What Was and What Will Be

First, I'm going to jump to the future before I start sharing more recipes from this week's show.
On Monday I'll be talking about rice and hopefully have a special guest from Thailand who will share a recipe with us. I'll be discussing rice from all four corners of the globe touching on Italian risotto and arancini, Italian rice balls stuffed and fried. Then it's on to India for a couple ways to prepare Basmati. Of course, we won't forget the US with dirty rice. And last, my Quick Fix, yes I know I didn't get around to it last show, will be my favorite fried rice dish that your family and friends will love.
Then just in time for Easter, I'll be talking about Peter Cotton Tail's contribution to the sweet tooth in all of us...yes, we're talking chocolate! A few have already told us their faves on the Hoos Cookin' Face Book page. Weigh in on your favorite.

I think pulled pork has to be someplace on my top ten favorite sandwiches. I especially like it with a good helping of creamy cole slaw on top.
I learned to make slaw way back when while I was a cook in a rib house in the Detroit area. We made it in big plastic trash cans. (Don't worry, they never saw trash!) The slaw was so good that people would come and order extra sides or what we would call "slaw for the money."
I don't remember the exact recipe, but this is a pretty close approximation:

Cole Slaw
1 head of cabbage, sliced thin and chopped
1 large carrot, grated
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup half&half
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons celery seed
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix cabbage and carrot together in large bowl. Mix the rest of the ingredients together well and mix into cabbage mixture coating everything well. Refrigerate several hours before serving or overnight.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Now that you've got your slaw chilling in the fridge, grab a shoulder roast of pork (bone-in) and rub it with a mixture of brown sugar, chili powder, salt, cumin, black pepper, a little cayenne and a pinch of mace. (I never measure but pretty much end up seasoning the brown sugar with the other ingredients.) Refrigerate overnight wrapped well.
Place in slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8 hours. When done, serve on rolls with cole slaw and your favorite barbecue sauce.

I also went a little retro on the last show with the iceberg lettuce wedge topped with homemade creamy blue cheese dressing. It's simple, crisp and delicious. You can even gussy it up a bit by sprinkling some good fried bacon pieces over it.
The most important thing about making good homemade blue cheese dressing is using a good quality cheese. If you've got a little extra cash and want to impress, buy a wedge of good imported French Roquefort, a sheep's milk cheese that has that earthy, funky taste down in with the beautiful tasty green mold. There is no other cheese like it. A good second choice, still a little pricey but not too bad if you buy it at a club store is Point Reyes Blue Cheese. This is what I use. It's only around ten bucks a pound which is nearly half of what other places charge.
But onto the recipe, one I remember making back at The Clock restaurant in Battle Creek when they were still around.

Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing

2 large cloves garlic
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
1 cup good quality mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
pinch of salt
A few good coarse grindings of black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
4 oz good quality blue cheese

Place garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well chopped. Add everything except cheese and process until well blended. Crumble in cheese and pulse until blended through. Taste and correct for seasoning.

I haven't gotten hold of my friend, Susan, who gave me the Passover recipes yet so I will have to wait on the Broccoli and Matzo recipe. But I do want to include the muffins that she raved about. These came from her mother's old neighbor back in Brooklyn. So it's tried and true and now here for you.

Farfel Muffins

1 1/2 cups matzo farfel (available in Kosher sections of supermarkets or Jewish delicatessen.
2 eggs
pinch salt

In a large bowl, cover farfel with boiling water. Cover bowl and let set until water is absorbed.
Put contents in colander and let drain any extra water.
Add eggs and salt.
Fill well-greased muffin tins half way and bake at 425 f for 1/2 hour. Serve with margarine, if keeping kosher. If not, break out the butter.