Brined Pork Chops with Fresh Apricot & Ginger Compote

Over the years the things I have chosen to post to my blog have been driven by a lot of different things.  Sometimes I post foods I make for my private dinner clients.  Occasionally—not often as I had originally planned—I post explanations and descriptions of basic cooking and baking techniques.  Most of the things I share come from two sources: the things I am working on/testing for my classes…and the seasonal/market driven foods I am making for my own table.  Recently I decided to design a class around things that were all already on my blog—a class filled with recipes from the latter of these two categories….things that I had come up with for my home table that we loved so much they ended up on my blog.

 

As I was putting the class together—gathering some favorite early summer recipes from over the years (Potato Salad with Spring Herb Pesto & Peas, Gemelli with Mushrooms, Sugar Snap Peas &Goat Cheese, Market Coleslaw with Sweet Corn, Kohlrabi & Carrots, and Pistachio & Strawberry Friands)—I thought of a recipe that has been on my “to make someday” list for a long time:  Pork Chops with Fresh Apricot Glaze from Maria Helm Sinskey’s book Vineyard Seasons.  I decided to add it to the class in order to force myself to finally make it.  I knew if I liked it that it would end up here.

I was so glad I added it to the syllabus.  It was delicious!  And I have to say that I wasn’t surprised.  I love Sinskey’s recipes.  I did end up altering the recipe quite a bit—not because I didn’t like the flavors…or her method…but rather because she cooked her chops on the grill (which I’m certain makes for very tasty chops…I’m just not a fan of standing out in the hot sun over a hot grill when I could be cooking in my cool(er), air-conditioned kitchen….) and she used bone-in chops.  Frankly, I think the bone-in chops would be delicious—but for my purposes both at home and in class, boneless makes more sense (the boneless chops slice nicely so that you can get two servings out of one thick chop for a dinner for smaller appetites….or nice tasting portions for a class).

The brine I used is a simple, basic brine from Samin Nosrat’s book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.  It is a brine that is intended to add moisture and seasoning. It has less salt (four percent salinity by weight) than a lot of brines (and less than the one Sinskey uses), but I like it like this because when I use it I just get a nice, juicy piece of pork—and not something that seems cured or ham-like.  Following Sinskey’s recipe I added some fresh ginger to the brine…but you could leave it out.  You can also add other aromatics, herbs and/or spices of your choice.  Because the brine is mild, you don’t have to rinse the brined meat, but I do any way.  When it comes to brined meats, when in doubt, I always rinse.  The meat will be fully seasoned within…and you don’t risk having way too much salt/sugar on the exterior.  Whether you rinse or not, be sure to dry the surfaces of the meat well before put it in the sauté pan or on the grill (if it’s wet it will stick and it won’t caramelize properly).

The brined pork is delicious.  But it is the apricot sauce/compote/glaze (it is quite versatile) that is the star of the show here.  Sweet….tangy…savory…  with a hint of heat (you can add more if you like)….  It is just so tasty.  The recipe makes what will seem like a generous quantity, but you will want it all.  It could also be used with chicken…or turkey…or even some nice baby back ribs.  I will be making it every summer from now on.




I altered the sauce from the original in only a couple of ways.  I leave it chunky instead of blending it to a purée.  Not only do I prefer the appearance of a chunky sauce, leaving it this way advertises the fact that you used fresh apricots (instead of jam or preserves, for example).  If you want to use it as a glaze or final swab for grilled meats, I think it would be best in its puréed form.

The other change is also fairly minor.  I have given a range for the amount of sugar to add as opposed to a set amount.  Apricots vary widely in sweetness and one batch might need very little sugar...while the next will be quite tart and need a lot.  I always start the sauce with the lesser amount and then after about twenty minutes of cooking—when the sauce is nearing its final consistency—I start tasting and adding more if necessary.  You are aiming for a sauce that is nicely balanced between tangy and sweet. 

The first time I made these pork chops I served it with Toasted Pine Nut Couscous and Wilted Greens.  I couldn’t believe how good it was. (Unfortunately I didn’t take a picture….)  I was so enamored with the these chops that I decided to make it for our Fourth of July celebration this year.  I served it with Sweet Corn Coleslaw and Étuvéed Baby Potatoes.  It was just the thing.  Hopefully I will discover a few other delicious pairings before the fleeting season for apricots is past....

