Green Beans Almondine

Pick green beans that are about the same size and not too fat. Top and tail them and wash them. You’ll probably need to cut them. If you can leave them in about 6” lengths, do so. Otherwise, go ahead and cut them in about 1-1/2” pieces. The longer ones look more elegant but aren’t as easy to eat. Cook them in boiling salted water until tender-crisp. I like all of the raw taste gone but I want them to still have a bit of bite. Mom likes hers cooked to death. Cook them however suits your family. As soon as they’re done, drain them and set them aside. Throw out the water. In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter. Add 1/2 cup of slivered or sliced almonds. Heat for a couple of seconds, add the green beans, toss everything together, and serve. You can cook the beans ahead of time, if you want, and then reheat them in the butter at the last minute. 

Red Bean and Celery Root Soup

• 1 cup small red beans
• 1 celery root, peeled and cut into quarter-inch dice
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 medium-sized onion, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4 teaspoons white distilled vinegar or lemon juice, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Put the beans and four cups water in a pot and bring to boil. Turn off heat and let sit, covered, for one hour.
2. Bring the contents of the pot to boil again. Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
3. Add the vegetables and herbs.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes or until beans are tender, adding more water if needed.
5. Season to taste with salt, pepper, vinegar, and olive oil.
6. Simmer for another 15 minutes to let flavors blend.
Adapted from the December 26, 1982 New York Times version of a Madhur Jaffrey recipe.

Chickweed & Arugula Pesto

A variation on basic pesto, this sauce is perfect in late winter/early spring when chickweed is one of the few fresh greens available in the garden.

1 cup of packed arugula leaves, stems removed

1 cup packed chickweed leaves

1/2 cup of toasted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 garlic clove peeled and minced (or a few garlic cloves un peeled, if you have time to roast them)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Brown garlic cloves with their peels on in a skillet over medium high heat until the garlic is lightly browned in places, about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pan, cool, and remove the skins.

Toast the nuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly brown.

Food processor method (the fast way): Combine the arugula, chickweed, salt, sunflowers, roasted garlic into a food processor. Pulse while drizzling the olive oil into the processor. Add the Parmesan cheese and pulse. Remove the mixture from the processor and put it into a bowl.

Mortar and pestle method: Combine the nuts, salt and garlic in a mortar. With the pestle, grind until smooth. Add the cheese and olive oil, grind again until smooth. Finely chop the arugula and add it to the mortar. Grind up with the other ingredients until smooth.

Because the pesto is so dependent on the individual ingredients, and the strength of the ingredients depends on the season or variety, test it and add more of the ingredients to taste.

Serve with pasta, over freshly roasted potatoes, or as a sauce for pizza. 

Yield: Makes 1 heaping cup.

Magic Dust Seasoning Mix

(from a recipe at about.com)

1/2 cup paprika

1/4 cup kosher salt, finely ground (or regular table salt)

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons mustard powder

1/4 cup chili powder

1/4 cup ground cumin

2 tablespoons ground black pepper

1/4 cup granulated garlic

2 tablespoons cayenne

Mix all ingredients and store in a tightly covered container. Keep in a shaker next to the stove and use on meats. Keeps indefinitely.

Pork Seasoning Mix #1

(from a recipe at foodnetwork.com)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container in a cool dark cupboard.

Cream of Whatever Soup Mix

(this is Maxine Von Risen’s recipe, from the Stamford (Nebr.) Centennial Cookbook, via soar.berkeley.edu)

2 c non-fat dry milk

3/4 c cornstarch

1/4 c instant chicken bouillon (veggie bouillon?)

2 T dried onion flakes

1 t crushed dried thyme

1 t crushed dried basil

1/2 t pepper

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

To use: To substitute for one can of condensed cream of something soup, mix 1/3 cup of dry mix with 1-1/4 c water in a saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened. Add cheese, mushroom bits, or celery to duplicate the canned soup called for in the recipe. In my not-so-humble opinion, there’s really not much difference in taste between the different kinds of cream of whatever soups. Mostly it’s just something that holds the casserole together. So, while it won’t hurt to add some mushrooms or celery or whatever, it probably isn’t necessary.

Smokey Cacoa Nibs Encrusted Pork Chops

Cacoa nibs are bits of cacao seeds that have been processed almost to the point of being ground for cocoa powder or made into chocolate bars. They’ve been dried, fermented, roasted and crushed. You’ve heard of the health benefits of dark chocolate? Well, cacao nibs are even better for you because they’re just the chocolate part without any sugar or milk or other additions. They’re bitter because they have so many flavonoids, the antioxidant for which dark chocolate is known. Don’t worry – the recipe isn’t for chocolate coated pork chops! Cacao nibs smell like dark chocolate but have just a hint of chocolate flavor. You can buy cacao nibs at Bloomingfoods in the bulk foods section. One fourth cup should weigh about one ounce.

