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La Crema Pork and Pinot #5: Pulled Pork with Blackberry Pinot BBQ Sauce

Pulled Pork with Blackberry Pinot BBQ Sauce {Katie at the Kitchen Door} #lacremastyle #spon

Well, summer is officially over, with Labor Day come and gone. I have to admit, though, that it doesn’t feel like it yet (and I’m still hoping to get one or two more beach days in, having been forced to cram all of my summery activities into the last few weeks). And grilling season, well that’s certainly not over. In fact, you could argue that we’re getting into one of the best times for grilling – it’s a little bit cooler and pleasant to spend time outside, there’s an incredible abundance of produce available that benefits from a slight charring (think peppers, corn, peaches, eggplant…), and when does a nice piece of steak or rack of ribs not sound appealing?

Pulled Pork with Blackberry Pinot BBQ Sauce {Katie at the Kitchen Door} #lacremastyle #spon

For the last installment of my summer Pork and Pinot collaboration with La Crema Wines, we headed out to the grill, for what is arguably America’s favorite form of pork – barbecue. One of Trevor’s favorite things to cook is big cuts of pork (ribs, Boston butt, etc.) long and slow over a smoky charcoal grill. And it just so happens, having spent my college years in North Carolina, a great pulled pork sandwich is one of my favorite things to eat. We’re a good match, no?

Pulled Pork with Blackberry Pinot BBQ Sauce {Katie at the Kitchen Door} #lacremastyle #spon

Pulled Pork with Blackberry Pinot BBQ Sauce {Katie at the Kitchen Door} #lacremastyle #spon

This particular version of the pulled pork uses a variation on our standard rub, which includes sweet and smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt, and a touch of cayenne. We grill it for about 3-4 hours in aluminum pans, and then serve it smothered with sauce on soft rolls. I made a homemade BBQ sauce too, with blackberries, Pinot Noir, and chipotle as the dominant flavors, to play up the smokiness in the pork and to make it pair even better with La Crema Pinot Noir.

Pulled Pork with Blackberry Pinot BBQ Sauce {Katie at the Kitchen Door} #lacremastyle #spon

My mom and Robbie joined us for the somewhat impromptu cook-out. They’ve just come home after spending all summer in Maine (something I’m going to do again one of these years) and it’s nice to have them back within “you wanna have dinner?” distance, especially since it’s Robbie’s last year at home before heading off to college. The pork was the star of the meal, but we also had grilled corn, chicken wings, cole slaw, plenty of La Crema Monterey Pinot Noir, and burgundy pie with the last of the goat cheese and blackberry ice cream. It was a good meal – and it turned out to be the first of several over the course of the long weekend, including an extravagant dinner out in Newburyport and steak tips and peach sangria at my cousin’s BBQ on Monday. But what’s Labor Day for if not for a final hurrah of summer eating and drinking?

Pulled Pork with Blackberry Pinot BBQ Sauce {Katie at the Kitchen Door} #lacremastyle #spon

P.S. Several of these Pork and Pinot recipes I’ve been developing for La Crema were recently featured on Food and Wine (as was this Oyster Shooter picture I took for one of my restaurant clients earlier this year). Go check it out!

For full instructions and the recipe for Pulled Pork with Blackberry Pinot BBQ Sauce, head over to the La Crema Blog!

More Pork and Pinot posts…

Like what you just read? Subscribe to Katie at the Kitchen Door on Feedly or Bloglovin‘, or follow along on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or . Thanks for reading!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of La Crema. The opinions and text are all mine.

1 Drink

Welcome, September // Fig Bourbon Old-Fashioned

Fig Bourbon Old Fashioned (with Fig-and-Vanilla-Infused Bourbon) | Katie at the Kitchen Door

September is here and I’m thrilled by it. This month has been the light at the end of the very long tunnel of this year. I’ll be here all month, it’s the beginning of my favorite season, we’ve settled into the new house enough that it feels exciting to work on it instead of overwhelming, and, did I mention, I’ll be here all month? NO AIRPLANES.

