Day: January 31, 2020

Pork With Apples and Onions

Pork With Apples and Onions

  • 6 center-cut pork chops (6 ounces (each;)
  • about 3/4 inch thick)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 2 large onions (each cut into 8 wedges)
  • 2/3 cup Sauvignon Blanc or other dry white wine
  • 4 Granny Smith apples (peeled and each cut)
  • into 6 wedges (about 1-1/2pounds)
  • 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
  • Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
  1. Directions.
  2. This quintessential New England fall dish is light, due in part to today’s leaner pork. The apples and onions turn into an almost chunky applesauce.
  3. 1. Sprinkle both sides of chops with salt and pepper. Place a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add 3 chops; cook 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove chops from pan. Repeat the procedure with remaining chops. Remove chops from pan; set aside.
  4. 2. Heat oil in pan. Add onions, and cook 8 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add the wine, and cook 1 minute. Return chops to pan, nestling them into onion mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Add apples to pan. Cover and cook 25 minutes or until chops are tender. Remove chops from pan; keep warm. Increase heat, and bring apple mixture to a boil, and cook 10 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve chops with apple mixture. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop and 3/4 cup apple mixture).

Portuguese Style Scallops

Portuguese Style Scallops

  • 1 1/2 lbs sea scallops (whole)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbs olive oil (divided)
  • 1/3 cup port wine
  • 2 Tbs lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup parsley (chopped, divided)
  • 5 gloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 cups long-grain white rice
  1. Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Heat 11/2 teaspoons oil in a 10 inch cast iron or heavy skillet over high heat until very hot (about 3 minutes). Add half of the scallops; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove scallops from pan; keep warm. Repeat process with 11/2 teaspoons oil and remaining scallops. Remove scallops from pan.
  2. Stir in port and lemon juice, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add scallops, 3 tablespoons parsley, and garlic, saute 30 seconds over high heat. Serve scallops over rice. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley.

Basic Dessert Crêpes

Basic Dessert Crêpes

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons butter or margarine — melted
  1. Combine all ingredients in container of an electric blender; process 1 minute. Scrape down sides of blender container with rubber spatula; process an additional 15 seconds. Refrigerate batter 1 hour. (This allows flour particles to swell and soften so crêpes are light in texture.)
  2. Coat the bottom of a 6 – inch crêpe pan with oil; place pan over medium heat until oil is just hot, not smoking.
  3. Pour 2 tablespoons batter into pan. Quickly tilt pan in all directions so batter covers bottom of pan. Cook crêpe 1 minute.
  4. Lift edge of crêpe to test for doneness. Crêpe is ready for flipping when it can be shaken loose from pan. Flip crêpe, and cook 30 seconds. (This side is rarely more than spotty brown, and is the side on which the filling is placed.) Place on paper towels to cool. Stack crêpes between layers of waxed paper to prevent sticking. Repeat procedure until all batter is used, stirring batter occasionally.
  5. Note: This recipe can easily be doubled.

Basic Marinara

Basic Marinara

  • 3 Tbs olive oil
  • 3 cups chopped yellow onion (about 3 medium)
  • 1 Tbs sugar
  • 3 Tbs minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp dried basil
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (crushed)
  • 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 2 cups fat-free (less-sodium chicken broth)
  • 3 cans no-salt-added crushed tomatoes ((28-ounce))
  1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sugar and next 7 ingredients (through fennel seeds); cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in vinegar; cook 30 seconds. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat for 55 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
  2. To store in the freezer: Ladle room-temperature or chilled sauce into plastic containers or zip-top plastic bags. Seal and freeze for up to four months. Consider freezing the sauce in one-cup increments (two servings’ worth). That way, you can pull out exactly as much as you want for future meals.
  3. To thaw sauce: Try one of three methods.
  4. 1. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
  5. 2. Place frozen blocks in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a low simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
  6. 3. Place frozen blocks in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave at HIGH one minute at a time, stirring after each increment until thawed.
  7. To boost taste: Long stints in the freezer can dull the taste of tomatoes. To perk up thawed sauce, add one-half teaspoon finely grated lemon rind or one teaspoon balsamic vinegar while reheating.