Herb-Stuffed Pork Chop

From Cook's Country

February/March 2010

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Baking our Herb-Stuffed Pork Chops on a preheated sheet in a hot oven was an easy way to achieve a seared exterior and an evenly cooked interior. We found that tenting the chops with foil for a few minutes after they are done cooking helped them retain heat while they rested. Tasters preferred fontina cheese for our Herb-Stuffed Pork Chops, but we found Monterey Jack or Gruyère cheese worked equally well.

Serves 4

Monterey jack or Gruyere cheese can be used instead of fontina.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 slice hearty white sandwich bread, toasted and torn into pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 3/4 cup shredded fontina cheese (see note)
• Salt and pepper
• 4 boneless pork chops, about 1 inch thick

• INSTRUCTIONS
• 1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 475 degrees. Combine oil and garlic in bowl. Pulse bread, parsley, thyme, fontina, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons oil mixture in food processor until coarsely ground. 

• 2. Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Using paring knife, cut 1-inch opening into side of each chop to make pocket for stuffing. Spoon herb mixture into pocket and seal by threading toothpick through pork about ½ inch from opening. 

• 3. Coat chops with remaining oil mixture and transfer to preheated baking sheet. Bake until brown and meat registers 145 degrees, 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Transfer to platter, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Serve.

Radicchio with Pappardelle

Adapted from Saveur

1 head radicchio
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
2 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (I used half of a 4 oz. precut package from Trader Joe's)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces pappardelle (I used Trader Joe's dried)
Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

1. Core, then julienne radicchio.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta and brown, stirring occasionally, for 5–10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden, about 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook pappardelle in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Add radicchio to onions and pancetta and cook, stirring, until radicchio is wilted, about 3 minutes. Add pasta and reserved cooking water, mix well, season with salt and pepper, and serve topped with freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano.

Serves 2 as a meal or 4 as a side course

Sausage And Bell Pepper Pizza With Basil And Mozzarella

2 large cloves garlic, minced 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes or tomatoes packed in puree, chopped coarse

2 red or yellow bell peppers, halved, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips

Salt and ground black pepper


1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaf


4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (1 cup) into bite size pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil 

1. Heat garlic with oil in saucepan over medium heat. When garlic starts to sizzle, add tomatoes. Simmer, uncovered, until sauce is thick enough to mound on spoon, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes a lot; freeze for future use.


2. Put sausage and 1/4 cup water in medium-large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until water evaporates and sausage cooks through and browns, about 7 minutes. Remove sausage with slotted spoon. Add enough oil so that amount in skillet equals about 1 tablespoon. Add peppers and sauté until softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove and set aside.


3. Top pizza dough with a portion of sauce. Scatter a half of sausage pieces, peppers, and mozzarella on pizza.

4. When cooked, sprinkle with basil, a little kosher salt, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Enough topping for 2 medium-sized pizzas and a lot of sauce.

Gelato di crema

The Chimney Sweep’s Gelato - from Marcella Hazan’s “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking”

Ingredients

For the Egg Custard Gelato (gelato di crema)

• 6 egg yolks
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups milk
• The peel of ½ orange (with none of the pith underneath)
• 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
• An Ice-Cream maker

For Assembly

• ½ cup ground espresso coffee beans
• 8 tablespoons (one per serving) of Scotch or Bourbon

Steps

Make the gelato:

Put the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and beat the yolks until they become pale yellow and form soft ribbons.

Put the milk and orange peel in a saucepan, turn the heat on to medium, and bring the milk to a slow simmer, being careful not to let it break into a boil.

Add the hot milk to the beaten yolks, pouring it in a thin stream through a fine strainer. Add a little at a time, stopping to beat it into the yolks. (You want a custard, not scrambled eggs)

Add the Grand Marnier, stirring well.

Transfer the mixture to a saucepan, turn on the heat to medium, and beat constantly for about 2 minutes without letting it boil, then take off the heat and allow it to become completely cold.

Freeze it in your ice cream maker per your manufacturer’s instructions, and put in the freezer to allow to become firmer if you wish.

Once firm to your liking, scoop the gelato into 8 individual bowls, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of ground espresso coffee over each portion, and pour into each bowl enough Scotch/Bourbon to pool at the bottom, about 1 tablespoon. Serve at once.

Pictures of how to make the Gelato

Angel Food Cake (Betty Crocker, 1970)

• 1 cup cake flour
• 12 egg whites
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoons vanilla

1. Preheat oven at 375°
2. Combine cake flour and 3/4 cup sugar plus 2 Tablespoons sugar.
3. In another large mixer bowl beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until foamy. Add second amount of sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high speed until meringue holds stiff peaks. Remove mixer bowl.
4. Gently fold in flavorings. Sprinkle flour/sugar mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, over meringue, folding in gently until flour mixture disappears. Push batter into ungreased tube pan. Gently pound the bottom of the pan on a hard surface (countertop) to remove air pockets.
5. Bake 30-35 minutes until top is browned and springs back when touched with finger. Invert pan over bottle until completely cool.

Strawberry Gelato by Giuliano Hazan

Strawberry Gelato by Giuliano Hazan

Summary: A light, airy strawberry gelato of the Gods, from Giuliano Hazan in “Hazan Family Favorites.”

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound fresh strawberries (I used about 14 ounces, so anywhere from 12-14 ounces would work)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used Meyer lemon juice)
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Remove the green tops of the strawberries and rinse the berries in cold water.
2. Place the berries and sugar in a food processor and blend until puréed. Add the water and lemon juice and continue blending until all the ingredients are mixed together thoroughly.
3. Whip the cream with a whisk until it begins to thicken and acquires the consistency of thick buttermilk. Add it to the puréed strawberries and mix thoroughly.
4. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve right away or store, tightly covered, in the freezer.