Dinner 16: Massachusetts

Menu

Cranberry Pork Chops
Boston Baked Beans
Herb-Roasted New England Potatoes
Boston Cream Pie

Review

We had Massachusetts food next because my cousins and uncle and aunt were visiting and I wanted them to try Massachusetts food. We looked at a lot of recipes, but I decided to have pork chops because they were made with cranberries inside! I also chose baked beans, potatoes and Boston cream pie, which is really more like a cake.

It took all day to make the beans - they cooked on the stove for a long time and then cooked in the oven for a long time. At first I thought they were yummy, but then I thought they were too sticky and I didn't like them anymore. I liked everything else, though! The pork chops really did have cranberries in them and on top of them, too. I didn't really like the cranberry sauce, but the pork part was good. I really, really liked the potatoes and the cream pie was the best part! It was so yummy!

Recipes

Cranberry Pork Chops

(original recipe from allrecipes.com)

1 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
6 pork chops
salt and pepper, to taste
honey, to drizzle

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Add the cranberries and cook until about half have popped. Remove from the heat, stir in the cloves and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Generously greases a large glass baking dish.

Cut a pocket in the side of each pork chop and fill with the cranberry mixture. Place in the prepared dish and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle honey over each chop. Bake, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, or until done.

Boston Baked Beans

(original recipe from Boston Discovery Guide)

1 pound navy beans
2 onions, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ginger

Rinse the beans. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the beans and turn of the burner. Allow beans to soak for an hour.

Drain out the water and refill with enough water to cover the beans by at least 3 inches. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until the beans are just tender, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Combine all remaining ingredients in a large baking dish and mix thoroughly.

When the beans are ready, remove them from the stove. Add one cup of the cooking water to the baking dish and stir to thin the mixture. Reserve the remaining cooking water.

Add the beans to the baking dish and gently stir, being careful not to crush the beans. The mixture should look pale and soupy - add more cooking water, if necessary.

Cover the dish and put it into the oven to bake. Check every hour to make sure they aren't getting too dry. If they are, add more of the cooking water and stir.

After 3 hours, remove the cover and continue baking uncovered for 1 more hour, checking frequently to ensure the beans don't get too dry. Allow the beans to cool slightly before serving.

Herb-Roasted New England Potatoes

(original recipe from Rodelle Kitchen)

2 pounds small New England red potatoes, washed and halved
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Gently toss to coat the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a baking dish and roast until tender.

Boston Cream Pie

(original recipes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and Cybele Pascal)

Cake:
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Pastry Cream:
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup soy milk
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Ganache:
1/4 cup soy milk
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour a cake pan.

In a small bowl, whisk the soy milk and vinegar together and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the oil, sugar and vanilla. Add the soy milk mixture and beat another minute. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix thoroughly until no large lumps remain.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minute or until done. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

To make the pastry cream, whisk together the cornstarch and soy milk in a small saucepan until no lumps remain. Bring to just below a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Once it thickens to the consistency of pudding (this happens very quickly once it begins to thicken), remove from heat and stir vigorously until smooth. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the shortening and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and continue to beat while adding the cooled soy milk mixture. Beat for 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary. Set aside.

To make the ganache, bring the soy milk to a gentle boil in a small saucepan. Immediately remove from heat and add the chocolate and maple syrup. Use a rubber spatula to mix the chocolate until it is fully melted and smooth. Set aside.

To assemble the pie, slice the cake in half horizontally. Spread the pastry cream on the bottom layer, place the top layer of the cake on top, then spoon about half the ganache over the cake, let set for about 5 minutes, then spoon the rest of the ganache over the cake.