Beyond Saturday supper

IT’S SATURDAY morning, and we’re expecting eight at 5 o’clock for an early summer supper. Selfishly, I’ve chosen a menu that will serve us deliciously through next week. If the company eats well tonight, why shouldn’t we in the days to come?

This morning I braise pork shoulder with smoky chipotle peppers and orange juice, then shred the tender meat to be served later on toasted brioche rolls with grated pepper jack cheese. A tart cucumber pickle (sliced cucumbers and red onions marinated in two parts apple cider vinegar, one part water and one part sugar), a rustic casserole of summer squash, tomatoes and sweet corn, and peach bread pudding studded with fat golden raisins will round out the meal.

The trick to keeping the preparations from lasting all day is to start the pork early. So I picked up the pork shoulder from the butcher the night before, seared it and left it to sit in its chipotle-orange marinade all night. Before I head out to the market this morning, I scoot the pork into the oven where it begins braising before I’ve even left the house.

Knowing the pork is already on its way, I’m in no rush at the market. I pick out the juiciest, fire-engine-red tomatoes, ears of fresh corn and all manner of bright summer squashes to make the vegetable casserole; a few handfuls of coarse breadcrumbs, a shredded hunk of Gruyere and a few spoonfuls of sour cream will make the rich base for these vegetables later.

After the market, I walk back into the house, and the kitchen smells delicious. I’m just in time to turn the pork over and baste it with the spicy-sweet juices. Back into the oven it goes. It needs a couple more hours to finish cooking -- just the right amount of time to get the vegetable casserole and bread pudding together.

There’s no mistaking it -- Saturday morning is my finest hour, and I’m enjoying it even more than usual because of the season. Tell me there isn’t something therapeutic about cutting up crisp, fragrant summer vegetables one after one. As I chop, I daydream about early next week, long after the company’s gone, when we’ll scramble eggs with the leftover vegetable casserole for lunch and eat the bread pudding topped with dollops of tangy yogurt for breakfast. I can smell the squash going golden in a bit of olive oil on the stove as I imagine the leftover pork in juicy tacos and quick summer salads when we toss it with greens and a few of the remaining cucumber pickles.

Out comes the pork. I keep it covered, letting the steam inside finish cooking it to familiar, buttery tenderness before I shred it for the evening’s sandwiches, which I’ll serve with the pickled cucumbers on the side in a quiet nod to North Carolina’s vinegar-rich barbecue.

The chunky casserole and bread pudding go into the oven at the same temperature -- a trick I always use to keep time spent cooking for a crowd from encroaching on the entire day. This buys me an hour or so to tend to the thirsty plants on the porch and to my growling stomach. I’m convinced that no one will mind if a corner of the bread pudding is missing tonight. There will be plenty of leftovers, right?

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food@latimes.com

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Chipotle-orange pulled pork on brioche rolls

Total time: 5 hours (includes 4 1/2 hours braising time)

Servings: Makes 24 sandwiches

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (5-pound) boneless pork shoulder roast

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest

2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

4 cloves garlic

4 chipotle chiles in adobo, seeded

1 large red onion, roughly chopped (2 cups)

4 dried or fresh bay leaves

4 sprigs thyme

2 dozen small brioche rolls, split and toasted

2 cups grated pepper jack cheese, optional

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Season the pork with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and one-fourth teaspoon pepper, place it in the skillet and sear, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown all over, about 15 minutes total.

2. Meanwhile, put the broth, juice, vinegar, zest, adobo sauce, cumin, garlic, chiles, onions, one-half teaspoon salt and one-fourth teaspoon pepper into a blender; puree until smooth.

3. Transfer the pork to a large, deep casserole dish and set aside. Pour the excess fat out of the skillet. Carefully pour about 1 cup of the chipotle-orange puree into the skillet and cook briefly, scraping up any browned bits. Pour the contents of the skillet over the pork along with remaining chipotle-orange puree. Scatter the bay leaves and thyme in the casserole; cover tightly with foil. Top with a tight- fitting lid; bake for 2 1/2 hours.

