Oh, Smother!

Welcome to the first post of the year. As much as it seem ridiculous to me, I will start assuming that readers aren't as imaginary as I thought because 1. I still get comments and 2. my online counters are still running. Thank you for dropping (and drooling) by! I feel bad for not updating as much as I would like to. I do hope that you tried using some of the recipes in here and enjoyed it.

I've been busy since the New Year up to the Sinulog festivities, cooking as well as roaming around town, as usual. I'm not a stranger to people dragging me around and stuff. If I get my way all the time, I'd be a hermit by now. I would rather lounge around the house in an oversized shirt lugging a book and coffee mug, heating up some righteous grub but I must accept the sweet fact that I have great friends who love to have me around all the time.

Forever alone does not apply to me even if I am actually resigned to the idea of it and I've actually planned how to live my future out: a spinster with cats and one big busy kitchen like this:

Haha. That looks like a desperate episode of Hoarders.

or maybe like this:

Okay, that's more like it. :3

But enough of all that useless crap. The future is bleak and lucky are we if we get there. Let's focus on the now and let's get down to delicious business!

One look at the Recipe Index of this blog and you'd judge me to be partial to pork. I am all for pork. I'm not a big fan of beef unless for Pochero and burgers. Steak? Not too much. There is something neutral about pork that is hard to replace.

I saw this ad campaign by the US National Pork Board last year and I thought HELL YES, IT IS!

You can cook it light to almost mimic chicken and it can be prepared heavy and artery-bursting. That quality is just pretty hard to beat. There is also one reason why in all meats, pork is closest to my heart and that is:

I am partial to quick-fix meals because like most people, I couldn't wait too long to eat (which explains my affinity for fastfood!). So with these facts, I bring to you a really easy, non-complicated savory pork dish that can be prepped and cooked in less than and hour.



Smothered Pork


Ingredients:


1/2 kilo lean pork (you can include fat if you prefer), cut into medium fillets or 4 pork chops (if that's your thing)
1 teaspoon seasoning mix
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large white onion, sliced
1 medium carrot, julienned
1 tablespoon lemon or kalamansi juice
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cup chicken broth (or water mixed with 1 chicken bullion cube)
salt and pepper to taste


How-to:

1. Season your pork cuts with seasoning mix and pan fry in oil until golden brown. Set aside.

2. Take out some of excess oil from the pan and just leave enough to saute the onions in. Do this for about 3 minutes or until the onions are translucent and had caramelized a bit.

3. Add in the garlic and carrots and saute for a few minutes.

4. Pour in chicken broth and lemon or kalamansi juice, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. When it has boiled, bring heat to medium and add in slurry (that cornstarch and water mixture) slowly while mixing the sauce until you have achieved your desired consistency.


5. Now add the fried pork in and let it simmer in the stew for about 10 minutes. 

6. IT'S CHOW TIME! :)


Till the next pork adventure!
♥ Chef Shak 




P.S. Thanks to Flickr for the kitty kitchen photos. :3