Babes in the Wood: Ground Pork

Mmmm....pork. My favorite protein. Thanks to Babes in the Wood and Retail Relay, I got myself a good pound of the stuff just to make this recipe. I wish I could say that the scallions and the mushrooms were local and organic too, but I can't. Maybe next time. The soba noodles, however, were organic. But enough of that...was it any good?


I'm happy to say that it was. The ground pork was a bit fattier than I anticipated. Though I'm not about to complain about pork fat, it did require a little draining during the browning process. Other than that, it was great. The recipe came together quickly and easily, and I got to cook with sake, which I'd never done before. (Nor had I ever cooked anything while drinking sake, which turned out to be more fun than just cooking with it.)


Of course I can't blindly follow a recipe without adding my own touches, so I added a little sesame oil and a tablespoon or so of sesame seeds towards the end of the cooking process. Both good additions, but the next time I make this dish I'm adding heat. Perhaps a Thai chili or two tossed in while the pork is browning would do the trick. A little sriracha sauce might work, too. Either way, it needed a kick. (That reminds me, I need to buy a chili pepper plant for the garden. You should too!)


All in all, though, I was pretty happy. I've got a ways to go before my meals are completely made from local ingredients, but I think I'm off to a good start. In this case, the pork was great, the recipe was good, and I got sake and beer (Starr Hill's Lucy) with my dinner: a definite success in my book.