(based on a recipe at thisissogood.wordpress.com)

¼ cup Cacao Nibs

1 Tablespoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 pork chops (about 2 pounds total)

3 Tablespoons fat, preferably bacon grease or butter

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Using a spice grinder, crush the nibs to the size of tiny pebbles - only 1 or 2 pulses. (If you don’t have a spice mill, place the nibs on a cutting board and pulverize them with the bottom of a heavy pan. Just don’t pulverize them too small.) Combine with the paprika, salt, and cayenne. Rub the pork chops with half of the mixture, saving the other half for the second side of the chops when they are in the pan. Let the chops sit for about 15 minutes to come to room temperature. When you are ready to fry the chops, melt the fat in an oven-proof skillet. Let it get nice and hot and then place the pork chops, seasoned side down, in the pan. Fry for 2 minutes. While they are frying, coat the bare side of the chops with the remaining cacao nibs mixture. After 2 minutes, the chops should lift easily from the pan with some tongs. If they are sticking, give them 30 seconds to a minute more. Flip and fry the second side for 2 minutes. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven for 5 minutes, then check for doneness. If done, remove them to a heated (yes, that’s what the recipe says, but I don’t think I’ve ever heated a plate or platter my life!) platter and let them rest for a few minutes. If you leave them in the pan to rest they will continue to cook and will probably end up overdone, dry and tough.

Easy Mustard Pork Chops

(from a recipe at lowsopaleo.com)

4 thin cut, bone in pork chops (about 2 lbs total)

1 tablespoon prepared mustard (Dijon or other)

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp olive oil

Optional: 1/4 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

Pepper & salt to taste

Mix mustard, garlic powder & olive oil into a smooth paste. Add parsley if you’re using it.

Lay out the pork chops and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slather mustard mix on pork chops, stack them on top of each other, and set aside for 10 minutes or so. Line a baking pan with foil, and lay the pork chops in it. Set the broiler on low and put the pork chops on a rack about 4” or 5” from the broiler. Broil for 3 minutes. Take them out and flip them over and broil for 3-4 minutes more, or until the tops have started to brown well. Check for doneness; different ovens broil differently, and the thickness of the chops will affect the cooking time.

Pork Chops (with Indian Seasonings)

(based on a recipe at janssushibar.com)

4 pork chops (about 2 pounds total)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon turmeric

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

pinch ground cloves

pinch cayenne pepper

pinch allspice

2 tablespoons drippings or other cooking fat

Mix all of the ingredients except the pork chops and drippings in a small bowl. Rub the pork chops with the spice mixture and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Melt the lard in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork chops until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Lower the temperature to medium-low; cover and continue to cook until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145 F, another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the chops from the skillet; cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Pork and Sauces

Pork takes well to a number of sauces. BBQ sauce is a natural, as are the sweet Chinese sauces like hoisin sauce. Something that’s used a lot in casseroles is Cream of Mushroom Soup. The simplest version is simply a can of soup, possibly diluted with a bit of milk or cream, poured over the chops (browned if you have time, not browned if you don’t) and baked. Serve it with broccoli or other vegetables and use the soup as a gravy. Of course, it’s better if you use homemade Cream of Whatever Soup instead of the canned stuff. Curry sauces are good with pork, as are some salsas. Pan gravy is great with it. Sauces with peanuts and peanut butter are good, too.

Pork and Vegetables

Most vegetables go well with pork. Ones that are traditionally associated with pork include:

Cabbage
Sauerkraut
Mushrooms
Acorn and other winter squash
Green beans
Peas
Broccoli
Corn
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Greens
Sweet potatoes

Dried beans and other legumes go well with pork, too, specially split peas and white beans.

Pork and Fruit

Pork goes well with fruit.  Pork and apple sauce is a classic. Other possibilities include cherries, pineapple, peaches, plums, nectarines, cranberries, oranges, pears, and mangos. Try opening a can of something and either marinating the pork chops in the juice or using the fruit to make a sauce or glaze after the chops are cooked. Or heat the fruit up with a spice or two and serve it on the side, like you would applesauce with cinnamon.

Some people don’t like fruit with meat. The complaint I’ve usually heard is that it’s too sweet. If you feel this way, try something less sweet. Instead of pineapple in heavy syrup or cherries in syrup or sweetened applesauce, try a fruit salsa. The heat from the peppers may balance out the sweetness of the fruit enough to make it work for you. Or a relish made of cranberries and oranges without sugar. The tartness of the cranberries may offset the sweetness of the orange enough for you.

Pork Chops and Herbs

First, herbs and spices that go well with pork. Just about everything, actually! Think of all the different cuisines that use pork, and the different seasonings that each uses. Chinese. Mexican. German. Italian. Thai. French. English. And many more. They have each found a way to use their traditional seasonings with pork.

Here’s a partial list that I combined from half a dozen web sites. Basil, bay leaf, caraway seeds, chili peppers, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, curry powder, dill, fennel, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, lemon grass, lemon juice, lime juice, mint, mustard, onions, orange juice, oregano, paprika, parsley, pepper, pickle juice, rosemary, sage, savory, shallots, soy sauce, star anise, thyme, turmeric, and Worcestershire sauce. The ones that were mentioned most often were cinnamon, cloves, cumin, fennel, garlic (I think everyone mentioned garlic), ginger, rosemary, sage, shallots, soy sauce, and thyme. And salt and pepper, of course.

So what do you do with this list? Well, the next time you make plain old pork chops, try adding a different herb. Maybe marinate them first in a mixture of juice (lemon, lime or orange) and an herb or two. Some combinations you might not have thought of include:

Soy sauce, ginger, garlic, with or without some orange juice

Apple juice, cinnamon and cloves

Chipotle peppers, cumin and tomatoes

Mustard, caraway seeds and sauerkraut

Chili peppers, cilantro, garlic, lime and peanuts

Lemon and/or lime and/or orange juice with garlic

Apple juice, shallots, garlic, ginger and soy sauce

Lemongrass, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, shallots and lime juice