What culinary wonders await us at Target? Yes, I said Target, land of laundry baskets, toys, electronics and six dollar polo shirts. Many locations do now offer groceries, but they are more chicken nuggets than Cornish game hen. We all need places to buy milk along with socks, so I'm not knocking Target. Nor was I expecting culinary inspiration, but there it was on the shelf: Tempranillo. Tempranillo, that noble grape of Spain, heart of Rioja wines. Black and thick in skin, it needs cool nights to bring acidity and hot days to develop the sugar and skin to give a deep red color. These are best found in northern Spain. This bottle said its grapes were from Navarre, neighboring Rioja. Alas, it wasn't a Spanish wine, a Francis Coppola import instead. But still, I almost felt that I needed to look around, to see if I was being watched, and wonder why something like this would settle among the cheap Chardonnay and Merlot. No matter, I grabbed it and headed home with this grain of sand that would form a pearl.
Is this recipe a pearl? Perhaps not, but the point is that inspiration for an interesting meal can come from anywhere, as plain and innocuous as Target. Sometimes all we need is that spark to take us away, in this case to Basque country. Next door to Rioja, the Basques are home to some of the finest restaurants in the world. Arzak is a three-starred Michelin restaurant in San Sebastian that gives us some of the world's leading nouvelle cuisine. The roots of this dish are not that. They are found on the docks, or out on the fishing boats. They are marmitako, a fish stew that means 'from the pot.' It is a favorite way for Basques to prepare tuna. It is a simple preparation with potatoes, onions, tomatoes and paprika. Fisherman plying the Cantabrian Sea may also use mackerel, and argue about whether they should use green or red peppers. Tonight, I am not an arguing fisherman, nor am I using fish even. I am substituting pork, mostly because I want to, but also because that is what I have. That is not to say that pork isn't an integral part of Spanish cooking. It can even mix with seafood as in the Portugese pork and clam recipes famous in Alentejo. Substitute tuna if you like, make this recipe your own. Just ensure that even if you find yourself at Target, let yourself find the inspiration to go far away, if only in meal and dream. Serves 4.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 pork loin, cut into 3/4" cubes
1 tsp paprika
salt/pepper
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups white wine
3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4" cubes
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tsp sugar (if needed)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Directions:
In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. While it is heating, mix the pork with the paprika and season with salt and pepper. Add the pork to the hot oil and brown, a few minutes on each side. Remove the pork to a plate with a slotted spoon and turn down the heat. Add the onions and cook 6 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook another minute to release the flavor. Add the roasted red pepper and wine. Bring to a boil and simmer down to one cup of liquid. Add the potatoes and just enough hot water to cover the potatoes. Cover the pan and reduce to strong simmer. Cook for 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft when poked with a fork. Mix in the tomato sauce and the sugar if needed to break down the acidity. Add the pork and simmer another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Top with the parsley and serve.