Fig Bourbon Old Fashioned (with Fig-and-Vanilla-Infused Bourbon) | Katie at the Kitchen Door

We’re off to a good start, September and I. I took Friday off to get organized before going into the long weekend, and take care of a few things that I’ve been meaning to do for months: giving the house a thorough cleaning, ordering office furniture, processing the huge backlog of blog receipts I have, etc. Friday night we went out with good friends – it was cool enough to wear jeans and there was a back-to-school buzz in Harvard. I had one too many glasses of wine and had a great time. Saturday when I woke up there was a pleasant chill in the air – the kind that makes you snuggle a little longer in bed and revel in the simple pleasures of a good sweatshirt and a bowl of apple pie oatmeal. We did yardwork all day and then had my mom over for a big pile of pulled pork. Today we spent at the beach, soaking up the still-strong sun and finally-warm-enough water. And there’s still an entire day of the weekend left to enjoy!

Fig Bourbon Old Fashioned (with Fig-and-Vanilla-Infused Bourbon) | Katie at the Kitchen Door

I have a few things I’m focused on this month. First and foremost, I want to enjoy myself and relax, spending as much quality time with Trevor and with friends as I can. Second, I have to get rid of this travel weight, so long fall runs and healthy meals are in order. And third, I’m going to get this blog back up and running! It’s been a slow summer here on Katie at the Kitchen Door, and I mean to make up for that with plenty of delicious new recipes in the next few months. It will help that, with the arrival of our new stove next Friday, we’ll finally have a fully functional kitchen… and temperatures that make us feel like cooking again.

Fig Bourbon Old Fashioned (with Fig-and-Vanilla-Infused Bourbon) | Katie at the Kitchen Door

Fig Bourbon Old Fashioned (with Fig-and-Vanilla-Infused Bourbon) | Katie at the Kitchen Door

So here’s a fall drink to celebrate the arrival of this lovely month. A few weeks ago I was doing some recipe development for a client that involved figs and bourbon and I decided to set aside some of both to make a fig-and-vanilla-infused bourbon. Now that it’s ready I wanted to showcase it in a simple twist on a classic old fashioned, adding a splash of maple liqueur and a twist of orange to the bourbon and topping it off with a little club soda. It’s stronger and less sweet than my typical cocktail choices but it feels just right for fall – dark and brooding and featuring one of fall’s most sensual fruits.

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Fig Bourbon Old Fashioned (with Fig-and-Vanilla-Infused Bourbon) | Katie at the Kitchen Door

Fig-Bourbon Old Fashioned

Serves 1.

  • 1 sugar cube
  • Dash of bitters
  • Chilled club soda
  • 2 oz. fig-and-vanilla-infused Bourbon (recipe below)
  • 1 oz. maple liqueur
  • ice
  • 1 orange twist
  • 1 maraschino cherry
  1. Place the sugar cube in a short glass. Top with the bitters and a splash of club soda and use a muddler to stir/smash until the sugar cube is dissolved. Add the Bourbon and the maple liqueur and stir to combine. Add ice to fill the glass and garnish with the orange twist and maraschino cherry. Top off with more club soda if desired.

Fig-and-Vanilla-Infused Bourbon

Adapted from Bourbon and Toast.

  • 2 c. Bourbon
  • 6 figs, washed and halved
  • 1/2 vanilla bean
  1. Place the figs and vanilla bean in a sterilized pint jar. Top with the Bourbon and seal the jar with a lid. Place in a cool dry place out of direct light and let sit for 2-4 weeks, until the Bourbon has taken on the color and flavor of the figs.

 

4 Dessert

Kitchen Update // Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Blackberry Red Wine Swirl

Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Blackberry Red Wine Swirl {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Blackberry Red Wine Swirl {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

We have a fridge! A fridge with a freezer! Which means: it’s high time for the summer’s first batch of homemade ice cream. Beyond high time, if we’re being truthful, as it’s been more than a year since I made a batch of ice cream. And the last batch was a really good one, too, so it didn’t last more than a week. Plus, I consider having enough time to make at least one batch of homemade ice cream per summer to be an essential indicator of sanity.

