Pork Chops With Peas, Radishes, and Mint

Pork Chops With Peas, Radishes and Mint

With its combination of peas, radishes, and mint, this dish encapsulates the flavors of spring. The pork chops are bathed in a sizzling spice butter and nestled among vegetables, which soak up the rich juices. Excerpted from her latest book. Melissa Clark’s philosophy of ease and enjoyment in the kitchen, and that means that you should swap in whatever vegetables you prefer when making these pork chops. She suggests broccoli, spinach, and new potatoes as options.
Ingredients:
4 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 teaspoons aromatic spice blend (such as baharat) or garam masala
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
4 (1 1/4-inch-thick) bone-in, center-cut pork chops (about 12 ounces each)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 large (1 1/2-ounce) shallot, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
2 cups fresh or unthawed frozen English peas (from 1 [10-ounce] package)
1 cup thinly sliced radishes (about 4 ounces)
1/4 cup water
Cooked couscous (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, flat-leaf parsley, or additional mint
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
Flaky sea salt

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir together garlic, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, spice blend, and black pepper. Rub mixture all over pork chops; let stand 10 minutes.

   Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high in a large ovenproof skillet. Add pork chops, and sear, undisturbed, until dark golden brown on bottoms, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip pork chops, and sear, undisturbed, until dark golden brown on other side, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer pork chops to a plate.

   Reduce heat under skillet to medium, and add remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Stir in shallot, and cook until lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add peas, radishes, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and additional pepper to taste, stirring to coat with skillet juices. Stir in 1/4 cup water, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet using a wooden spoon.

   Nestle pork chops in pea mixture in skillet; and transfer to preheated oven. Roast until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of pork chops registers 135°F, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let rest 10 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise to 140°F.)

   Serve pork chops with couscous, if using. Sprinkle evenly with herbs and lemon zest, and garnish with flaky sea salt.  Serves 4

Irish Seafood Stew

                               

                                     Irish Seafood Stew

Fisherman’s Stew consists of fresh seafood mixed with amazing herbs and spices. Pair it with a nice Irish Whiskey on the side – you can’t go wrong!  The recipe is pretty simple and easy to prepare. You basically create a delicious broth, throw in the seafood and serve hot with a side of crusty bread. 

Ingredients:

1 cup crushed tomatoes, or fresh chopped tomatoes
2 cups fish stock
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ very thinly sliced fennel bulb (must be fresh!!)
½ cup white wine
¼ cup chopped parsley
8 ounces firm white fish, halibut or sea bass, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
8 peeled and deveined raw shrimp
8 ounces cleaned, ready to cook calamari
12 muscles, scrubbed clean
12 clams, scrubbed clean
Salt to taste
Crusty bread on the side (great for dipping!)

Directions:
Combine tomatoes, red pepper flakes and water into a medium sized bowl. Pour all into a blender or food processor- blend until smooth. Set aside.

Cut white fish into 1 ½ chunks to match the other seafoods size. Set aside. Clean all other seafood and set aside.

Melt butter and olive oil in a large pot on medium heat.

Add in sliced fennel, garlic and salt. Cook and stir until the garlic takes on color – about 1 minute. Stir in white wine. Let it simmer until reduced by about half – 2 to 3 minutes.

Combine tomato puree and white wine mixture. Bring to a boil. Continue to boil until fennel is tender – 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and add seasonings as needed.

Stir in parsley, white fish, shrimp and calamari. Then add in clams and mussels. Cover, increase heat to high and cook until clam and mussel shells open. White fish, shrimp and calamari should be opaque in

color – about 5 minutes of cooking.

You’re done! Pour into serving bowls, add some chunky bread on the side and pour yourself an Irish Whiskey.

Harissa Beef Kebabs With Herbed Couscous

Harissa Beef Kababs With Herbed Couscous

Ingredients
2 Top Sirloin steaks ‒ trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 large red and yellow peppers ‒ cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 red onions ‒ cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
8-10 wooden skewers or metal skewers
(soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes before using)

Marinade:
1/2 cup Harissa paste ‒ Mina’s brand is my favorite
3 garlic cloves ‒ minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Couscous
Olive oil
2 cups pearled couscous
2 1/2 cups water or stock
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup mixed herbs ‒ parsley, chives, cilantro, mint and dill ‒ chopped
1/4 cup preserved lemon or 2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 T lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Prepare meat and vegetables, cutting into cubes. Prepare marinade. In a large bowl toss steak, peppers and onions with 1/3 cup marinade and coat well. Cover and let marinate on the counter for 30-45 minutes. Reserve remaining marinade for serving.

