Pork Chops with Smashed Potatoes and Chimichurri Sauce

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Pork Chops with Smashed Potatoes and Chimichurri Sauce

From the May 2011 issue of Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes
• Kosher salt
• 3/4 cup fresh parsley
• 3/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1 medium shallot, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
• Freshly ground pepper
• 8 thin boneless pork chops (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds)

Directions

Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add 2 teaspoons salt, partially cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, then return the potatoes to the pot and coarsely mash with a large spoon. Cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, make the chimichurri sauce: Pulse the parsley, cilantro, olive oil, shallot, garlic, vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a food processor to form a coarse paste.

Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Pat the pork chops dry and season with salt and pepper. Lightly brush the grill pan with olive oil, then grill the chops until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Serve the pork chops and potatoes with the chimichurri sauce.

**NOTE: I don't have a grill pan, so I just cooked the pork chops using the broiler instead. They still turned out great, and they taste delicious with the chimichurri sauce!

Frittata with Potato and Prosciutto

Frittata with Potato and Prosciutto

from Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (7-ounce) potato, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 ounces sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy 9 1/2-inch-diameter skillet over medium heat. Add the potato, onion, and garlic. Season the potato mixture with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute over medium-low heat until the potato is golden and crisp on the outside, tender inside, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Whisk the eggs, cream, Parmesan, prosciutto, and basil in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the egg mixture into the potato mixture in the skillet. Cook over medium-low heat until the egg mixture is almost set but the top is still loose, about 3 minutes. Place the skillet under the broiler. Broiluntil the top is set and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittata from skillet and slide the frittata onto a cutting board. Cut the frittata into wedges and serve.

Slow-Cooker Pork with Noodles

Slow-Cooker Pork with Noodles

from the May 2011 issue of Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced
• 2 pieces star anise
• Kosher salt
• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder
• 1 head bok choy, roughly chopped
• 3 1/2 ounces dried rice vermicelli noodles
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Combine the chicken broth, soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, star anise and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. Add the pork, then cover and cook on low 8 hours.

Add the bok choy to the slow cooker; cover and cook about 20 more minutes.

Add the noodles to the slow cooker, making sure they are submerged. Cover and cook 10 more minutes.

Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred the meat. Divide the pork, bok choy and noodles among bowls, then ladle in some of the broth. Sprinkle with the cilantro.

St. Patrick's Day

No Photos, sorry!

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

From Food Network Magazine, March 2010 issue

Ingredients

• 4 pounds lean raw corned beef brisket
• 3 tablespoons pickling spice (often included with brisket)
• 1 medium rutabaga, halved and cut into wedges
• 1 pound large carrots, cut into 4-inch pieces
• 1 1/4 pounds large fingerling potatoes
• 1 leek, white and light-green parts only, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1/2 head Savoy cabbage, cut into wedges
• 1/3 cup horseradish, drained
• 1/3 cup creme fraeche or sour cream

Directions

Place the corned beef in a large slow cooker and scatter the pickling spices on top. Layer the rutabaga, carrots, potatoes and leek in the cooker (in this order for even cooking). Add enough hot water (4 to 5 cups) to cover the meat by at least 1 inch, put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high, 7 to 8 hours.

Remove the meat and vegetables from the slow cooker and keep warm. Put the cabbage in a microwave-safe dish with 2 cups cooking liquid from the slow cooker, cover and microwave until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, boil another cup of cooking liquid in a small skillet until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Mix with the horseradish and creme fraeche in a small bowl.

Slice the corned beef and serve with the slow-cooked vegetables, cabbage and sauce; reserve about a quarter each of the meat and vegetables and 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid for Corned Beef Hash.

Traditional Irish Stew

from DiscoverIreland.com

Photo courtesy DiscoverIreland.com

Richie Wilson’s Traditional Irish Stew

Preparation time 25 minutes; cooking time 40 minutes; serves 4

Ingredients:

500g (17.6 oz) diced shoulder of lamb

1 liter (34floz) of cold water

1 liter (34floz) chicken or lamb stock

120 ml (4floz) of Guinness stout (optional)

Yummy Traditional Irish Stew from the Burlington Hotel

1 sprig thyme

2 bay leaves

4 large peeled potatoes, cubed

2 medium white onions, cubed

2 large carrots, cubed

6 sticks of celery, cubed

1 bunch of fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

Firstly, remove the impurities from the lamb to ensure the stock is clear and grease free by doing the following:

Put the lamb into a large pot along with the cold water and place over a moderate heat until it begins to boil.

Once it has begun to boil, empty the contents of the pot through a large colander allowing the liquid to run off.

Rinse the lamb under cold running water until all the residue has been removed – now you have refreshed the lamb.

Place the pot over a moderate heat and add in the chicken/lamb stock with the Guinness stout, if using, and the refreshed diced lamb.

Add the thyme, bay leaves and season with salt and milled white pepper.

Allow to simmer for 20 minutes until lamb becomes tender.

Now add the diced potatoes, onions, carrots and celery, and continue to simmer for a further 10 minutes. (Keep the lid off the pot during the cooking process to allow water to evaporate for a more intense flavour.)

Add the freshly chopped parsley and serve in large bowls.

Huhn in Specksauce - Chicken in Bacon Sauce

Chicken in Bacon Sauce (Huhn in Specksauce, from Germany)

from How the World Cooks Chicken by H.J. Muessen

Bacon-Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

from Food Network Magazine, September 2010 issue

Chicken in Bacon Sauce

Ingredients:

-1 3lb chicken, cut up

-4 tablespoons butter

-4-5 strips fat bacon, diced

-livers of the chicken, diced

-juice and grated rind of 1 lemon

-1 shallot, chopped finely

-2 cups chicken stock

-salt and freshly ground black pepper

-parsley for garnish

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large deep skillet with a cover, and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Add the diced bacon and livers, then add the lemon juice and grated rind, the shallot, the broth, and the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, until done. Remove to a warm platter and arrange the parsley over and around the chicken. Serve the gravy in a sauceboat. Serves 4.

Bacon-Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Simmer 2 lbs small potatoes in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes, drain. Cool slightly, then peel. Heat 1 cup milk with 1/2 stick butter. Mash the potatoes with the hot milk and stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar. Top with crumbled cooked bacon and sliced scallions.

*NOTE: Instead of 1 chicken cut up, I used 4-5 boneless skinless chicken thighs, you can also use breasts if you prefer. I also didn't use the chicken livers.

Orange Balsamic Glazed Chicken with Lemon Risotto

Orange Balsamic Glazed Chicken

Lemon Risotto

from Rachael Ray's Look + Cook

Orange Balsamic Glazed Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts or any combination of light and dark meat
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
• 1/3 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 scallions, whites and greens, finely chopped
• 4 cups baby arugula

Directions

In a large pan, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high to high heat.

Season the chicken liberally with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. When the oil is hot and ripples, add the chicken and brown for 5 minutes, then turn and sprinkle with rosemary. Cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 5 minutes more.

In a small bowl, stir together the marmalade, vinegar and stock and pour over the chicken. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and becomes a thin glaze. Add the scallions during the last minute of cooking time. Arrange on a serving platter and serve topped with arugula greens.

Lemon Risotto

Ingredients

• 1 quart chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small to medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 2 lemons
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese, a couple of handfuls
• 2 tablespoons slivered mint leaves
• A handful basil tops, shredded or torn
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, heat the stock and 2 cups water over medium low heat.

In a risotto pot or large skillet with a rounded bottom, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic to pan and saute to soften 3 to 4 minutes Stir in the rice and add the zest of 1 lemon. Heat the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the wine and cook until evaporated. Add in the hot stock, a few ladles at a time, and stir for a minute with each addition, to develop the starch and the creamy aspect. Total cooking time will be about 18 minutes or so. Keep adding stock each time the pan starts to become dry at the edges. While the rice cooks, peel and supreme or section the flesh of a lemon and finely chop. Sprinkle with a 1/2 teaspoon sugar. When rice is cooked to al dente, stir in the butter, lemon sections, juice of 1 lemon, the cheese and herbs. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve immediately.

*Note: This was a delicious and easy recipe that I will definitely make again! However, the extra mint in the risotto isn't needed, there are almost too many flavors and it would be great without it!