Saturday, August 22, 2020

Chimichurri Pork

      Tried a variation on the dependable formula:

     A couple of nice, meaty "country style boneless pork ribs," marinated overnight in chimichurri sauce with a little balsamic vinegar added.

     Then I sauteed some fennel bulb.  It's kind of like super-celery and kind of not, with a delightful aroma; fresh, it's a little like root beer!*  Chopped it up into 3/8" thick slices, and then chopped the long, U-shaped slices into chunks.  Along with it, some baby carrots chopped into about 3/8" sections, and as that cooked, I added a bunch (it's a unit of measure, the standard amount they sell 'em in) of chopped green onions and a peeled gala apple, and then made room for the pork without the marinade, cooking the meat just long enough to brown each side well.  As it was browning, I diced three small sweet peppers and sprinkled them over everything.

     With the pork browned, I poured the marinade over it, added a little diced ginger (maybe a half a teaspoon?  To taste) along with a couple of bay leaves and covered the pan while I sliced up a container of fresh mushrooms, then layered them on top with fresh-ground pepper and a little salt.  Covered it back up and let it be for a half-hour, tuned the pork and cooked it until the meat thermometer said it was done.

     The end result was delicious!  The pork was moist and the sauce was pretty special.  Fairly strong, vaguely akin to Carolina barbecue, with a little sweetness from the ginger and apple, but not too much.  I served it over Spanish rice, which soaked up the flavor and calmed it while enhancing it.

     Variations: you could use hotter peppers, and/or add a chopped potato to the vegetables instead of the rice. Moisture from the mushrooms adds to the sauce, so if you leave them out, you may need more liquid.
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* Raw fennel bulb is great in salads -- cut it fairly thin for that.

1 comment:

BC said...

I really like your food posts because not only do you list the ingredients, but you talk about how they change the flavors and what they add to the dish. Thanks!