The first thing Karen and I would like to do is wish everyone a great holiday season.
I've had a lot of people call to ask how our son and daughter-in-law Eric and Nicole's Thanksgiving dinner turned out - I'm here to tell you that it was fantastic.
Patrice's creamy, buttery, cheesy, crispy potato casserole was a showstopper. Karen's pumpkin pies, made with heirloom pumpkins from Smith and Smith Farms, were the finest I've ever tasted in my life. All in all, it was a great time.
Today's recipe is an alternative or another idea for a holiday dinner, not just Christmas or New Years, but any holiday dinner. This roast pork and butternut squash chutney will be a huge success.
One of the things I like about it - and helps make it unique - is the use of local produce. We'll be using Peri Brothers sweet onions in the chutney, along with Smith and Smith Farms butternut squash.
How are you going to find these products? That's a very interesting question. The fact that Peri Brothers - if not the largest onion producers in the country, they are at least one of them - it is probably easier to buy their onions in New York City than Northern Nevada. You would think you could find these Yerington jewels anywhere in the local markets. Periodically, you can find them at Raley's or Scolari's so keep your eyes open; it will be worth the search.
As for Brenda and Carol's butternut squash, that's an even harder task. I suggest that you e-mail them at Smithsmithfarms@aol.com (note that the first "s" is capitalized). If you cannot get these squash, then as an alternative Raley's carries a great organic butternut squash.
As always when shopping for your meal, I encourage you to buy organic or minimally natural pork rib roast. If you buy at Butler's (in my opinion the only real butcher shop in Carson City), they will be glad to French trim the roast for you. I'm certain your local grocery store would be happy to do this for you as well. This gives it a nice presentation at the table.
When serving the pork roast, slice down the side of the bone. This makes it easy for you to control portions of the pork (one eight-rib roast serves eight people). If you have a large gathering, you can use a 16-rib roast and have it tied into a crown, which makes a nice center area to put your chutney.
For your wine selection, I would recommend Summerland Vineyard pinot noir, 2005, from Santa Barbara County or a riesling such as Dr. Loosen Spatlese "Wehlener Sonnenuhr," Mosel-saar-ruwer, Germany. Visit Ben's Liquor or Aloha Wine and Spirits for these selections or another that they recommend.
As always, Karen and I wish you and yours the very best through the holiday season. Show your love by adopting a family through one of the many programs in the community (FISH, Angel Tree at the Boys & Girls Club, etc.) or one of the local churches.
As always enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. And merry Christmas, Mom.
• Charlie Abowd is the owner and chef at Adele's. He and his wife, Karen, have lived in Carson City since 1980. Charlie is a fourth-generation restaurateur.
Charlie's Citrus Pork Rib Roast
Orange zest from two oranges (please do not buy green oranges)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1Ú2 tablespoon kosher salt
1Ú2 tablespoon fresh ground pepper
1 pork rib roast (eight ribs, approximately 4-5 pounds)
1Ú2 cup orange juice from the oranges used for zest
Mix orange zest and next four ingredients together in a small bowl and then rub over the pork rib roast. Make sure you pat the roast dry before you add the marmalade mixture.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place roast in a roasting pan and put in oven for 15 minutes then turn temperature down to 325 degrees. Cook for about 40 minutes. I like my pork roast to have a temperature of 140-145 degrees, which is about medium. If you like it medium-well cook it until it reaches a temperature of 165-170 degrees. After 20 minutes of cooking time, pour orange juice over the roast and continue to cook.
To make sauce or gravy:
1Ú2 stick of butter
1Ú2 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth (low sodium, organic), hot
1Ú2 cup orange juice, hot
Drippings from roast, hot
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add flour and mix well with a wire whisk until it starts to bubble. Slowly add the hot chicken broth, orange juice and drippings. Add just enough to get a consistency of a good smooth gravy. You may or may not have to use all of the liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Please Note: It is important that the stock and juice are hot. Adding them while cold is what brings lumps to your gravy or sauce. Because measuring flour is an inexact science and because of the consistency and density of the flour, it is very important in the final stage of gravy/sauce making that you pay close attention to these instructions I have given you. If you have used all of the liquid and the gravy/sauce is still to thick, use more hot chicken broth or hot water.
Thank you so much for the great comments on the Thanksgiving recipes. We certainly enjoyed our Thanksgiving. Karen and I think you will enjoy this recipe just as much.
As an interesting side note - you can brine the pork roast just as we did the Thanksgiving turkey. Use the same solution but omit the sage. In case you have misplaced the recipe we have included it in this column.
3Ú4 cup kosher salt
3Ú4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
12 whole cloves
3 oranges, quartered
4 cups maple syrup
4 cups apple juice
Add enough cold water to cover roast in a large stock pot.
When you make the brine I recommend that you dissolve the salt and brown sugar in the apple juice on the stove over medium heat. Heat just until they are dissolved and then add a little ice to bring the temperature back to cold.
Put this mixture and the remaining ingredients in a pot large enough to hold your roast and add enough water to totally immerse it. After it has sat for 24 hours rinse and pat dry. It is now ready to prepare for roasting.
Sweet Onion Butternut Squash Chutney
1 tablespoon olive oil (does not have to be extra virgin)
1Ú2 cup butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1Ú2 -inch diced
2 organic carrots or 1Ú4 cup finely diced
1 tablespoon sweet butter
1 cup sweet Peri Brothers yellow onions
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced (use two if you want it spicy)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple juice, organic
1Ú4 bunch fresh mint or approximately 20 large leaves washed, dried and finely chopped
1Ú2 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
In a 6-inch sauce pan heat oil over medium-low heat and add the squash. Cook the squash for 5 minutes or until it is slightly brown. Then add the carrots and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Drain the oil from the pan and add the butter and onions. Slowly cook until they start to turn golden to dark brown. At this time add the peppers, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon apple juice. Stir constantly for at least 15 minutes on low heat. The mixture should be bubbling at a very mild, slow pace.
When fully cooked and almost dry (reduced) remove from heat and set aside and cool for 30 minutes. Place it in a food processor and add the mint, allspice, remainder of the apple juice and the sherry vinegar. Give the processor 5 very quick pulses. This should not be a puree. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.