RSS

Category Archives: Pork

Keep it Easy -Simple Breaded Pork Cutlets and Plum Iced Tea

27 Aug

Even though it seems like summer is starting to wind down we are still getting warm and humid weather here. This means I may not have the energy to spend as much time in the kitchen as I might under other circumstances so I want to make dinner as easy as possible. Of course, it can get a little tiring to have boneless chicken, hamburgers or sandwiches for dinner all of the time, so you want to add a little something different to repertoire in the kitchen. So what about pork? I may not seem to give pork a lot of love in the recipes I make, but I really do like it. However, a lot of times when we think about pork we think about pulled pork or pork roasts that take a long time in the kitchen, something you don’t want right now. One of the great things about pork is that you can very often find good deals on it so you can get a variety of pork chops, a pork loin roast or even pork tenderloin for pretty good prices and they are much more versatile than you might think. Pork takes to sauces, herbs and breading very nicely and if you can get a boneless pork loin roast on sale you can cut your own boneless chops from it, as thick as you like, and have a quick and easy meal and then freeze the rest. That is what I did recently when I made this recipe from Pierre Franey from New York Times Cooking for some basic breaded pork cutlets.

Breaded Pork Cutlets

8 boneless pork loin slices, about 3 ounces each, trimmed of excess fat

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried, or other herbs of your choice

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 egg, beaten

4 tablespoons water

2 cups fresh bread crumbs

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 lemon wedges

Place the pork slices between sheets of plastic wrap on a flat surface. With a meat pounder or a mallet, pound them to flatten the pork slices without breaking the meat. The meat should be about 1/4-inch thick when you are done.

Combine the cumin, rosemary (or other herbs), salt and pepper in a small bowl. Blend the spices well. Season the pork cutlets on both sides with the spice mixture.

Beat the egg together with the water and place the egg mixture in a large flat dish. Coat the cutlets with the egg mixture, allow any excess to drip off and then dip the pork cutlets into the bread crumbs.

Place the pork cutlets on a flat surface and tap lightly with the flat side of a heavy knife to help the bread crumbs adhere well to each cutlet.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet and cook the pork cutlets over medium heat, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until the cutlets are golden brown and cooked through. Serve the cutlets with the lemon wedges.

It’s a pretty basic recipe that you may not need to think much about. The great thing is that you can use things you always have on hand to make a quick dinner. I opted not to use rosemary since we’re not big fans of it in our house and went with thyme instead, but you can use any of your favorite fresh herbs and I think it will turn out well. I made this with a simple side dish of rice and some broccoli and we had a meal in under 30 minutes.

Since the weather has been so warm, what better thing to have with your meal than a nice refreshing beverage the whole family can enjoy? We’re big iced tea drinkers around here and I usually just make some standard iced tea using tea bags and water, but since we have also had some great summer fruit around here lately, I decided to make use of that as well and incorporate it into the tea. I used this recipe from Bon Appetit for an easy plum tea that was delicious.

Plum Iced Tea

8 black tea bags

3 large sprigs lemon verbena or mint, plus more for serving

1 cup sugar

4 large red plums, cut into thin wedges

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Combine the tea bags, 3 lemon verbena sprigs or mint sprigs and 8 cups of cold water in a large pitcher. Cover the pitcher and chill it for at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.

 

Meanwhile, bring the sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the plums and reduce the heat; simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the plums steep for 30 minutes. Strain the plum syrup into a small bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Cover and chill the plum syrup until it is cold, at least 30 minutes.

 

Remove the tea bags and lemon verbena sprigs or mint sprigs from the tea pitcher and stir in ¾ of a cup of the plum syrup and 4 cups of ice. Serve the tea in ice-filled glasses garnished with more lemon verbena or mint.
The taste of the tea was great and something a little different if you are accustomed to just having your standard iced tea or even make peach iced tea. The syrup was perfect and I used mint because finding lemon verbena around here would be next to impossible. It was a very refreshing drink that is great for the summer.
That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on August 27, 2016 in Beverages, Cooking, Dinner, Fruit, Pork, Uncategorized

 

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

A Great Take on a Takeout Classic – Homemade Chinese Pork Spare Ribs

11 Aug

Everyone has their personal favorites when it comes to takeout Chinese food. I am partial to sesame chicken myself while Sean likes sweet and sour chicken and Michelle goes for beef and broccoli. Egg rolls are always a favorite as well but one thing that we all seem to really love are the Chinese spare ribs that you get. The ribs are nicely cooked and crisp, have that dark red color and some char and a nice, sticky flavor right down to the bone. While you may not have a super high heat oven like your local Chinese restaurant may have to get that kind of char you can still come pretty darn close to it when you try this recipe from Saveur for Chinese pork spare ribs.