Brined Pork Chops with Fresh Apricot & Ginger Compote

Brine:
1/3 c. Morton’s kosher salt (or 80g. salt of your choice)
1/4 c. sugar (50 g.)
4 large cloves of garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
2 T. peeled and minced fresh ginger (20 g.—if you are weighing, simply slice the ginger)
1 bay leaf
 6 to 8 pork chops (Boneless loin or bone in rib—as you prefer, as long as
            they are nice thick—1 inch or more—chops)

Place the salt, sugar, garlic, pepper flakes, ginger and bay in a pot with 3 cups of water.  Bring to a simmer and simmer gently until all the salt & sugar has dissolved.  Remove from the heat and add 6 cups of cold/ice water.  Allow the brine to cool to room temperature.  Submerge the pork chops in the brine and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.  An hour before cooking, remove the chops from the brine (rinse, or not, as you prefer).  Pat dry before cooking.  Discard the brine.

Apricot Sauce:
2 to 2 1/2 T. olive oil
1 large or 2 medium shallots (about 2 oz.), finely diced
2 t. minced garlic
2 T. minced fresh ginger (20 g)
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
2 lbs. ripe apricots, halved, pitted and roughly diced
1/2 to 1 c. brown sugar (adjust to the sweetness of the apricots)
3 T. white wine vinegar
1 t. salt
2/3 c. water

Warm the olive oil in a wide sauce pan set over moderate heat.  Add the shallots, garlic, ginger and pepper flakes and sweat until tender—about 10 minutes.  Add the apricots and cook briefly, stirring until well coated in the shallot mixture. 

Add the remaining ingredients (starting with the smaller amount of sugar) 

and simmer until thickened and glossy—about 30 minutes (you should have about 2 2/3 to 3 c. compote).  

After about 20 minutes of cooking, begin tasting and add sugar as needed.  When the sauce is finished, taste again and correct the seasoning with salt, sugar and vinegar.

Prepare the pork chops:
Olive oil
Brined Pork Chops
Finished Apricot Glaze
1/2 to 2/3 c. white wine or water, optional

Preheat the oven to 400­°.  Heat an ovenproof sauté pan large enough to hold the chops in a single layer (or use two pans) over moderately high heat.  Film the pan with oil.  Add the chops to the pan.  Sear, turning once, until the chops are nicely browned.  

Smear the chops with some of the apricot glaze and turn a couple of times to coat.  Transfer the pan to a preheated 400° oven and cook until the chops are done to your liking (an instant read thermometer will read between 130° and 135° for medium).  Total cooking time (including the time on the stove and in the oven) will be about 7 to 10 minutes (for 1 inch boneless chops—more for bone -in or thicker chops).  Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the chops to a platter.

If the apricot glaze on the chops didn’t get too dark in the pan, make a quick pan sauce while the chops rest.  Place the pan over medium-high heat and add the white wine.  Bring to a simmer, scraping the pan well to release all the caramelized bits (if using two pans, combine the drippings into one pan) and reducing by half to two-thirds.  Add the remaining apricot glaze, along with any resting juices from the pork, to the pan and warm through.  

If the sauce is too thick, let it out with water…if too thin, reduce briefly.

Serve the pork chops with the warm apricot compote.  Serves 6 to 8 

Variation:  If you prefer, you may grill or broil the pork chops.  Puree the compote to make a smooth sauce.  After the first side is cooked, turn, brush with the sauce.  When the pork is almost done, turn again, brushing the remaining surface with the sauce and allowing each glazed surface to be exposed to the heat for a minute or two so the sauce will caramelize, but not burn.  Obviously there will not be any deglazings to combine with the remaining sauce.  Simply serve the remaining sauce on the side as you would with your favorite BBQ sauce. 

(Recipe adapted from The Vineyard Kitchen by Maria Helm Sinskey)

Printable Version

Pork Chops with Bing Cherries

Bing cherries are one of my favorite summer foods.  Juicy, sweet, easy to eat out of hand...they are a perfect snack.  Occasionally in my kitchen a few of them will find their way into a batch of scones...or a cake...or a tart....  But mostly, I don't cook with them—I just want to enjoy them raw.

