Okay, Okay, the New and Improved Pork Chop Dish

In continuation of the May 11, 2008 post, after the appetizer, and before the dessert I have yet to enticingly describe, I served pork chops in port wine cream sauce over whole wheat penne:

Pork Chops in Port Wine Cream Sauce over Whole Wheat Penne

Serves 4, especially after potato chips and brie

For the Pork Chops:
3 8oz boneless pork chops, each chop roughly 1 inch thick
Generous grinding of coarsely cracked pepper
salt
olive oil (optional)

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
4 shallots, chopped
Handful fresh thyme, chopped
1 cup port, tawny or ruby
1 1/3 cups cream
salt to taste

1 lb penne, or any tubular pasta, whole wheat or not

Start a large pot of salted water to boil.

Crack pepper onto a large plate or platter and sprinkle over with salt. Press both pork chops into the salt and pepper on the plate and generously sprinkle more salt and pepper over the tops of the chops and press into the chops. Heat a large, heavy skillet (I used cast iron) on a fairly high heat. If necessary, brush the skillet with olive oil before. If it's a well seasoned pan, this may not be necessary. In batches, sear the pork chops: one minute on each side and then lower the heat, cover skillet, and cook pork chops 4 minutes each side. Remove pork chops from the pan onto a plate, cover with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. The Pork chops will continue cooking until they are pink in the middle.

As the remaining pork chop cooks, add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, to the already warm skillet, add the butter. When the butter stops foaming, add the shallots and thyme and sauté for 5 minutes. Carefully pour the port into the skillet, increase heat, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute scraping the bottom of the skillet to release the bits of meat clinging to the bottom. Add cream and any meat juices that accumulate on the plate to the skillet, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Salt to taste.

Slice pork into strips. Drain pasta, toss with the cream sauce, and top with slices of the pork chops.

Easy-Peasy or Asparagus "Risotto"

I like sticky rice. I always look forward to the bowl-shaped mound of sticky rice that accompanies my Thai curry basil. When I make red beans and rice, I purposely overcook the Basmati rice a touch just so the grains stick together for a pleasantly gluey feel in my mouth.

Creamy, small grains of rice that are melded together with the help of cheese, wine, and chicken broth, naturally, I’m a huge fan of risotto, when someone else makes it. Hey, I love making complex dishes, I love standing in front of my stove creating and cackling, but for all the love of my labor, I cannot make a satisfying risotto when my stomach is on an early schedule and my planned meal will not arrive until later in the evening. Sure, there are boxed instant risottos, and I am sure there is even parboiled Arborio Rice. Honestly, I never thought of these options, and I cannot even say they appeal to me. From scratch is my motto. However, fast and from scratch is my mission.

After a day of schlepping files and standing at the copy machine, I cannot stand the sound of my stomach’s whining. When it is time to appease my belly's infant-like tendencies and my longing for creamy rice-like dishes, I whipped up a short, pasta version of risotto using orzo pasta in place of risotto. Innovative? Not especially. Dang good? You know it!

Asparagus and Shrimp "Risotto"

This is one pasta dish that begs to not be al dente. Allow the orzo to get very soft and creamy

For two servings:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
12 oz asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, smashed, green germ removed, and minced
8 oz shrimp

2/3 cup dry orzo ½ cup white wine
1 - 2 cups chicken stock
½ cup or so grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat butter. Add asparagus and sauté until they are crisp tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and shrimp. Sauté until shrimp is just turning opaque, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat, remove skillet from burner, salt and pepper mixture to taste, and cover to keep warm. Not only do I usually cover the skillet, to get the skillet out of my way, I'll put the it in my oven (not heated) until I'm ready to add the asparagus and shrimp to the rest of the dish.

While asparagus and shrimp are cooking, bring wine and 1 cup of stock to a boil and add orzo. Cook, uncovered, letting the liquid simmer merrily, letting the orzo absorb the wine and broth. If the liquid in the pot is absorbed and the orzo is not soft and creamy, add more stock. When orzo has reached your preferred stage of creamy and liquid is almost absorbed, add the Parmigiano Reggiano, asparagus, shrimp, and salt and pepper to taste.

If the variety police are patrolling, here is an equally good variation:

Prosciutto and Baby Pea "Risotto"

2 medium shallots
1 tablespoon butter

½ cup white wine
1 - 2 cups chicken stock
2/3 cup dry orzo
½ cup or so grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 cup frozen baby peas
3 oz prosciutto, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Sauté shallot and butter together in a medium stock pan. Add wine and stock. Bring to a boil. Add orzo and proceed as above but add the peas to the orzo and liquid during the last 4 minutes of cooking the pasta. Add Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto, and salt and pepper to taste.

Carbonara Nights

Four days ago I had enough provisions to feed an army of 500, fresh from the training field. This morning, with a slight panic, I discovered I’m down to a knob of Parmigianino, one onion, one bunch of broccoli, a head of garlic, and some wilting celery and parsnips. The onion must be saved for tomorrow night’s black bean soup. Forget the parsnips and celery, they just don’t sound attractive to me today.

Tonight, in front of my stove, I am Ricky Bobby; “I ‘wanna’ go fast.” Thank the heavens that I keep a few staples on hand, including both pasta and eggs. By combining my love of Spaghetti Alla Carbonara and Shane’s love of roasted broccoli, I created a pretty sophisticated meal from almost a bare pantry.

Gemelli Alla Carbonara di Brocoletti

Really, you can use any pasta you have in the pantry. I had whole wheat gemelli and linguini. I preferred the gemelli, as the smaller pasta turns this dish into a grown-up version of macaroni and cheese.

Start a large pot of water to boil and ignore it. Slice the top off a head of garlic and wrap in foil. Cut the tough stalks off two small heads of broccoli. Complement the small shape of the pasta by cutting off the stems of the broccoli, and cut heads into florets about an inch or so across. Toss broccoli with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, salt, sweet paprika, and a touch of cayenne pepper.

Roast both the broccoli and the garlic in a 425 degree oven until the broccoli is brown and crispy, and the garlic is soft and mellow. Grate a good chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano into a large bowl; beat in one egg, a generous dash of salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Once the water is boiling and just before taking the broccoli and garlic out of the oven, add about 3 oz or so of pasta to the boiling water. While the pasta cooks, remove broccoli and garlic from the oven, and carefully squish the garlic from its papers. Chop the garlic if necessary. Once the pasta cooks, (mine took a mere 5 minutes), quickly drain the pasta, cooked al dente of course, and immediately toss the hot pasta into the bowl with the egg and cheese mixture. Toss. Keep tossing. Okay, stop tossing long enough to add the broccoli and garlic to the pasta. If you please, toss the pasta mixture again. If there is Parmigianino leftover, sprinkle a bit on top, or save it for a salad. Serve immediately, or as soon as you can pull Shane away from nytimes.com.

This isn’t quite “Shake and Bake”, more like roast and toss, but it’s still pretty fast!