Chinese Pork Spare Ribs

1⁄3 cup hoisin sauce
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp. dry sherry
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3⁄4 teaspoon red food coloring
1⁄4 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
1 (2 pound) slab spare ribs, preferably St. Louis style, cut into individual ribs
Whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sherry, garlic, sugar, red food coloring and Chinese five spice powder in a large bowl. Add the ribs; toss the ribs to coat them well with the marinade. Set the bowl aside, covered with plastic wrap, to let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange a baking rack on top of a rimmed, foil-lined sheet pan. Remove the ribs from the marinade and reserve any marinade left in the bowl; arrange the ribs on the rack, meat, not bone, side up. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven; pour enough water into the pan so that it reaches halfway up the sides of the pan, making sure the water does not touch the ribs. Bake the ribs for about 35 to 40 minutes. Baste the ribs with  the reserved marinade; flip the ribs and baste them again. Bake the ribs for 35 to 40 minutes more. Add more water to the pan if it dries up. Raise the heat of the oven to 450 degrees. Flip the ribs again and baste them again with the remaining marinade. Continue the baking until the ribs are nicely glazed, browned, and tender, about 20 minutes more. Serve the ribs with Chinese mustard or duck sauce, if you like.
I was a little skeptical as to how they would turn out, but I have to admit the flavor was spot on to what you get at a takeout restaurant. The combination of the hoisin and soy sauce, along with the five spice powder, seem to really do the trick. The red food coloring gives you that familiar red color to your ribs but if you don’t want or need to have that you can really leave it out altogether. I put it in to give that “authentic” look to the ribs. Everyone really enjoyed the flavor of the ribs and said it tasted just like takeout so it does give you a better option if you can make the ribs yourself and control the ingredients and save some money instead of ordering out next time. I used the left over ribs and took some of the rib meat and made some great fried rice with it as well.
That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!
IMG_0471
 
Leave a comment

Posted by on August 11, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, Pork

 

Tags: , , , , , ,

50 Easy Weeknight Summer Dinners, So You Can Relax – Bon Appétit

22 Jul

It’s summer and it’s hot out so avoiding the elaborate dinner becomes almost a necessity for most of us. Bon Appetit is here to help you out with 50 easy weeknight summer dinners so you don’t have to slave in the kitchen to have a good meal. Check it out!

Source: 50 Easy Weeknight Summer Dinners, So You Can Relax – Bon Appétit

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on July 22, 2016 in Beef, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dinner, Grilling, One Pot Meals, Pasta, Picnic Fare, Pork, Potatoes, Poultry, Produce, Rice, Salad, Sandwiches, Sausage, Seafood, Slow Cooker Meals, Stir Fry, Vegetables

 

Tags: , , , , ,

It Pays to Plan Ahead – Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with Apple Fritters

14 Jul

Not every meal you make has to be a spur of the moment decision for you. In fact, I like to try to plan out the whole week’s menu in advance so I can make sure I have all of the ingredients I am going to need for the week ready and available when I want them. This also let’s me make some dinners that may need a little bit of extra preparation, like marinating or brining, and I know what days are better for recipes where I may need a little bit more time to make them. Planning a meal that involves brining chicken or pork usually gives you 12 hours or a day to get everything together that you need in case you don’t have everything around, along with imparting some great flavor onto whatever protein you happen to be cooking that day. Pork chops are particularly great for brining because it helps to keep the meat moist, plumps up the pork and can give it a much-needed flavor boost when you want it. This particular recipe, from New York Times Cooking and Sam Sifton, does take some planning ahead, but it leaves you with a great combination of juicy pork chops and tasty apple fritters that would make Peter Brady forget all about his pork chops and applesauce meal.

Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with Apple Fritters

For the Pork Chops and Brine:

1 cup apple cider

6 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

3 bay leaves

2 dried chiles de árbol

5 juniper berries

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

4 pork chops on the bone, approximately 1 ½ inches thick

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil or other neutral oil

For the Sauce:

1 tablespoon butter

2 shallots peeled and finely diced

1 teaspoon thyme leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons brandy

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup chicken stock

2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon horseradish, ideally freshly grated

For the Apple Fritters:

2 cups apple cider

1 cinnamon stick

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch rounds

1 whole egg

½ cup very cold seltzer water

½ cup rice flour

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup canola oil or other neutral oil

In a large bowl, mix the apple cider with 4 cups of water, the sugar and the salt. Toast the bay leaves, chilies, juniper berries, caraway seeds, mustard seeds and coriander seeds in a small pan set over medium heat until you can smell them, then add them to the brine, and stir the mixture to combine it. Add the pork chops, cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to brine overnight or for up to 48 hours.

To pan-roast the pork chops, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the pork chops from the brine, and pat them dry with a paper towel. Season the meat aggressively with freshly ground black pepper and a little salt. Set a large sauté pan that will fit in the oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil, and when it is shimmering, place the chops in the pan. Cook the chops until they are well seared on one side, about 4 minutes, then turn the chops over, and place the pan in the oven to finish the chops, about 6 to 8 minutes. (The internal temperature of the pork, measured at the center of the chop, should be between 140 and 145 degrees for medium rare.) Remove the meat from the pan and allow the chops to rest for 5 minutes or so while you make the sauce.

Return the same pan to the stovetop and set it over medium heat, and add the butter, stirring and scraping to incorporate the meat drippings, then add the shallots and the thyme. Cook for about 3 minutes, then add the brandy. Allow the mixture to reduce by half, then add the cream and the stock and reduce the mixture again, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Remove the sauce from the heat, and whisk in the mustard and the horseradish.

For the apple fritters, heat the apple cider and the cinnamon stick with a couple of inches of water in a large pot set over high heat. Add the apple rounds, and blanch for 1 minute, then remove them to a towel to dry. Whisk together the egg and the seltzer until the mixture is frothy, then gently mix in the rice flour and all-purpose flour. Put the oil in a large pan set over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, dip the apple rings into the batter and fry them in the oil until they are golden brown about 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve the pork chops with a few apple fritters and a heavy drizzle of sauce across the top.

This meal does take some preparation and you likely will have to get some ingredients you may not always have around the house ahead of time, but it is well worth the effort. The chops have fantastic flavor to them and the sauce for them is perfect, with a great blend of the mustard and horseradish in a cream sauce to really complement the chops. The apple fritters are always a favorite as well and work very nicely with the pork. I served this with some roasted carrots and parsnips and some store-bought pierogies to go along with the meal and it was a family favorite. If you know you have some extra time to make something, this recipe can be a great choice. It is also perfect to serve on a weekend when you might have a little more time to prepare something for dinner or are having people over. It may seem like a lot of work to make the brine, but it is really worth it so you can get the added flavor and extra juiciness with the pork. You’ll be glad you took the time to do it. I was able to find all of the ingredients I needed locally, which isn’t always easy for me, so you should be able to get everything you need to make this dish.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

IMG_0263

 

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on July 14, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, Fruit, Pork, Sauce

 

Tags: , , , , , ,

No Smoker, No Problem – Make These Oven-Smoked Spare Ribs

13 Jul

Not having a grill at your disposal to use in the summertime is a big disappointment, at least for me. Living condo life in New York prevents us from having a charcoal or gas grill to do any outdoor cooking on. I tried the electric grill for a number of years and it did a good job cooking, but it just isn’t the same as using charcoal or even gas. You get the grill marks but you don’t get the same sear and smell that you do from other ways of cooking. That is why I often try to make the best of the grill pans I have without setting off the smoke alarm or use the oven. It may not be the ideal way to do it in the summertime, but it’s the best I have available. One of the things I really miss is the ability to do racks of ribs on the grill. There is something about the great smoky flavor you can get when you cook ribs on the grill that make them spectacular. I have been looking around at different methods to do some smoking in the oven. I considered stovetop smokers and smoking guns, but they seem a little expensive to me for something I may only use a handful of times a year and since we are already tight for space in our small kitchen, it may not be the most practically thing to have. When I came across this recipe at New York Times Cooking from Mark Bittman for oven-smoked ribs, it seemed too easy and I was skeptical about just how well it might actually work out.

Oven- Smoked Spare Ribs

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 tablespoons paprika

1 rack spare ribs, 2 to 3 pounds

Your favorite homemade or store-bought barbecue sauce

 

Heat the oven to 225 degrees. While the oven heats, mix together the salt, brown sugar, pepper, cumin, chili powder and paprika in a small bowl until the ingredients are blended. Rub the spice mix all over the pork.