That said, one way I do enjoy Bing cherries in their cooked form is in a compote.  I usually think of a Bing cherry compote as being something for dessert...to spoon over vanilla ice cream...or accompany a slice of pound cake.  But not always.  A few years ago I ran across a recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks for pork tenderloin with Bing cherries.  The cherries in this recipe are the foundation of a reduction sauce that is really just a savory compote....and it is truly delicious with the pork.  Best of all, if you are willing to pit a few cherries, it is a fast and easy center piece for a simple summer meal (just roast some potatoes...or make some rice or couscous...and blanch a green vegetable ... and you have dinner). 

I have made only one change to the original recipe.  I use boneless pork loin chops instead of pork tenderloin.  I'm not a huge fan of pork tenderloin.  It tends to be a bit dry (because it is so very lean)...and its tapered shape makes it so that it is difficult to cook to a uniform doneness.  Either the narrow portion will be overcooked and dry, or the fatter end will be too undercooked for most people's liking.  Pork loin chops don't have any of these problems.

While on the subject of doneness, I would like to make a case for cooking pork to a lower temperature than the traditionally recommended 145° to 160° F.  The trichinae parasite which for many years was associated with pork has been virtually eradicated in the U.S.   Even if you did have in your possession a piece of pork harboring this parasite, cooking the pork so that it reaches (and maintains for a few moments) a temperature in the range of 135° to 140° F will eradicate the parasite.  (If you are interested in the technical details, there is a lot of information on this USDA site.).  When I cook pork, I aim for an internal temperature between 130° and 135°.  The temperature will continue to rise as the meat rests, stopping somewhere between 135° and 140°.  Cooking to this lower temperature range will result in a nice juicy piece of meat.  Pork with a final internal temperature much over 140° can be pretty dry.

Finally, I want to draw attention to the section of the recipe concerning pan size.  It's very important that the pan be large enough to hold all of the halved cherries in a single layer.  If the cherries are piled on top of one another (in a smaller pan), they will overcook and fall apart while the port and vinegar are reducing.  While I'm sure this would taste fine, it wouldn't be nearly as beautiful on the plate.  It is much better to use two pans than try to crowd everything into one. 

The original recipe for this dish is large, and I should admit that in practice, I almost never make the full recipe.  At home I am only feeding two...and neither of us are very big meat eaters.  We find that one 8 oz. pork chop is sufficient for us...and as long as I prepare a one third recipe of the sauce to go with our one chop (sliced and divided between two plates), we are more than satisfied.  I mention this for a couple of reasons:  First, to show that the recipe is quite flexible...that it can be easily altered to suit your family's needs....and secondly, to point out that all the pictures for this post were taken with these altered quantities (i.e. 1/6^th recipe of pork...and 1/3^rd recipe of the sauce).

If you have never had Bing cherries—or any of the other dark, sweet varieties that fill the markets during cherry season—in a savory preparation, you should definitely give this recipe a try.  I think that you will find this to be a dish that you will want to revisit each summer... at least once or twice. 

Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Bing Cherries

6 Boneless Pork Loin Chops (about 6 oz. each)

3 small cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

12 sprigs of fresh thyme

Salt & Cracked Black Pepper

1 to 2 T. olive oil

2 shallots, finely diced

1 T. minced fresh thyme

3 c. Bing Cherries (a generous pound), halved and pitted

2 T. sugar

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

1/2 c. port

Juice of 1/2 a lemon (or to taste)

2 T. butter

The day before you plan to serve the pork, place the pork in a non-reactive baking dish.  Add the thyme, crushing it with your fingers to release its fragrance, along with the garlic.  Rub the pork all over with the thyme and garlic.  Season generously with salt (about 1/4 t. per chop...more or less, to taste) and freshly cracked black pepper.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 

Heat an ovenproof sauté pan (large enough to hold all of the halved cherries in a single layer*) over medium high heat.  Add the oil and then the pork chops.  Sear, turning once, until the chops are nicely browned.  Transfer the pan to a preheated 400° oven and cook until the chops are done to your liking (an instant read thermometer will read between 130° and 135° for medium).  Total cooking time (including the time on the stove and in the oven) will be about 7 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chops.  Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the chops to a platter.

