2 c. dill pickle juice
1 T fennel seeds
1/2 c cold water
1/4 c honey
1 small dryed red hot pepper
1 T corn starch
1/2 c olive oil
Recipe Instructions:
Cut pork loin into thin slices 4 to 5 inches in length. Lay in a glass baking dish. Pour pickle juice over pork strips just until covered. Sprinkle fennel seeds on top. Marinate 24 hours. Pour off marinate and throw away. Some fennel seeds will stick to meat--just leave them. Heat olive oil in skillet. Roll up pork slices in cone shapes and place in hot olive oil. Fry until done. Make sure the bottom of the pork flowerette is sealed.
Prepare sauce by putting in a sauce pan water, honey, cornstarch. Stir ingredients until it begins to boil. Cruch pepper and add to mixture.
Place pork flowerettes on plate along with cut carrots. Arrange as picture indicates. Pour thickened sauce into flowerette pits. Drizzle remaining sauce over pork and carrots.
Eat hot! Enjoy the Kickin' sweet 'n sour pork appetizer.
Serves about 4.
Sottaceti Fritto a la Fuego
Key ingredients: Dill Pickles, Fennel, Water, Honey, Pork
Recipe Ingredients:Ice Bowl:
1/2 T. fennel seed, roasted
4 C. dill pickle juice
2 T. honey
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. peppercorns
4-6 C. water
Dip:
2 t. fennel seed, roasted
1 t. rosemary, roasted
1/2 t. peppercorns, roasted
1 1/2 C. plain yogurt
1/4 C. honey
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 C. pickle juice
4 oz. cream cheese
1 T. pickle pulp, see Sottaceti
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. mustard
1/4 C. cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sottaceti:
2 lb. pork (chop, shoulder, or loin)
10-12 whole dill pickles
4-6 oz. Panko breadcrumbs
3-4 eggs
4 scallions
2 T. fennel seed
4-5 medium cloves garlic
1-2 C. flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fire (optional):
Brandy or rum
Recipe Instructions:
Ice Bowl:
Mix all ingredients, except water in a pot. Simmer on low for 5 minutes to infuse spice flavor into mixture. Cool. Alternate between pouring water and liquid mixture into a large freezer-proof bowl or bucket. Freeze each layer for 4-6 hours. Work layers around a large (pickle) jar placed in the center of the bowl, to create a recessed pocket for the dip. When all layers are frozen, gently remove the ice bowl from the bucket, by running hot water on the freezer-proof container. Set ice bowl on a freezer-proof plate. Return ice bowl to freezer for at least 2 more hours. Set in small plate or shallow bowl to serve.
Dip:
Roast fennel, rosemary and peppercorns on medium-low in a small pot or dry skillet, for 30 seconds-1 minute, stirring constantly. Immediately remove from heat and grind or crush to desired size. Add spices to yogurt, honey, cayenne, scallions, pickle juice, cream cheese, pickle pulp, soy sauce, vinegar and mustard. Blend with mixer on low. Add chopped cilantro and salt and pepper, to taste. Pour dip into ice bowl. Serve immediately.
Sottaceti:
Chop pickles into 1/2 inch slices. Scoop out center of pickle slices. Discard pickle pulp for dip. Chop pork into strips, approximately, 1 inch by 1/4 inch. Roll pork in fennel seeds and garlic. Stuff into pickle shell. Set aside.
Fill large, deep skillet with about 2 inches of peanut oil. Heat oil to 350 degrees.
Put beaten eggs and scallions, flour and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls. Add salt and pepper to breadcrumb bowl, as desired.
Dip pork-pickle pieces in flour, then eggs, then breadcrumbs. Cook in hot oil until cooked through, or about 2-5 minutes. Remove from oil, drain on paper towel, arrange around ice bowl.
Fire (optional):
For an appetizer your guests won’t soon forget, present the Sottaceti Ice Bowl over fire. Heat a ceramic or terracotta plate in hot water. Fill plate with hot brandy or rum (heat on stove until boiling). Place ice bowl and accompanying dish on top of brandy-filled plate. Heat more brandy on stove; remove from heat. Carefully light brandy from pot with a match. Pour flaming brandy into brandy plate. All warm alcohol will ignite and burn until cool or the alcohol has burned off.
Serves about 10 (50 bite-size pieces)
Fried Cheesy Pickles with Bacon
Key ingredients: Dill Pickles, Honey, Pork
Recipe Ingredients:4 strips of bacon
Package of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
4 Dill pickle spears
4 slices of mozzarella cheese
Oil for frying
Honey sauce:
2 tbsp. Honey
1 tsp. lemon juice
Additional Materials:
Deep fryer
Recipe Instructions:
- Heat bacon in a pan, make sure to cook it so that the bacon is still flexible. Set aside.
- Roll out two crescent rolls, knead them together with rolling pin. You should be left with a rectangle of dough.
- Set the pickles on a paper towel and soak up as much moisture as possible. Wrap one of the speared pickles with the bacon.
- Place a slice of mozzarella cheese on the crescent roll. Set a pickle wrapped in bacon on the cheese. Roll the crescent roll over the pickle and bacon (like pigs in a blanket).
- Fold the ends of the rolls over to seal the ends. The innards should be completely covered.
- Deep fry for 3-5 minutes or until brown. Repeat steps 2-6 until 4 rolls are made.
- Combine honey and lemon juice for sauce. Add more lemon juice or honey as you see fit. Sauce can be used for dipping or can be drizzled over the roll.
- Cut the rolls in half and serve warm.
Sweet and Spicy Jalapeno Poppers
Key ingredients: Water, Honey, Pork
Recipe Ingredients:2 lb. Bacon
20 tsp. Canadian Creamed Honey
20 fresh jalapenos
1 lb. Cream Cheese
Water to rinse Jalapenos
Recipe Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
First Rinse the jalapenos well before preparing them.
Next CHOP the tops off of each pepper.
Then cut each pepper long ways to make two "boats". Use a spoon to remove inside pulp and seeds. (the more of this you remove the milder they will be. Also a 2nd rinsing at this step would help make them more mild.)
Next spread about a 1/2 teaspoon of honey into each "boat."
Then spread about a tablespoon of cream cheese into each "boat".
Next cut your two pounds of bacon in half to make half strips. Take 1 strip and wrap it around each pepper.
Place poppers into a baking dish or pyrex pan. (may use toothpicks to help hold poppers together, if you do pre-soak them in WATER to prevent burning)
Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until bacon is the way you prefer it.
Remove and enjoy! Pairs well with a glass of WATER to prevent a burning mouth.
Serves about 10 people (40 pieces).
Vote now for your favorite recipe!
Hosting and Web Design by WakingGirl.com.