Layer the bottom of a roasting pan with hickory or oak chips (or any other wood chips you prefer) and add enough water to create a shallow pool coating the bottom of the pan and moistening the chips; do not drown them.

Put a rack over the chips and put the rubbed meat on the rack. Cover the entire roasting pan tightly with foil, making a tent at the top so the smoke-flavored steam can circulate around the meat. Bake the ribs for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is cooked and tender.

Carefully remove the foil from the pan and, if desired, paint the ribs with your favorite barbecue sauce. Run the ribs under the broiler, watching them carefully, until they are nicely crisp and browned, about 5 minutes.

It did seem almost too easy to me. I was naturally worried that there would be a lot of smoke in the oven and was prepared to race to the smoke alarm but I never had to once. The foil kept the smoke trapped in the roasting pan with the meat and did a wonderful job. I used some hickory chips I had purchased at the supermarket and they added some great flavor to the meat. I read on the website that some people had done the ribs this way in their slow cooker, which trapped the smoke in better because of the seal that the cover provides, so this certainly could be an option for you to try. Are they going to be ribs that are better than what you can do on a grill or in a smoker? No, they aren’t; but if you don’t have those as options and really want to get some smoke into the ribs, it is a pretty good alternative to try. You might also want to add a little bit of liquid smoke to the water in the roasting pan to help amp up some of the smoke flavor you get. The ribs come out with definite smoke flavor and smell. I found I had to cook mine for a little over 3 hours to get them as tender as we like them, but other than that the recipe worked out really well. Like any rib recipe, you can always go with corn on the cob, coleslaw, baked beans and potato salad to make a great meal.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

IMG_0292

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on July 13, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, Grilling, Pork

 

Tags: , , , , , ,

Feeling Fancy on a Weeknight – Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Raspberries

12 Jul

I know most people want something that does not take much effort on a weeknight. You’re tired after a long day at work and the last thing you want to, especially in the summertime, is spend a long time in the kitchen in front of the stove making dinner. I feel the same way; there are just some nights where you don’t want to do it. The great thing is that there are so many good recipes out there that you can do in under 30 minutes and have a really nice meal on the table without working up a big sweat in the kitchen. All it takes is a little bit of planning on your part each day or at the start of each week so you can be sure you have all of the ingredients on hand. Then you can crank out your dinner and have it on the table fast. A great example of a dinner that looks fancy but takes no time at all is this one from Food Republic for pork tenderloin with balsamic raspberries. It is an elegant looking dish that you can have on the table in about 30 minutes.

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Raspberries

2 pork tenderloins (about 3/4 pound each)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons butter

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 cups fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, with a rack in the middle position. Rub the pork tenderloins with the olive oil and sprinkle each tenderloin with salt and pepper.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet and brown the pork on all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes. Place the pork on a rack in a roasting pan and roast it for about 10 to 12 minutes; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 140 degrees. Remove the tenderloins from the oven and let the meat rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat and cook the shallots, stirring, until they are soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.Stir in the balsamic vinegar, the sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, about 10 minutes.

Season the sauce with pepper, add the raspberries, and heat the sauce until the raspberries are just warm.

Cut the meat into slices and serve with the warm balsamic raspberries.

It is a very simple dinner to make but it looks pretty fancy when you get it all on the plate. You get a really nice sauce with the vinegar and raspberries and we all loved the flavor the sauce provided to the pork. You could use the sauce pretty successfully with other cuts of pork if you prefer, like boneless cutlets or chops or even bone-in chops. I served the pork with some Brussels sprouts and roasted potatoes, but you can make it really easy on yourself and just put it together with some rice and a salad or a baked potato and salad and have everything ready to go. Anytime you can get a main dish done in about 25 minutes and have it look fancy and taste awesome is a pretty good deal to me.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

IMG_0363

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on July 12, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, Fruit, Pork, Sauce

 

Tags: , , , , , ,

It’s Summer. It’s Hot. Keep it Simple with the Ultimate BLT

06 Jul

The warm weather has really started to kick in here lately, with temperatures regularly up in the 90’s now as July gets underway. That means the house is going to be warm and humid and you are not going to feel like doing much cooking when it comes to making dinner. Sure it could be easy to just go out and grab something or order in a pizza or sandwiches, but you can still make something quick, easy and tasty all on your own. I am one of those people who could eat sandwiches pretty much any time of the day so I have no problem having one for dinner now and then, especially when it gets warm out. When I saw this recipe from Bon Appetit for what they call the Ultimate BLT, well it seemed like the perfect time to give it a try. I mean, it is bacon after all, how could you go wrong? You get lots of options with this one so you can be as plain or adventurous as you like.

