Pork Chops with Garlic and Bay Leaves Sauce

INGREDIENTS
5-6 boneless pork loin chops, 3/4 inch thick
(or pork rib chops, adjust cooking time accordingly)
Flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 cloves garlic
3 medium bay leaves
½ teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup chicken stock
Salt
freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

1. Season the chops with salt and pepper and lightly dredge on all sides with flour. 
2. In a lidded skillet, heat the oil and 3 tablespoons of butter. Brown the chops on both sides, about 6 minutes total.
3. Scatter the garlic cloves around the chops. Cut each bay leaves in half and place 1 piece on each chop. Add thyme. 
4. Cook the chops, covered, over moderate to low heat for about 4 minutes, or until they are cooked through and the sauce is syrupy. 
5. Transfer the chops to serving dish. Leave the garlic and bay leaves in the skillet.
6. Add the vinegar to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until it has evaporated. 
7. Add the stock.  Reduce sauce, remove from heat and stir in 1 tbsp butter.  Season to your liking. 
8. Pour the sauce over the chops and serve immediately.

Adapted from Veal Chops Beau Séjour that originally appeared in the article “Beau Repast,” by Craig Claiborne, in 1967. Referring to the recipe, Lotti Morris from Bennington, Vt., wrote: “I’m still using the original copy from the paper, now deep yellow with age, fragile, held together with Scotch tape. We were married 13 years when I first found it and tried it. It has been 50 years now, and this favorite dinner, I think, has contributed to the longevity of our marriage. It’s so easy, so quick. I couldn’t do without it.”

Lamb Chops with Garlic Lemon Sauce

From Food and Wine


INGREDIENTS

Eight 1/2-inch-thick lamb loin chops (about 2 pounds), fatty tips trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch of dried thyme
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 small garlic cloves, halved lengthwise
3 tablespoons chicken or beef broth (or better than bouillon to taste)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Pinch of crushed red pepper

1. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and sprinkle lightly with thyme. 
2. In a very large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. 
3. Add the lamb chops and cook over moderately high heat until the chops are browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. 
4. Add garlic and turn the chops and cook until browned, about 2 minutes. Continue to brown remaining sides until chops are cooked to your liking. 
5. Transfer the chops to plates, leaving the garlic in the skillet.
6. Add the broth, lemon juice, parsley and crushed red pepper to the pan
7. Scrape browned bits stuck to the bottom and smash some of the garlic.  Cook 1 minute.
8. Pour the garlic and pan sauce over the lamb chops and serve immediately.

Sheet-Pan Fish with Ginger

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pound petrale sole
3 tbsp olive oil
scallions, cut lengthwise
cilantro
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine
1 tsp brown sugar
ginger, sliced into sticks
sesame oil (optional)

1. Heat oven to 500°F
2. make sauce : mix soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, sesame oil
3. Salt and pepper the fish
4. Heat sheet pan in oven until ripping hot, then add the olive oil.
5. add the fish and cook for 2 minutes or so
6. add ginger, scallions, ginger and the sauce
7. Cook for another 2 minutes with the sauce or until cooked through.
8. Serve with rice

Similar to my Lola Elis' steamed fish.  She used to steam a whole sea bass on the stove top, then make a sauce of olive oil, sugar, soy sauce, ginger, cilantro and green onions in a sauce pan to pour on top when serving.  

French Lemon Yogurt Cake

INGREDIENTS

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable oil or Olive Oil
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat loaf pan with vegetable oil spray. Dust with flour; tap out excess.
2. Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a medium bowl.
3. Using your fingers, rub sugar with lemon zest in a large bowl until sugar is moist. 
4. Add yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract; whisk to blend. 
5. Fold in dry ingredients just to blend.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top. 
7. Bake until top of cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 50–55 minutes.
8. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. 
9. Invert onto rack; let cool completely. 
10. Slice and store airtight at room temperature.

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Chicken Marengo

A.K.A.  Napoleon Bonaparte Chicken

Ingredients
3-4 lbs chicken thighs
Chopped Kalamata Olives
2 tbsp butter (or bacon fat)
2 tbsp EVOO
10 oz sliced crimini mushrooms
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
3 cloves minced garlic
bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups fresh ripe tomatoes (or canned)
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken broth/better than bouillon beef
1/4 cup chopped parsley
flour for dusting
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper and flour.
3. Heat butter and oil.  Brown chicken on both sides.  Pour off excess fat.
4. Turn chicken, skin side up. Scatter the mushrooms, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme over and around the chicken. Cook 5 minutes and stir to distribute. 
5. Add wine and deglaze pan. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, olives, broth and parsley.  Bring to a boil and transfer to oven (or cook on stove top). Cook for 40 minutes.
6. Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes and salad on the side.

According to a popular myth, the dish was first made in the 1800 after Napoleon defeated the Austrian army at the Battle of Marengo, in Marengo south of Turin, Italy when his  chef Dunand foraged in the town for ingredients (because the supply wagons were too distant) and created the dish from what he could gather. According to this legend, Napoleon enjoyed the dish so much he had it served to him after every battle, and when Dunand was later better-supplied and substituted mushrooms for crayfish and added wine to the recipe, Napoleon refused to accept it, believing that a change would bring him bad luck. (from Wikipedia)

This dish originally was served with fried eggs and crayfish.

Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin

INGREDIENTS:
2 pork tenderloins (about 1 1/2 pounds each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Season pork chops with salt and pepper, to taste. 
3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add pork and sear all over, about 4 minutes. 
4. Transfer pan to oven. Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, and try to let it rest 10 minutes before slicing. 
5. Make the sweet and sour glaze, combine balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat; season with salt and pepper, to taste. 
6. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. 
7. Slice pork and serve with sweet and sour glaze.

Sheet-pan Pork Chops

Ingredients
2 teaspoon brown sugar
3 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 large bone-in pork chops, about 1 1/2 inches thick
2 tablespoons butter

freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Combine sugar, salt, cumin, black pepper, red-pepper flakes and garlic powder.
2. Season pork chops all over with the mixture and let sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes (or overnight)
3. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
4. Heat sheet-pan in oven and add butter. Melt butter, and distribute grease in sheet-pan. Place the pork on baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes.  Flip chops and cook for another 5 minutes (up to 15 minutes total).
5. Let pork rest 5 minutes before slicing off the bone (like a steak).