To prepare the couscous, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium pot, add couscous, stirring to coat until toasted about 1-2 minutes. Add water/stock and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until couscous is tender about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Fluff with fork and let cool. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. Just before serving add herbs, preserved lemon, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Thread each skewer with meat, peppers and onion and repeat to fill skewer. Repeat on all skewers ensuring not to overcrowd each skewer. Brush with marinade from bowl. Grill kebab on a preheated grill 8-10 minutes turning each kebab every 2 minutes until browned all sides. Transfer to serving platter. Serve with couscous and garnish with lemon wedges and remaining reserved fresh marinade sauce. Serves 4-6.

Serve with Malbec and or Zinfandel Wine

Couscous Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad

Couscous Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:
3/4 cup couscous
1 cup water
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
1 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups baby spinach, cut into small pieces
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
half a red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped pistachios (optional)

Lime Basil Vinaigrette
1 bunch of fresh basil (1/2 cup packed)
1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 1–2 limes (to taste)
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 to 1/2 cup water, if needed

Directions:
Pulse all dressing ingredients in a food processor until smooth-ish.

Cook couscous in 1 cup water, according to package directions. Fluff with a fork and cool.

Place sweet potatoes in a skillet with about 1/2 cup water and a sprinkle of salt. Cover and simmer until fork-tender. Drain and set aside to cool.

Toss all ingredients together with dressing, season with salt and pepper, and serve! (OR, store each ingredient individually for salads throughout the week.)

Polenta Cous Cous ~ Vegetarian

Polenta Cous Cous

This vibrant dish brings together influences from the north and south of Italy.   Cous cous might not be the first food that comes to mind when one thinks of Italy, but these delightful minuscule pearls of crushed durum wheat are a staple of Sicilian cuisine, introduced to the island during the Arab rule. Though their reign lasted from 837 to 902 AD, their influences permanently impacted the cuisine, with couscous being just one of the preparations that have withstood the millennium that has elapsed since the Arab's departure.

This recipe couples the southern staple with corn flour, the basis of polenta, the velvety, hearty darling of the north. Corn and Veggie Cous Cous

Ingredients:
14 oz. corn couscous
9 oz. turnip florets
9 oz. cleaned broccoli
4 oz. cleaned turnip tops
1 fennel
1 purple carrot
1 yellow carrot
1 orange carrot
fresh coriander
extra-virgin olive oil
salt

Directions:
Boil 2 cups water 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Remove from the stove, add the couscous, let rest for 5 minutes, then spread it evenly on a tray with a fork.

Clean the vegetables, cut into 3” cubes and blanch in salted water.   Add the fennel and carrots,
then after 4 minutes the purple cauliflower and
after 1 minute, the broccoli.
Cook for 3 more minutes, then add the turnip tops.
Drain everything after 1 minute.

Flavor the veggies in a pan with 5-6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil for 3-4 minutes, salt to taste.

Heat (do not fry), 6-7 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil with 3-4 freshly cut coriander sprigs.

Put the couscous on a serving dish, evenly sprinkle the veggies, season with the coriander-flavored oil, and add salt flakes to taste. Serve at once.  Serves 4

To easily remove polenta residue from the pan when you’re finished, fill it up with water and place it on the stove. Boiling will melt the crust off the bottom.

Jerusalem Kodafa Cake

Jerusalem Kodafa Cake

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 cups couscous
1 1/2 cups honey, divided
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup cottage cheese
3/4 cup pistachios or almonds, chopped
1/2 cup water, room temperature
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2-3 pinches saffron threads (or 1/2 teaspoon
   cinnamon)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
Set 2 1/4 cups of water to boil.

Place couscous in a large bowl and pour boiling water over the top.

Stir well and let soak until water is completely absorbed and couscous is cooked. About 30 minutes.

Using a fork (or your fingers), fluff the couscous to break up any lumps and stir in cubed butter. Then add beaten egg and salt.

Preheat oven to 400º F and spread 1/2 cooked couscous mixture into a 10-inch springform pan or baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix together ricotta and cottage cheeses, then pour in 1/4 cup honey and stir well.

Gently spread cheese mixture over the couscous and even out the top. Spread remaining couscous over the cheese and pat down carefully.

Place pan in oven and bake for 12 minutes.

While baking, combine remaining honey, water and saffron threads in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Cook for around 6 minutes, or until thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Remove kodafa from oven and turn on broiler. Cook for 1-3 minutes, or until golden brown crust has formed.

Sprinkle chopped nuts over the top of the cake and top immediately with honey syrup.

Cut into slices and serve warm.