Pan Seared Center Cut Pork Chop with lemon

Today was cold and grey day and felt like snow but it didn't…..thank goodness!!!  So, I decided this was a good day to have the oven on and made this Pork Chop for lunch, I served it with Broccoli Rabe and White Rice…..a real nice treat.  It is very easy, remember it's all about taste.

Pork Chop:

1 center cut pork chop

juice of one lemon, plus the zest

Parsley, about half handful

micro greens, you can find these in the vegetable section of your supermarket

salt & pepper

olive oil

1 garlic clove, sliced thin

To marinate, put about small amount of olive oil in a non reactive dish, add the pepper, juice of one lemon and parsley and mix, then rub this all over the pork chop.  Place in the refrigerator for about one hour.  Do not add salt when marinating.

To cook the pork chop:

Preheat oven to 190 C / 375 F. After one hour remove the pork chops from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.  After it has come to room temperature, sprinkle with salt to taste.

In a heavy bottom pan, place a small amount of oil just to cover the bottom of the pan, and add the pork chop, cook 4 -5 minutes till browned.  Once browned, turn over and place into the oven for about 6 minutes.  When done, remove from the oven and cover with foil to let it rest.  Now you can cook the broccoli rabe.  

Broccoli Rabe:

Clean the broccoli rabe and trim if needed, wash and let drain.  In a stock pot bring water to a boil and add  salt and broccoli rabe and let it cook for just about a minute.  Drain and let sit. In a sauté pan add about a tablespoon of olive oil, add the sliced garlic and cook.  Do not over cook the garlic, once it is brown you can remove it from the pan or leave it in.   Add the broccoli rabe and put cover on the pan.  Stir the broccoli rabe in the pan and add salt and pepper to taste.  It does not take too long to cook, just a minute or so….then turn off the gas.

You are ready to plate.  Put some broccoli rabe on  a plate, place the pork chop on top and drizzle with some nice extra virgin olive oil, then place some micro greens on top and the zest of one lemon.

I served this with white rice

Thanksgiving

What does Thanksgiving mean to me?  

Thanksgiving is the end of the Harvest season and time to give thanks for the harvest, and spending time with family.  For me, being in an Italian family it means lots of food.  We use to have pasta at beginning, but had to remove it from the menu because there is always so much food.

Living in New England this time of the year is exciting, there is definitely a chill and the air, the leaves are just about gone and that means snow is on the way.  And it's the beginning of the Christmas season.

How do I celebrate Thanksgiving?

We have a very large dining room table that is filled with family, lots of noise and conversation.   Once we get to the house where dinner is being served, we start with a toast to the family members who are no longer with us.  Then the chaos begins, with several bottles of good red wine, and the wonderful dinner.

What kind of dishes do we serve?

The traditional kinds of dishes for this holiday:

Turkey that is roasted without stuffing (but we do make stuffing and make it separate from the Turkey).

Sausage / potato stuffing

Brussell sprouts, or string beans

Stuffed artichokes

Homemade bread 

Roasted chestnuts with red wine ( this is usually at the end of the meal before coffee or desserts)

Italian coffee with Sambuca, this is suppose to help us digest

Desserts:

Pumpkin pie

Squash pie

Italian pizzelles

Canolis filled with ricotta cheese 

What is my favourite:  

My favorite is the stuffed artichokes,  cranberry sauce (we are lucky to have so many cranberry bogs in Massachusetts, and the harvest of the cranberries just happened the end of October.  Of course red wine,  and finishing touch the italian coffee.

Here are a few fotos of the foods that we have.  

Stuffed Artichokes

Sausage / Potato stuffing

Pizzelles 

I want to thank Catherine Bedson from farmhousehome for asking me to describe Thanksgiving in the US.

I will post more fotos after Thanksgiving so that you can see what it all looks like. 

Today was very hot, sunny and there was a little breeze.  I didn't realize hot it was till I started to grill.  But the end product was worth it.

Grilled Coffee rubbed skirt steak with, grilled artichokes and potatoes

So, this is really easy and I have posted the coffee rubbed  a little while ago.  This is a really delicious dish.  I use only Hardwood Charcoal......

Ingredients:

baby artichokes 8, or more if you wish, they are so good
small red potatoes, cut into thin slices, 4
skirt steak, 1.5 kg 
olive oil

Salsa;
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into small pieces
2 garlic cloves mashed
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil to taste
basil about 4 large leaves, cut into chiffonade
parsley about a hand full, minced


Method:

Salsa:
Mix all the salsa ingredients together and let sit for a few hours.



