Carrot and Yam Puree with Pork Dust and Micro Parsley

The other day, I made a batch of carnitas. Actually, I made them twice… two days in a row.

Both times, I scraped the bottom of the Dutch oven to get out the itsy bitsy pieces of pork that were stuck to the bottom. The #neverwasteanything part of me couldn’t bear to part with it.

It took me a few days to figure out what to do with it.

In the end, I elevated a basic carrot puree by garnishing it with the pork dust, and then finishing it off with some garden parsley that was just beginning to sprout.

To say that I think I just discovered something grand would be an understatement. Pork dust will be getting a lot of play at the RGB this year. Next up: egg scramble, roasted beets, seared scallops… it will be fun to experiment.

The key is to get just a bit of the pork in every bite.

[K]

Carrot and Yam Puree with Pork Dust and Micro Parsley

This basic carrot and yam puree gets a flavor boost with the addition of pork dust. Elevate it further by adding the first of your pasley sprouts.

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~ Makes 10 Cups ~

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~ Ingredients ~

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, diced (yield approximately 10-11 ounces)
• 1 ½ pounds carrots, quartered lengthwise, and roughly chopped
• 1 medium yam, peeled, and roughly chopped (yield approximately 8 ounces)
• 6 cups chicken stock
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup pork dust
• ½ cup micro parsley

~ Preparation ~

Time commitment: 45 minutes

1. Minute 1: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, yam, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Minute 15: Add the stock and raise the heat to high. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, partially cover, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Minute 35: Use a Vitamix or immersion blender to purée the soup. If you have neither, you may use a traditional blender; be sure to let the soup cool slightly before you purée.
4. Minute 35: Return purée to large soup pot and heat over low heat. Add heavy cream and warm through for 5 minutes. Do not let the soup boil.
5. Minute 40: Ladle puree into individual bowls, garnish with pork dust and micro parsley and serve immediately.

Source: Rustic Garden Bistro