2 thick pork chops
pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. ground ginger, to taste
approx. 1 Tbsp. oil
2 firm winter pears, such as Bosc
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (optional)
1/2 -1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
approx. 2 tsp. butter (optional)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Put a little oil in a skillet, just enough for frying, and add pepper and ginger. Stir and heat gently until ginger starts to darken, then add pork chops and brown. Place in a baking dish large enough to hold chops and pears in a single layer (best if it’s a very cozy layer, though). Peel pears, cut in half and core. Place cut side up in the dish and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Put a dab of butter in the cavity of each pear. Mix cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over chops and pears. Pour vinegar over it all. Cover and bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Remove cover and cook another 10 minutes or until chops are cooked through.
Makes two servings (with lots of extra liquid that might be good for cooking rice in)
Adapted from: Cooking for two today / Jean Hewitt.
The rest of the story
I use agridouce here to connote a Euro/Western kind of sweet-and-sour that is more common in classical and medieval recipes but has almost disappeared from modern ones.
The original recipe called for dry sherry, but I don't usually care for any kind of wine in my food (it's rotten grape juice, after all, and no matter how carefully it's been rotted, it still tastes like rotten grape juice to me and you're welcome to it). Usually I substitute an appropriate broth, but this time I didn't have any on hand; what I did have was a nice bottle of balsamic vinegar. So I thought, same stuff fermented with a different yeast, that's all, and tried it.
This also works with thinner chops, but you'll need to adjust the cooking time. It's really best with 1-inch, bone-in chops, but quite forgiving. Don't use Bartlett-type eating/dessert pears, they go to mush when baked.
A couple of other little caveats:
- 3 Tbsps looks like a LOT of sugar, but use it all for your first attempt; if it really comes out too sweet you can cut it back next time, but you've got all that vinegar to balance.
- Be careful taking the lid off, and even just opening the oven; there's a wave of vinegar steam lying in wait to attack your eyeballs and sinus membranes if you give it half a chance!
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
Showing posts with label pears. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pears. Show all posts
12 July, 2020
21 December, 2016
Newsletters: 22 June, 2011
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 22 June, 2011. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In the belly
Peas are a good source of vitamin K1 and folic acid, needed for bone mineralization, and B6, which is good for both bones and nerves. They also have lots of B1, 2, and 3, C, iron, protein, and fiber. Edible-pod peas (snow and snap peas) don't have quite as much protein as shelling peas, but they're quicker to prepare and you get more edible stuff per pound. I personally prefer shelling peas, but I also think that canned peas aren't actually a food and sweet peas are a kind of flower, so my opinions are not necessarily mainstream.
Peas are native to a region from the near East to central Asia, and admirably suited to our cool Northwest summers. There is evidence that peas were eaten in Asia as early as 9750 BCE, in Iraq by 6000 BCE, and in Switzerland during the Bronze age. Apicius, I'm told, wrote about nine pea dishes... maybe I'll look a few of those up for next week's recipes.
In the kitchen
To coordinate with the whole steak/4th of July/barbecue thing, here are some barbecue recipes.
Homemade barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 med. onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
large pinch of dried thyme
2 lbs. tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, to taste
3 Tbsp. honey
1/3 c red wine vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Saute onion, garlic, basil, and thyme in oil 5-7 min., until onion is softened slightly. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, 20-30 min., until thickened. Adjust seasonings. Sauce will keep, refrigerated, several weeks.
From: From the farmers' market : wonderful things to do with fresh-from-the-farm food with recipes and recollections from farm kitchens / Richard Sax with Sandra Gluck. Harper & Row, c1986.
Colvin's favorite round steak recipe
For about 1 lb. round steak sliced into finger-sized strips:
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup salad oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon salt
pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon basil
Combine all ingredients. Marinate 4-6 hours. Grill the steak strips at about 300F (not too hot) about 2 minutes to a side. With the oil on the steaks you may get some flare-up, which can be reduced by patting the meat dry with a paper towel before putting it on the grill.
From: the Colvin Ranch newsletter Cattle tales, Mon, Jun 6 2011.
In the belly
Peas are a good source of vitamin K1 and folic acid, needed for bone mineralization, and B6, which is good for both bones and nerves. They also have lots of B1, 2, and 3, C, iron, protein, and fiber. Edible-pod peas (snow and snap peas) don't have quite as much protein as shelling peas, but they're quicker to prepare and you get more edible stuff per pound. I personally prefer shelling peas, but I also think that canned peas aren't actually a food and sweet peas are a kind of flower, so my opinions are not necessarily mainstream.
Peas are native to a region from the near East to central Asia, and admirably suited to our cool Northwest summers. There is evidence that peas were eaten in Asia as early as 9750 BCE, in Iraq by 6000 BCE, and in Switzerland during the Bronze age. Apicius, I'm told, wrote about nine pea dishes... maybe I'll look a few of those up for next week's recipes.
In the kitchen
To coordinate with the whole steak/4th of July/barbecue thing, here are some barbecue recipes.
Homemade barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 med. onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
large pinch of dried thyme
2 lbs. tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, to taste
3 Tbsp. honey
1/3 c red wine vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Saute onion, garlic, basil, and thyme in oil 5-7 min., until onion is softened slightly. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, 20-30 min., until thickened. Adjust seasonings. Sauce will keep, refrigerated, several weeks.
From: From the farmers' market : wonderful things to do with fresh-from-the-farm food with recipes and recollections from farm kitchens / Richard Sax with Sandra Gluck. Harper & Row, c1986.
