What's for Dinner? Pulled Pork Napoleons!

When we were in New Orleans over Christmas, we ate at a place that is right on the edge of the French Quarter called the Palace Cafe.  We have never eaten there in the past because it is right on Canal Street and it has a big neon sign and it just screams "tourist" from the outside.  But after receiving great recs from several friends and family we decided to stop by there.  It was a nice December day and they have little outdoor tables.  We were just going to get a snack and a drink (for Sully), but after reading the menu, we decided to go for a full-on meal.  Everything looked so good, but this dish really stood out.  Their description was a "Cochon de Lait Pot Pie". Cochon de Lait is Louisiana's version of a pulled pork, but theirs is slow roasted and SO delicious. In the Palace Cafe's dish, there was no crust or anything, like a normal potpie has, just served with a piece of garlic baguette.  Well, needless to say, it was awe-some!!  And it was funny that while we were eating, Sully's best friend Kyle happened to walk out of the restaurant...he was lunching with some friends.  Can't get much better than that!

When coming up with the recipe here, I decided to do a stovetop-style braised pulled pork and instead of calling it potpie, which is really isn't, a layered Napoleon was more the right description.  Now, most of you aren't total weirdos like me, and will probably choose not to layer your ingredients in a beautiful tower like I did...but I promise, it really took no time at all to do that part.  We just have the luxury of owning a lot of egg rings (Sully loves him an egg ring...don't ask!), that made it easy for me to build the tower.  If you don't have the patience or the care to make a tower, just serve as a plated dish all together.  It will taste the same!  :)  Bon appetit!

Stovetop Pulled Pork
Serves 4-6
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1, 2-lb pork tenderloin, sirloin or butt/shoulder
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup water, plus more
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 rounded tsp cayenne
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Cut up pork into 2-3 inch pieces.

In a heavy dutch oven or pot, bring cider and water to a boil.  Add in spices and stir to dissolve.  Add in pork and reduce heat to a low simmer.  Put lid on and cook for about 1 hour, turning pork occasionally. After an hour, take the lid off and let liquid reduce down until the liquid starts to caramelize and the pork is browning.  Stir well.  Pork will start falling apart.  Begin to shred pork, when ready with a fork or stirring utensil. Once well browned, add more water if you need to, to make a little bit of a juice (but not too much). Taste and season with salt, if necessary. Enjoy!

Pulled Pork Napoleons
Serves 4

1 TBSP butter

1 small bag pre-washed baby spinach

2 cups Stovetop Pulled Pork
2 cups mashed potatoes
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add in spinach and let wilt.  Toss until cooked.  Remove from heat.

Place an egg ring or an aluminum can with both ends cut off (and well washed) on a plate. Firmly pack in 1/2 cup of pork.  Then 1/2 cup mashed potatoes.  Remove ring (or can) Add 1/4 of the spinach to the top and top with 1/4 of the cheese.  Repeat with remaining ingredients.  Broil in the oven for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese as melted and starts to brown.  Spoon some of the "au jus" around the plate. Enjoy!

What's for Apps? Oysters Rockefeller!

It was our friend Greg's birthday on Sunday, and to celebrate he brought over oysters to our place and made a batch of Oysters Rockefeller (I know...he was doing the cooking on his birthday!) and also steamed a couple of dozen.  It is oyster season, and we are spoiled living here at the beach, because we get great oysters from nearby Stump Sound.  I always think of oysters as kind of a pain to make, though, because of the shucking.  But once you get that down (and it is a bit of a process), they rest is easy!  Maybe you can sweet talk your local oyster seller to shuck 'em for you.  That would be the best!  But, regardless of how you get them shucked, try this recipe...it's really good!!  Enjoy!

Oysters Rockefeller
Adapted from Epicurious.com
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

• 2 cups firmly packed baby spinach, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons minced celery
• 1/4 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a day-old baguette)
• 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Pinch of cayenne
• 5 bacon slices
• 1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
• About 5-8 cups kosher or rock salt for baking and serving
• 20 oysters on the half shell, oysters picked over for shell fragments and shells scrubbed well

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss together spinach, garlic, scallion, parsley, celery, and 2 tablespoons bread crumbs in a bowl. 


Melt butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then add watercress mixture and cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer mixture to a bowl and chill, covered, until cold, about 1 hour.

While spinach mixture chills, cook bacon in cleaned skillet over moderate heat, turning, until crisp, then drain on paper towels and finely crumble.

Spread 5 cups kosher salt in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and nestle oysters (in shells) in it. Spoon spinach mixture evenly over oysters, then top with bacon and sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake oysters until edges of oysters begin to curl and bread crumbs are golden, about 10 minutes. Serve warm oysters in shells, nestled in kosher salt (about 3 cups), on a platter.  Enjoy!