This particular ice cream is one that I’ve been mulling over for more than 2 years. It’s loosely based on this incredible Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream, which is still the best ice cream I’ve ever made. Adding cultured dairy products, like sour cream or cheese, to the ice cream base ensures that it is extra thick and sets up really nicely when frozen, which can be a problem with homemade ice creams. Using sour cream or goat cheese also adds a delicious tang to offset the sweetness of the ice cream.

Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Blackberry Red Wine Swirl {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Blackberry Red Wine Swirl {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Since I knew that I wanted to try a recipe similar to the original that used goat cheese in place of the sour cream, we get an abundance of blackberries from our bushes every year, and blackberries and goat cheese and red wine are a great combination on a cheese platter, I decided that those three elements were the basis for what was sure to be a delicious dessert. The ice cream base would be a sweet goat cheese custard with a hint of vanilla, and the blackberries and red wine would enter the picture via a sweet and jammy swirl of fruit sauce. I added a splash of balsamic to the blackberry-red wine component for a little extra depth. The result was everything I imagined, and just as good as the strawberry sour cream version. It’s a good thing I made this 2 days before leaving for a week, or it would already be gone.

Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Blackberry Red Wine Swirl {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Blackberry Red Wine Swirl {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

I also wanted to use this celebration of our new freezer to take a minute to share the first pictures (and progress!) of our new house. When we knew we were buying the house I had grand plans of becoming a design blogger and documenting all the cool DIY updates we did to the house. But, considering that I seem to be barely managing to find the time to be a food blogger, I suppose I should probably stick with what I know for now. So here’s the summary version, at least as far as the kitchen is concerned…

Kitchen Update

Kitchen Update

 

We started with a kitchen that is basically a blank slate: linoleum floors, cheap cabinets that have seen better days, yellow walls, ancient appliances, and plenty of space. Since the day we moved in we have 1) replaced the dishwasher and fridge with modern, stainless steel versions; 2) removed some of the counters and cabinets and replaced them with these sweet industrial DIY pipe shelves; 3) added a temporary kitchen island and stools; 4) refinished one of the walls and repainted it to a dolphiny gray; 5) added an awkwardly bulky washer and dryer that we can’t wait to move to the basement. We’re also in the process of continuing to replace the upper cabinets with shelves to match the pipe shelving, replacing the disposal, and swapping out the kitchen sink and faucet. Where we are now is certainly not our dream kitchen, but we are at least getting to the point where it feels usable and friendly – good enough until we’ve saved up enough to remodel for real. And good enough to make delicious ice cream!

Kitchen Update

DIY Industrial Kitchen Shelves

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Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Blackberry Red Wine Swirl {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Blackberry Red Wine Swirl

Inspired by the NYTimes. Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.

  • 7 egg yolks
  • 1 1/3 c. sugar, divided
  • 1 1/2 c. heavy cream
  • 1/2 c. whole milk
  • 8 oz. goat cheese
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 12 oz. fresh blackberries
  • 1/3 c. red wine
  • 2 TBS balsamic vinegar
  1. Beat the egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the sugar in a heatproof bowl until smooth. Set aside. Place the heavy cream and whole milk in a medium saucepan and whisk in 1/2 cup of sugar. Whisking regularly, heat the cream mixture over medium heat just until bubbles begin to appear around the sides of the pan. Remove the cream from the heat.
  2. Slowly drizzle the hot cream into the egg yolks, whisking the egg yolks vigorously as you do so. Once you’ve poured most of the cream into the egg yolks, pour the mixture back into the pan and return to the heat. Whisking constantly, heat the egg yolks until the mixture has thickened into a custard thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, which should take from 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  3. Crumble the goat cheese into a large bowl. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into the bowl (to remove any bits of scrambled egg). Whisk the mixture until the goat cheese has fully melted into the custard. Stir in the vanilla. Let cool to room temperature, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap touches the surface of the custard and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours.
  4. In a medium saucepan, combine the blackberries, the remaining 1/3 c. sugar, the red wine, and the balsamic vinegar. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent the bottom from burning, until thickened and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Mash the blackberries with the back of a wooden spoon so that the mixture has a jam like consistency. Refrigerate the mixture until cold.
  5. To make the ice cream, churn the goat cheese custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Scrape half of the ice cream into a storage container in an even layer. Top with half of the blackberry mixture, then drag a knife through the two layers to create a swirl. Repeat with another layer of custard and another layer of blackberries. Freeze until solid, at least 2 hours.