Coffee rub:
3 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons finely ground coffee
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
salt & pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix everything together and put into a jar.  You may want to make more because it is so good.


Take the meat and rub it with the coffee rub all over and let it sit for a bit.

For the baby artichokes, clean and cut in half and blanch in lemon water for about 15 minutes.  When done remove and let them drain.  When drained rub with olive oil and salt and pepper and let them sit.

For the potatoes, slice into thin slices, rub with olive oil and salt and pepper.

Start the grill and when coals are grey, cook the meat, artichokes and potatoes.

When done, slice the meat and add the salsa if you wish

It's Summer and what else to have this wonderful summer day than a great seafood lunch!!!  Been thinking of Lobster for the last week, when I got up this morning I thought, that is what is for lunch....

Ingredients:

Lobster

shrimp

mussels

clams

olive oil

garlic

parsley

crostini

Enjoy!!!  if you need me to give you a "recipe"  please connect with me.  And don't forget to have some cold wine ready.... A really yummy dish and so refreshing!  Enjoy!

Coffee Rubbed Grilled Steak Tips with Chimichurri

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons finely ground coffee
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons of sea salt
black pepper to taste
1 garlic clove mashed up fine
600 grams (1 to 1.5 lbs) steak tips (or any other steak you wish)
3 red or yellow bell peppers, cut into thick strips
Tomato chimichurri  to follow

Method:
1. Combine the first  six ingredients, rub over both sides of the steak and let it sit for a few hours.
2.  Grill the steak and peppers 5 to 7 minutes each side or until desired degree on doneness.
Let the steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing, this is important.  
3.  Serve the steak and peppers with the salsa.
Makes about 4 servings

Chimichurri:
3/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
125 ml / 4 oz of extra virgin in olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
diced plum tomatoes (3)
Mix all ingredients

Enjoy

Green Curry Chicken:

I love thai food and have cooked it for many years, this is one of my favorite chicken dishes and I love the Green Curry Paste.  The dish is easy and quick..

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cut up 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
kaffir lime leaves (3), but if you can't find them you can use the zest from a lime
lemongrass 1 - 2 stalks
2 x 400ml coconut milk
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
red chili cut up, if you wish

Serve with steamed rice

Method:

In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil over medium heat .  Add the chicken pieces skin side down, and cook for about 4 -5 minutes or so, then remove to a plate and keep warm.

Add the curry and ginger to the pan and cook for a minute or so, then add the lime leaf, lemongrass and coconut milk, bring to a boil then lower to a simmer, add the chicken and cook over medium covered for about 25 minutes.  Temperature of chicken should be 70C/160F.

Top with cilantro and red chili sliced if you wish.

Asparagus Quiche

Quiche, yummy and filling,  great lunch with salad.  Many people think that quiche is not in anymore....wrong, it's everywhere in France.  Since Asparagus is in season and so good this time of the year, I decided to make it for lunch with a friend. 

Ingredients:


FOR THE CRUST:


200g  (1 1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
100g  (1 stick  ) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
pinch of salt
5 tablespoons of very cold water (you made need a little more to combine the crust)


1.  Combine the flour, cut up pieces of butter, salt and mix in a food processor,  add the ice water till the dough comes together.


2.  Once it it combined, remove from the processor and kneed on a floured surface. Roll out into a circle and place into a tart pan then into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.  It is important that the dough cool.


3.  Preheat your oven to 175C (350F).  When the oven is up to temperature, remove the crust from the refrigerator, dock the the crust (prick it with a fork), this will prevent it from bubbling up. Place aluminum foil on the crust and fill with dry beans.  


4.  Place this into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and remove the alum foil and beans.  Return the crust to the oven to bake another 5 to 10 min till it begins to change color.  Remove when done.


5.  Fill the blind bake crust with the filling ingredients.  Mix the custard and pour onto the quiche and place into the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes.

                                            The crust filled w/beans to be blind baked


FOR THE FILLING:


Asparagus, blanched and cut into small pieces, 1 bunch
Salt and Pepper to taste
Gruyere cheese, cut into small pieces - 100g (3.5 oz), 
a few grates of fresh nutmeg
2 pieces of green onion (scallion), cut into small pieces




Meanwhile prepare the custard, I got this recipe from a French friend of mine and it works perfect every time.


FOR THE CUSTARD:


2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
fresh parsley chopped
green onion, chopped
nutmeg
125 ml (1/2 cup) milk
125 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream


Whisk together, and pour over the quiche filling in the crust  and bake.