Ingredients

1 cup giardiniera (Hot pickled vegetable salad), drained
1 cup packed baby arugula leaves
1/4 cup pitted green olives
8 slices pullman-style white bread
4 tablespoons butter, softened
8 thick slices provolone cheese
8 thin slices prosciutto cotto or boiled ham
8 thin slices hot soppressata*
8 thin slices genoa salami

Directions

1. Using a food processor, grind the giardiniera, arugula and olives.
2. Coat 1 side of the bread slices with the butter. Build each sandwich as follows: a bread slice (buttered side out), giardiniera relish, a cheese slice, 2 prosciutto slices, 2 soppressata slices, 2 salami slices, another cheese slice, more relish and another bread slice (buttered side out).
3. Preheat a griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the sammies and cook, turning once, until the cheese melts, 6 to 8 minutes. Alternately, cook in a panini maker on medium low heat for 12-15 minutes, until the bread is toasted and the cheese is oozing.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

*My grocery store did not have soppressata, so I used mortadella instead.

print recipe

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup milk
12 corn tortillas, warmed
Fresh cilantro leaves, thinly sliced onion, diced avocado, and lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, combine pork, garlic, and 8 cups water and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until pork is tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Drain well.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add pork, orange juice, and milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and pork is browned, 8 to 12 minutes. Serve carnitas in tortillas, with cilantro, onion, avocado, and lime wedges.

Serves 6.

print recipe

Ingredients

2 cups baby carrots
2 medium white turnips, (8 ounces total), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch-wide wedges
2 1/4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, (picnic or Boston-butt), trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 bunch scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons medium or dry sherry
4 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2-4 teaspoons Chinese chile-garlic sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 star anise pod or 1 teaspoon aniseed
1 cinnamon stick
4 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions

1. Place carrots and turnips in the bottom and up the sides of a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Top with pork and scallion whites. Bring broth, water, soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, ginger, vinegar, chile-garlic sauce to taste and garlic to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour over the pork and vegetables. Nestle star anise pod (or aniseed) and cinnamon stick into the stew. Cover and cook until the pork and vegetables are tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours on high or 5 1/2 to 6 hours on low.
2. Discard the star anise pod and cinnamon stick. Skim or blot any visible fat from the surface of the stew. Add the cornstarch mixture, cover and cook on high, stirring 2 or 3 times, until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve sprinkled with scallion greens and sesame seeds.

Serves 6.

Nutritional information per serving: 332 calories; 17 g fat (6 g sat, 7 g mono); 91 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrates; 29 g protein; 2 g fiber; 538 mg sodium; 613 mg potassium.

print recipe