3 Food

Sicilian Eggplant Caponata

Sicilian Eggplant Caponata {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Portrait of an Eggplant {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

I’m home! It’s lovely to be here, truly. I have one more trip to Chile the last week of August and then it looks like I might be here for six weeks. Six weeks! After the year I’ve had, that is my idea of the ultimate luxury – it will be the longest stretch of time that I’ve had at home all year. Fingers crossed that nothing changes and it actually happens.

Sicilian Eggplant Caponata {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

I needed this weekend. A weekend with no work, no house projects – just hanging out with Trevor and doing summery things. I think it might be the first weekend we’ve had like that all summer – June and July were consumed with packing and moving (and a long weekend in Colombia thrown in there), plus a few trips to Maine which is one of my favorite favorite things to do but is not the same as being at home, doing home things. We checked on the garden, spent a few hours at the beach, took a long Sunday afternoon nap, and ate plenty of good, summery food. It’s really nice just to be together, too – absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that stuff.

Sicilian Eggplant Caponata {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

After visiting the garden, which is sort of in disarray since it hasn’t exactly been a priority this year, we used the handful of tomatoes we picked and the eggplant my dad brought us to make a quick caponata for lunch. Caponata is a lovely way to use up August produce – it’s easy, herbal, doesn’t require you to turn on the oven, and is as good cold as it is hot. It can be tossed with pasta, or simply slathered on a good piece of sourdough along with a dollop of creamy ricotta. We opted for the latter serving method and it was perfect.

Sicilian Eggplant Caponata {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Sicilian Eggplant Caponata

Adapted slightly from Green Kitchen Travels. Serves 4.

  • 1/4 c. olive oil
  • 1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 sweet red pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • sea salt
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 1 large handful basil leaves, torn into pieces
  • 1 large handful parsley leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 large handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • 4 medium tomatoes, cut into large pieces
  • 3 TBS capers, drained
  • 16 green olives, cut in half
  • 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
  • 1 loaf sourdough bread, for serving
  • 1/2 c. ricotta cheese, for serving
  1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. Add the eggplant, red pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Season with sea salt. Saute until eggplant is beginning to brown, about 5-8 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic, onion, basil, parsley, and mint to the pan. Saute until onion is soft and herbs are wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, capers, olives, and apple cider vinegar and cook until veggies are soft and saucy, about 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
  3. Cut sourdough into thick slices, and spread each slice with a thick layer of ricotta. Top with a heaping spoonful of the caponata and serve. Caponata will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.

0 Food

La Crema Pork and Pinot #4: The Perfect Charcuterie Board

Charcuterie 101: Assembling a Board {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Charcuterie 101: Assembling a Board {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Some of the best dinners we have really barely qualify as dinners. A baguette and a wheel of brie. Ice cream eaten out of the carton. Cold beer and chips and salsa. I think the very fact that you don’t have to put any effort into it is part of what makes it so rewarding to enjoy. Charcuterie definitely makes the list of our favorite low-effort, high-reward meals – a link of good artisan salami, a few slices of prosciutto, and some sharp mustard is really all you need. And with the increasing availability and variety of high-quality artisan charctuerie, putting out a nice charcuterie board as part of a dinner party or event is fast becoming the most popular way to kick off an epic meal.

