Pesto Porkchops With Basmati Rice and Asparagus

Last night we prepared one of our favorite new standards, Pesto Pork Chops. This recipe is quick, inexpensive, easy and really tasty. We served the pork chops with basmati rice and asparagus spears, dressed in lemon and pepper.

Pesto Pork Chops

3/4 pounds pork chops (bone in, 3/4 inch thick
3 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. pesto (we made a homemade Thai Basil pesto, but regular basil pesto will be just fine)
olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Put flour, slat and pepper on a plate and combine.
2. Dredge both sides of pork chops in flour, and shake off any excess.
3. Spray the skillet with cooking spray and preheat on medium-high.
4. Add the chops and brown on each side for two minutes. (you will be tempted to cook it a little longer, since you will still see some red in the meat. Don't be tempted, and it will turn out moist and juicy)
5. After they are browned, spread the pesto sauce over the chops and put lid on the skillet.
6. Continue cooking for an additional two minutes.
7. Enjoy!

Blue, got a new camera. We took pictures, but the software hasn't been downloaded. We will have a pic soon.

Tonight=more asparagus experimentation

Baked Pasta with Roasted Eggplant & Grape Tomatoes

I opened the refrigerator tonight to find a container of ricotta cheese, just about to expire, some grape tomatoes and an eggplant. I thought about roasting the tomatoes and putting them over pasta (I also had some fresh basil). A Google search for "roasted grape tomatoes over pasta" brought me to a recipe for Castellane with Mascarpone and Roasted Grape Tomatoes

Almost perfect...I modified the recipe with what I had and created this Baked Pasta with Roasted Eggplant & Grape Tomatoes. It was delicious (if I do say so myself)!

• 1 pint of grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• crushed pepper flakes
• 2 TBSP or more of chopped fresh basil
• 1lb of short or shell pasta (I used whole grain cavatappi - or corkscrews - with flax)
• 1 15 oz. container of ricotta cheese
• 1 cup of finely grated Parmigianno-Reggiano (or more)
• 1 medium sized eggplant

1. Slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch disks and slice the tomatoes lengthwise.

2. Line a shallow baking sheet with foil and lightly oil it with olive oil

3. Arrange the tomatoes, cut sides up, and the eggplant in the pan and sprinkle with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and the chopped basil. (I actually roasted the tomatoes with the basil in one batch and the eggplant with olive oil in a second batch. The eggplant needs to be turned half way through cooking). Roast in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes are plump.

4. Take the tomatoes and eggplant out of the oven and allow to cool.

5. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta well and transfer to a bowl with the eggplant and tomatoes. Mix the reserved water in a small bowl or measuring cup with the ricotta cheese. When smooth pour into the bowl with the pasta, tomatoes, and eggplant. Stir well. Add 1/2 of the parmesan cheese.

6. Lightly oil a 13x9 (3 quart) baking dish. Toss the pasta mixture again and then spoon into the dish. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan over the top. Bake pasta in a 400 degree oven until golden and bubbly, 18-20 minutes.

YUMMY!

Roasted Baby Beet & Spinach Salad

I didn't quite have all the ingredients needed for this salad. I think the salad would have been spectacular with them -- but I trudged on and used what I had. A quick search on the internet for baby beet recipes brought me to the website for Whole Foods Market and a recipe for Roasted Baby Beet & Spinach Salad. I didn't have any shallots and I didn't have Roquefort. But, the beets were just fantastic and the dressing was delicious. I had some Parmegianno-Reggiano and shaved some over the salad in place of the Roquefort. Not a perfect substitute but it was delicious. Here's the original recipe from the Whole Foods website.

• 1 pound baby beets, stems trimmed to 1-inch
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• sea salt, to taste
• ground pepper, to taste
• 3–4 cups washed and dried spinach leaves
• 1/4 pound crumbled Roquefort cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash beets then wrap in parchment-lined aluminum foil and roast in center of oven until tender, 45-60 minutes. Cool. Peel beets and cut in half. Whisk together shallot, lemon juice and mustard. Whisk in oil until emulsified and season with salt and pepper. Toss beets in a little dressing. Place spinach on a large platter, top with beets then cheese. Drizzle lightly with dressing. Serve remaining dressing on side.

I saved the beet greens to use with dinner tomorrow night.