While the chops rest, make the sauce: Place the pan over medium-high heat and add the shallots and thyme.  Sauté until translucent and fragrant—a minute or so.  

Add the cherries.  Cook, shaking the pan, until the cherries are beginning to sizzle.  

Continuing to shake the pan, scatter the sugar over 

and cook until melted and beginning to caramelize.  

Increase the heat to high and add the balsamic vinegar and port.  Bring to a boil and cook until thickened.  (If the cherries are tender before the sauce is sufficiently reduced.  Remove the pan from the heat and using a slotted spoon, transfer the cherries to a plate.  Return the pan to the heat and continue to reduce the sauce.)  If you are not yet ready to serve the pork, set the pan aside. 

To serve, return the pan to high heat and bring the cherry sauce to a boil, adding any resting juices from the pork to the pan (and returning the cherries to the pan, if they have been removed).  Taste the sauce and add a squeeze of lemon juice if the sauce is overly sweet or flat in taste.  Season to taste with salt and a generous grinding of black pepper.  Swirl in the butter and spoon the cherries and their sauce over the pork (you may serve the chops whole, or slice each on a slight angle for a more elegant presentation).  Serve immediately.  Serves 6

* If you don’t have a sauté pan this large, use 2 smaller sauté pans.  Consolidate all of the cherries and reduced sauce to one of the pans for the final warming with the butter and pork resting juices.

(Recipe adapted from The Vineyard Kitchen—Menus Inspired by the Seasons, Maria Helm Sinskey)

Printable Version

A New Farmers' Market...and an Early Summer Vegetable Ragoût of New Fingerling Potatoes, Baby Carrots and the Last of the Shelling Peas

I recently decided that it was time to try a new farmers' market.  Since I tend to be a creature of habit...and I have made a habit of my old market (shopping there every Saturday during the growing season for more than fifteen years)...switching to another is kind of a big deal.   The reasons for the move are too numerous and personal to share.  I will only say here that it was time for a switch...at least for a while.  There are of course many things I will miss from my old market.  Two or three vendors in particular I will miss so much that I'll probably take the time to swing by my old market occasionally just to say hello and purchase some of my favorite items.  But for the most part I am enjoying the new one very, very much. 

My new market, the Brookside Farmers' Market, is not really new.  It has been around for more than 10 years.  I might have even visited once or twice before.  But for some reason it has never caught my fancy in quite the way it did when I wandered into the midst of the stalls a couple of weeks ago.  There is much at the Brookside Market that appeals:  It is an all local (everything comes from within 100 miles), all organic, vendor run market.  Best of all—as far as I'm concerned—is the fact that no re-sale is allowed.  The vendors are also the producers.  The consequent pride with which they display their products is evident in the beautiful, visual feast that greets you at each and every stall.  These vendors are intimately acquainted with their produce...and are pleased and proud to tell you about it. 

Since I have posted less frequently than usual in recent weeks, it would be tempting to assume that I might have been feeling a bit uninspired.  But this is not the case at all.  Rather, I have just been experiencing the normal busy-ness of June (looking back at the frequency of posting in previous Junes will bear this out).  I have actually been feeling more inspired by the beautiful things I have been bringing home with me from the Brookside Market...I just haven't had the time to write a post.  (If you follow me on Instagram, I have been trying to at least take a few pictures...).  It is my hope that my blog will reflect this newfound inspiration during the months ahead.    

In the mean time, I wanted share a simple and delicious early summer vegetable ragoût made with some of my recent market finds.  We have enjoyed it twice during the past week (it was that good!)—once with pork...and once with chicken.  Featuring true new fingerling potatoes (so new the skin can be simply rubbed off under running water), 

small and tender carrots, and sweet shelling peas (unfortunately, the last ones of the year), it is a perfect example of what I love about market cooking: There is nothing exotic...or complicated...about it.  Rather, the final dish is just a thoughtfully composed and carefully prepared combination of the best the season has to offer....   The goal is simply to allow each vegetable to shine.