The Ultimate BLT

¼ cup (packed) dark brown sugar (optional)

4 teaspoons chipotle chile powder (optional)

4 teaspoons smoked paprika (optional)

1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided (optional)

¼ cup pure maple syrup (optional)

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (optional)

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

2 pounds thick-cut bacon

2 heads of romaine lettuce, separated into individual leaves

4 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick

16 ½-inch slices of your favorite bread, toasted

2 avocados, sliced (for serving)

Mayonnaise (for serving)

Flaky sea salt, freshly ground pepper

Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

 

If you are making the brown-sugar rub for the bacon, whisk the brown sugar, chile powder, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt in a small bowl.

 

If you are making the maple-mustard glaze for the bacon, whisk the maple syrup, mustard, cayenne, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of kosher salt in another small bowl.

 

For making plain bacon, divide the bacon between 2 wire racks set inside large foil-lined rimmed baking sheets. Bake the bacon, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until it is brown and crisp, about 35–50 minutes (depending on the thickness of the bacon). Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.

 

For flavored bacon, generously sprinkle the desired amount (you’ll have enough rub and glaze for 1 lb. bacon each) with rub or brush with glaze about 5 minutes before the bacon is done cooking. The rub should be melted and bubbling and the glaze should look thick and caramelized.

 

Arrange the bacon on a large platter and serve it with lettuce, tomatoes, toast, avocados, mayonnaise, sea salt, and pepper alongside for building sandwiches.
Okay, I know I said that this was good for summertime and then the recipe says to put the oven on for 45 minutes. You do have some options here for making the bacon and you can always fry it if you prefer, but I find putting it in the oven on a rack keeps it from sitting in too much grease and makes it crisper. It also lets you cook a large batch of it all at once, which is perfect for sandwiches. Personally, I didn’t try any of the flavored bacon, but the brown sugar rub sure sounds good and it is one I am going to try. I like my BLT pretty basic with one exception – I do like avocado on it. I want crispy bacon, some romaine lettuce or spring mix, good mayo, fresh tomatoes and some nice bread and I am all set. I used spring mix on my BLT along with the avocado and some local tomatoes and I used my favorite homemade bread for the sandwich, though any bread you really like is going to be perfect for you. You can serve this alongside some potato salad, coleslaw or just some chips and you are good to go. I had a basic coleslaw I made myself that I’ll share the recipe for another time. I only made a pound of the bacon, which is more than enough for the three of us for sandwiches and it was a great dinner. I actually got some thick cut bacon from the Fresh Market for this one instead of the usual Smithfield’s I buy and it was awesome. With so many choices on how you want to serve this one, you can do lots of great things with it. Is it the ultimate BLT? If it’s not, it’s pretty darn good anyway.
That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!
 
Leave a comment

Posted by on July 6, 2016 in Breads, Cooking, Dinner, Lunch, Pork, Sandwiches

 

Tags: , , , , , ,

Get Asian Inspired with Pork Tonkatsu and Japanese Cabbage Salad

29 Jun

One of things I can always count on when making a meal Sean will like is to look to an Asian-inspired meal. He has a fondness for Japanese, Chinese and Korean cooking and doesn’t even seem to mind when I make the dishes a little spicier, even though he will turn his nose up at spicy chili or Buffalo wings (go figure). I had some pork cutlets in fridge and was trying to come up with something different to make with them other than the typical breaded cutlets when I thought about Tonkatsu. I had seen recipes for it before but never really thought to try it myself until I realized just how easy it was going to be. This recipe from Food and Wine is very straightforward and easy to make so you can get the crispy meal your family will love.

Pork Tonkatsu

Four 6- to 7-ounce boneless pork loin chops, pounded 1/2 inch thick

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups panko bread crumbs

Kosher salt

Pepper

Canola oil, for frying

3 tablespoons Japanese mustard powder  or Colman’s mustard powder

Japanese Cabbage Salad (recipe to follow)

For the Tonkatsu Sauce:

1 Tbsp. ketchup

2½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1½ tsp. oyster sauce

1⅛ tsp. sugar

Using a pair of kitchen shears, score the fat at the edges of the pork chops at 1-inch intervals, about 1/4 inch deep (this will keep them from curling while they cook).