Baby Beets

Here's today's project. I picked up these beautiful baby beets yesterday at the farmer's market. I was thinking of making them with an orange glaze. But, I have a bag of spinach in the fridge and just came across a recipe for a roasted beet and spinach salad. I'll save the tops and do something with the beet greens tomorrow. I'll post my results later!

Love is Love Lettuce

Lele and I went to the Peachtree Road Farmer's Market today. Of course, we didn't get there early enough, but picked up some things for a delicious lunch this afternoon. Sometimes I wish there were farmer's markets for people who like to sleep in on a Saturday!

We bought a huge bag of beautiful mixed lettuce from Love is Love Farm. They are from Douglasville, Georgia. We also bought two different types of cheeses from another vendor. Both were cow's cheese one with truffles in it. There was no bread to be had so we picked up a crusty sourdough baguette on our way home. We had a delicious salad with the lettuce from the market and some grape tomatoes. I've been addicted to a vinaigrette that I found in Vegetable Love by Barbara Kafka (with some variation). Here's my modified recipe for the vinaigrette.

Everyday Vinaigrette

• 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup (or a little less) of olive oil

Barbara's recipe also calls for 1/2 cup of vegetable oil. I don't know, I can't bring myself to even tasting it that way. I'm not sure why? Am I crazy? Anyway, this was a delicious spring (feeling like summer in Atlanta) lunch. We also bought 2 bunches of baby beets and a bag of mustard greens which I'll do something with tonight!

Living and Eating

Now, you know your girl Christine loves herself some London cookbooks! I stop at Troubadour used book store in Hatfield to get my fix of these wonderful finds. At the last Troubadour book sale, I picked up a copy of Living and Eating by John Pawson and Annie Bell. They have a fabulous recipe for caesar salad. I made the salad about six times over the last two months at Blue's request and persuasion.

Here is the recipe:

Caesar Salad

2 medium eggs
1/2 garlic clove, peeled and chopped (but we can always use a little more garlic :) )
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt, black pepper
2 oz. parmesan cheese, (preferably freshly) grated, 2/3 cup.

Bring a small pan of water to boil and cook the eggs for 1 minute, then remove and cool them under cold running water. Immediately shell the eggs into a blender, scooping out the cooked white that lines the inside of the shells. Add the remaining ingredients, except the Parmesan and whiz to a pale and creamy emulsion.

To serve the salad, pour the Caesar salad dressing over chopped romaine and lightly mix in the Parmesan. This should be mixed right before sitting down at the table. We like the addition of anchovies, and you can always add a few croutons.

Yummy!

Mafalde Alla Gorgonzola with Asparagus

On Sunday, we found a use for the chunk of gorgonzola. The recipe of choice was Penne Alla Gorgonzola from Gourmet magazine with some twists. It involved a bit of Asparagudrama. We started at Serio's on State Street in NOHO, looking for a bunch of local asparagus. They didn't receive a delivery, so we went with their suggestion and stopped at Fido's veggie and flower stand. Alas, Mr. Fido said he was all out-with the rain, the asparagus didn't grow enough and he wasn't able to pick any new asparagus the night before. His stand is at Mom's and his farm is in Hadley. Blue knows all of the suspect asparagus farm stands in Hadley, so I picked her up for our Hadley jaunt. Fortunately, we found the asparagus at our first stop, what I will call Blue Umbrella Farm due to the blue umbrella shading the cooler on which the asparagus perched.

The recipe was a success, so here you go with my adjustments: mafalde substituting for the penne and the addition of asparagus spears.

Mafalde Alla Gorgonzola and Asparagus

12 oz-1 lb. Mafalde (looks like a skinny lasagna)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp dried sage, crumbled or thinly sliced fresh sage
1 cup whole milk
1/2 lb. gorgonzola cut into pieces 1.5-2 cups
1/4 c. black pepper
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
2 oz. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)

Cook pasta in 6-8 quart pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente
While pasta boils, heat butter in a 12 inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook sage, stirring 1 minute. Add gorgonzola and cook, stirring and breaking up cheese, until sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes (sauce will be thin). I found that it took a little longer than the two minutes for the sauce to become smooth. Reduce heat to low and stir in pepper, nutmeg, and salt to taste.
You (or a cooking partner) should start steaming the asparagus as you begin preparing the sauce. Once the asparagus is a bit tender, remove and cut into four pieces at the diagonal. Set aside.
Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water and drain pasta. Add pasta and parmesan cheese, stirring to coat. Add in the asparagus in at the last moment. Serve.

Enjoy!