Pulled Pork with Italian-flavored Greens

Yes, this one is a little complicated, but worth it. The smell of that pork shoulder roasting is an incredibly fragrant way to perfume your house on a cool weekend afternoon. Serve it as a sandwich as given here, or skip the rolls and cheese and plate it up for dinner. Pick up the biggest pork shoulder you can find at one of Riverview’s many farmers market booths this week.

Japanese-Style Meat and Potatoes

This recipe is from “Keepers: Two Home Cooks Share Their Tried-and-True Weeknight Recipes and the Secrets to Happiness in the Kitchen,” by Kathy Brennan and Caroline Campion. I’m pretty certain most of us don’t need too many ideas for potatoes, but since we’ve had an abundance (yay!) this year, I figured one new recipe couldn’t hurt.

From the authors of the cookbook: This recipe is based on a popular Japanese stewed dish called nikujaga (niku means “meat;” jaga means “potato”), which Kathy’s mom often made when she was growing up. It’s home cooking at its best, the kind of food you want to eat when you’re tired or in a funk or under the weather.

Unlike in America, stewed dishes in Japan tend to be very light and contain only a small amount of liquid, which is more of a flavorful broth than a “sauce.” Like most stews, though, it reheats wells and tastes even better when the flavors have had time to meld, so don’t hesitate to make it in advance or to double the recipe to ensure leftovers. This is also a good dish for nights when people will be eating dinner at different times; just leave it on the back of the stove and spoon it out when needed. Serve with steamed rice, if you like.

Apples and Pork

I’ve always been a fan of the combination of apples and pork. Dates back from a childhood where my mom never served pork chops without a side dish of applesauce. You do know the easy way to peel fresh ginger, right? With a teaspoon? Just lightly scrape off the peel? Like I said, easy.

Redeye Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Black-Eyed Peas

And finally – a fabulous recipe from Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene. It ran in Bon Appetit back in February 2012. You could just do the peas and tenderloin if making the gravy seems like too much, but for a meal when you want to impress someone with fabulous Southern flavors, this would be a beautiful thing to make. It’s complicated, but so representative of the kind of cooking that’s made Hopkins an Atlanta treasure.