Dijon Pork Chops

I still remember a meal Ross and I had when we visited Munich, Germany years ago.

Sidenote- I couldn't remember the year we went so I looked back on the blog and viola, there it is. We went to Germany in 2009 during my birthday and Oktoberfest. I'm so thankful for this online diary!

Back to the story...
We were in a little neighborhood pub near the English Garten, nothing fancy, just good food and a memorable atmosphere. I ordered a Dijon Turkey dish and it was delicious. I feel like I have been on a quest to find a dijon sauce that reminded me of that meal.

I think this NYT recipe for Pork Chops with Dijon Sauce is the closest thing I've come to. It's not overly complex, but the sauce has great flavor. As a matter of fact, it's so great you should consider making a double recipe :) I served over brown rice.

Texas Sized Pork Chop!

This meal was kid tested and approved also :)

PORK CHOPS WITH DIJON SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 1 1/4-inch-thick center-cut rib or loin pork chops, bone in
•  Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup chopped green onions or shallots
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ¾ cup chicken or veal stock
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (or more to taste)
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley(optional)

PREPARATION

1. Melt butter in the oil in a large deep skillet over high heat. Season chops with salt and pepper and add them, browning well, about 2 or 3 minutes a side, reducing the heat slightly if chops brown too quickly.
2. Remove chops to a platter and pour off most of the fat. Add green onions or shallots and cook over medium-high heat until softened, about 1 minute. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping brown bits off the bottom. Stir in the stock and return chops to the pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer, cover and cook until chops are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Remove the chops to a warm platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Raise the heat and boil pan juices to reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Add cream and boil 2 minutes more, until sauce reduces a bit and thickens. Remove from the heat and whisk in mustard and the parsley, if using. Taste and add more mustard if desired. Immediately spoon sauce over the chops and serve.

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Seared Pork with Roasted Grapes

I went to a Sur la Table cooking class with a friend and learned a thing or two or twenty :). Did you know you say table like "Taub"? Apparently I've been saying it wrong for years. I didn't much care for the instructor but this seared pork tenderloin recipe is pretty much on point. I think the roasted grapes were one of the biggest epiphany's I had in the class. It went something like this "Grapes? I have those. And I roast things all the time. I should do this. Who thought of roasting grapes? why didn't I think of this sooner?"

Don't be shy with the salt and I definitely recommend letting the meat marinade all day or overnight. Enjoy!

As much as an iPhone picture can entice you... look at that herb crust!

Our meal wasn't just meat.

And the girls pretty much didn't touch any of this meal. Mostly because Paige is big time teething right now and is only interested in yogurt and applesauce. No fun.

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Roasted Grapes is a Thing?

I didn't know you could roast grapes up until last weekend when I took a Sur la Table cooking class with my friend Katrina. I mean who would've thought? They add a delicious sweetness to a savory dish without being over powering. And the pork tenderloin itself was quite tasty too; the longer the herbs sit on the meat the more intense the flavor is. Rosemary has been my herb of choice lately (thanks to Ross's newfound hobby of homemade popcorn and toppings) and this recipe really highlights the herbs.

Very unprofessional photo of Ross's plate, but you get the idea.

And here's how to re-purpose your meal for kids. Add some cheese to the plate, pull avocado and oranges out of the salad and wellla!

I used red and green grapes...

Try it out next time you want to make pork!

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Recipe Share

We had friends Kaity and Hunter over for a meal a couple weeks ago... We tried out some new recipes, which I thought I would share because they were delish!

Miso Cucumber Salad

Sesame-Miso Cucumber Salad

Miso is a thick soybean paste with a salty, slightly sweet flavor. Look for it in the refrigerated part of the produce section or with the dairy products, or substitute soy sauce.

Cooking Light MAY 2011

• Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)
• Total:20 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
• 2 tablespoons white miso (soybean paste) or lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
• 4 cups thinly sliced seeded cucumber

Preparation

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add cucumber; toss to coat.
SAUTÉED MISO VARIATION: Omit seeds, honey, and red pepper; decrease miso to 1 1/2 tablespoons. Combine miso, water, vinegar, 1 tablespoon sliced green onions, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cucumber to pan; sauté 4 minutes. Toss cucumber with juice mixture.
Yield: 6 servings.

 Roasted Carrots

Roasted Carrots (Cooks Illustrated)

1 1/2 lbs. carrots, peeled, halved crosswise, and cut lengthwise if necessary to create even pieces
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Table salt and pepper

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. In large bowl, combine carrots with butter, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; toss to coat. Transfer carrots to foil- or parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and spread in single layer.


2. Cover baking sheet tightly with foil and cook for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook, stirring twice, until carrots are well browned and tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

Smashed Potatoes

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Grilled Pork Tenderloin (Alton Brown)

Ingredients

• 1 whole pork tenderloin, approximately 1 pound
• 1 lime, zest finely grated
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat and silver skin.

Place the lime zest, lime juice, honey, salt, and garlic powder in a small, lidded jar and shake to combine. Pour half of the marinade mixture into a 1-gallon resealable bag, add the chipotle pepper, and move around to combine. Add the pork tenderloin to the bag and seal, removing as much air as possible and place in a container to catch any leaks. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours, rotating the bag halfway through the time. Place the remaining marinade in a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Remove the tenderloin from the bag and allow to sit at room temperature while preparing the grill. Remove the reserved marinade from the refrigerator.
Fill a large chimney starter with natural lump charcoal and light. Once the charcoal is ashy and white, approximately 30 minutes, dump the hot charcoal onto the lowest grate of the grill and spread into an even layer using extra-long tongs. Place the cooking grate back on the grill and cover with the lid; heat the grate to medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
Brush the grill with vegetable oil. Remove the tenderloin from the bag and place in the center of grate. Discard bag with marinade. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning every 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until the tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.
Remove the tenderloin from the grill and place on a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil folded at the edges to create a basket, and pour on the reserved marinade. Wrap tightly and rest for 10 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and slice. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
SERVES 4

1 years ago: Special Friends
2 years ago: Another Sunset

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Baby Foster is coming

We went over Dre and Clay's house for a fantastic midweek dinner featuring brined pork tenderloin,  Bobby Flay's Smoked Chile Scalloped Sweet Potatoes, and Bobby Flay's Grilled Corn Salad. We followed it up with an apple cobbler and cinnamon ice cream.

Baby Foster is due on April 23!!!

Dre and I.

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