I am of course including the recipe for the ragoût at the end of the post, but if you have never prepared a simple mixed vegetable ragoût, you might want to read the post I wrote a few years ago on how to build a seasonal vegetable ragoût. I think you will find it to be quite helpful—not only for preparing this particular ragoût, but also for creating your own ragoûts as the growing season progresses. 

If you would like to serve your ragoût as I did with pork or chicken, you can find instructions for cooking the pork in a post I wrote last spring (just omit the sage...  or not...  I'm sure it would be delicious....) and for cooking the chicken in a basics post from several years ago.  If you do choose to serve the ragoût with a pan-fried or roasted chop or cutlet of some kind, don't forget to deglaze the pan with a bit of white wine...or stock...or water...and then add these deglazings to the ragoût at the end.  This small step will add flavor and at the same time tie the meat to the ragoût, creating a more unified plate.

Finally, if you are looking at this post and thinking that you are just looking at a plain old dish of potatoes with the dreaded childhood combination of peas and carrots, I can assure you that this dish—when made with fresh, in-season ingredients—is a revelation of just how good these humble vegetables can be.

With a Pan-roasted Chicken Breast

  

Market Ragoût of New Fingerling Potatoes, Young Carrots & English Peas

1/2 T. olive oil

2 1/2 T. unsalted butter, divided

2/3 c. sliced spring or early summer onions, white and very pale green portions only (see notes)

1 fat clove garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

6 oz. young carrots (about four), trimmed, peeled and halved lengthwise (see notes)

8 oz. new fingerling potatoes, well scrubbed (the skin will rub off—see notes) and halved lengthwise

2/3 to 1 c. chicken (or vegetable) stock

3 oz. shelled peas (a generous half cup)

1 T. minced chives

1 1/2 T. minced flat leaf parsley

Deglazings from pan-roasted meats (optional)

Set a sauté pan that is wide enough to hold all the vegetables in a snug single layer over medium heat.  Add the oil and a tablespoon of butter.  When the butter is melted, add the onions, garlic and carrots along with a generous pinch of salt.  Gently sweat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are just tender—about 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes and stir to coat in the fat and onions.  

If the pan seems dry, add a bit more butter.  Season with salt.  Add stock to a depth of about 1/2 inch. 

Bring to a simmer.  Cover with a tight fitting lid, reduce the heat and simmer gently until the carrots and potatoes are just tender—about 15 minutes.  Add the peas, cover and continue to cook until the peas are tender...another 3 to 5 minutes. 

Uncover.  If you have pan deglazings from a cutlet or chop, add them now.  Taste and correct the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  If the ragout is too dry for your liking (the finished stew should be a bit broth-y...but how broth-y is up to you), add more stock or water...tasting and correcting the seasoning again.  Bring to a gentle simmer, add the herbs and swirl in the remaining butter.  Serve immediately.  Serves 2 (see notes).

Notes:

• To prepare the onions, trim the root and tough green and then split the onions lengthwise. If there is a fibrous or tough shoot in the center, remove and discard it. Cut the halves lengthwise in 1/2 to 3/4-inch intervals. Slice these strips thinly (1/4-inch or so) crosswise. 
• At this point in the season the dark green portions of the onions are becoming tough and bruised. If you are making a ragout earlier in the season and the green portions are still tender and fresh, by all means add them too...they may be added during the early stages of the cooking with the white of the onions, or tossed in at the end more like an herb. 
• You may leave some of the green tops (a half inch or so) on the carrots if they are nice and you prefer. If the carrots are very small (1/2-inch in diameter), it is not necessary to halve them lengthwise. 
• If your fingerlings are not "new", simply scrub them and leave the skin intact.
• If you are not comfortable estimating how long the peas will take to cook and you don't want to risk under or over cooked carrots and potatoes, you may blanch the peas separately in boiling salted water. Shock in an ice bath or under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Add with the herbs and butter. 
• This recipe is for two but it can obviously be increased to feed as many as you like. Simply make sure you choose a pan that will hold all of your vegetables in a snug single layer. A little overlap is OK...but if the vegetables don't have enough room to move you might end up with a mix of over and undercooked vegetables...it is better to use two pans...perhaps cooking the carrots in one and the potatoes in another...and combining them quickly at the end with blanched peas (see previous note), butter and herbs. 