4. Carefully uncover the pork and flip over the roast. Baste it with the juices, then re-cover with the foil and lid and return to the oven. Continue cooking until very tender, about 2 hours more. Set aside, covered, for about 30 minutes, then uncover and pour the contents of the casserole into a colander set over a large bowl; discard bay leaves and thyme.

5. When cool enough to handle, tear the pork into shreds, discarding any fat, and transfer to a large bowl. Skim off and discard fat from the juices, then add the juices to the shredded meat and toss well. Pile the pork onto brioche rolls and top with grated cheese, if desired.

Each serving: 358 calories; 21 grams protein; 18 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 22 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 131 mg. cholesterol; 437 mg. sodium.

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Rustic summer vegetable casserole

Total time: 1 3/4 hours (includes 45 minutes baking time)

Servings: 12 to 16

Note: This recipe can be halved to feed a smaller crowd.

7 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large red onion, cut in half lengthwise then sliced into 1/4 -inch slices

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

12 large basil leaves, torn into pieces (1 cup, loosely packed)

4 large tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped into 1 1/2 -inch pieces

3 ears corn, husked, kernels cut off (about 4 cups)

3 1/2 pounds summer squash (zucchini, yellow squash, patty pan squash, etc.), seeded and chopped into 1 1/2 -inch pieces

3 cups coarse, fresh breadcrumbs, preferably whole wheat

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided

3 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons chopped mixed herbs (such as thyme, rosemary and flat-leaf parsley)

1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek-style yogurt

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the oil; set aside.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the remaining oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vinegar, garlic, onions, one-half teaspoon salt and one-eighth teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 10 minutes.

3. Add the basil, tomatoes and corn and cook until the tomatoes have released their liquid, 6 to 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the tomato-corn mixture to prepared baking dish.

4. Return the skillet to the stove and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, the squash, one-half teaspoon salt and one-eighth teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just golden-brown in parts, 12 to 14 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, butter, herbs, one-fourth teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper, just until combined.

5. Transfer the squash to the dish with the tomato-corn mix. Add the Gruyere, sour cream (in dollops), and the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice and half of the breadcrumbs and toss together gently to combine. Top with the remaining breadcrumbs; bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

Each serving: 184 calories; 6 grams protein; 15 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 13 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 16 mg. cholesterol; 206 mg. sodium.

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Peach and buttermilk bread pudding with golden raisins

Total time: 1 3/4 hours (includes 1 1/4 hours baking time)

Servings: 12

Note: If peaches are too soft to peel with a vegetable peeler or paring knife, drop them in boiling water for 10 seconds, transfer them to an ice bath to cool, then drain and peel. If you don’t have stale bread, toast cubes of fresh bread in the oven at 350 degrees until just golden and dry, set aside to cool, then proceed with the recipe. Turbinado and demerara sugars are generally available at cooking and baking supply stores.

8 cups (1 1/2 -inch) stale sourdough bread cubes (with crusts left on)

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups milk

1 cup golden raisins

3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 1/2 pounds ripe but firm peaches (about 8), peeled, pitted and sliced one-eighth-inch thick

1 teaspoon butter

6 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup turbinado or demerara sugar

Heavy whipping cream for drizzling, optional

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and put a large baking sheet on the rack below it, to catch any drips later. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, toss together the bread, buttermilk, heavy cream, milk, raisins and nutmeg and set aside to soak for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together one-fourth cup of the granulated sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and peaches, to coat; set aside.

3. Grease a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with butter; set aside. Whisk together the eggs, vanilla, salt and remaining 1 1/4 cups of the granulated sugar in a medium bowl, then add to bowl with the bread mixture. Add the macerated peaches and stir well to combine. Transfer to the prepared dish and spread out evenly.

4. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the top and bake until cooked through and deep golden brown, covering with a sheet of foil if parts of the top get too dark, about 1 1/4 hours. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve with a drizzle of cream, if desired.

Each serving: 470 calories; 10 grams protein; 65 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 20 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 167 mg. cholesterol; 367 mg. sodium.