Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Leftover Pork Goulash, Take 2: Pork Lasagna


That one measly pork shoulder turns out to be the gift that keeps on giving. Combining it with some leftover lasagna noodles we had lying around proved a pretty good use. Of course, we didn't have tomato sauce or ricotta lying around, so we had to improvise a bit.

Pork Lasagna

This is enough to make a mini-plate (about 9 inches by 4 inches). It would serve 2 or 3 light eaters, or ½ a heavy eater.

1 cup shredded leftover pork shoulder
½ cup of the accompanying sauce
3 tbsp cream cheese
3 tbsp goat cheese
¼ cup buttermilk
1 tbsp chopped parsley
6 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp lemon juice
6 sheets lasagna
parmigiano reggiano

1. Cook the lasagna sheets according to package directions. Remove when they are still undercooked in the center, and rinse in cold water. Pat dry between towels and set aside.

2. Chop shredded pork finely and combine with sauce. Heat quickly in the microwave.

3. Warm the cream cheese and goat cheese briefly (10 seconds) in the microwave. Add garlic, parsley, buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and many grindings of black pepper, and whisk vigorously. Add more buttermilk and/or lemon juice to taste, and to make the consistency of the mixture slightly thicker than heavy cream.

4. Spritz the baking pan lightly with cooking spray. Spread a tablespoon of the cheese mixture on the bottom. Place two pieces of lasagna on this, cutting them so they fit snugly and do not overlap. Spread one third of the pork mixture on the lasagna, top this with one third of the cheese sauce, and two more pieces of lasagna. Top this layer of lasagna with another third of the pork and cheese sauce, and put the remaining two pieces of lasagna on top. Finish with the last of the pork covered by the last of the cheese. Sprinkle freshly-grated parmigiano reggiano on top of this last layer of cheese sauce. Note: as with all lasagnas, it can be assembled to this point and refrigerated for a day or two, or frozen for several months.

5. If the lasagna has been in the refrigerator, let it come to room temperature before baking at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the top is bubbling and golden. Let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Leftover Pork Goulash: Pasta with Pork Ragu


Occasionally we see a recipe on a cooking show that makes us drop everything, head straight to the supermarket, buy all the ingredients, and get to work. This recipe for goulash made with pork shoulder and bell peppers from Jamie Oliver was a good example. It's a pork pot roast that creates a delicious sweet sauce, and lots of it.

We made this easy one-skillet pasta from the leftovers.

Pasta with Leftover Pork Ragu

1 cup shredded leftover pork shoulder
½ cup of the sauce it cooked in (reduced bell peppers, paprika, caraway seeds, etc.)
½ lb brown rotini pasta
3 tbsp goat cheese, plus extra for garnish
2 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
2 tbsp chopped parsley leaves
parmigiano reggiano

1. Cook and drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water.

2. In a large skillet heat the pork and its sauce together until warm. Add the goat cheese and about half the cooking water, and stir until the goat cheese has melted. Add the thyme and parsley.

3. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and combine. Keep the heat at medium-low, and add more cooking water as necessary to coat the pasta with the sauce. Season with black pepper and kosher salt, if needed.

4. Top pasta with extra goat cheese and grated parmigiano.

Friday, February 8, 2008

Leftover Meatloaf and Garlic Bread Panzanella


The stars really must align perfectly for us to have panzanella. To make it, we must have old crusty bread, leftover tomato or meat sauce, and some sort of vegetables lying around. But it is a wonderful treat whenever we do make it. This panzanella made from our leftover meatloaf and garlic bread seemed to be in the stars for us that day.
Leftover Meatloaf and Garlic Bread Panzanella
one cup chilled tomato sauce
(Combine in a saucepan 5-6 cloves of sliced garlic with one 28-ounce can of whole plum tomatoes, ¼ cup sweet vermouth, 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of kosher salt. Simmer for 45 minutes.)
½ cup crumbled meatloaf
Half a loaf leftover garlic bread, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 packed cups baby spinach
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, mashed in a garlic press
1. Gently toast garlic bread pieces in a 250 degree oven until they are dry and very hard.
2. Whisk vinegar into olive oil to make a vinaigrette. Season with mashed garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper.
3. Dress spinach with vinaigrette, and season the salad with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
4. Combine cold tomato sauce and meatloaf. Add garlic bread croutons and toss to cover them with the sauce.
5. To serve, first lay down a bed of spinach leaves on the plate, pour on the vinagrette, then top with some of the sauce-covered croutons.