Mexican-spiced Pork Chops

Infused with robust Mexican spices, these succulent pork chops are topped with a vibrant salsa verde. This salsa is also delicious on fish tacos, scrambled eggs or as a dip for tortilla chips.

SALSA VERDE

• 1 lb medium tomatillos, about 10, husked and rinsed
• 1 small onion, cut into large chunks
• 1 jalapeno
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 medium lemon, halved crosswise & seeded
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Sugar to taste

PORK CHOPS

• 4 bone-in pork chops, cut 1 inch thick
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil

1. For the salsa verde, preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Place tomatillos, onion, jalapeno, garlic and lemon on parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and toss to coat, making sure lemon halves are cut-side down. Roast until tomatillos are charred and onions are brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
3. When cool enough to handle, discard garlic skins and pepper stem. Place everything in a food processor and pulse to desired consistency. If it's too thick, add water, 1 tbsp at a time. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in chopped cilantro. Season with salt and sugar, if necessary. Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 5 days.
4. For the pork chops, stir together all ingredients other than pork chops and olive oil in a small bowl. Place chops in a container and pour marinade over, flipping to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 1 day
5. Take chops out of fridge and preheat oven to 400°F.
6. Set a large cast-iron or oven-proof skillet over high heat. When hot, add olive oil. Swirl, then add pork chops. Cook until nicely browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip and transfer pan to oven for 5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking in oven until chops reach an internal temperature of 145°F, about 5 minutes more.
7. Transfer chops to cooling rack and rest 5 minutes. Serve with the salsa verde. Serves 4

Spinach Soubrics

Soubrics*

• 2 quarts spinach
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg, separated
• Pinch of cayenne
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt to taste
• Butter for sautéing

White Sauce

• 2 cup milk
• 4 tbsp melted butter
• 4 tbsp flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground pepper
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Thoroughly wash the spinach then boil in a little water. Drain the spinach thoroughly and press out the water, and chop.
2. Add the Parmesan cheese and the yolk of the egg slightly beaten. Season with salt, cayenne, and a slight grating nutmeg and cook three minutes, stirring constantly. Add the white of the egg slightly beaten.
3. Make quenelles with a quenelle spoon or a tablespoon and sauté in butter.
4. Serve with a white sauce or cheese sauce.

* - Soubric is a classic French dish similar to croquettes or pancakes. It is made from puréed or minced meats or vegetables which are then thickened with eggs or flour and sometimes cream. The batter is then shaped and divided into smaller portions and sautéed in clarified butter. The shape can be like a small pancake or blinz, or made into quenelles. Soubrics are usually accompanied with a white sauce such as béchamel or allemande sauce. They are usually served as an hors-d’œuvre, amuse-bouche†, or a side for various dishes.

† - though a French term, "amuse-bouche" is not used in France; they use the term "amuse-gueule."

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Additions to the above recipe:

1. Reduce balsamic vinegar to a syrup stage and squeeze a small amount on top.
2. Cook some bacon or prosciutto until crisp. Put into blender to made in very small pieces and sprinkle on top of plated dish.

Watercress Soup With Poached Egg

by Gordon Ramsay (with additions by me)

This would make a good light dish for brunch. Because it is a fairly substantial dish, it would make a good appetizer for a light meal.

• 1 bag of watercress (retain a few leaves for garnish)
• 1 medium potato, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 1 small clove of garlic mashed into a paste
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 oz prosciutto or bacon
• 2 poached eggs
• Salt & pepper

1. Put the watercress, potato and garlic in a saucepan with the water and butter. Simmer until thoroughly cooked.
2. When cooked, put in a blender and purée. Put through a fine sieve or tamis. Season with salt & pepper to taste. It should be fairly thick.
3. Either fry the bacon until firm but not crisp or use the prosciutto as is at room temperature or cooked till not quite crisp. Cut into julienne.
4. Poach the eggs until done to the soft to medium stage.
5. Pour the watercress soup into a warmed serving bowl and place an egg on top. Place a few shreds of the prosciutto or bacon on top of the egg and garnish with a few watercress leaves.

I tried this recipe and it was pretty good, but it needed something extra for texture and taste. I added the prosciutto/bacon slivers for texture and taste, and the garlic to punch up the flavour of the soup which was a bit bland. I would also try adding a watercress, parsley, or parsley/garlic tuile as a additional garnish instead of (or with) the watercress leaves (or could try a red pepper tuile for a contrasting colour and taste. This tuile could also be made with ajvar.). See my tuile recipes.

Watermelon Sushi

An interesting twist on sushi as a dessert with sweeetened rice. You could also add or substitute mango, papaya or another fruit as the "fish" replacement or as the purée ingredient.

Ingredients

• Sushi rice (see below)
• Watermelon
• Fresh mint leaves
• Lime zest
• Balsamic vinegar or tamarind sauce
• 1 Mango
• 1 tsp sugar

Sushi Rice

• 1½ cups cold water
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 egg white
• Dash of vanilla extract

1. Pour water into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat; stir in rice. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. 
2. Combine cooked rice, 1/2 cup of milk, sugar, and salt in a clean saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thick and creamy, about 15 minutes. 
3. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk and egg white; cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla until combined.

Assembly

1. Slice the watermelon into thin rectangles to look like tuna sushi.
2. Peel the mango and cut the flesh away from the central pit. Put the mango in a blender with a little water and the sugar, and purée. Pass through a fine sieve or tamis.
3. Form the sushi rice into fingers. Place a watermelon slice on the rice.
4. Slice the mint leaves into a fine chiffonade and sprinkle a few on top of the watermelon and add a couple of pieces of lime zest.
5. Place a couple of drops of Balsamic vinegar (or tamarind sauce) on one end of the sushi (to look like soy sauce).
6. Place a spoonful of the mango puree on a plate and place the watermelon sushi on the plate.

Other fruits could be used in place of (or in addition to) watermelon as the topping of the rice: mango, papaya, canned peaches or pears, etc.

Ideas for other "sauces" than the mango purée to use as accompaniment: lemon or lime curd, strawberry or raspberry purée.

Remoulade

Like tartar sauce, this French sauce is traditionally used as a condiment with seafood but is not as sweet.

Ingredients

• 1 cup quality mayonnaise
• 2 tbsps finely minced cornichons
• 2 tbsps finely chopped mixed herbs (tarragon is traditional; additionally try parsley, chives & chervil)
• 1 tbsp very finely minced capers
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• ⅛ tsp anchovy paste, or half of anchovy fillet, very finely minced
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place the mayonnaise in a bowl along with the remaining ingredients. Stir until the ingredients are fully combined.
2. Store covered in the fridge in an airtight container. For the best flavor, let the sauce chill in the fridge for at least 24 hours to allow time for the flavors to fully meld.
3. Sauce will keep up to 2 weeks (or two days if using home-made mayonnaise).

This dish is best prepared with a home made mayonnaise; the recipe can be found here.