St. Anthony of Egypt Bacon Strips

Today is the feast day of St. Anthony of Egypt (also know as St. Anthony the Great, St. Anthony of the Desert, St. Anthony the Abbot). He is considered the father of western monasticism. He is also the patron saint of domesticated animals, and Saint Anthony is often depicted standing next to a pig, which he is said to have healed. That is one of numerous explanations as to how St. Anthony has become associated with pigs. The feast has traditionally been associated with farmers bringing their animals to the church to be blessed, for good health and fertility.

His feast day is a very good excuse to eat bacon, which is always a treat at our house and always welcome for any occasion. It is simple and always enjoyable. While today's feast is a Friday this year and many families would be going meatless - think about him this weekend and enjoy a treat then. Any excuse to "pass the pig."

St. Anthony, Pray for Us!

Pin It

Cuban Cuisine on St. Anthony Mary Claret Feast Day

St. Anthony Mary Claret, known as the “spiritual father of Cuba” was a missionary, founder of the Claretians, social reformer, queen’s chaplain, writer and publisher, archbishop, and refugee. He was appointed archbishop of Santiago, Cuba in 1850 and served there until 1856. In his six years there he restored, both materially and spiritually, the languishing Archdiocese of Santiago. Celebrate the October 24  feast of St. Anthony with some tradional Cuban cuisine.

Cuban Mojo Pork Roast

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup lightly packed mint leaves, finely chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced oregano 
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• salt and pepper
• 3 and 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder

Directions

Add orange juice, cilantro leaves, mint leaves, and smashed (not minced) garlic cloves to food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add this mixture to a ziplock bag, along with the oil, orange zest, lime juice, oregano, and cumin.

Add the pork shoulder. Place the zipped up bag in a baking dish and marinate in refrigerator at least several hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Place the pork on the rack and discard the marinade. Salt and pepper the pork well.

Roast the pork for 30 minutes. It should be lightly browned. Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F. Roast for another 1 hour and 20-30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160.

Transfer to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil and let rest 20 minutes. Carve and serve.

Cuban-Style Black Beans

Ingredients: 

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 scallions
2 tbsp red bell pepper
3 tbsp cilantro
15 oz can black beans, do not drain
1/2 cup water (or more if needed)
1 bay leaf
few pinches cumin (to taste)
pinch oregano
1 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Chop onion, garlic, scallions, red pepper, and cilantro in a mini chopper or food processor.

Add oil to a medium-sized pot on medium heat. Add chopped vegetables and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add beans, water, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover, simmer about 15 minutes stirring occasionally (adjust water as needed). Taste for salt and serve over rice. 

St. Anthony Mary Claret, Pray for us!

Pin It

San Francisco Pork Chops

The following recipe for San Francisco Pork Chops was submitted by Susan Husband, from Sole Searching, in honor of the upcoming feast of St. Francis of Assisi.  Thank you Susan! 

SAN FRANCISCO PORK CHOPS

6 1" thick pork loin chops (sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper and onion powder)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sherry cooking wine (or you may use red wine or chicken broth)
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water

In a large skillet heat the vegetable oil and brown the seasoned pork loin chops on both sides, and transfer to a slow cooker set on low. Reduce the skillet heat to low, and add the garlic to the pan drippings. Stir for 1 minute or until the garlic is golden. Add soy sauce, wine or broth, brown sugar and red pepper flakes, and continue to stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the skillet mixture over the pork, coating well. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. (If I'm home, I like to baste the meat a few times during the day to keep the chops moist.)

About 30-45 minutes before you are ready to serve: Remove the chops from the slow cooker and place on a platter, then cover with foil. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water until smooth. At this point, if you like a smooth gravy/sauce, you can strain out the bits of meat in the liquid. Then, add the cornstarch and water mixture gradually to the liquid, stirring well. If you plan to serve the gravy separate, keep foil wrapped meat warm in a low temp oven while the sauce thickens in the crock-pot. Otherwise, place the chops back into the crock-pot and continue to cook for 30-45 minutes until the sauce is thickened. If it is too thick, don't panic! You can thin it down with a bit of chicken broth or water, until the right consistency is reached.

Serve over mashed potatoes with a side of green beans or asparagus. Delish!

Note: A little Catholic Geography over supper - talk about cities in the United States that are named after Saints (San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Antonio, St. Paul, St. Louis, etc.). San Francisco is named after St. Francis of Assisi!

Pin It

Potato and Pork Chop Casserole

Last year's Catholic Cuisine post refers to a legend of how the devil often tempted St. Anthony in the form of a pig.  Saint Anthony was always able to resist those evil temptations.

So, for supper, we'll make Granny's Potato and Pork Chop Casserole  (It's so yummy and sooo easy!) and we'll talk about how God is stronger than the evil one and his temptations.

