Octopus Carpaccio with Red Wine Poached Pineapple

 

This dish has a great mix of flavors, from sweet and tangy to spicy and salty.  The prep for the dish is surprisingly easy and you do not need a lot of ingredients.

Start the dish by washing your raw octopus and then placing it in a large pot of salted water with rosemary, bay leaves, peppercorns and 2 wine corks.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour then take off the heat and let it cook to room temperature.  When the octopus is cooled remove from the pot and cut off the head and legs.  Take half of the octopus and arrange the legs in opposite directions on plastic wrap and roll several times into a log.  Cool in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

When you are ready, remove the plastic. The octopus should hold together firmly, and slice with a sharp knife or on a meat slicer.

For the pineapple, peel and cut into quarters lengthwise.  Poach in a mixture of red wine with a cinnamon stick, star anise and a pinch of salt for 30 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature in the liquid.  Remove one piece and slice into 1/8 inch strips.

For the pan roasted potato, remove the peel and cut off all the edges of the potato to form a rectangle.  Slice long ways into about a 1/4 inch and season with salt.  In a saute pan add a spoon of butter and melt over medium heat.  Add the sliced potatoes and cook slowly until golden brown on both sides.  Remove from the pan and pat dry to remove the extra butter.

To assemble the dish place your sliced octopus on the plate, you can arrange however you want.  Place one piece of the potato in the center and top with four slices of the pineapple and lastly with a second piece of potato.  Circle the plate with your favorite brand of sriracha sauce then season with a bit of black pepper and olive oil.  I top mine with a little bit of fresh herbs and mustard greens.  It is also nice with a bit of crushed wasabi peas.

 

 

Pineapple braised pork shoulder

Braising meats is simple and delicious.  It is a great way to get a lot of flavor into your protein.  You typically only want to braise meats that are tougher cuts (for example, the shoulder, roasts, chicken legs, etc.).

Braising is a combination of moist and dry heat methods.  Usually you will sear the meat in a hot pan, then cover with a liquid (usually a stock) and cook at a low temperature for a few hours.  Pressure cooking and slow cooking are forms of braising.

For my braised pork I started out by breaking down the pork shoulder into manageable pieces.  Season the pork with salt, pepper, and a mix of your favorite chili powders.  After it has been seasoned let it sit at room temperature for a half an hour.  The meat will sear better if it has had time to loosen up.

In a hot pan, add canola or grape seed oil to barely cover the bottom of the pan.  Gently place your meat in the pan using a pair of tongs so you do not burn yourself.  Let the meat sear for a couple of minutes until it has a dark caramelized color then flip the meat and repeat the process until all sides of the meat are browned.

Remove the caramelized meat from the pan and place in your baking pan.  Sear carrots, celery, onions, and pineapple in the same pan that you cooked the pork in.  Keep turning every couple of minutes until the vegetables have a nice color.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the pineapple juice and add a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary.  Pour your pork stock over the vegetables, then transfer to the pork.  Make sure the liquid covers the meat completely and then cover with foil and place in the oven at 325 degrees.  Bake until it is fork tender all the way through.   This will take at least an hour (depending on the size of the pork it could take a couple of hours).

Once the meat is finished braising, discard the vegetables and strain off the liquid, saving a little to toss with the meat.  To serve, you can break the meat into portion sizes and serve with your favorite side dishes.  You can also shred it into a bowl with a fork with a little of the braising liquid and BBQ or teriyaki sauce for a sandwich or slider.

Once you master braising, a whole new world opens up and your meals will become much more exciting.  Have Fun Braising!!!