Printable Version

With a Pan-Seared Pork Loin Chop

Simple Food for Everyday...Basmati Pilaf with Mushrooms, Peas and Sage...served with a Pan-seared Pork Chop...

At home I don't very often prepare a traditional "meat-veg-starch" kind of meal ...the kind many of us grew up eating....the kind a friend recently decried as boring as she bemoaned the state of her everyday cooking.  At the time I encouraged her that there is nothing wrong with good, basic fare that has been prepared at home from scratch...  But I think that most of us—no matter what our level of skill in the kitchen—feel as my friend feels at one time or another....  The fact is, we cook things on a daily basis with which we are familiar...things we can execute successfully—without too much effort.  The ability to do this should be viewed as a good thing...not something to apologize for.  Feeding ourselves and our families well is the goal, after all.  Unfortunately, food TV...and blogs...have conditioned us to think that every meal should be new, different, exciting...a photo opportunity.

I thought of my friend as I was preparing my meal on Tuesday evening this past week.  My week was hectic...and I was tired of pasta (it does happen occasionally...) so I grabbed a pork chop at the store while I shopped for clients.  At home I knew I had available starches (all kinds of grains....potatoes....) and a few vegetables from the market....and that with the addition of the pork chop a nice dinner would happen.  And it did.  And because the meat-veg-starch pattern is not my personal norm, it felt kind of special. 

I admit that when I got home I discovered my pantry wasn't as full as I had thought.  I didn't have any potatoes...and none of the vegetables I had were plentiful enough to become a side dish for two.  But I did have rice....and some English peas and spring onions from the market....as well as a few crimini mushrooms.  While gathering my ingredients, I stepped outside to see if I wanted to add some herbs and settled on some sage....traditional (some might say boring) and delicious with pork. 

Pulling all of this together quickly into a tasty meal is simply a matter of timing (thinking through the process before you jump in) and applying basic cooking skills (sweating, sautéing, blanching, pan-searing, roasting, resting...).  If you are a novice, this is a daunting task.  Anyone who has mastered all of this should feel great about it....not inadequate.  Helping people to do this every day is one of the reasons I teach cooking classes and keep a food blog.

I organized this particular meal around the preparation of the pilaf, knowing that the cooking of everything that went into the pilaf...plus the cooking and resting of the pork...could be accomplished in the time it would take the pilaf to cook.  The sage I grabbed at the last minute turned out to be a wonderful unifying element...added to the mushrooms at the end of the cooking...and also to the pan with the pork chop (enabling me to drizzle buttery, sage-infused pork drippings over each plate).  I didn't time the meal, but I think it was only about half an hour...maybe a bit more...from the time I picked the sage to the moment when I folded the mushrooms and peas into the finished pilaf and sliced the rested pork. 

So, I wonder, was this meal boring?  Perhaps to some.  But to me, it was just the thing for a busy weeknight:  Quick, simple and absolutely delicious.  Every meal should be so boring.

Basmati Pilaf with Mushrooms, Peas and Sage

2 large spring onions, white and pale green portions diced (you should have about 1/2 cup) and a few inches of the green, thinly sliced cross-wise (to make 3 or 4 T.)

3 T. butter, divided

1/2 c. Basmati rice

a scant cup chicken stock

salt & pepper

4 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick

1/2 cup shelled peas

3 large sage leaves, cut into a fine chiffonade (about 1 T.)

In a small saucepan with a tight fitting lid, melt half of the butter over medium heat.  Add the white and pale green portions of the onion along with a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are tender and translucent—about 5 minutes.  While the onions cook, heat the stock to a simmer and keep hot.

When the onions are tender, add the rice and continue to cook for a couple of minutes or until the rice is well-coated with butter and has begun to turn opaque.  

Add the hot stock and a pinch of salt.  Bring the rice to a rapid boil.  Cover reduce the heat to very low (or, transfer to a 375° oven) and cook for 16 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat (or, the oven).  Scatter the thinly sliced green of the onions over the rice, cover again and let stand for 5 minutes. 

