The Great Plotnik

Friday, January 09, 2009

Cross-Culturalism at its Finest: Roast Pork with Manischewitz and Zaatar



Plotnik is doing his bit for Cultural Diversity. It started with Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock's "Southern Cooking," which is a unique look at a style of cooking which seems simple on its face, but in fact involves techniques that are as Southern French as Southern USA. Edna Lewis was from Central Virgnia and Scott Peacock is from Alabama. Peacock befriended, learned from and eventually moved in with Lewis in Lewis's old age. (He still runs their Watershed Restaurant in Decatur, Georgia, which is not only JJ-aka-PP country but the one-time home of Chef Pickle.) JJ-aka-PP gave Plottie the cookbook for Christmas and last night he started out to make "Bay Studded Pork Shoulder with Wild Mushrooms."



But the recipe calls for braising the meat in a bottle of port, or, Peacock says, you can use red wine instead. Plotnik got a GREAT idea! Which wine is both sweet and yet grape-y, and both wine and not-really-wine?



Of course! He's had a leftover half bottle of Manischewitz concord grape hiding in back of the bread crumbs in the fridge since either last April or the April before that. It never spoils. It can't spoil. And what can be more Southern than something sweet, indestructible and also cheap?

OK, so we're talking about a kosher wine and a pork roast here. You don't often hear 'Manischewitz' and 'pork' used in the same sentence. But here's how Plotnik looks at it: as we speak, the Israelis are destroying Palestinian schools and killing as many Arabs as they can, while Gazans are still lobbing missles into Israel and talking about driving the infidel into the sea. How's that attempt at cross-culturalism going?



Plotnik would prefer it if we'd all just leave our old worlds behind, pick up a napkin and sit down together for lunch. He decided to add a teaspoon and a half of Zaatar instead of Lewis's suggested powdered thyme, just to complete the idea. He makes this zaatar himself from a Palestinian recipe, and it is mostly thyme, with allspice and a few other flavorings tossed in.

The finished Roast Pork with Manischewitz and Zaatar was one of the most scrumptious meals that has ever rolled out of The Great Plotnik Meatball Kitchen. The Duck agrees. Thank you Edna and Scott, JJ and Pickle, and L'Chaim to all y'all.

5 Comments:

At 6:18 PM, Blogger mary ann said...

Man, that sure looks yummy!

 
At 10:01 PM, Blogger notthatlucas said...

"And what can be more Southern than something sweet, indestructible and also cheap?"

Well, if it's not deep fried or something you buy at WalMart, I'm not so certain about the Southern thing. Good post though.

 
At 7:49 AM, Blogger Karen said...

Wow, it looks great!

 
At 12:19 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I thought I was done eating my breakfast, but no. Not now. Back to the fridge or cupboard. Or . . . do you have any leftovers?

 
At 1:26 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Zataar and an Edna Lewis recipe, what a combination!
I am a filmmaker in Atlanta. I read your blog with the mention of Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock and their recipe.

I just wanted to let you know I produced a 21 minute documentary about Miss Edna Lewis and its viewable in its entirety on Internet at a Gourmet Magazine website:

http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/video/2008/01/Edna


and at a Georgia Public Broadcasting website:

http://www.cforty7.com/film/theater?film_test=16

My documentary is called Fried Chicken and Sweet Potato Pie.

My website, http://bbarash.com/bb_friedchicken.htm has more information about the film and the story of Miss Lewis.

Sincerely,
Bailey Barash

 

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