Recipes for a versatile dip, moist, tender pork chops
Good morning and welcome to a challenge for all you outdoor chefs. The question came from another realm and a reader who has just read this startling fact: “Chuck roast is the poor man’s brisket, when it comes to smoking on a Big Green Egg.” But he needs details, and that is where you come in. “I have read that smoked chuck roast is much easier than brisket to prepare and is a parallel in beef to pork’s Boston butt.”
But is he right? If so, how can it be done? Please come to A.R.’s aid.
A cooking couple, C and A, have taken a break in their culinary creativity and ordered their suppers from Hello Fresh. But it’s only temporary, they say. It’s more of “a break in decision-making than new ideas for our menus. We guess everybody has a different definition of what’s healthy, but we prefer food without a lot of creamy or mayonnaise-based sauces.”
If this is the healthful way you cook, C and A would appreciate your input.
Salads are an important part of the diet in their home, “and we make our own dressing, a variation of oil and vinegar. We would like some new recipes for vinaigrette and also some advice on the best balsamic vinegar brand for a green salad.”
TRAVEL-WORTHY DIP
Marilyn Soehl scours Instagram and sometimes passes on recipes that she thinks would be welcomed in the kitchens of Our People (in other words, all of you). This week, as we are still thinking appetizers, particularly those that travel well to the homes of friends, Ms. Soehl had an idea.
“This recipe looks long, but it’s not complicated; it just adds a lot of hints.”
Roasted Red Pepper Dip With Feta
1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained well in a colander and patted dry with paper towels 3 tablespoons fresh mint,
finely chopped 1 teaspoon minced garlic
(or less)
4 ounces cream cheese 4 ounces feta cheese
1/4 cup Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon fresh lemon
juice (see notes) 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt to taste
Put a colander in the sink, and dump in the jar of roasted red peppers. Let peppers drain well, then pat dry with paper towels.
While the peppers drain, finely chop the mint.
Put red peppers and minced garlic into a food processor, and process until peppers are pureed.
Add cream cheese, feta, Greek yogurt, mint, lemon juice and olive oil, and process until well blended.
Taste to see if you want to add salt, and process again if you do.
Serve dip with raw veggie dippers such as celery, sugar snap peas, jicama or cauliflower, or cooked vegetables such as asparagus, green beans or broccoli for a lowcarb appetizer.
This would also be delicious as a sauce for grilled chicken, fish or vegetables, and it’s also good as a spread on sandwiches or as a dip for whole-wheat pita bread.
The dip will stay good in the refrigerator for several days. Let come to room temperature again when serving.
MOIST, TENDER CHOPS
The recent request for pork chops that aren’t dry and chewy brought us to this one from Margaret’s Morsels blog. Margaret McNeil praised the following for a company dish.
The cook began with this explanation. “The pork chops cook in the gravy, which keeps them moist and tender. The gravy is delicious over the pork chops, but it’s even better served with a starch, such as rice or mashed potatoes. Add a green vegetable, and you’ve got a delicious dinner.
“I’ve always had good luck with this recipe, which is one reason I like serving it to company,” according to Ms. McNeil. “When our company leaves, I know they leave content, well fed and, more often than not, with a copy of the recipe.”
Pork Chops With Mushroom Gravy
1/2 cup Wondra or
all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt ¼ teaspoon pepper
6 to 8 boneless pork
chops (1 inch thick) 1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green
pepper (I use frozen) 1 (4-ounce) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Add pork chops, 2 at a time, tossing to coat. Set remaining flour mixture aside.
Melt margarine in a large 12-inch skillet. Cook pork chops in margarine 1 minute; turn pork chops over and cook the other side 1 minute. When done, transfer to a greased 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking dish.
In the same skillet, sauté the onion, green pepper and mushrooms until the onion and green pepper are soft.
Stir in the reserved flour mixture. Gradually add milk, stirring to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Pour gravy over pork chops. Cover the pan with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Nutrition information (per serving): 130 calories, 11 grams fat (5 grams saturated fat, no trans fat, 5 grams unsaturated fat) 27 miligrams cholesterol, 251 milligrams sodium, 5 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 3 grams sugar, 4 grams protein.
MEAT TENDERIZER
Jeana Reidl began her conversation with this qualifier. “I am not a food scientist, but I have been reading about the benefits of baking soda in the kitchen. Some ideas I read in a newsletter from America’s Test Kitchen are that baking soda tenderizes meat. It mentioned its use in Chinese cooking and also said that adding baking soda to ground meat makes it more tender and holds more moisture. The writer said, ‘We’ve used this trick on ground beef for chili and sloppy joes, and it’s a game changer. Into a pound of ground meat, incorporate ¼ to ½ teaspoon baking soda stirred into 1 tablespoon water. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then proceed with your recipe.’”
She ended, “I am wondering whether other readers have found this research to be true in their kitchens.”
I’m grateful for your good company this morning, and now that this column closes you can turn to cooking for good company or for the regular diners you love best. As the adage goes, why not treat your family like company and your company like family?