‘The heat factor in this dish can be very high, but the other ingredients will temper it somewhat. Serve it with hot slices of fresh corn and rounds of sweet potatoes. ‘
Ingredients
Pork, garlic, peanuts, peas, Jalepenos
Creole Sauce
This sauce, similar to that served at the worldrenowned Antoine’s restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans, represents the essence of Creole cookery.
Ingredients
Bell pepper, onion, butter, tomato pulp, paprika cayenne
Instructions
Grilled Swordfish Fillet with Agent Orange Sauce
Any firm fish such as Mahi Mahi, tuna, halibut, or shark could be substituted for the swordfish. As the swordfish needs to marinate for a short time, this recipe requires advance preparation. The Agent Orange sauce is seriously hot; use it with caution. Keep away from pets, open flames, unsupervised children, drunks, and scoundrels. To preserve the unique fruity flavor of the chiles, the habaneros are not cooked. When handling habaneros use food-safe gloves and thoroughly wash knives, cutting boards, and utensils with cold soapy water and then hot soapy water.
Ingredients
For the Fish:
- 2 (6-ounce) swordfish fillets
- Olive oil
- Coarse kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup Agent Orange Sauce (see below)
- 2 cups mixed Field Greens or Mesclun Mix
- Wasabi Vinaigrette (see below)
For the Agent Orange Sauce:
- 2 large carrots (1 1/2 cups) peeled & chopped)
- 1/2 medium red onion (1 cup) peeled & chopped)
- 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 6 cloves garlic (2 tablespoons minced)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup coarse grain or Creole mustard
- 12 to 14 habanero chiles, seeds and stems removed
For the Wasabi Vinaigrette:
- 1 teaspoon finely minced shallot
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Wasabi powder (or more, to taste)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2/3 cup good quality olive oil
- Coarse kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Place the fillets in a resealable food-grade bag and add 1/2 cup of the Wasabi Vinaigrette. Marinate, refrigerated, for 30 minutes.
Preheat the grill to medium-high and grease the grill grates with an oil-soaked folded paper towel. Season swordfish fillets with salt, and pepper. Place on the preheated grill and cook for 3 minutes; turn the fillets 90 degrees and cook another 2 minutes. Flip the fillets, brush with Agent Orange Sauce and cook, covered, for another 4 minutes or until the fillets just begin to turn opaque and start to flake. Remove from grill and keep warm.
For the Agent Orange Sauce:
Combine the carrots, onion, vinegar, water, garlic, lime juice, salt, pepper and mustard in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the carrots are soft. Remove from heat.
Use an immersion blender or food processor to puree the mixture. Add the habaneros and continue to puree until smooth. Pour into sterilized jars or bottles and process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.
For the Wasabi Vinaigrette:
Combine the shallot, garlic, ginger, Wasabi, mustard, sugar and vinegar in a bowl; whisk. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to incorporate. Whisk well before use.
Cranberry-Habanero Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Pork is an inexpensive, flavorful and versatile meat that lends itself to a variety of preparations. This marinated and stuffed tenderloin is glazed with a spicy cranberry-habanero jelly and served with an apple compote, garlicky mashed potatoes and sugar snap peas. Tenderloins are packaged in pairs; this recipe uses both tenderloins and requires advance preparation.
Ingredients
For the Pork:
• 1 whole pork tenderloin (two pieces, about 1 1/4-pound)
• 3/4 cup Cranberry-Habanero Jelly, melted
For the Marinade:
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle Woodchuck Amber hard cider
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Stuffing:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, finely diced
• 1 rib celery, finely diced
• 2 Cortland or Macintosh apples, seeded and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups day-old bread, cubed
• 3/4 cup Woodchuck Amber hard cider
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Remove any silverskin and extraneous fat from the tenderloins.
Prepare the marinade by combining all the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Place the tenderloins in a resealable food-grade bag, add the marinade and marinate the tenderloins, refrigerated, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing:
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Saute the onion and celery until soft, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add apples and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add the hard cider and bread cubes and cook until moisture evaporates. Stir in herbs, salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste. Cool completely. (Stuffing may be prepared one day ahead and held, covered and refrigerated.)
Remove the tenderloins from the marinade; discard marinade. Using paper towels, pat the tenderloins dry.
Brush the inside surface of the tenderloins with the cranberry-habanero jelly. Put a layer of stuffing atop one of the tenderloins. Place the second tenderloin, jelly side down, on top of the stuffing and tie the tenderloins together with butcher’s twine. Spoon any remaining stuffing in a buttered casserole dish and reserve. (If desired, the remaining stuffing could be cooked in a buttered casserole dish, covered, in a 350 degrees F. oven for 30 to 40 minutes.)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Roast the stuffed tenderloins for 30 minutes. Brush melted jelly atop the stuffed tenderloins and continue cooking for another 20 to 25 minutes or to an internal temperature of 155 degrees F. Let the pork rest, tented with aluminum foil, for 5 to 10 minutes then bias-slice into 1/2-inch slices.
Pickled Habaneros
It is important that the vinegar ratio not be altered to avoid any potential bacterial growth.
Ingredients
- 20 to 30 habanero chiles, stems removed
- 3 cups white vinegar
- 3 cups water
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 3 Mason-type (1-pint) canning jars, sterilized
Instructions
Select habaneros that are fresh, firm, and free of blemishes. Wash in a mild bleach solution (1 teaspoon household bleach to 1 quart of warm water), rinse and allow to dry overnight.
Wearing food-safe gloves and using a sharp paring knife, cut two slits in the top of each chile. Tightly pack the chiles into the sterilized jars.
In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, water and salt. Bring to a boil and pour over the chiles. Seal the jars and store in a cool, dark place for at least 4 weeks before serving.