Porktastic

Chef Patrick Mulvaney of Mulvaney’s Building & Loan is a big fan of the pig—even getting himself invited to a Chicago restaurant convention by the National Pork Board. So I asked him about his favorite ways to cook his pork.

“Suzanne [Peabody Ashworth] at Del Rio Botanical is growing Hatch chilies for me. We agreed to buy 1,000 pounds this year. From living in Arizona, I love green chili with pork, made with those roasted Hatch chilies. I always have to get a green-chili burrito when I’m in Arizona.

“Everything’s better with bacon, of course, but I really love whole roasted pigs. We do a big pig roast every year, plus another five or six for special events.

“I’ve got a great head-cheese plate on the menu now. We freeze it and slice it really thinly, then serve it with pickled green peaches, pickled onions and whole-grain mustard.”