Charcuterie 101: Assembling a Board {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Charcuterie 101: Assembling a Board {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

As part of their Pork and Pinot series, I’ve teamed up with La Crema Wine to share how I put together a nice charcuterie board to pair with a bottle (or two! invite friends!) of Pinot Noir. Whether it’s the opener to a dinner party or Trevor and I are sharing in front of the TV, a well-balanced plate of salty, rich pork and a glass of Pinot Noir is an addictive match.

Head over to the La Crema Blog for tips on what to include on your next charcuterie board!

More Pork and Pinot posts…

Like what you just read? Subscribe to Katie at the Kitchen Door on Feedly or Bloglovin‘, or follow along on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or . Thanks for reading!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of La Crema. The opinions and text are all mine.

2 Cookbook

Book Club: Summer Cocktails // Watermelon Pisco Refresher

Summer Cocktails Cookbook Review {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

The Book: A few years ago, Quirk Books reached out to me about reviewing a book called Winter Cocktails that had just been published. They sent over a copy and it quickly became one of my most used and best loved cookbooks. I’ve shared a number of recipes from it here, including Nutella Melt with Frangelico, Burnt Sugar Hot Buttered Rum, and Chocolate Stout Affogato. Now, the same talented ladies have teamed up to write a second book – Summer Cocktails, but of course. I love making and shooting cocktails: they’re quick to make, instantly rewarding, and they provide endless opportunities for creativity. Plus, at the end you have a cocktail to drink. So I was really excited to dive into this book, and I was not disappointed.

Watermelon Pisco Refresher {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

The first section of the book contains classics, always with the option for a clever, modern twist. Mint Juleps go further South with cilantro and ginger-infused rum, and Shirley Temple grows up with a splash of Bourbon and Campari. Next we move on to summer punches, large format drinks and pitchers to set out during backyard soirees, like a frizzante and herb-laced Italian sangria, basil and rhubarb vodka spiked lemonade, and peachy bourbon punch. The “Frosty Drinks” section includes all things blended, ice cream based, or best served with an umbrella. Frozen pineapple gets lots of opportunity to shine in fancy ginger-lemongrass piña coladas and blended with tequila and cointreau, while boozy pops made with everything from avocado and tequila to mango and sake will keep you cool (and really relaxed). The last section of the book is reserved for antidotes, “hair-of-the-dog” daytime mimosas, shandys, and micheladas to help you recover from the night before, if that’s your sort of thing. There are also a few, choice, non-liquid recipes included – think sliders, breakfast tacos, and other things you might start to crave once you’re a few drinks in. In short, this book is full of good stuff: tons of creative ideas, gorgeous photos, and enough inspiration for every summer party you’ll throw.

Watermelon Pisco Refresher {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Watermelon Pisco Refresher {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

The Drinks: As we get into the sticky-hot heat of August, refreshing, thirst quenching drinks are just about the best thing in the world. While I was tempted by the boozy milkshakes and sweet punches, I knew that they might feel a little too heavy. But a Watermelon and Pisco Refresher? I was 100% sold on that. I’ve been drinking a lot of pisco in Chile, and I just bought a bottle to experiment with at home, so that was an added temptation. This drink is delightfully fresh from the watermelon, cilantro, and mint, and surprisingly spicy from the little bit of jalapeno that’s added. I may or may not have had one, gone for a run, and then come back and had another one… that counts as hydrating, right?

Watermelon Pisco Refresher {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Recipe Shortlist: Kentucky Mule (with Bourbon and Ginger Beer); Fresco de Arroz con Piña; Bollywood Margarita (with Curry Leaves, Tomatillo, and Coriander Tequila); Moroccan Mint Iced Tea; Pink Ladies Lemonade (with Rhubarb and Strawberry Vodka); Peachy Keen Bourbon Punch; The Luxe Cherry Milkshake

Like what you just read? Subscribe to Katie at the Kitchen Door in the box on the right, on Feedly or Bloglovin‘, or follow along on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or . Thanks for reading!

Disclosure: I received a review copy of Summer Cocktails from Quirk Books, but I was not otherwise compensated and all thought and opinions are my own.

Watermelon Pisco Refresher {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Watermelon Pisco Refresher

Recipe adapted slightly from Summer Cocktails. Serves 2.

  • 3 c. cubed, chilled watermelon
  • 3 oz. Pisco
  • 1/4 c. packed fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 c. packed fresh mint leaves
  • 1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed, sliced thinly
  • 1/4 c. sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • ice
  1. Muddle the cilantro, mint, jalapeno, sugar, and salt in a cocktail shaker until fragrant. Add several ice cubes to the shaker.
  2. Add the watermelon and the Pisco to a blender and blend until smooth. Let settle for a few minutes, then scoop the foam off the top and discard. Strain liquid through cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer into the cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain into ice-filled glasses and garnish with additional watermelon slices, cilantro, and mint. Serve immediately.

1 Food

Kale Italia Pesto Gnocchi

Kale Italia Pesto Gnocchi {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Kale Italia Pesto Gnocchi {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

As you know, we are currently in transition mode. We’re fully moved into our new house, but it doesn’t quite feel like home, and there’s still a lot to be done to fix it up. The kitchen was completely unusable for the first few weeks we were there, but as of Monday, we’re starting to get back into the rhythms of cooking.

Kale Italia Pesto Gnocchi {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Kale Italia Pesto Gnocchi {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Earthbound Farm asked me to develop a recipe using their Kale Italia salad blend, and I decided that using the pre-mixed, pre-washed greens as the base for a simple recipe would be another good way to ease back into cooking. Given the state of our kitchen, I had very specific requirements for this recipe: use as few utensils as possible, be quick to make (with limited use of appliances that create heat in 90° weather), minimize leftovers so that they fit into the tiny fridge, and only use fresh ingredients that can be completely used up in one night. And really, apart from the leftover component, perhaps, isn’t this what many people want from a weeknight dinner?

Kale Italia Pesto Gnocchi {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Pesto is a great option when you want to turn a lot of fresh greens into a manageable volume of food. Of course, it’s the same amount of greens overall – it can just be consumed in fewer bites (and eating an entire box of greens in one sitting can be a rather daunting prospect.) I’ve been successful making pesto from kale, as well as from arugula. Mizuna, with it’s tangy, mustardy flavor didn’t feel like much of a stretch as a pesto candidate. That left radicchio as the only question mark from the Kale Italia blend, and I decided it would be a low risk experiment to give it a try.

Kale Italia Pesto Gnocchi {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

The result was excellent – a bright, zingy pesto full of flavor. We tossed it with some gnocchi, fresh mozzarella, and cherry tomatoes for an easy, summery weeknight dinner. Next time you’re in the supermarket, keep your eye out for Earthbound Farm’s Kale Italia product – it’s a great way to easily get a lot of flavors (and nutrition) into your next meal. Here’s a quick coupon if you’re interested!

Kale Italia Pesto Gnocchi {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Kale Italia Pesto Gnocchi

Serves 4. A Katie at the Kitchen Door original recipe.

  • 2 TBS pine nuts
  • 4 oz. parmesan cheese, cut into chunks
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1/4 c. olive oil
  • One 5-oz. package of Earthbound Farm Kale Italia Salad Blend
  • juice from 1/2 lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lb. gnocchi, prepared according to package directions
  • 1 1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
  • 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn into small pieces
  1. To make the pesto, place the pine nuts, parmesan, garlic, and olive oil in a food processor and blend until a rough paste is formed. Add the Kale Italia a handful at a time, blending in between additions and scraping down the sides of the food processor if necessary, until you have blended all of the Kale Italia into the pesto. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, and pulse a few times to incorporate into the pesto.
  2. Toss the pesto with the gnocchi, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella. Best served warm.

This conversation is sponsored by Earthbound Farm. The opinions and text are all mine.

2 Food

Smoked Salmon Soba Bowl

Smoked Salmon Soba Bowl {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Smoked Salmon Soba Bowl {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

We are (very) slowly starting to settle in to our new house. The pile of unpacked boxes in the dining room is dwindling, and things are starting to find homes. I built a little herb garden, not exactly a priority as far as house projects go but something that I’ve been looking forward to since we decided to buy a house. Yesterday we caved and bought a mini-fridge to tide us over until our real fridge is available, and a chilled glass of lemonade in this 95° heat is already worth the cost of the fridge, in my book. Trevor ripped out some of the old cabinets and replaced them with gorgeous industrial-style pine shelves, and we now have a plan to make the kitchen usable for the next 12 months or so while we save up to truly remodel it. Things are still a little chaotic, but they’re looking up.

Smoked Salmon Soba Bowl {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Smoked Salmon Soba Bowl {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

With a few surfaces cleared and cleaned, at least a little cold storage, and a place to store our groceries, we’re easing back into cooking.  The very first meal was a package of frozen tortellini and a jar of tomato sauce. Gourmet, I know. Last night we were more ambitious and fired up the grill for sausage, peppers, and onions, along with grilled corn on the cob. Today, I’ve managed to have all my meals at home – cereal (ice cold milk, what a delicious thing!), tomato-lentil-couscous, and now, this Smoked Salmon Soba Bowl. Because there are still a number of kitchen tools we haven’t unearthed, and because we’re just starting to build up a new pantry, I needed to keep this meal super simple, and it is. The only cooking is to boil the soba noodles and edamame, then the noodles get tossed with a 5-ingredient dressing, and topped with smoked salmon, avocado, and pickled ginger. Simple, healthy, and full of flavor. And there’s something supremely satisfying about slurping cold, nutty noodles straight from the bowl when it’s too hot to think. Enjoy, and stay cool!

Smoked Salmon Soba Bowl {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Print

Smoked Salmon Soba Bowl

A quick and easy summer dinner, delicious served at room temperature or chilled. I make this with store-bought hot-smoked salmon, making it even easier to get dinner on the table.

Dressing adapted from this Sprouted Kitchen recipe. 

  • Author: Katie at the Kitchen Door
  • Prep Time: 15m
  • Cook Time: 10m
  • Total Time: 21 minute
  • Yield: 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/4 c. tahini
  • 2 TBS honey
  • 2 TBS soy sauce
  • 1 TBS sesame oil
  • 1 TBS rice wine vinegar
  • 8 oz. soba noodles, cooked according to package directions
  • 1 c. shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions
  • 1 avocado, pitted and cut into cubes
  • 8 oz. hot-smoked salmon
  • 1 oz. pickled ginger slices
  • sesame or poppy seeds for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar until smooth. Taste and adjust flavors to your liking. Set aside.
  2. Toss the prepared soba noodles with the edamame and the dressing. Chill until ready to serve. To serve, divide noodles between plates and top with avocado cubes, pieces of salmon, pickled ginger, and sesame or poppy seeds.

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5 Breakfast

Lavender and White Currant Muffins

Lavender and White Currant Muffins {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Lavender and White Currant Muffins {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Pink Champagne Currants

We are definitely still in transition mode as we attempt to settle into our new house. Our official move date was 13 days ago, but, as always, unpacking is a slow, painful process. The kitchen, in particular, is a disaster zone, and we have yet to do anything other than pour wine and open beer in it. We’re still waiting for a fridge (worth the wait since it’s free!) so our only cold storage is the wine fridge, which is not that cold, and also mostly full of wine. The result? We’ve eaten 100% of our meals at restaurants/cafes/the Wholefoods hot bar for the past two weeks. It has been kind of fun to explore the new places around us, but I am starting to miss cooking (and vegetables). The upshot of all this is that the blog might be quieter than usual this month, but after that, expect the recipes to come back full force.

Lavender and White Currant Muffins {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Lavender and White Currant Muffins {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Lavender and White Currant Muffins {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

We did get a brief reprieve from moving chaos last weekend, when we went up to visit my family in Maine for the 4th. With everything going on this year, I’m not going to find a full week to spend up there, but I’ll take what I can get. It’s so lovely and relaxing to be there – no alarms, no to-do lists, just sleeping in, refreshing swims, naps in the hammock, and huge family dinners. I took advantage of the working kitchen to do just a little bit of cooking, making muffins for my family early one morning. This is the first year that our currants have really been productive, and I wanted to make sure the gorgeous, pucker-inducing little berries got put to good use. The lavender up in Maine is also in full bloom, so I combined the two in these sweet, floral little treats. I used my favorite muffin recipe as a base, replacing the sugar with lavender sugar and the strawberries with the currants. They were lovely.

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Lavender and White Currant Muffins {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Lavender and White Currant Muffins

Adapted from The New Best Recipe. Makes 12-16 muffins.

  • 2 c. AP flour
  • 1 TBS baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 3 TBS fresh lavender buds
  • 1 egg
  • 4 TBS butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 1/4 c. sour cream
  • 1 1/2 c. fresh white or pink currants, removed from stems
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with paper muffin cups or grease with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. Add sugar and lavender buds to a food processor and pulse several times, until lavender buds are fully blended into the sugar. In a large bowl, briefly whisk egg until pale yellow. Scrape the lavender sugar into the egg and mix until slightly creamy. Whisk in melted butter in 2 additions. Whisk in sour cream in 3 additions, until batter is just uniform in color and texture. Try not to overmix.
  3. Add currants to the flour mixture, and toss gently to incorporate. Now add flour and currants to wet ingredients, and gently fold together until just combined. Some remaining clumps of flour are OK, and the batter will be quite thick.  Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling almost to the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until they are a light golden color and a toothpick comes out clean.

11 Asian and Indian

La Crema Pork and Pinot #3: Pork Belly Banh Mi Sandwiches

Pork Belly Bánh Mì {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

A few weeks ago I told you about the pork belly we made for our collaboration with La Crema Wines this summer, which is taking us through all the delicious porky things that pair well with La Crema’s Pinot Noir. We used the first half of the pork belly in a super-indulgent appetizer of Red Wine Caramelized Pork Belly slices, which was delicious, but now we want to share the real reason we made pork belly – to make bánh mì sandwiches.

Pork Belly Bánh Mì {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

A classic bánh mì has five important elements—a single-serving Vietnamese baguette, a pork-based filling, pickled carrots and daikon, fresh vegetables and herbs (most typically thinly-sliced cucumbers and cilantro),  and a spicy/fatty combination of condiments, such as chili sauce and mayo. The pork can take a variety of forms, but my favorite versions include chunks of sweet-and-sour caramelized pork belly, so that’s what we went for.

Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Belly {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Pork Belly Bánh Mì {Katie at the Kitchen Door}

Lately, I can’t seem to get enough pickles. Pickles and mustard. Before you ask – no, I’m not pregnant. I just seem to have developed a taste for all things sharp and salty, all the better if they’re a little bit spicy, too. Capers are another one, although I mostly blame the Latin American tendency to put them on everything for that. And these bánh mì pickles, well – they’re just about as craveable as anything. Since we made these sandwiches a few weeks ago I’ve ordered bánh mì for lunch from a few different places, but nothing has hit the spot quite like the homemade version did, and I’m crediting the pickles. I guess that just means we’ll have to make this recipe again sooner rather than later – this time, with bigger batches of everything for more leftovers!

For full instructions and the recipe for Pork Belly Bánh Mì Sandwiches, head over to the La Crema Blog!

More Pork and Pinot posts…

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of La Crema. The opinions and text are all mine.