Porchetta Toscana -- Fairfax, CA (Italian cuisine/caterer)

The variety of activities at Summer street festivals is, in my opinion, one of the reasons why they are beloved throughout this country and other countries. A sunny day, happy people, new things to look at, interesting items to purchase and delicious foods to eat are all part of the experience. I discovered this food vendor at the Fremont Festival of the Arts and have since been obsessively researching where to find them next. 

Their main activity is catering, but information on their regularly scheduled events or farmer's market locations can be found on their web site.

https://laporchettatoscana.com/

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

Porchetta and Mushroom Sandwich. The pillowy fresh-baked focaccia bread was a fantastic vehicle for soaking up juices. The porchetta was perfectly cooked, with tender meat, seasoned throughout with herbs and garlic. The mushrooms added a savory depth of flavor that enhanced the meatiness of the meat. The pork crackling placed on top to preserve the crunch was the "icing" on this fantastic sandwich.   

I almost went back to order the "porchetta by the pound", but the line ended up too long and I didn't want to wait. I will have to keep them in mind for the next event, or even to cater my own event. I just need to think of a good excuse to have a party. 

Pumpkin Seed Mole (Recipe)

Whenever I have an amazing dish at a restaurant, I try to recreate it in my mind, and then my home kitchen. Sometimes, it's not the whole dish that impressed me, it may have just been the sauce, as in this case. This pumpkin seed mole was a vegan sauce from a local Native American restaurant. It was silky, smooth, savory, and a smidgen spicy, with just enough cling to get a good coating on each bite of food. It seemed so simple, I had to give it a try. 

To my delight, I think I came really close. I only say "close" because, I will be bold enough to say, I think my version is better. Gasp! In my previous internet searching of possible recipes, I was not able to find anything that resembled this sauce. To this point, I feel the need to share.

Here's what you'll need:

4-5 poblano peppers: charred, skins, ribs and seeds removed, then roughly chopped

1 bunch green onion, roughly chopped

1/2 cup cashew butter or 1 cup whole toasted cashews

1/2 cup pumpkin seed butter or 1 cup whole toasted pumpkin seeds

3/4 cup chicken stock (homemade or otherwise), can substitute veg stock to keep it vegan

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped with stems

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 tbsp. rendered pork fat, or other fat (avocado oil would also work)

Salt to taste

Optional (I always opt in because I enjoy a bit more heat): 2-3 jalapeno peppers: charred, skins, ribs and seeds removed, then roughly chopped  

Here's what you'll do:
- Heat a large, dutch oven-sized pan over medium flame, add the fat, then the green onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and soft. About 3 minutes.
- Add poblanos and jalapeños and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.

- Add the stock, bring to a simmer and shut off the heat. Let this cool for about 15-20 minutes.
- While this is still warm, add all pan ingredients and all other ingredients into a high-speed blender. A food processor will work as well, but it may need more processing time.

- Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides with a spatula, periodically. About 3-5 minutes.

- Taste as you go and add more stock if too thick, more vinegar if it needs more tang or more salt if needed.  
- This sauce freezes very well, so you can portion it out, keep in the freezer, defrost and use as needed. This can be served over almost anything. Roasted vegetables, tamales, a piece of fish, or any type of meat. I have it over chicken and steak in the picture below with optional queso fresco, pickled red onion and cilantro.
- Enjoy!