While the rice cooks prepare the mushrooms and peas.  Blanch the peas in boiling salted water until tender.  Drain and shock under cold running water.  (If using frozen peas, simply thaw by rinsing under hot tap water.)  Set aside.  Melt a tablespoon of butter in a medium sauté pan set over moderate heat.  Add the mushrooms, along with a pinch of salt and gently stew the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until any liquid they have released evaporates and the mushrooms begin to sizzle and brown in the butter.  Taste and correct the seasoning.  Add the sage chiffonade and toss to combine...adding the last of the butter if the pan seems dry.  Remove from the heat and set aside. 

When the pilaf has rested for 5 minutes, fold in the mushrooms and peas.  Taste and correct the seasoning.  Serves 2

Note: Recipe is easily doubled..or tripled.  As you increase the size of the recipe...and therefore the size of the pan...choose pans that are wider than they are tall.

Printable Recipe

Pan-seared Pork Loin chop with Sage

Place a heavy sauté pan (cast iron or French steel are perfect) that is just large enough to hold the pork over medium-high to high heat.  While the pan heats, pat the surfaces of the pork dry with a paper towel and season the pork chop(s) well with salt and pepper.  Add a thin film of oil to the pan—when the oil ripples and a faint wisp of smoke appears, add the pork to the pan.  Regulate the heat to maintain an active sizzle (you will probably have to reduce the heat slightly).  When the pork is golden brown on the first side (after a couple of minutes), turn it over to brown the other side.  When the second side is golden brown, reduce the heat slightly and if you have thick chops, briefly place the chops on their edges, rotating and moving so that all of the edges are lightly seared. 

Return the pork to their first sides and add some butter to the pan (2 to 3 teaspoons per chop) and allow it to melt and foam.  For each chop add 2 large...or 3 or 4 small...sage leaves (tearing large leaves in halves or thirds) to the butter.  Turn the chops over a couple of time to coat and baste them in the sage and butter.  At this point you may continue to cook them on the stove top...or (and this is my preference) transfer them to a 375° oven to finish the cooking.  Whichever you choose, continue to turn the chops occasionally to baste them with the butter and encourage them to cook evenly. 

You should cook the pork to the doneness that you prefer.  I like mine to be juicy...with a faint touch of pink...which occurs just under 140°, so I remove my pork from the pan/oven when it is somewhere between 130° and 135° (the temperature will continue to increase as the pork rests).  When it has reached the temperature you like, remove the pork from the pan and pour the sage-infused butter and drippings over the pork.  Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.  Slice (if you like) and serve with the drippings poured over. 

The length of cooking time will depend on the thickness of the pork chops, but for a chop that is around an inch thick, it reaches my desired temperature in about 12 to 15 minutes from the time I put it in the pan. 

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Spaghetti & Meatballs

I came late in life to the spaghetti and meatball party...  I don't think I ever had them growing up. If I did, they made no impression. By the time I began my career in food, classic Italian-American fare had fallen out of favor. Then, a few years ago, Gourmet published an entire issue devoted to the glories of Italian-American food. I was completely drawn in by this food tradition that I knew so little about. I read the magazine cover to cover and then, on a cold Saturday afternoon, made the recipe for Spaghetti and Meatballs. It was admittedly a lot of work. But it was more than worth it. When we finally sat down to eat, I could not believe how good they were.

Now, at least once a year, I make a batch. I enjoy some right away and then tuck the rest away in the freezer. There, they are my rainy day fund...perfect for those times at the end of a long day...or series of days... when cooking the kind of pampering, soothing meal that I really need is just out of the question. They were perfect for today. (I'm so glad I had them in my freezer.) If you have never had Spaghetti and Meatballs....or if you have, and they left a lot to be desired...I encourage you to make these. I still can't believe how good they are.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

For tomato sauce:
3 (28-oz) cans whole tomatoes in juice (preferably San Marzano)
1 medium onion (about 8 oz.), finely diced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely minced

For meatballs:
1 medium onion (about 8 oz.), finely diced
2 to 4 T. extra-virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 1/2 cups torn day-old Italian bread (about 60 grams trimmed weight)
3/4 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
2 oz. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2/3 c.)
3 T. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 t. dried oregano, crumbled
grated lemon zest of 1/2 a lemon (see notes)
2 1/4 lb ground meat (see notes)
olive or vegetable oil for frying the meatballs

For pasta:
1 lb. dried spaghetti
olive oil
grated Parmigiano-Reggiano


Make sauce:
Pass the tomatoes, along with their juice through a food mill fitted with the coarse disc.

