In more than a decade of blogging, we have tried to cook recipes to match certain national holidays or months. Within that time of 10 years, there seems to be new food holidays coming up, like National Pork Chop Day.
So as we continue to “cook our way through the calendar/countries,” we decided to try a pork chop recipe from Antigua and Barbuda. They seem to be regular pork chops seasoned with the usual salt and pepper with the addition of lemon juice and cumin. The savory meat is complemented by its sweet accompaniment, the bacon-wrapped bananas, which turns this basic recipe into a unique tropical treat.
For this food holiday, National Pork Chops Day, try cooking a Caribbean-inspired dish: Antigua pork chops and bacon-wrapped bananas.
2 bananas, cut into 1-inch chunks (or width, not length, of bacon)
1 lemon, juiced
Directions
In a small bowl, cream the butter with the cumin, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture over both sides of all the pork chops. Set aside.
Cut the bananas and put the chunks in a bowl. Squeeze the lemon juice over them to prevent from browning. In a skillet, fry the bacon for a few minutes just to render out the fat. Do not cook all the way so the slices are still bendable. Drain on paper towels and cool slightly. Wrap the bacon around each banana chunks.
Put the bacon-wrapped shrimp on four skewers (one for each pork chop). Meanwhile, fire up the grill and cook the pork chops for around 7-8 minutes per side, allowing for good char marks. After about 15 minutes, lower the grill heat to medium low and place the bacon-wrapped banana skewers on the grill. Turn the pork chops and skewers occasionally and make sure that the chops and bacon are cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the chops of they will dry out. Transfer the cooked chops and bacon-wrapped bananas to a plate to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
Be sure to pick harder bananas for this recipe. Softer fruit can turn mushy when wrapping the bacon around the slices and may fall off the skewers when grilling.
In 1959, after a long journey faced with both great anticipation and controversy, Hawaii was admitted as the 50th state in the United States of America. It is a state holiday (observed on the third Friday of August) and there are some celebrations (and protests) throughout the islands every year. In 2023, we are marking Hawaii’s Statehood Day solemnly by honoring the island of Maui. The Valley Isle experienced an historic catastrophe with the wildfires decimating Lahaina, an old whaling village that developed into a popular tourist spot.
Islander’s late grandfather and two uncles worked the sugar plantations further east, in Hana, Maui, in the 1930s before tūtū kāne went back to the Philippines and her uncles eventually settled down with their families on Oahu (Daddy did not want to labor in the plantations and joined the U.S. Navy instead). We have fond memories of Maui and visit the Valley Isle on occasion. We are saddened to know that some of the places we have been to before are burned down. However, the 150+ year old banyan tree in Lahaina, charred by the wildfires, will heal itself naturally in time. And the Catholic church, Maria Lanakila, aptly named Our Lady of Victory, miraculously still stands! Both are beacons of hope to rebuild Lahaina and are symbols of Maui’s resilience.
For our statehood day dessert, we made rose water panna cotta. Lokelani, the heavenly rose or damask rose, is the official flower of the island. So we wanted to make something simple and rose-flavored. It is a sweet way to remember lovely Lahaina and how it will grow strong and arise from the ashes to become beautiful once more. God bless Maui!
In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin powder in water. Let sit while heating the cream with sugar. In a small saucepan, simmer the whipping cream with sugar, being careful not to burn the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat.
Mix the softened gelatin into the sweetened cream. In a medium bowl, cream the mascarpone cheese. Pour the hot cream mixture over it and stir to remove the lumps. Mix in the rose water. Tint with food coloring.
Strain the mixture back and forth into the bowl and saucepan until there are no more cheese lumps. Pour into 3-4 ramekins. Cover and place in the refrigerator to firm up, at least two hours or best overnight. Use a thin spatula to loosen the sides and invert panna cotta onto serving plates. Garnish with clean rose petals, a dusting of macadamia nut pieces or a dollop of whipped cream, if desired. Serve cold.
Notes
Rose water is not the same as rose extract (which has a stronger flavor profile). Find rose water at the Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/Indian aisle of major grocery or specialty stores or online.
Islander lived in Hale Lokelani dormitory during her freshman-sophomore years at Chaminade University of Honolulu. Her alma mater has ties to Maui by hosting the annual basketball invitational and using the Haleakala ‘ahinahina (silversword plant) in its logo.
We love breakfast for breakfast, brunch, lunch and/or dinner! So if we go out to a diner that serves breakfast all day, that is what we order—and most likely if it comes with some kind of potato side dish. This Austrian potato fry-up is one of our favorites to make at home, too. Just cook the potatoes and chop them up along with bacon and onions ahead of time so they are ready to fry up together for breakfast, brunch or any time of the day, especially on National Potato Day.
Wash the potatoes and boil till cooked through. Remove the skins. Cut into bite-sized chunks. Set aside.
Cut the bacon slices into 1 ½ – 2 inches. Fry in a skillet then transfer the pieces to a plate. Cut the onion in chunks.
In the same skillet, fry the onions in the bacon drippings, adding a little vegetable oil if necessary. Add the onions and gently mix and fry until some have brown, crispy bits. Season with caraway seeds, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper.
Dish out portions of the potato-bacon hash onto individual serving plates. Serve with a side shredded gruyere cheese and top with an egg sunny side up. Enjoy hot.
Notes
The original recipe was for six servings but we easily cut it down just for the two of us.
Search our blog for other potato recipes.
HI Cookery
Dia duit and aloha. Failte and
e komo mai. Greetings and welcome to HI Cookery! Highlander and Islander (HI) are gradually building this blog by attempting to "cook the calendar" with ethnic and eclectic recipes.
HI COOKERY 