pulled pork tacos

I’m not quite sure what happened to me over the summer, I feel like Rip Van Winkle waking up from a long nap. Except not for 20 years, just for a couple months, and not sleeping so much as dropping all my good habits about posting here consistently and falling into lazy summertime fugue state. It was a lovely summer, I traveled to Liverpool (excellent city, strongly recommend!), hosted some friends at our house and puttered around the garden. And really, really procrastinated about posting anything here. 

Now I’m trying to snap out of it and actually be a little bit productive. Luckily, these pulled pork tacos that I started working on way back in June, while appropriate for summer, are also hearty and comforting enough for crisper, cooler weather. The pulled pork takes a few hours, but you don’t have to do any work after throwing everything in a big pot and walk away. All you need to make in advance is the pickled cabbage, it’s better a couple days after you make it. You can make the cilantro sauce in 5 minutes, and then everything comes together really fast when the pork is done. It’s excellent for leftovers; pulled pork gets better after a day the fridge.

pulled pork:

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 onions, coarsely chopped 

• 1 bulb garlic, cloves peeled and slightly crushed 

• 2 tsp each paprika, cumin and crushed chili flakes

• 1 can (398 ml/14 oz) plum tomatoes, drained 

• 3 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 ½ cups chicken stock

• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce 

• 2 tbsp brown sugar

• 1/4 cup cider vinegar 

• 1 pork butt roast, about 4-5 pounds

• salt and pepper

Heat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic and onions are fragrant and golden brown. Add dry spices and stir through the oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until very fragrant. 

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, worcestershire, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer and add the pork. Season with salt and pepper and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid, leaving a small gap for steam to escape. Cook until meat is falling apart, about 3 hours. Remove the meat and shred with forks. 

The liquid should be thickened significantly, but if you wish to reduce it further cook over medium heat until quite thick. If there is a lot of excess fat, scoop it off the top with a spoon. Toss shredded pork with remaining liquid. 

Serve on warmed corn tortillas with pickled cabbage, avocado slices, green cilantro sauce and a squeeze of lime juice. 

crispy fish dogs

I told you about the wonder and majesty that is quick pickled cabbage; I wanted to give you all a recipe that would really help show off how good it is. This one is a winner. It has all the appeal of a hotdog crossed with fish and chips, with a tangy dilly aioli and fresh greens, and of course the pickled cabbage. Plus, optional but recommended, fried jalapenos to top everything off. These would be fantastic for a summertime backyard party.

Don’t get overwhelmed by the deep frying element of this recipe. I used to be super intimidated to deep fry anything, but this is actually pretty quick and simple. You don’t need any special equipment, just a large, heavy pot and a thermometer (in a pinch you can do it without a thermometer). If there is a recipe that’s worth pushing past deep frying anxiety, I think this is it.

crispy beer battered fish (and jalapenos!)

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus a bit more for dredging

• ½ cup cornstarch

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 can of your favorite beer

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 pound halibut, cod or other flaky white fish

• ⅓ cup pickled jalapenos, drained and patted dry with paper towel

• 3-4 cups neutral oil for frying

Pat fish dry with a paper towel and remove any bones. Cut the fish into hotdog-sized batons.

Heat oven to 250° and place a cookie sheet with a cooling tray on it into the oven. Heat oil in a large, heavy pot to 350°. If you don’t have a thermometer, heat the oil until a little batter dropped in sizzles and bubbles vigorously.

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in beer and mix until evenly combined. Working one piece at a time, dredge fish in flour and then dip into batter. Make sure to coat the fish all over. Carefully place battered fish into hot oil. Fry until deep golden brown, turning fish over after two or three minutes when the bottom is dark enough.

Place cooked fish on the rack in the oven while you continue cooking the rest. Dip jalapenos in batter and fry for couple minutes. Drain on the rack with the fish.

dill aioli

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• ¼ cup fresh dill, roughly chopped

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• salt and pepper

• 2 tbs lemon juice

Stir all ingredients together.

assembly

All of the above plus:

• pickled cabbage, drained of as much pickling liquid as possible

• pea shoots or other crisp greens

• more tiny dill fronds

• hot dog buns

Slather a soft hot-dog bun with dill mayo, and add pea shoots and pickled cabbage. Top with a piece of crispy fish, some dill and a few jalapenos if you like.  

quick pickled cabbage

I have a new favorite condiment: pickled purple cabbage! It’s a real dark horse in the world of toppings that I am obsessed with (does this count as a world? I think yes!). Cabbage is humble and unassuming, and cooking or pickling it gives it a rather pungent smell that makes it easy to overlook. But this pickled cabbage should not be overlooked.

The dark purple cabbage essence oozes out into the brine and turns everything (the cabbage, brine, my fingers and everything else it touches) an incredible, shocking fuchsia, which is almost enough reason to make this alone. But it also tastes great - bright and acidic, soft but still tender-crispy. If the pickley-ness is a bit too much you can give it a quick rinse for mellower cabbage, or eat it as is.

It makes pretty much any summery sandwich better (I will show you a couple of my favourites in couple upcoming posts), it makes a great vegetable base for tacos and it’s an excellent addition to a big chopped salad. It’s quick to prepare, ready in a few hours and even better over the next few days. I have been making it constantly.

quick pickled cabbage:

• 1 large purple cabbage

• 2 or 3 cloves of garlic smashed

• 1 shallot, finely sliced

• 3 tbs salt

• 1 tsp chili flakes

• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds

• equal parts white vinegar and water (enough to fill jars and cover cabbage)

Finely shred cabbage; I like to use a mandoline on a very thin setting, but use a knife if you prefer. Toss cabbage with salt and seasonings.

Pack cabbage tightly into one or two large glass jars, depending on how much cabbage you have. Fill jars halfway with vinegar and top up with water. Make sure the cabbage is submerged.

After just a few hours, the cabbage is ready to go, but it gets softer and more-pickley as it sits in the fridge.

blue cheese coleslaw with prawns and bacon

If you are like me, and you have a phobia of certain types of coleslaw (too gloopy coleslaw, wobbly with excess mayo, glistening in the sun, maybe even with raisins, or a sweet dressing!) then this is for you. It’s tangy from apple cider and blue cheese, smoky from bacon and paprika and fresh from lots of bright parsley. It’s also hearty enough to be a meal on its own, with prawns, bacon and cheese. Or it can be a side dish, even with fried chicken, for an extra indulgent meal. It’s a perfect therapy for your coleslaw phobia.

adapted from Williams Sonoma

apple cider dressing

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup buttermilk

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 2 garlic cloves

• Salt and pepper to taste

Blitz all ingredients in a food processor, or with an immersion blender, until smooth and creamy.

coleslaw

• 1 pound prawns peeled and deveined

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/4 pound bacon

• 1 head green cabbage finely shredded

• 5 celery stalks, thinly sliced (chop in some celery leaves too if you have them)

• 6 green onions, white and light green

• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Toss prawns in paprika and fry in olive oil on medium heat until opaque and bright pink. Cook bacon on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven until crispy. Toss together all remaining remaining ingredients and serve drizzled with apple cider dressing.