A Pinch of Salt, A Dash of Sass.November 2014 - A Pinch of Salt, A Dash of Sass.

Tangy Broccoli Slaw

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This week at the farmers market, cauliflower and broccoli were in great abundance. One farm had broccoli on the stalk, instead of just the flowery crowns, and to me that was absolute perfection. I think the broccoli stem is highly underrated! It’s delicious, raw or cooked, great in soups, salads, or even sautéed. This week, though, I made some very easy broccoli and carrot slaw with the stems and reserved the crowns for steaming later.

Next time you are debating between paying more for the crowns and skipping the stalks, don’t! Get stalks! Then do this!

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Baked Pork Rinds (Baked Pork Cracklins)

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HOMEMADE. PORK. CRACKLINS. Do I have your attention yet? Calling all Paleo / Atkins / Baked-not-fried / I-Love-Snacks people and Secret Pork Rind Lovers: I MADE PORK RINDS. I know, right? WE CAN MAKE PORK RINDS.

Here’s the kicker: Mine are baked. BAKED. How can this be? Delicious crunchy pork rinds that are BAKED? Done and DONE!

One of the bonuses of getting pork from Patrice at Double R Farms, who supplies heritage Berkshire pork through my local farmer’s market, is that she can have things most people don’t want. Pork skin is one of those things. I was THRILLED to find out she had a package of pork skin that was removed from the hog in processing, just waiting to be made into something delicious. Lots of things to do with pork skin. Wrap it around an otherwise lean pork loin roast and bake it to crispy brown perfection, for example. Or MAKE PORK CRACKLINS.

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“Quick” Easy Pozole — Mexican Pork & Hominy Soup

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There’s a running joke here at Casa Sass that my winter Pozole cooking starts at the first sign of Spring, when I must plant the hominy corn in soil tended for generations; that I start raising the baby piggies and growing the peppers, onions and oregano; and if I pushed it, I am pretty sure I would be told I mine my own salt. That’s because Pozole is one of my favorite things to eat, and probably my favorite thing to cook.

When I really “go for it” at Pozole time, I have a 5 gallon stock pot, make my own pork stock, and start from scratch with everything. No cans, no jars. It’s amazing, but it’s also very time consuming, and not exactly “spur of the moment” cooking!

Not long ago, one of my oldest and dearest friends asked me if I have a “simple” recipe for this amazing, brothy, rich red soup, and I had to pick my brain for some shortcuts. Having done that, I think I came up with a really good foundation for a quick version, an easy Pozole that anyone can make with ingredients easily found at the grocery.

It’s getting chilly, LET’S MAKE SOME DELICIOUS SOUP!

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