‘Daphne Dishes’ Star Stays Close to Home for Food Network

Turns out the network knew all about Brogdon’s comedy videos, mom blogs and stand-up career and thought she could carry a show on her own.

Now, cable viewers can see for themselves with “Daphne Dishes,” airing at noon each Sunday on the network. The show lets Brogdon flash her own culinary chops, improv stylings and dedication to family. The kitchen you see in “Dishes” is her own, which means she gets to spend more time with her children.

It’s how she got the gig in the first place, crafting a new media career that never kept her too far from family.

“I want to be with my kids, but I want to start my own platform,” Brogdon told a group of journalists earlier this week during a telephone press conference.

 

So far her children have put up with mom’s curious career. Her daughter did have a celebrity diva moment recently when a skeleton crew from “Daphne Dishes” arrived for some pickup shots. The young girl complained about the lack of a craft services table, her mom says.

“Daphne Dishes” isn’t a typical cooking show. The host emphasizes comforting fare, birthday bashes and girls’ night out for moms. Call it a mashup of reality television, cooking content and a family portrait.

Brogdon started her career as a radio show producer and on-air talent, but she quickly branched out to stand-up comedy and television work. When she started her family she figured blogging was the best way to stay creative without leaving home, so she created momversation.com and coolmom.com.

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She admits to being a little intimidated by her husband when it came time to cook for him. Today, with a growing sense of confidence in the kitchen and a cooking show to call her own, she’s in a better place. She thrives on spontaneous cooking, throwing together ingredients on a whim to craft something new. Peel will offer guidance now and then, but Brogdon isn’t afraid to gently say, “back off” to let her explore or just simplify her recipes. She keeps her audience – and family – in mind in the kitchen.

Brogdon remains a multi-platform personality, and that means she occasionally steps on her fans’ toes.

“Sometimes I don’t have a thick skin. I don’t wanna be beat up [on social media],” she says.

Brogdon falls back on advice she received years earlier while doing a radio show with Dr. Dean Edell. They received plenty of positive letters back then, but occasionally a listener would rail against Brogdon, and she’d break down in tears.

“There are always people who will hate you … get used to it,’” she recalls Dr. Edell saying. “That helped.”

Roasted Stuffed Pork Loin: Recipe courtesy of Daphne Brogdon

Stuffing:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

Salt

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Marinade:

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon ground dried sage

Pork Loin:

One 8-rib bone-in pork loin (6 to 7 pounds), frenched

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 dried chipotle pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

4 cloves garlic, chopped

For the stuffing: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, season with a generous pinch of salt and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and red pepper flakes and saute for another minute. Remove from the heat and let cool.

For the marinade: In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, red pepper flakes and sage and whisk until blended. Set aside while you prepare the pork loin.

For the pork loin: Slice the pork along the bone about 2 1/2 inches down into the loin from end to end, creating a long flap that opens like a book. Season the inside with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Place the cooled sauteed onions inside the pocket along the length of the loin. Tie the loin closed using butcher’s twine: Start at one end and tie it securely. Then work on the other end to tie it shut. Work your way toward the center, tying the loin between each rib.

Place the pork loin in a large baking dish or bowl. Pour the marinade over it and use a brush to coat all sides. Cover the dish securely with plastic wrap, swish it all around to ensure the loin is covered with the marinade and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or as long as overnight.

Place the chipotle pepper in a small bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of hot water into the bowl and let it sit to rehydrate for 15 minutes. Once it is rehydrated, give it a rough chop.  Reserve the liquid.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat.  Remove the pork loin from the marinade, making sure to save the remaining marinade. Sear the loin until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place the seared loin in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or roasting pan.

Turn down the heat on the skillet to medium, add the chopped onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add the chipotle and season with salt, pepper and the oregano. Add the white wine, chicken broth, garlic and the reserved chipotle soaking liquid and marinade. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the brown bits from the skillet and let the liquid come to a simmer. Pour everything from the skillet over the pork loin. Transfer it to the oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F, about 1 hour 30 minutes, making sure to baste the loin every 20 minutes or so.

Let the pork loin rest for 10 minutes. Remove the butcher’s twine before slicing. Strain the pan juices and serve them alongside the pork.

 Yield: 8 servings

Active Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 6 hours 40 minutes