Rogue River Blue with Oregon Growers Pear Hazelnut Preserves

Bellwether Farms Crescenza with Oregon Growers Cherry Zinfandel Preserves

River’s Edge, Sunset Bay Chevre with Oregon Growers Cranberry Pear Preserves.

We had to scale this recipe back from the huge batches he whips up to something a little more manageable.  You can try this with boneless / skinless chicken thighs or even beef brisket – basically I think that slow cooking just about any cut this way would be fantastic!

Ingredients:
4 #        Pork Butt or Sholder
16 oz     Pendleton BBQ Sauce (Pick your favorite flavor!)
8 oz       Tomatoes, diced – canned and undrained
1/2 tsp  Celery Seed – ground
1 Tbl      Worchester Sauce
1 Tbl      Black Pepper – course grind

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a heavy bottomed pan, sear pork on all sides.  In a braising pan, place pork in center.  You may cut into a few smaller pieces (that will decrease cooking time).  Add the remainder of ingredients.  Cover pan with lid or foil.  Place in center of oven.  Check once every 30 minutes after the first hour with a carving fork by inserting fork into center of roast.  Then try and turn the fork.  If it does turn easily, remove the pan from the oven.  If not continue turn the meat over and finish braising in the oven until completed.  After the meat is done, remove meat from pan.  Save all the liquid/sauce.  Puree the sauce until smooth.  If not as thick as you would like, reduce the sauce in a saucepan until the desired thickness has been achieved.  This recipe would work very well in a crock-pot.

Like many chefs he is dedicated to using locally raised, foraged, or grown food in his restaurant. But he takes this idea on step further – he and his wife grow much of the produce featured on his ever changing menu on his property in Hood River. In the summer months freshly gathered greens, tomatoes, squashes, and herbs are utilized in his food.

A great example of this is their terrific Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb freshly washed Spinach – get the best stuff you can…

2 strips good smoky bacon

1 small shallot ~ 1 tsp

1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2  Cup Oregon Growers Wildflower Honey

1/3 cup Good Balsamic

2-3 Radishes

Cooked egg yolk

Salt and Pepper

For the vinaigrette cut bacon into small pieces and render till crisp – remove bacon and reserve. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat – discard the remainder. Finely mince shallot and add to a medium mixing bowl. Add Wildflower Honey,  vinegar, and bacon fat. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a thin stream – season with salt and pepper and set aside. In a large serving bowl add spinach leaves and toss with just enough vinaigrette to coat leaves – season with salt and pepper. To garnish sprinkle with crispy bacon, thinly sliced radishes and chopped egg yolks.

John and Marcy can be found Tuesday – Sunday at Sophie’s Restaurant in Hood River.

-Stephanie Halici
Oregon Growers & Shippers
Customer Care

Pear Hazelnut Cupcakes

Makes 18 regular cupcakes

Ingredients 
2 ½ Cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ Sticks of unsalted butter- room temperature
1 Cup of sugar
2 Eggs
1 Cup whole milk
1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ Teaspoon salt
½ Cup Oregon Growers & Shippers Pear Hazelnut Fruit Spread

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8 oz package of cream cheese- room temperature
½ Stick of unsalted butter
2 ½ Cups of powdered sugar- sifted
½ Teaspoon of Vanilla

 Directions

• Oregon Growers & Shippers Whole or Diced Roasted Hazelnuts for decoration
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Over a mixing bowl, sift flour, salt. Set aside.
• In a stand up mixer with a paddle attachment, cream room temperature butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, just takes a few minutes!
• Add one egg at time, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula after adding both.
• Add cinnamon and the Pear Hazelnut Fruit Spread. Mix well.
• Add half of the milk, and then alternate with the flour mixture. Repeat with the remaining milk, finishing with the flour. *Just blend until everything is incorporated, be careful not to over mix or your cupcake batter.

• Divide batter evenly, filling each liner about 2/3 full.
• Bake for a total around 20 minutes rotating your pan half way through, stick a cake tester (or toothpick) through the center of your cupcake until it comes out clean.
• Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the muffin tin, then remove and cool on wire rack.

 Cream Cheese Frosting

• In a mixing bowl, sift your powdered sugar. *This way you won’t have unpleasant lumps in your frosting! Set aside
• In a stand up mixer, blend room temperature cream cheese and butter until all smooth and incorporated. Add vanilla.
• Slowly add your sifted powdered sugar, until all blended.

For decorating

Frost cooled cupcakes with your cream cheese frosting; you can use a metal spatula or fill a pastry bag with your frosting right after you finish making it so it still is soft and easy to pipe onto your cupcakes. I like using a large star tip pastry tip for a pretty finish!

 Top your finished cupcakes with a sprinkling of Oregon Growers & Shippers Roasted Diced Hazelnuts, or top with a single whole roasted Oregon Hazelnut for a simple but beautiful presentation.  

Violet Figs (roasted)- Lyle, Washington
Roblia Fresca- Italian
Pancetta
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Aged Balsamic Vinegar