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  Last week, Drift Food Truck’s Kara and Nevin Fenske held their second (what we hope becomes annual) Swine and Dine at the Shamrock Curling Club. A lucky 33 guests secured seats overlooking the Shamrock’s eight sheets of ice, just in time to watch the Thursday night ladies curling league. Tickets were just $45 for four courses and guests also walked away with a special Alberta Pork recipe book. Now into their third winter season at the Shamrock, it is no longer a secret that Drift Food Truck fans can get their sandwich fix indoors at one of the longest serving and busier curling clubs in Western Canada. Thanks to the combo of great Drift food and great prices at the bar upstairs, the Shamrock is a great place to catch a game or practice your dart and shuffleboard skills. While Alberta Pork is available on Nevin & Kara’s menu all year long, we are especially grateful that this busy dynamic duo made time for another Swine and Dine dinner. The Swine and Dine challenge - to incorporate Alberta pork from appetizer to dessert - is an opportunity Nevin is eager to take on. Here is what he served:

1st course: RICOTTA RAVIOLI Squash puree, pork meatballs

Inspired by pasta-making sessions with his daughter over the past few weeks, Nevin kicked things off with house made ricotta ravioli served alongside squash puree and pork meatballs.

2nd course: BARLEY RISOTTO mushroom & lemon, pork belly, choke cherry syrup

Next up, Nevin topped the earthly flavours of his barley mushroom risotto with pork belly topped with choke cherry syrup.

3rd course: ROLLED PORK SHOULDER herb pesto & pears, mashed yellow potato & pork jus BEET SALAD goat cheese, arugula, & mustard dressing

While the first two dishes were plated, Nevin and Kara served up family-style platters made up of thick-cut rolled pork shoulder and mounds of mashed yellow potatoes topped with pork jus and sautéed pears. Our hearty portion of meat and potatoes were served alongside a beet, goat cheese and arugula salad.

4th course: APPLE CRISP prosciutto, aged cheddar & balsamic

Inspired by the Shamrock’s old-school curling club vibe, Nevin shared an apple crisp accented by prosciutto, aged cheddar and balsamic for dessert. As someone who enjoys cheese for dessert, it was a satisfying bite to finish the comfort-classic fueled meal. A huge thanks to the entire Drift crew and the Shamrock for hosting a tasty and entertaining night. Your passion for pork warms both our hearts and our bellies. Sad you missed another Drift Swine and Dine at the Shamrock? Stay tuned to their social media accounts for hours at the club, updates on special events, and special features (that often include Alberta Pork) at the Drift Concession at the Shamrock. Drift Food Truck & Eatery at the SHAMROCK CURLING CLUB 9330 – 80 Avenue Edmonton, Alberta T6C 0T9                  

    Black n Pork Ingredients: 1.5 lb pork loin chops or shoulder (a pork cut with some fat is preferable for this curry) 4 tsp black pepper 6 whole cardamom pod seeds, crushed (only use the seeds) 1 heaping teaspoon of Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp cayenne pepper 3 tsp tamarind paste 3 tbsp oil 2-3 bay leaves 1 inch of peeled ginger, minced ½ medium onion, chopped finely 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced (or 2 serrano peppers if you prefer more heat) 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tbsp sugar ½ cup water Additional salt and lemon juice to taste Instructions: Cut the pork into ½ -1-inch cubes. If the pork chops have bones you can add those to the curry as well, as they add more flavour. Set aside once cubed. Crush the cardamom pod seeds into a powder and mix with the black pepper, curry powder, salt, cinnamon, cayenne pepper. Crush and mix using a mortar and pestle. Combine 2 tbsp of the mixed spices, the tamarind paste, and 1 tbsp oil to coat the cut pork. Leave pork in fridge to marinate for 8-10 hours or overnight if possible. To cook, heat 2 tbsp of oil in a saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the bay leaves, ginger and onion. Sauté until the onions become translucent. Add the garlic and sliced jalapeno peppers and sauté for another 30 seconds. Stir in the marinated pork and sugar. Add about ½ cup of water and bring this to a boil. Then, lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 1 hour. Check on the curry and add extra water if it dries out. Add salt or lemon juice if desired. You can serve this curry immediately, but it tastes better after it has rested for a little while. Even better the next day!

Alberta Pork is a proud sponsor of Christmas in November at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. For this year's holiday dinner, Fairmont JPL executive chef Christopher Chafe and his culinary team featured Alberta Pork and Alberta Milk/Dairy Farmers of Canada by serving up an Oka crusted pork tenderloin. 1 small pork tenderloin 1 tbsp salted butter 4 slices of Oka cheese (approximately 20 grams each) a few sprigs of fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme and/or sage canola oil, to taste salt and pepper, to taste  

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Slice tenderloin into four medallions; pat dry with a paper towel and season with oil, salt and pepper. Set aside for 20 minutes.
2. Preheat a cast iron skillet on medium high heat. Sear pork medallions on one side until dark golden crust is formed. Flip and sear on the other side. Add butter and fresh herbs and baste the pork with the melted butter in the pan as the medallion is cooking.
3. Once pork is seared on both sides transfer to a baking sheet and top with sliced cheese. Place pork medallion s in the oven and cook until an internal temperature of 155F is reached and the cheese is melted, approximately 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for a few minutes until ready to serve.