Put the flour, eggs and panko bread crumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls. Season the flour with 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Season the pork cutlets with salt and pepper and coat them with flour, tapping off the excess. Dip the cutlets in the beaten eggs and then in the panko, pressing to help the panko adhere.

In a large skillet, heat 1 inch of oil to 360 degrees. Fry 2 pork cutlets over moderate heat, turning once, until they are golden brown and white throughout, about 4 minutes. Drain the chops on paper towels. Transfer the pork chops to a cutting board and season them with salt. Repeat the process  with the remaining cutlets.

In a small bowl, whisk the mustard powder with 3 tablespoons of water until the mixture is smooth.

To make the sauce, combine the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce and sugar together in a small and whisk until blended.

Slice the tonkatsu into 3/4-inch strips and transfer it to plates. Serve the  with the cabbage, Japanese mustard, tonkatsu sauce and lemon wedges.

Not only is the recipe very easy and turns out great, crispy pork, but you could easily substitute chicken or beef for the pork if you wanted to or even shrimp or your favorite fish. The breading is nice and crispy and it goes really well with the mustard and the Tonkatsu sauce. The Japanese cabbage salad is also very easy to make and there are several different recipes out there that you can try. I used this one from Martha Stewart.

Japanese Cabbage Salad

1 tablespoon white or yellow miso paste

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Juice and zest of 1 lime

2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar (seasoned)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 cup safflower oil

6 cups thinly shredded green cabbage

Garnish: toasted sesame seeds

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the miso paste, soy sauce, lime zest and  lime juice, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and safflower oil.

 

Toss the cabbage with the dressing and serve it garnished with sesame seeds, if desired.

I didn’t have safflower oil on hand so I just used vegetable oil and it turned out just fine to my tastes. It was a very simple salad that tasted great with the dressing, which was a nice mix of the sesame oil, lime and vinegar. I think it goes perfectly with the tonkatsu and would work well with any other meal that needs a light salad.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

IMG_0401

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on June 29, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, Dressings, Pork, Salad, Sauce, Vegetables

 

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Cinco de Mayo Taco Recipes – Bon Appétit

05 May

Tacos make a a great dinner any night of the year. They are full of flavor, use fresh ingredients and are pretty easy to make. You can also use any type of protein you like best or go with just vegetables and still have a great dinner. Since today is Cinco de Mayo, it seems like as good a day as any to check out these 25 taco recipes put together by Bon Appetit. You’ll find everything you need to know or want to try right here so you can have a Cinco de Mayo dinner tonight or just have a good taco recipes on hand any time you feel like one. Check it out!

 

Source: Cinco de Mayo Taco Recipes – Bon Appétit

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on May 5, 2016 in Beans, Beef, Breakfast, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dinner, Grilling, One Pot Meals, Pork, Potatoes, Poultry, Produce, Rice, Sandwiches, Sausage, Seafood, Turkey, Vegetables

 

Tags: , , , , , ,

31 Flavorful Rubs, Brines, and Marinades Slideshow – Bon Appétit

30 Apr

Everyone gets tired of having the same old thing when it comes to chicken, pork chops, steak or fish. A great way to change things up without going crazy is to use a brine, rub or marinade. They can add great flavor to anything you are cooking and make even your most regular meal seem extraordinary. Bon Appetit has put together 31 recipes for different rubs, brines and marinades that you can try. Check it out!

Source: 31 Flavorful Rubs, Brines, and Marinades Slideshow – Bon Appétit

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on April 30, 2016 in Beef, Condiments, Cooking, Cooking Tips, Cooking Websites, Dinner, Herbs, Lamb, Pantry, Pork, Potatoes, Poultry, Produce, Rice, Sausage, Seafood, Side Dishes, Soups & Stews, Spices, Stir Fry, Turkey, Vegetables

 

Tags: , , , ,

← Older posts
Newer posts →
 
National Day Calendar

Fun, unusual and forgotten designations on our calendar.

The Write Romance - The Writings of Lacy Hart

Happily Ever After Lives Here

Jennifer Probst

a little bit naughty a little bit nice

Laissez Faire

Letting Life Lead

What To Have For Dinner Tonight

Simple and delicious dinner inspiration