Back At It

A few notes on the new year of eating:

• While I was home in December Matt would call me and say, "I am eating Salmon with an asparagus sauce," to which I would below "WHY DON'T YOU COOK LIKE THAT FOR ME?" or "SINCE WHEN ARE WE ALLOWED TO BUY SALMON?" He's used to this kind of extremity, so he was un-phased. Upon returning home I found our fridge fully stocked with produce, including lettuce. For those of you who are not avid readers, produce is something of an anomaly in our house hold because it is expensive. After viewing a fridge full of foliage, I spun on my heal to give Matt my nastiest-how-could-you-do-this-while-I-am-away face. Again, un-phased. Shortly there after I opened my Christmas gift from Matt: a copy of Jaime Oliver's Ministry of Food. I am of course pleased, but Matt goes on to explain that the meals he cooked over break were out of this book and practice, because this year he is committing to cooking dinner once a week. For those of you that may miss the point, let me spell it out for you: A-W-E-S-O-M-E.
• None of my pants fit due to much eating while home and the neccessity to where layers in the negative Minnesota temperatures.
• In the past week I've successfully made cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing, pita bread, pulled pork, mashed potatoes, tzaziki, stir fry, and lentil soup. A GOOD START INDEED.
• Everyone should know how to make pulled pork. It requires nothing but good pork. I recently watched Fresh, which makes me grateful that I have the Thompson's to buy meat from. Please see below for pulled pork recipe. Trust me, this is so good it needs no sauce.
• I love beginning a stew or sauce or soup because that initial sauté of celery, onion, carrot and what have you is rich with promise. That might sound tacky, but I believe it. From that simple start so much can develop, so it is exhilarating, always to begin.
  

Pulled Pork
What Ya' Need:
4lb bone in free range, natural pork shoulder or butt (should have a really nice bit of fat on it)
1 medium onion

What Ya' Do:
Preheat oven to 300. In a dutch oven or other, deep oven proof pan, place pork shoulder/butt in pan, fat side UP (you want all that lovely flavor to dribble down past all the meat). Quarter onion and break up over pork. Fill pan with one inch deep of water. Cover and place in oven. Cook for at least 3 hours, or until meet is falling away from bone. You pretty much can't over cook this. I will cook it all day sometimes if I am around.

When you are ready to eat, remove dutch oven, use forks to pull pork from the bones and away from residual fat. Eat as is or serve in sandwiches, with beans, on salads, etc.

Do NOT be concerned with the fats. If you do use a good, natural cut of pork that fat is PACKED with fats that your body really does need. Granted I am not recomending you eat pulled pork every night, BUT once and awhile is something that will serve you well in the long run.