Beer Braised Pork

Hello there my foodie friends!  It's been months since my last post about my musings in the kitchen and here I am again with something to share for you!

For some time I have tried a different diet and survived mostly on vegetables and I did not miss eating any kind of meat at all.  However, as I slowly integrated back into the world of omnivores, I can't help "playing" with food and the following recipe is my take on what most people call Beer Braised Pork.

Beer Braised Pork

Ingredients:

Pork (chops or butt, even ribs would do!)

garlic

onions

salt

black pepper

sugar

catsup

a few tablespoons of vinegar

a few tablespoons of vegetable oil

a can of your favorite beer

Directions:

* Rub salt, pepper, and garlic on pork and let stand for 30 minutes or longer.
* Place a few tablespoons of oil in a heated skillet and sear pork for about 5 minutes at each side.
* Add garlic, onions, salt, pepper, a few tablespoons of vinegar and a can of your favorite beer into the skillet.
* Simmer pork in beer and spices.  Add a bit sugar and catsup to taste. Continue to simmer until liquid is reduced.
* When pork is tender, transfer it into a baking or roasting pan and baste with the reduced liquid.  Roast in oven for 10 minutes or in microwave (medium high, and covered with cling wrap) for 20 minutes.
* Before slicing through the pork, let it rest for about 10 minutes from the oven so the juices will remain in tact.

Marinate pork

Sear pork

Add spices and beer

Simmer

Roast in oven or microwave

This Beer Braised Pork is best served with steamed rice, or potatoes and vegetables, and of course -- a tall glass of beer!   

Cheers!

Yin Yang Jelly

Yin Yang Jelly
A contrast of sorts tastes heavenly!

Hello there!  It's been a year since my last post and I bet some of you might have wondered if and when I am ever going to publish another post on this blog.  Sorry to keep you waiting Food Lovers!  I'm back and this time I got something for those who love desserts!

Yin Yang is an Eastern concept that encapsulates the interdependent and interconnected harmonies of polar opposites.  The concept may seem to cover opposite forces but in reality, opposites could be complementary and this is what this Yin Yang Jelly concoction is all about - an amalgam of opposites that work well when combined!

I wanted to make this dessert in the form of the Yin Yang symbol but I didn't have enough time and equipment to do so that is why I resorted to layering.  It's a combination of different ingredients: light/dark, sweet/bitter, smooth/rough, liquid/solid, and so on.  If you want to know how good it tastes like, better make it on your own using my recipe below!  Use your creativity to make it even better!  

Yin Yang Jelly

Ingredients:

Base
1 envelope of clear and unflavored gelatin
water

Yang (Light)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
a few drops of vanilla extract

Yin (Dark)
2 sticks of unsweetened instant coffee
crushed Oreo cookies


Directions:

Yang

• Separate 3/4 of the contents of the envelope of gelatin  and set aside the 1/4 for the Yin recipe. 
• Dissolve the gelatin in 3 cups of water.  
• Add condensed milk and boil the solution for a few minutes.  
• Add a few drops of vanilla extract and continue stirring until well mixed.  
• Pour into a mold.

Yin

• While the Yang jelly is allowed to cool and set, crush Oreo cookies including the cream filling.  Sprinkle the crushed cookies on top of the white jelly when it is set.
• In a pan, dissolve the instant coffee into a cup of warm water.  
• Add remaining gelatin and simmer.
• Pour coffee jelly on top of the crushed Oreos.

When it comes to jelly desserts, it is best to chill the whole thing before eating it.  I know this is just a simple dish but I enjoyed making and eating it!

Until then! ;-)