Warm the olive oil in a 5 to 6-quart shallow saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onions along with a pinch of salt and sweat, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden—about 10 to 20 minutes.

Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant—about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, 1 t. kosher salt (see notes), and 1/2 t. freshly ground pepper. Simmer sauce, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 1 to 1 1/4 hour. Taste and correct the seasoning with salt.

Make meatballs while sauce simmers:
Warm 2 T. of olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions along with a pinch of salt and sweat, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden—about 10 to 20 minutes. Add more oil as needed if the onions seem dry. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant—about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, soak the bread in the milk until soft, about 5 minutes.

Firmly squeeze bread to remove excess milk, discarding the milk. Stir together cooled onion mixture, bread, eggs, parmesan, parsley, oregano, lemon zest (if using), 2 t. kosher salt, and 1/2 t. freshly ground pepper until combined. Add meats to bread mixture, gently mixing with your hands until just combined (do not over mix).

Form meat mixture into small balls (weighing about 20 gr./3/4 oz. each) with dampened hands, arranging meatballs on large baking sheets or in shallow baking pans.

Heat some olive or vegetable oil (about 1/4-inch deep) in a 12-inch heavy cast-iron (or other nonstick) skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown meatballs in batches (without crowding), turning frequently, about 5 minutes per batch. Return to baking sheets (This is not an insignificant step...if transferred directly to the sauce, they will make the sauce greasy. If allowed to sit on the sheets for a minute or two, some of the surface oil will drain off and be left behind on the sheet pan.)

Add the meatballs to the sauce, cover and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through and tender—about 30 to 45 minutes. (The meatballs have the best flavor and texture if they are allowed to sit in the sauce for a while before serving—up to an hour or two at room temperature—reheat to serve.)

Prepare pasta:
Cook the spaghetti in 6 quarts of rapidly boiling water seasoned with 2 to 3 T. salt. Stir occasionally and cook until the spaghetti is al dente. Drain. Return the spaghetti to the pot and toss with some of the sauce and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with meatballs, remaining sauce, and grated cheese. Serves 8.

Notes:
• Traditionally the ground meats used are a combination of 3/4 lb. ground beef, 3/4 lb. ground pork and 3/4 lb. ground veal—but you may use any combination of meats that you prefer. It is however important that the majority of the meat that you choose be from fattier cuts—beef chuck, pork shoulder, etc. The meatballs need to have fat for flavor, tenderness and moisture. If they are made with lean meats they will tend to be hard and dry. The naturally lean veal contributes collagen which acts as a binder—without it, the meatballs can be a bit meal-y. If you can't get (or choose not to eat) veal, substitute dark meat (thighs and legs) of chicken or turkey.

• The original recipe called for 2 t. salt in the sauce. You may or may not need this much salt, depending on the brand of tomatoes that you purchase—the sodium content varies widely among brands.

• You may of course brown the meatballs in the oven instead of frying them—although the result will not be quite as nice. To brown in the oven, spread the meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 450° until browned, or alternatively, broil them.

• Traditional Italian-American style meatballs are quite large—perhaps twice as large as directed here. I prefer smaller meatballs. But you should feel free to make the meatballs as large as you like. Adjust the cooking time accordingly.

• Even if you don't need the full recipe, it's a good idea to go ahead and make the whole thing in order to make it worth the time invested. Meatballs freeze beautifully (see below). If you have the equipment, you might consider doubling the recipe. To make this size recipe it will take about 3 hours from start to finish—although you will only be actively cooking for about 2 hours of that time.

• Meatballs can be made and simmered in sauce 5 days ahead and chilled (covered once cool). They may also be frozen in the sauce in an airtight container or heavy-duty sealable bags up to 3 months (or longer if you have a freezer that holds a consistent temperature of zero).

(Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine January 2009)

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