Pork & blueberries
- Thread starter Dave/G
- Start date
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Me, I'd rather use them for the sauce, but if you want to use them in a stuffing: sauté a minced shallot in a small pot, in butter, till softened; add a couple minced cloves or garlic and sauté till very fragrant, about 45 seconds. To the pot add a pint of blueberries, 1/2 a pint of red grapes, halved, a little freshly grated ginger (or use powder), a good pinch of thyme, a little pinch of allspice, a little salt and pepper, and about a cup of water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium and cook till the berries and grapes break down and the mix gets thicker, 20-30 min. Off, heat, add a 2 teaspoons of Dijon and a splash of balsamic.
For a tight stuffing, fold in some fresh breadcrumbs, after the mix cools a little.
For a tight stuffing, fold in some fresh breadcrumbs, after the mix cools a little.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Sure. Did one the other night for a hunk of pork loin. I used some fresh blueberries and some dried cherries.
I made a rub of ras el hanout combined with some smoked paprika.
Sweat a minced shallot or the equivalent of minced onion (about 3 Tbls) in some unsalted butter till soft. Up the heat and add 2 cloves minced or pressed garlic and cook, stirring, till fragrant, about 45 secs. If you have some white wine available add a couple tbls and cook till it is just about gone. Then (or if no wine), add about 3/4 cup low-salt chicken stock, a handful of blueberries (I used about 1/2 cup of chopped dried cherries and 1/4 cup fresh blues as that was the last of the blue pint), a bit of sage (maybe 1/2 tsp dry), a pinch of thyme, and a little white pepper. Cook till reduced by a bit more than half, breaking up the berries a bit as you go.
Off heat, use a fork to whisk in about 2 tsps Dijon. Add a little agave syrup and a tiny splash of balsamic. Reserve. (Note: if you want a smooth finish allow to cool a bit then purée in a blender; for a very smooth finish press through a sieve. In either case, return to the pan.)
Cook your pork. Place on a plate and tent with foil. Rest 7-10 for loin, 5-7 for tenderloin. Meanwhile, reheat the sauce over low heat till quite warm. Slide the pan off the burner. Cut a 1/2-inch slice of cold unsalted butter off a stick and stab with a fork. Stir the sauce with the butter allowing it to slowly melt. Stir kind of quickly but not vigorously. The stirring action will emulsify the butter with the sauce. Repeat with another piece of butter - or two. (Note: if the sauce cools too much the butter will stop melting; briefly return the pan to the heat to warm the sauce before continuing.) Adjust salt and pepper. Stir the juices from the rested meat into the sauce. Slice the meat; serve.
Here's a shot of dinner the other night: the berry sauce over grill-roasted pork loin; smashed Bliss potatoes; grilled asparagus with grill-roasted creamed corn sauce:
I made a rub of ras el hanout combined with some smoked paprika.
Sweat a minced shallot or the equivalent of minced onion (about 3 Tbls) in some unsalted butter till soft. Up the heat and add 2 cloves minced or pressed garlic and cook, stirring, till fragrant, about 45 secs. If you have some white wine available add a couple tbls and cook till it is just about gone. Then (or if no wine), add about 3/4 cup low-salt chicken stock, a handful of blueberries (I used about 1/2 cup of chopped dried cherries and 1/4 cup fresh blues as that was the last of the blue pint), a bit of sage (maybe 1/2 tsp dry), a pinch of thyme, and a little white pepper. Cook till reduced by a bit more than half, breaking up the berries a bit as you go.
Off heat, use a fork to whisk in about 2 tsps Dijon. Add a little agave syrup and a tiny splash of balsamic. Reserve. (Note: if you want a smooth finish allow to cool a bit then purée in a blender; for a very smooth finish press through a sieve. In either case, return to the pan.)
Cook your pork. Place on a plate and tent with foil. Rest 7-10 for loin, 5-7 for tenderloin. Meanwhile, reheat the sauce over low heat till quite warm. Slide the pan off the burner. Cut a 1/2-inch slice of cold unsalted butter off a stick and stab with a fork. Stir the sauce with the butter allowing it to slowly melt. Stir kind of quickly but not vigorously. The stirring action will emulsify the butter with the sauce. Repeat with another piece of butter - or two. (Note: if the sauce cools too much the butter will stop melting; briefly return the pan to the heat to warm the sauce before continuing.) Adjust salt and pepper. Stir the juices from the rested meat into the sauce. Slice the meat; serve.
Here's a shot of dinner the other night: the berry sauce over grill-roasted pork loin; smashed Bliss potatoes; grilled asparagus with grill-roasted creamed corn sauce: