Green with Envy -- Fresh Arugula Salad from My Garden

6/6/10: Pineapple Pork Chops with Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Yeah, it has been awhile since my last Sabbath Supper post but at least I'm posting now, right? ;)

Meal details: The star of the meal was the pork chops in a pineapple sauce. Alongside the chops, I served arugula salad with a balsamic based vinaigrette.

Defining moments: First time using an ingredient from my small herb/arugula/spinach/bulb fennel garden! It is also my first time tasting arugula.

Recipe sources: The pineapple pork chop recipe came from allrecipes.com and the arugula salad came from Emeril Lagasse.

What I learned: Having seen arugula so often on Food Network I wanted to give this green a try. It is a very fast grower (it sprouted only three days after sowing), and has a peppery bite to it. Very interesting!

Any modifications? Yes, I made some to the arugula salad. Since I didn't have fresh garlic on hand, I used a couple garlic scapes and blended the vinaigrette in the blender. And I also substituted mozzarella cheese for the parmesan.

How did it taste? The pork chops had good flavor but they weren't as tender as we expected. I am still trying to figure out the perfect way to cook chops so there is still need for experimentation and research. Right now I am thinking that I had the dutch oven temperature too high or maybe I cooked them for too long of period. I'm scratching my head!
The salad was very good, though! I liked the subtle flavor of the garlic scapes and the zip of the vinegar.

How about a 2nd time? I don't think I will try the pineapple recipe again, but I do want to give chops another go. The arugula salad is definitely a winner!

Just a side note. . . These photos weren't taken by my normal photographer (my sister). She was at a ballgame so I had my Papa fill in for her. Thanks for your help, Papa! :D

"Orange" You Glad It's Pig? -- Pork Chops Meet Orange Marmalade

5/16/10: Pork Chops with Orange Soy Glaze and Udon Noodles alongside Hoosier Peanut Bars

Meal details: For the main course I seared 1 inch pork loin chops and braised them in a sauce that had orange marmalade, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, and chicken stock. And for dessert I made a really intriguing bar that has a cookie-like bottom layer, a chocolate middle, and a meringue and peanut topping. Sounds yummy, doesn't it?

Defining moments: First time using soy sauce for me! Yeah, it looks like I don't usually cook Asian.

Recipe sources: The pork chop recipe comes from Robin Miller, the host of Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller that airs on Food Network. I specifically chose it because I am part of the Food Network Chef Cooking Challenge that is being hosted by the writer of the I Thank My Mother blog.

The Hoosier Peanut Bar recipe came from the August 2009 issue of Baker's Sheet, a newsletter written by King Arthur's Flour. Here is the recipe for those who are interested:

Hoosier Peanut Bars

Ingredients for Base:

• 2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (3 1/4 ounces) firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) cold water

Ingredients for Topping:

• 2 cups (12 ounces) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 large egg whites (from above)
• 1 cup (7 1/2 ounces) firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (5 ounces) chopped lightly salted peanuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch pan, and line it with a sheet of parchment paper that goes down one long side and up the other, with some extra on each side. Fold the paper so it doesn't droop down into the pan.

For the base: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Separate the eggs, putting the whites into another clean mixing bowl.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and mix until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl; beat in the vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the water until the dough is mixed; it will be stiff.

Press the dough into the prepared pan with wet fingers or using a mini pastry roller over a piece of plastic wrap.

For the topping: Spread the chocolate chips over the dough in the pan, pressing them in lightly. Whip the reserved egg whites until they become foamy. Gradually add the brown sugar and beat until the mixture is stiff. Spread over the chocolate chips. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts evenly over the top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is light golden brown and the edges just pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 15 minutes. Cut into bars or squares while still warm. Once the bars are cool, you can pull them straight up and out of the pan using the parchment paper on the sides. Yield: 24 bars.

What I learned: The pork chop recipe was really easy to execute and I can't think of any new knowledge gained by doing this recipe. I do have some notes for the peanut bar recipe. When I was beating the egg whites to form the topping, I was uncertain on what was considered "stiff" as was said in the recipe. I know that you can easily over beat egg whites so I was biting my nails as I carefully watched my KitchenAid. I decided to stop the machine when the whites and added sugar started to look white and glossy. I then started beating it by hand to carry it to the final stage, which was, I am guessing, when it resembled marshmallow fluff. I soon found out that I was right in my assumption because the finished bars looked just like the recipe's photo.

Any modifications? I followed the bar recipe exactly but I substituted egg noodles for the udon noodles called for in the pork chop recipe.

How did it taste? The family loved both dishes! The pork chops were flavorful, tender, and paired very well with the egg noodles. My Papa said they needed more marmalade, though, so I will remember to use the whole jar next time. The peanut bars were very delicious and I love the surprise meringue topping. They look like they would be hard and crunchy but they turned out to be soft and chewy. . . Two textures I love when it comes to desserts. :)

How about a 2nd time? Absolutely.

Note: It seems to me that I almost always give a positive answer to the last question. Now that's encouraging!

My goodness! Look at all that peanut goodness!

That Dick Van Dyke Show episode comes to mind right about now. :D

Is it just me, or is my sister's photos getting better each week?

Blazing Through "Braising"

5/24/09: Pork Chop Supreme and Long Grain White and Wild Rice

• Meal details: Main course, Pork Chop Supreme -- boneless, loin pork chops braised with ketchup and topped off with one slice of onion and lemon and a pinch of brown sugar

Side dish, Wild Rice -- boxed rice from Gordon's Food Service.

• Recipe sources: Annemarie's Betty Crocker cookbook was where I found the pork chop recipe. The wild rice mix we had for a side dish was a boxed rice from Gordon's Food Service.

• Defining moments: First time cooking with pork chops and first time baking rice in the oven. (I've only done it on the stove top before.)

• What I learned: I was introduced to many new things this Sunday. First, I learned that there are three different types of pork chops: shoulder, sirloin, and loin; the third being the most tender because it has the least amount of connective tissue. I used a boneless loin cut for my pork chop recipe.

I also learned what the word "braising" meant. Braising is a cooking technique where the meat (or vegetable) is seared and then later left to simmer with a bit of liquid (typically water or stock) with the pan cover on. This technique allows tougher cuts of meats to become more tender and gives richness to the entire dish because the ingredients have time to intermingle. I was very interested in learning about braising because I realized I have been doing it for years when cooking ground beef. My family likes to use partially frozen meat products when cooking because we find it less messy. (I never like those raw meat juices dripping on the kitchen counter!) Since we use meat in this state we always need to add a bit of water to the covered skillet in order for the meat to quickly, and thoroughly, thaw. In other words, BRAISING. So very interesting, don't you think?

Because I cooked some wild rice for a side dish I decided to read up on this type of rice and find out why it is called "wild." This is what I found. Ahem. Wild rice (aka Canada rice, Indian rice, and water oats) is the name given to four different species that make up the genus Zizania. Three of these species are native to North America and the fourth is native to Asia. Why is it called wild? I couldn't find any source that would answer this question directly, but from what I have read it is because these four species tend to grow along slow-flowing streams and small lakes.

• Any modifications? Nope. Did everything according to the recipe.

• How it tasted? I had rave reviews about these pork chops! They were fantastically tender and full of flavor. The brown sugar and lemon really made it special. The wild rice was a bit hard to chew (that is how wild rice is), but it was mighty tasty.

• How about a 2nd time? Absolutely for the chops, but the wild rice will probably be replaced with a softer variety.

Here are the chops simmering away in our nonstick dutch oven. Boy, it seems like I have to pull that dutch oven out every time I cook!

I'm sorry I wasn't able to take a photo of the wild rice I made--they took a little bit longer than I thought so my mind was more on them being done than on photos! But here is a reference photo from Uncle Ben's website to give you a picture of what I made. My rice resembles it very well.