If you're thinking about pork, classic combinations like ham and cheese sandwiches, pepperoni pizza, or pork chops may come to mind. However, creative chefs such as Heather Terhune of South Water Kitchen and Atwood Cafe in Chicago and Joseph Royer of Saturn Grill in Oklahoma City are cooking up new favorites.
Grilled Sausage and Cheddar Panini
From: Chef Heather Terhune, South Water kitchen and Atwood Cafe, Chicago. Yield: 12 sandwiches.
24 large eggs
3⁄4 cup milk
to taste, salt and pepper
as needed, butter
24 slices Cheddar cheese
24 pork sausage patties, cooked and kept warm 24 large sourdough bread slices
In large bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper. keep refrigerated until service.
For each sandwich: Pour 1⁄2 cup egg mixture in buttered 6" pan over medium heat. cook until firm throughout with no visible liquid remaining. Layer each sandwich: Bread, a cheddar slice, 2 sausage patties, eggs, cheddar slice, and bread.
In spray-coated panini machine, cook sandwiches until cheese melts and sandwiches are deep golden brown. (if using a grill pan, press/weigh down sandwiches using smaller heavy pan.) Serve immediately.
AMERICAN EGG BOARD
Parma Ham and Cheese Pizza
Yield: one 12" pizza.
as needed, olive oil
1 1⁄4 cups flour
1 3⁄4 tsp. salt
1 1⁄4 tsp. quick-rise yeast
1⁄3 cup prepared pesto (recipe follows)
6 ripe plum tomatoes, sliced 1⁄4” thick
2 oz. thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma, cut into strips
3⁄4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano in thin shavings* or coarsely grated
Pesto:
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
5 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1⁄2 tsp. chopped garlic
Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Preheat oven to 500°F. Lightly coat a 12" pizza pan with olive oil.
For dough: in food processor container, combine 1 cup flour, salt and yeast, 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 3⁄4 cup very warm water (120°F to 130°F). Pulse three times to blend. Add remaining 11⁄4 cups flour; process until mixture forms a ball. Process until fully kneaded, about 45 seconds longer. Place dough in a bowl coated with olive oil; turn to grease top; cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
For pesto: combine pesto ingredients in a blender container and blend until smooth.
For pizza: on pizza pan, pat and gently stretch dough into a 12" round. Spread 2 Tbsp. pesto over dough, leaving a 1⁄2" border. Arrange tomato slices on top. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 18 minutes. Top with Prosciutto Di Parma strips and Parmigiano reggiano shavings. Drizzle with remaining pesto. If desired, sprinkle pizza with black pepper.
* To make Parmigiano reggiano shavings, pull a vegetable peeler across the surface of a wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano.
PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA
BUILDING BOWL FLAVORS: This award-winning entree, Modern Noodle Bowl with Pork Shoulder, Ribs and Belly, earned Joseph Royer top honors and $5,000 in the 18th Annual Taste of Elegance competition, sponsored by The Pork Checkoff. Royer is executive chef at the Saturn Grill in Oklahoma City.
NATIONAL PORK BOARD