Pork for the fork, super starters and more

Pork-centric ideas from the 2014 Pork Summit sponsored by The National Pork Board at the Culinary Institute of America’s Greystone campus in St. Helena, CA, demonstrate versatility and global menu applications. Guest chefs and winners of state and regional Taste of Elegance competitions created recipes inspired by everything from comfort food classics to sandwiches, regional favorites and Asian street food. During a welcome reception at Farmstead Restaurant at Long Meadow Ranch, executive chef Stephen Barber offered starters such as Cajun Boudin Sausage with whole grain mustard and buttery potato rolls with sea salt. During the three-day event, attendees attended chef demos, a beer and pork pairing class and a market basket exhibition where teams had three hours to break down a half hog to create four dishes, including a breakfast sandwich and a global sandwich.

Here are just a few of this year’s Pork Summit recipes:

• Chopstick Grilled Lemongrass Pork with Black Pepper Caramel, Viet-Herbs and Roasted Peanuts
• Pork Pot Pie
• Pork Belly Confit and Potato Gnocchi Hash