Colvin's favorite round steak recipe
For about 1 lb. round steak sliced into finger-sized strips:
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup salad oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon salt
pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon basil
Combine all ingredients. Marinate 4-6 hours. Grill the steak strips at about 300F (not too hot) about 2 minutes to a side. With the oil on the steaks you may get some flare-up, which can be reduced by patting the meat dry with a paper towel before putting it on the grill.
From: the Colvin Ranch newsletter Cattle tales, Mon, Jun 6 2011.
20 April, 2016
Spring stir-fry (second version)
a drizzle of sesame oil (about 2 tsp., depending on pan size)
up to a pound of pork sliced for stir-fry
thinly chopped onions to taste, optional
1-2 Tbsp. ginger-flavored soy sauce (or regular soy sauce and ginger to taste)
1-2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 bundle asparagus, ends snapped off (about a pound before snapping), broken into 1 to 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 winter pear (such as Bosc), cored and sliced into about 1/4-inch thick pieces; peeling is optional
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar, or to taste, optional
Add enough sesame oil to a medium frying pan or wok to coat the bottom. Add pork, onions, and soy sauce, and cook until the pork is only slightly pink, stirring frequently. Add oyster sauce and stir in, then add asparagus. When asparagus has started to cook (or at once if it's fairly thin), add pear drizzling with vinegar before stirring in. Cook until all ingredients are done, being careful not to overcook the asparagus (asparagus should be "al dente" and not yet limp or slimy); the pear can be a little undercooked if necessary. If the asparagus is fairly thick, make sure there is enough liquid in the pan to create some steam, cover, and let cook about 3 minutes. Makes 2-3 servings over rice or noodles, or a hungry person can eat the whole thing unaccompanied if not required to move afterward.
By Dana Huffman.
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
up to a pound of pork sliced for stir-fry
thinly chopped onions to taste, optional
1-2 Tbsp. ginger-flavored soy sauce (or regular soy sauce and ginger to taste)
1-2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 bundle asparagus, ends snapped off (about a pound before snapping), broken into 1 to 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 winter pear (such as Bosc), cored and sliced into about 1/4-inch thick pieces; peeling is optional
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar, or to taste, optional
Add enough sesame oil to a medium frying pan or wok to coat the bottom. Add pork, onions, and soy sauce, and cook until the pork is only slightly pink, stirring frequently. Add oyster sauce and stir in, then add asparagus. When asparagus has started to cook (or at once if it's fairly thin), add pear drizzling with vinegar before stirring in. Cook until all ingredients are done, being careful not to overcook the asparagus (asparagus should be "al dente" and not yet limp or slimy); the pear can be a little undercooked if necessary. If the asparagus is fairly thick, make sure there is enough liquid in the pan to create some steam, cover, and let cook about 3 minutes. Makes 2-3 servings over rice or noodles, or a hungry person can eat the whole thing unaccompanied if not required to move afterward.
By Dana Huffman.
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
06 July, 2015
Medieval mixed pickles
In recreationist circles, this dish is often called by its amusing medieval name, Compost.
2 lb. total parsley roots, carrots, radishes, and turnips, peeled and thinly sliced
1 lb. white cabbage, cored and shredded
1 lb. hard pears, peeled, cored, and cut up
6 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. saffron
2 cups white wine vinegar (divided)
2 oz. currants
2 1/2 cups fruity white wine
6 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. French mustard
1/8 tsp. each ground cinnamon and ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. each anise and fennel seeds
2 oz. sugar
Bring root vegetables and cabbage to a boil, add pears, and cook until they start to soften. Drain and spread vegetables in a 2-inch layer in a shallow non-metallic dish. Sprinkle with salt, ginger, saffron, and 4 Tbsp. of the vinegar, cover, and let sit 12 hours.
Rinse well and add the currants, then pack into sterilized canning jars, leaving at least 1 inch headspace. Bring wine and honey to a simmer, skim, and add the rest of the vinegar, mustard, cinnamon, pepper, anise, fennel seeds, and sugar. Bring to a boil and pour over vegetables, covering them with 1/2 inch of liquid. Close with vinegar-proof seals and store.
From: Black, Maggie, The Medieval Cookbook. British Museum Press, 1992. ISBN: 0714105562
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
2 lb. total parsley roots, carrots, radishes, and turnips, peeled and thinly sliced
1 lb. white cabbage, cored and shredded
1 lb. hard pears, peeled, cored, and cut up
6 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. saffron
2 cups white wine vinegar (divided)
2 oz. currants
2 1/2 cups fruity white wine
6 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. French mustard
1/8 tsp. each ground cinnamon and ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. each anise and fennel seeds
2 oz. sugar
Bring root vegetables and cabbage to a boil, add pears, and cook until they start to soften. Drain and spread vegetables in a 2-inch layer in a shallow non-metallic dish. Sprinkle with salt, ginger, saffron, and 4 Tbsp. of the vinegar, cover, and let sit 12 hours.
Rinse well and add the currants, then pack into sterilized canning jars, leaving at least 1 inch headspace. Bring wine and honey to a simmer, skim, and add the rest of the vinegar, mustard, cinnamon, pepper, anise, fennel seeds, and sugar. Bring to a boil and pour over vegetables, covering them with 1/2 inch of liquid. Close with vinegar-proof seals and store.
From: Black, Maggie, The Medieval Cookbook. British Museum Press, 1992. ISBN: 0714105562
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
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