Pomegranate Balsamic Glazed Pork Shoulder Steak with Chimichurri and a Host of Scintillating Sides

I thought that would get your attention! Scintillating sides.  Well, they are!  My culinary partner, Maria, and her son came over Friday evening and I made them a delectable dinner.  Well, it was in my opinion, anyway.  I had found huge pork shoulder blade steaks and immediately realized how great they would be seared with a pomegranate balsamic vinegar glaze.  Maria and I had barely eaten that whole day, so we created snacks and sides to add color, freshness and incredible flavor to the main dish.  First, however, I want to tell you how I kept the pork steaks tender and juicy. Also, before I move on, stay tuned at the end of this post for a wonderfully flavorful and easy way to use leftovers!

Marinade for the pork steaks:

  4 large, thick pork shoulder blade steaks or 6 thin steaks

1/4 - 1/2 cup Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar

1 tablespoon citrus Ponzu

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried, crushed oregano

salt and pepper

*Optional:  add the juice and zest of one lemon or lime

In a medium bowl, add all of the ingredients and whisk thoroughly. Season the pork steaks with salt and pepper, both sides. Add half of the marinade to a large roasting pan and place the steaks in the pan.  Pour the rest of the marinade atop those and allow them to marinate for thirty minutes to an hour; more than an hour is best, but thirty minutes will be just fine if you have company coming over and you are pushed for time.  You can leave them out if it is not longer than thirty minutes, otherwise, place them into the refrigerator until thirty minutes before cooking.  

When it is time to cook, add two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (evoo) to a large skillet over medium-high.  Sear for three minutes per side for thin steaks, and six to eight minutes per side for steaks thick as or thicker than one inch.  Remove from the skillet and cover with foil and set aside. Thick larger steaks can be halved easily after cooking. This enables easy plate service.  You will want to top your pork shoulder steaks with my cilantro chimichurri.  It's up next!

Cilantro Chimichurri to top the Pork Shoulder Blade Steaks

1+ cups fresh cilantro

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon sriracha

3 - 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

1 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper (to taste after processing)

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until you have a thick mixture.  You may want to add more cilantro or more evoo until you reach the desired consistency of the chimichurri.  Let sit a good hour to allow the flavors to marry.  

Ready for the sides and Snacky Snacks?

Herb Roasted Fingerling Potatoes:

In a large bowl, toss the 2 pounds of fingerling potatoes in the following mixture:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or grape seed oil

1 rounded tablespoon of fresh or dried rosemary

1 tablespoon grated onion

3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped

1 teaspoon crushed dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Place the potatoes in a large oven safe skillet or roasting pan at 400 degrees.  Roast for 18 - 25 minutes, until the potatoes are soft inside and crispy on the outside. 

Garlicky Cheesy Baguette Bites for Snacking

Slice a baguette into several half inch slices. Spread the slices out over a baking sheet and drizzle with evoo.  Sprinkle them with smoked paprika and finely grated garlic, above two or three cloves.  Roast at 400 degrees for eight minutes.  Remove and top with a good pinch of grated parmesan cheese and if you like, mild cheddar jack cheese.  Place back into the oven until the cheese melts.  For fun, drizzle a little of the chimichurri over some slices arranged on a plate.   So good!

 And to top things off......!!!

Frisee Salad with Corn, Black Beans and Spicy Vinaigrette

Wash and shred Frisee greens, removing the thick stems.  Arrange on a serving platter.  Rinse and combine corn and black beans and spread over the frisee.  In a mall bowl, combine two or three tablespoons evoo, one tablespoon red wine vinegar, two cloves grated garlic, one teaspoon sriracha, two tablespoons grated white or red onion, pinch of salt and black pepper, one teaspoon worcestershire sauce, a teaspoon of Ponzu, and two tablespoons pomegranate balsamic vinegar.  Add one pinch of dried, crushed oregano and whisk to incorporate thoroughly.  Set aside and allow the flavors to marry, about twenty to thirty minutes. Upon serving the salad, drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and serve family style.  Garnish with shaved parmesan and chopped scallions.  The flavors and textures are comforting but with a spicy bite.  DeLish!  

 

READY TO SERVE IT ALL UP?

Plate up your pork shoulder blade steak, top with my cilantro chimichurri, and add both the roasted fingerling potatoes and the salad.  Savor the mixture of complimentary aromas and enjoy the flood of savory flavors!

Oh!  One more thing!!!

You may have leftovers.  I used a nice slice of San Francisco Sourdough Bread, spread garlic herb cream cheese atop the bread and placed some thinly sliced pork steak over that to create a delectable bruschetta.  I spread some leftover chimichurri (better day two!) atop the meat and added some leftover salad and more shaved parmesan.  So good!  Great for lunch or for dinner as easy leftovers!

 

 Thank You for your time and I hope you enjoy these recipes.  They are easy and the flavors are fantastic. Enjoy!