Potato and Pork Chop Casserole

1.  Grease the bottom of a cookie sheet that has sides.

2.  Wash, peal, and slice potatoes and place a single layer on the sheet. (I usually do about 1 per person.)

3.  Season pork chops and place on potatoes. ( I use creole seasoning.)

4.  2 cans cream of mushroom soup and about a can of milk. Mix this in a small bowl and pour over pork chops.

5.  8 oz Shredded cheddar cheese over top.

6.  Cover with foil and bake 45min to 1 hour. (It's ready when your potatoes are done.)

7.  Uncover and let cheese brown 10-15 min.

This recipe was submitted by Lori, from Busy with Blessings, for the feast of St. Anthony Abbot on January 17th.  Thank you Lori!

Pin It

Celebrating St. Junipero Serra with California Mission Foods

The Spanish influence on California and other areas of the Southwest, is still very evident in the culture including the food. The Spanish missionaries who founded the chain of missions in California brought with them their culture and traditions and also adapted them to the products of the new world. In the United States we recognize the July 1 optional memorial of St. Junipero Serra, the Spanish Franciscan, who is the Father of the California missions.

In Bess Anderson's California Mission Recipes cookbook, she acquaints readers with the various foods that would have been traditionally prepared and eaten in the missions. The ingredients used were mainly those harvested at the mission or occasionally those brought by ship. The preparations of the food in the missions most often was under the direction of a padre, with the preparation carried out by Indian women of the mission. Anderson indicates that from various records we know the missions had both lean and rich years. There were times, for example, when the daily ration of Father Serra consisted solely of 3 tortilla cakes and wine.

Anderson's book as well as the various mission preservation organizations are sources of traditional mission-style recipes. Enjoy a recipe from the California mission tradition on the feast of St. Junipero Serra.

POSOLE
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 T. vegetable oil or lard
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 t.cayenne
1-1/2 lbs. pork shoulder, cooked and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups canned white or yellow hominy (drained and rinsed)
3-5 cups pork broth, degreased and strained
1 cup canned green chiles (chopped)
2 whole Jalapenos, canned or fresh
salt to taste

Sauté onion and garlic in oil. Add spices, stirring to blend. Add pork, drained and rinsed hominy, pork broth, green chiles and jalapenos. Cook at a simmer, covered, for 45 to 60 minutes or until the meat and hominy are tender. Add more water or broth as needed to keep pork covered in the final minutes of stewing. Remove posole from heat and cool slightly. Degrease the stew. Check to see if salt is needed. Reheat before serving.

BUNELOS
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup shortening
3 cups sifted flour
1 T sugar
1 t salt
fat or oil for deep frying
sugar cinnamon, ground

Beat eggs until light in color and thickened, add milk and melted shortening. Combine the flour, sugar and salt. Sift into egg mixture slowly and blend well, making a soft dough that doesn't stick to hands. Shape into walnut-sized balls and roll on a lightly-floured board into a round-shaped cakes similar to a tortilla. Fry in deep hot fat until golden brown in color - about 3 minutes on each side. Drain well. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Make s 30 bunelos.

LOIN OF PORK WITH WINE
3-4 pounds pork loin
2 T butter
2 onions, sliced
2 medium tomatoes
2 carrots, diced
2 springs parsley 1/2 cup dry white wine
salt and pepper

Brown the pork on all sides in the butter. When brown add the vegetables, wine, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 2-3 hours or until the meat is tender. Serve on a heated plate. Strain the liquid in the pan over the meat.

PUMPKIN CAKES
1 cup pumpkin mash
1 cup corn meal
1/4 fat.

Gradually add meal to the pumpkin mash, stirring constantly. Then add butter a little at at time. Mix thoroughly, stirring very hard to form a stiff dough. Shape into round flat cakes and bake over a high heat on a well=greased hot griddle for 5 minutes on each side. Serves 4

CHAMPURRADO

2 cups warm water
2 cups milk
1/4 cup masa harina (or 1/3 cup nixtamal)
1 disk Mexican chocolate, chopped
3 piloncillo cones, small, (one ounce each) chopped
1 pinch of anise seed, ground (optional)

In a large pot, whisk masa harina into the warm water until thoroughly combined. Add milk, chocolate, piloncillo and anise. Bring to a simmer and whisk with a molinillo (a special tool to whip the drink) until chocolate is melted and sugar is dissolved.

ICED MEXICAN CHOCOLATE
2 cups milk, scalded
4 T ground coffee
1 cinnamon stick
4 squares unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups cold milk
2 t vanilla

Add coffee and cinnamon to the scalded milk. Cover, let stand 5 minutes and strain. Heat chocolate over water, add boiling water, and sugar and cook until smooth and thick. Add the coffee-cinnamon liquid. When ready to serve, blend in the cold milk and vanilla. Serve in tall glasses with crushed ice. Serves 6-8.

Pin It