Green Goddess Dutch Oven, Gumbo Anyone?...

The moment I brought The Green Goddess Dutch Oven (my new love) into the house The Bear took one look and screamed GUMBOOOOOOOO! I do make a mean gumbo but never have I been able to make it in a true Dutch Oven. So tonight I made his dream come true. Gumbo it is baby!

I know for my last post I gave out a detailed ingredient list and directions, but this recipe? Well dear readers this recipe is top secret. I can't give em all out can I? Besides, the idea behind "Gumbo" is, throw what you got in the pot and call it YUMMY.

I will share one trick with you though and this is truly the trick behind a good gumbo, how to make the roux. You mix your flour and oil in the Dutch Oven and you put it in the oven. Yep, that's right you bake it in the oven! No more standing over a hot stove stirring constantly under threat of burning! Simply heat your oven to 400 degrees and bake the flour and oil mixture stirring occasionally until it's cooked to your desired brownness. A good roux is the foundation of any good gumbo.
My chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp gumbo served over rice; nectar of the Gods around here.
A bowl of homemade gumbo, a frosted glass of ale and we're celebrating a Wednesday baby!

What should my next recipe be? Perhaps homemade baked beans? I don't know, what do you think?

If you're really interested in the recipe I might be persuaded to share ;)

Green Goddess Dutch Oven, My New Love...

I can't even tell you how long I've wanted a Dutch Oven. It seems like every time I get excited to make a new recipe the directions start with "Get out your Dutch Oven". Damn, I don't have one. Well now I do baby so watch out. I found this beautiful Green Enameled Cast Iron Goddess at Marshals and I LOVE her. Now, what to make first, what to make... I've decided to christen this baby with a Bone-in Pork Shoulder Braised in Belgian Beer and panchetta. But wait to see how I serve it, oh man this is a tastey meal.

Here are my ingrediants.

6oz Panchetta (Italian Bacon), chopped (I could only find it prepackaged and sliced)

2 Onions sliced

6-7lb Bone-in Pork Shoulder

2Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1 Head Garlic, minced

1tsp Fennel Seeds, toasted and ground

1tsp Coriander Seeds, crushed

2 Cups Belgian Beer

1 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Stock

For Caramelized Apples (this is the secret touch)

1Tbsp unsalted butter

1 peeled, cored and sliced apple (I used a golden apple)

2Tbsp Sugar

Finally, for serving; thick slices of rustic bread.

Preheat Oven to 300 degrees

*Crisp Panchetta in the Goddess Dutch Oven (GDO) until fat is rendered. Remove crisped Panchetta and reserve.

*Add onions to GDO and cook till caramelized. Remove and reserve.

*Season Yummy Pork Shoulder with S&P. Add oil to GDO and with fat side down place shoulder (pork shoulder not your shoulder) in GDO until golden. Flip and repeat.

*Add garlic and spices to GDO and about a minute until fragrant.

*Add Beer, stock, panchetta and onion; bring to a simmer.

*Cover and transfer to oven, basting every hour until meat is falling off the bone, about 4 hours.
The above picture is right before it was transfered to the oven. Isn't she beautiful? Mmmm.
Here she is about 4hrs later falling off the bone! What's that up in the left hand corner you ask?
In a skillet melt 1Tbsp unsalted butter. Place one peeled, cored and sliced golden apple in the skillet with the melted butter. Sprinkle 2Tbsp of sugar over apples and cook over md-high heat stirring occasionally until the apple is caramelized.
Now, ready for the meal? Place one slice of rustic bread on a plate, put some shredded pork shoulder on the bread slice and drizzle jus from the GDO over the pork; make sure pieces of onion and panchette are in the jus drizzle. Top with caramelized apples and a drizzle and caramel sauce from pan. ENJOY!

I can't tell you how delicious this meal is. When The Bear and I sat down and the first bite hit our lips all you could hear were MMMMMMmmmmmms! And don't you even think about skipping the caramelized apples cause that's the icing baby, the FRIGGIN ICING!

Now, what happened to the "bone" in the Bone-in Shoulder you ask? Well you have to know that Weiner the Wonder Dog is involved, right? Of course she is...
Have you ever seen such love? I mean look at those eyes, complete obsession.
She tried to take it into the other room and on the carpet but I stopped her. Ugh, you stay in the kitchen on the rug that I can throw in the washer, thank you.
I mean LOVE!!!! I let her chew on it for a few minutes then I took it away and saved it for later. This type of "treat" is so rare that she's not used to it.

I love my new Goddess Dutch Oven. Tonight I made my world famous (okay family famous) gumbo. I took a picture so stay tuned for gumbo!

Do you have a Green Goddess Dutch Oven? If you do please share what recipes you make with it cause baby, I'm on a roll!!!!!!!