Rob’s Perfectly-Brined Pork Chops

Posted on by
3

These pork chops from my friend Rob are amazing. His was the first one I ate in probably 15 years, and oh boy, I was missing out on pure deliciousness for a long time. I got a craving and used his recipe to make them myself, and you should too.  The pork chops are brined in a concoction that smells like fall for 12 hours and then seared on a grill. Rob serves his chops with peppers and onions, but I stuck with sautéed onions here. Except for a bit of planning ahead, these pork chops are a great weeknight meal. Make the brine at night, put it in the fridge, drop your pork chops in the brine when you wake up, and sear them when you’re ready for dinner. Fancy and quick!

To make your brine, add these ingredients to a pot: 1 gallon of water; 1 cup of apple cider vinegar; 1 cup of brown sugar; 1 cup of Kosher salt; 2 tablespoons of black peppercorns; 2 tablespoons of whole allspice; and 6 bay leaves. I quartered these amounts for my 2 pork chops.

Bring the brine to a boil (tongue twister alert!), and then let it simmer for 10 minutes. Let the brine cool to room temperature, add in your 1-inch thick pork chops, and refrigerate them for 12 hours. Once that time is up, heat your grill, and dry your pork chops so they get a good sear. Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper, and then cook them on both sides until they are done to your liking. They should be wonderfully flavorful and moist from the brine. Enjoy!

Shopping list:

  • Pork chops- 1 inch thick
  • Apple cider vinegar- 1 cup
  • Brown sugar- 1 cup
  • Kosher salt- 1 cup
  • Black peppercorns- 2 tablespoons
  • Whole allspice- 2 tablespoons
  • Bay leaves- 6
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Lizzy Love’s Coconut Granola

Posted on by
2

It seems like this is the week of sharing recipes from friends. Cooking these recipes makes me feel like my friends are a little closer, and that is always wonderful. Liz gave me her granola recipe in a beautiful recipe book, and I can’t decide which was a better gift. This granola is the best I’ve ever had. I sprinkle it (more like shovel it) into my morning Greek yogurt, and it’s the best way to start the day. As soon as I open the jar I store it in, the warm smells waft out and make me smile. Sometimes I open the jar just to take a sniff.

This recipe makes 4 cups of granola. I thought that was a lot, but it will disappear in no time. To start, preheat your oven to 350ºF. Then, to a small pot, add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, just over 1 tablespoon of honey, and just over 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Whisk the mixture over medium heat until the ingredients are melted and blended together.

To a medium bowl, add 2 cups of rolled oats and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Pour the oil mixture over the oats and stir them well to coat.

Spread the oats on a cookie sheet, and bake them for 10 minutes. After that time, remove them from the oven, and stir them well. Put the oats back into the oven for another 5 minutes, then stir them again. Repeat this process until the oats are golden brown (I needed two 5 minute additions). Then, stir 3/4 cups of dried coconut into the oats, and bake them for 5 more minutes so the coconut toasts. Remove the oats from the oven.

While the oats cool, prepare the other components of the granola: 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup of chopped dark chocolate, and 1/4 cup of chopped, dried apricots or any other dried fruit. Liz suggested using banana chips instead of the fruit, so try that if you love them.

Once the oats are cool, mix them with the other ingredients. Store the granola in an air-tight container or plastic bag. This granola really helps me look forward to every morning, and trust me, I’m not a morning person. Thanks Liz!!

Shopping list:

  • Rolled oats- 2 cups
  • Salt- 1/8 teaspoon
  • Coconut oil- 2 tablespoons
  • Honey- just over 1 tablespoon
  • Maple syrup- just over 1 tablespoon
  • Dried coconut- 3/4 cup
  • Walnuts- 1/2 cup, chopped
  • Dark chocolate- 1/2 cup, chopped
  • Dried apricots- 1/4 cup, chopped
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Susana’s Gazpacho

Posted on by
5

One of my wonderful friends, Liz, gave me the sweetest gift. She handmade a whimsical recipe book, and she included recipes from some of the people I love. One of the recipes was for this gazpacho, courtesy of my friend, Susana. Gazpacho is served cold, and it makes a nice treat during the summer. If you need a cute appetizer for a party, consider serving this gazpacho in shot glasses with a grilled shrimp balanced on each glass’ rim.

This soup is packed with fresh vegetables and vibrant colors. Chop up 1.5 pounds of the best tomatoes, mince 2 garlic cloves, peel and dice 1 medium cucumber, seed and dice 1 small red bell pepper and 1 small green bell pepper, and chop 1/2 of a small red onion. For some horrible reason, I don’t like bell peppers, so they’re optional. Add all of the vegetables into a blender along with 2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar, 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup of spring or filtered water, and one pinch each of cumin, cayenne pepper, and sea salt. If your blender is full, pulse all of these ingredients a few times so they make some room.

Remove the crusts from 2 thick slices of day-old country bread, and dice the bread. Add the bread into the blender.

Run the blender on a low speed until the gazpacho is smooth. Serve it chilled with an extra drizzle of olive oil.

Thanks Liz and Susi!

Shopping list:

  • Tomatoes- 1.5 pounds
  • Garlic- 2 cloves
  • Cucumber- 1, medium
  • Bell peppers (optional)- 1 red and 1 green, both small
  • Red onion- 1/2, small
  • Country bread- 2 thick slices
  • Sherry vinegar- 2 tablespoons
  • Extra virgin olive oil- 1/2 cup
  • Spring water- 1/4 cup
  • Cumin- 1 pinch
  • Cayenne pepper- 1 pinch
  • Sea salt- 1 pinch
Print Friendly, PDF & Email