Let’s cook!

Pork Chops with Bourbon Sauce

2 center cut, bone-in, pork chops

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup bourbon

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons grain mustard

2 tablespoons heavy cream

salt and pepper

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Season one side of the chops with salt and pepper.

Add the oil to the skillet. Add the chops season side down.

Cook for 4 minutes then season the top side of the chops with salt and pepper. Add the butter and cook for another minute.

Turn the chops over.

Continue cooking until thermometer registers 130 – 135 degrees–about 5 minutes more. Transfer the chops to a plate, tent with foil.

Turn off the heat  for the skillet the chops just cooked in. Add the bourbon.

Turn the heat back on and let reduce by half. Add the chicken broth and bring to simmer for 3 minutes.

Whisk in the mustard and cream. Simmer for another 2 -3 minutes.

Time to plate!

Here is a close-up:

Happy Cooking!

Let’s cook!

Pork Chops with Caper Sauce

4 butterfly porkchops

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup white wine

1 – 15oz can diced tomatoes

1 lemon, zested

2 tablespoons capers

1 onion, chopped

1/3 cups flat parsley

salt and pepper

In a large skillet over hight heat, heat the olive oil. Season the pork with salt and pepper.

Add the pork to the pan and brown on all sides.

Remove the pork from the pan and place in foil and set aside.

Add onion, shallots and  parsley to the pan and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Add the wine.

Scrape the bottom bits of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add capers, lemon zest and tomatoes, stir well.

Add the pork back to the pan and cook for another 15 minutes.

Time to plate! I like the butterfly pork chops because they make awesome pockets to hold the caper sauce.

Here is the close-up:

Happy Cooking!

Mustard Horseradish Sauce

1 1/2 cup good mayonnaise

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1/3 cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustards, horseradish, sour cream, and salt in a small bowl. Let rest in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Enjoy!

Let’s cook!

Herb-Crusted Classic Roast Chicken

1 whole chicken

3 -4 tablespoons fresh herbs

1 cup chicken broth

1 lemon, zest and cut into quarters

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450.  In a small bowl add lemon zest and herbs.

Place the chicken, breast side up, on a large roasting pan. Rub the herbs and generous amount of salt and pepper over the chicken. Stuff the cavity with lemon wedge and whole herbs with stems (in this case the thyme).

Roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400 and continue to roast until your meat thermometer in the thickest part away from the bone reads 170, about 40 minutes longer from when you reduced the temperature.

Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes befor you carve. Time to make the pan sauce. Pour the drippings from the pan into a sauce pan. Add the rest of the broth and bring to a boil and stir. Be sure that you added the bits from the  bottom of the roasting pan to the sauce pan. Cook until the sauce is slighty reduced which takes about the total time for the chicken to rest.

I made mashed potatoes and peas with this meal. Here is how I plated the dinner:

And here is the close-up:

So in total time this dinner takes just over an hour. I think I ate half the chicken and the sauce you can store in the freezer for the next time you have chicken.

Tomorrow I will post roasted tomato soup.

Happy Cooking!

Let’s cook!

Sauteed Scallops with Tarragon Sauce

For the Tarragon Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise (Duke’s is the best for this)

1 tablespoon capers, drained

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves (chopped)

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

salt and pepper to taste

For the Scallops

15 – 20 large sea scallops

canola oil

salt and pepper

For the tarragon sauce, put the mayonnaise, capers, tarragon, shallot, vinegar, garlic, mustard, and salt into a blender.

Pulse several times, until well combined. Transfer to a bowl and add paprika.

Let the sauce rest.

Add half a stick on butter to a skillet over high heat.

While the butter is melting coat the scallops with canola oil, salt and pepper.

Place the scallops in the skillet and cook 3 – 4 minutes on each side.

The scallops should be barely opaque in the center and should feel firm to the touch but with some give. Whatever you do, don’t overcook the scallops, or you will have new hockey pucks. For this dinner, we had wild rice with cooked spinach. Here is how I did the plating.

Here is another view:

Here is a close-up:

I will use the rest of this tarragon sauce for cold crab claws which I will feature soon!

Happy Cooking!

Let’s cook!

Grilled Chicken and Grilled Potatoes with Roasted Garlic-Oregano Sauce

5 yellow potatoes, clean the outside to remove dirt

4 boneless/skinless chicken breast

7 cloves garlic

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves

1 tablespoon honey

1 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

Place the potatoes in a pot of hot water with 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. While the potatoes are cooking, time to make the sauce. Roast garlic in a saute pan.

Remove the oregano and parsley from the stems.

Combine garlic, vinegar, oregano, parsley, honey and salt in a blender.

Blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add 3/4 cup olive oil and process until emulsified.

Pour the sauce into a bowl and stir in red pepper flakes.

Pre-heat grill on medium heat. Brush the chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Do not cook the potatoes all the way through because you will continue to cook them on the grill. I allowed the potatoes to boil for about 15 minutes. Drain well and let cool enough to handle.

While the potatoes are cooling time to start grilling the chicken.

Let the chicken cook for 7 minutes before turning. This is when I go inside (cool off) and slice the potatoes in half. Add the potatoes to a bowl, coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Turn the chicken over and continue grilling until just cooked through, another 5 – 6 minutes. A few minutes before the chicken has finished cooking, place the potatoes on the grill, cut-side down and cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Turn over and continue grilling about another minute. Remove the chicken and potatoes to a platter.

Plate with potatoes and chicken. While the chicken and potatoes are still hot drizzle with the gralic-oregano sauce (Jen made snap peas as the veggie side).

Here is the close-up:

So there you have another way to grill up that breast of chicken!

As mentioned in my post from Friday, here are a few pictures from our dinner with our friends Devin and Brooke.

The biggest ribeye which I bought at Whole Foods:

Here is the steaks resting in my special 24 hour marinade method (notice the size of the guys steaks to the right compared to the ladies on the left).

Here is a picture of just the guy steaks from the grill:

And here is a picture of our guests:

They helped me with Jen’s party and I owe them both big time! Thanks again you two!

Happy Cooking!

Let’s cook!

Bone-In Pork Chops with Peach and Mustard Sauce

4 bone-in pork chops

olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons minced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/2 cup whole-grain mustard

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

3/4 cup peach preserves

1 tablespoon bourbon

salt and pepper

Brush the pork chops with olive oil and seaon with salt and pepper. Set aside and pre-heat your grill on high.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes.

Add the vinegar and boil which will almost completely reduce in about 4 minutes.

Now add whole-grain mustard.

Add Dijon mustard.

Add peach preserves.

Whisk to combine and jam has melted.

Remove the pan from heat and stir in bourbon and teaspoon of salt.

While the sauce is resting time to grill the pork chops.

Grill on each side for 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and brush the peach/mustard sauce on each pork chop.

Baste the sauce on the pork chops every 5 minutes for 15 minutes. Remove the pork chops from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes. Here is how I plated the chops.

Here is a semi-close up:

And here is the real close-up:

Jen made the salad which I love so it was light dinner but very good. This recipe would go very well with chicken as well.

Now before I close I have had several people ask about the cake. Well, as many of you know I am not a baker fan because I don’t like how everything has to be perfect. I did a cake in the box but did add my own little twist and here is a picture of Jen making her wish (or should I say wishes):

Happy Cooking!