1#, 2oz.        Clams

1 ½ Tbsp      Butter

Bunch           Scallions, chopped

4 Cloves       Garlic, finely chopped

1 Tbsp          Flour

1 Cup           White wine

3 Tbsp          Parsley, finely chopped

Salt

 

This recipe began by soaking the beans overnight and then cooking them for 3 hours.  It also suggested you could buy canned beans instead, which is what I did.

 

Heat the beans and juice in a sauce pan until heated through.

 

Put the clams in a large bowl and cover with cold salty water for 1 hour moving them around from time to time with your hands.  This will help the clams to open and release any sand.  My fish monger stated that his clams were clean and I could skip this step.

 

Melt the butter in a fry pan with the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the scallions and cook until soft, then add the garlic and after a minute add the flour.  Stir it constantly for 2 minutes to toast the flour, then add the white wine.  Add the clams along with a couple of spoons of the juice of the beans plus the parsley.  Cover.

 

Once the clams are open, add in the beans and stir together.  Season to taste.  If any clams do not open discard.

This was good, not great. I didn't remember you still have to remove the meat from the shells so it was a little tedious.

¼ Cup      Cranberry or Apple Juice

2 Cups     Spinach, washed and coarsely chopped

4 tsps       Dijon Mustard

2 tsps       Honey

1               Boneless Pork Loin  (1 ½ pound)

¼ Cup       Dry white wine

4 tsps       Pine Nuts, finely chopped

1/3 Cup   Onion, finely chopped

½ Cup      Chicken or vegetable broth

2 Tbls       Olive Oil

                 Salt

                 Black Pepper

                 All-purpose flour for dredging 

 

 

1.       In as small saucepan, combine the prunes and cranberry or apple juice and bring to a boil over low heat.   Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until tender.  Meanwhile, place the spinach in a microwave safe bowl, season with salt, cover, and microwave for 4 minutes on Low or until softened (or place in a medium saucepan with water to cover and simmer on the stovetop over low heat about 10 minutes).  Drain and squeeze between dry paper towels.

 

2.       In a small cup, combine the mustard and honey.  Butterfly the pork by cutting horizontally just far enough so that the meat opens up into one flat piece.  Brush the cut sides lightly with the mustard-honey mixture and season with salt and pepper.  Add the wine to the remaining mustard-honey, mix well, and reserve.

 

3.       Drain, pit, and coarsely chop the prunes, discarding the cooking liquid.  Arrange the spinach and prunes over one side of the port and sprinkle with the pine nuts.  Close the pork and tie securely lengthwise and crosswise with kitchen string.  Place the flour on a dinner plate.  Season the pork with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour.

 

4.       Heat the oil in a deep stew pot over medium-high heat.  Add the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides.  Add the onion and cook, stirring, until wilted and transparent, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the mustard-honey mixture, the broth, salt and pepper, cover, and simmer about 45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork (not the stuffing) reaches 150 degrees.  Cut the pork diagonally into ¾ inch slices and spoon the sauce over the pork.

 

I purchased most of the ingredients before searching for the pine nuts. I searched for the pine nuts at three grocery stores without luck.  I found them at a local food Co-Op for $18 per package. I elected to use walnuts ($1.00 in the bulk section) instead of pine nuts.  I was told pine nuts should be available as a bulk item shortly.

 

This was so good, I may make it again as soon as I’m finished eating what I have left.  It is that good.  Next time I hope to find pine nuts.  I would add additional spinach and cut the pork loin thinner to have more surface area to put the mixture before I roll it up.  I purchased prunes that were pitted and could have avoided simmering in apple juice.  Very easy recipe to make.  This was the first time I’ve butterflied a pork loin and I loved it.  I may search for other recipes that include butterflying a pork loin.  Be carful not to overcook the pork. Oh ... the sauce in the pan to spoon over the port is delicious.

 

Makes 4 Servings

 

1              Medium red cabbage

2 Tbsp    Olive oil

1             Medium onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)

1             Pound sweet Italian sausage 

1             Clove garlic, finely chopped

1 Tbsp    Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

¼ Cup     Dry red wine

½             Apple, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼ inch pieces

½ Cup     Cooked rice

2             Large eggs, slightly beaten

½ Cup    Beef broth, chicken broth, or water, more if needed

1 Tbsp    Melted unsalted butter

2 Tbsp    Coarsely grated cheese, such as Manchego

Salt and Pepper

 

1.)    Select and separate 8 of the outer leaves of the cabbage (if the leaves are hard to separate, boil the cabbage head briefly).  Finely chop the rest of the cabbage to make about 2 cups.  Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the cabbage leaves and cook until tender enough to fold for stuffing.  Do not overcook because the leaves will lose their color. Drain.

 

2.)    Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring until wilted and transparent, about 5 minutes.  Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up and stirring as it cooks until the sausage is brown.

 

3.)     Pour off and discard any excess fat from the skillet.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Stir in the garlic, parsley, chopped cabbage, wine, and apple and cook, stirring occasionally about 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked rice, salt and pepper.  Mix in the eggs.

 

4.)    Combine the broth and melted butter and coat the bottom of a roasting pan.  Arrange the cabbage in the pan, seam side down and sprinkle with the cheese.  Bake 30 minutes, adding more broth as necessary.

 

This was quite good but a little meat intense.  I would rate it a 4 out of 5.  I selected this recipe because I remember making a stuffed cabbage dish with my mother many times as I grew-up.  Here are my recommendations for improving this dish.

 

-          I boiled the 8 cabbage leaves in two batches.  It still took quite a while for the cabbage to get soft enough to role.  I then cut-out the bottom of the central stem

-          I would reduce the Italian sausage to ½ to ¾ pound and increase the rice to at least 1 full cup and add the entire apple. 

-          Manchego cheese is pricey so I googled substitutes and found Asiago.  It worked very well.  

 

A vegetarian substitute that would work well would be replacing the Italian Sausage with a mixture of sautéed mushrooms.