Whiskey Pork Chops

Pork chops have an unwarranted bad reputation for being fatty and dry. Those who tend to view pork chops in this light also are the type that drown boneless, skinless chicken breast with ranch dressing and cream of yuck soup. The preparation is equally important as the cut and quality of the product. A balanced diet based on moderation and rotation of various meats works best for me.

Chops are easy to work with, cook quickly, and can be seasoned in so many different ways. As for the health concerns with eating pork, a balanced diet with various meats seems to work best for my household. This marinade combines flavors and seasoning that both tenderize the meat and provide a glaze. The lime works really well with the whiskey, while the dried spices give it a bit of bite. I really enjoyed these chops and will tinker with whiskey in other pork recipes.

Whiskey Pork Chops
Adapted from Cook's Country
Serves 2

4 thin-cut loin or rib pork chops
1/2 cup Jack Daniels whiskey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon granulated onion
2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Combine the whiskey, vinegar, oil and lime juice. Whisk in the brown sugar and mix until sugar is dissolved. In a separate bowl combine cayenne, salt, pepper, granulated garlic and onion. Rub the spice mixture on each chop. Set aside for 15 minutes at room temperature. Place rubbed chops in to the marinade. Refrigerate for 1-4 hours. Remove chops from marinade about 15 minutes before grilling. Pat dry and heat grill to 400 degrees. Carefully place chops on grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Cajun Red Snapper Fillets

Red snapper is one of my favorite fish. While I prefer working with whole fish, such a preparation is often not practical. My local market has fresh filleted portions which are convenient and lend well to dredging and pan frying. The seasoning of this dish was inspired by Cajun flavors. I enjoyed experimenting with various spice concoctions and look forward to more opportunities to visit the world of Cajun and Creole dishes. The fish was very flaky and the seasoning gave a nice bit of heat. Served with braised spinach and lemon slices, the meal was light and tasty.

Cajun Red Snapper Fillet
Serves 2

2 8 oz. red snapper fillets
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons table salt
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup canola oil

Rinse the fillets and pat dry. In a small bowl, combine the flour and seasoning ingredients. Place flour mixture on a flat plate or cutting board. In a cast iron or heavy bottom pan, heat the oil until very hot. Dredge the fish in the flour mixture. Shake off excess flour. Place dredged fish in the pan and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes on each side. Serve warm.

Feta Hash with Poached Eggs

Feta and I were on a break. Easter was rough, because we had a lot of lamb and feta leftover from the holiday. We worked our way through the barrel of feta and made a vow to go our separate ways until tomato season. I am convinced God created tomatoes simply to be served with feta and crusty bread. Anyway, I could not wait until tomato season and we reconnected for this simply delicious dish.

Salty feta, crispy potatoes, fresh onion, a runny poached egg and butter- simple, straight forward, and hands down the best dinner I have had in a long time.

Feta Hash with Poached Eggs
Serves 2

3 medium sized white potatoes, peeled and dice into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
2 springs green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon black pepper
touch of cayenne
2 poached eggs
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt.

In a large pot bring a few quarts of water to a boil. Add salt. Carefully pour in potatoes. Cook for 8-10 minutes until tender and cooked through. Drain and pat dry. Allow to cool to room temperate. Gently combine the potatoes, feta and green onion.

In a skillet or flat top electric grill, melt the butter. When surface is very hot, place potato mixture as an even layer on the skillet. Season with pepper. Cook for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are very crisp.

Serve warm and top with a soft poached egg.

BB: Pasta with Oven-Dried Tomatoes

Food snobs have any number of coveted spectacular ingredients where the premium price reflect the reputation. Sun-dried tomatoes are such an item. While the concept of preserving tomatoes by drying in the sun and then soaking in olive oil sounds tasty, the chewy texture does not please my palate. Even with such a skeptical perspective on the key ingredient, I was pleased when Cat of Delta Whiskey chose Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes for the first July Barefoot Bloggers recipe.

Substituting oven roasted grape tomatoes mimicked the flavor of sun-dried tomatoes while creating a more pleasant texture with a price that fit my budget.

This recipe was a winner and is an excellent addition to any summer dinning table. The flavors were rich while still light for summer, with a bit of tang. Below is my adaptation, for the original recipe visit The Food Network or buy Barefoot Contessa Family Style.

Pasta with Oven-Dried Tomatoes
Adapted from Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa Family Style pg. 58
Serves 4

1/2 pound Gemili pasta
Kosher salt
Olive oil
1/2 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced (half-pint grape tomatoes)
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced

For the oven roasted tomatoes:
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved long wise and seeded
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of sugar

For the dressing:
Oven roasted grape tomatoes
1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon capers, drained
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes and mozzarella.

For the oven-roasted tomatoes: pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine, sliced tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on sheet pan and sprinkle with sugar. Cook for 30-40 minutes until almost burnt. For the dressing, combine the oven-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, olives, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth. Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and parsley, and toss well.

Vinaigrette Potato Salad

Nothing says summer parties more than chilled salads like potato salad. Sad as it may be- I never warmed to the mayo, mustard and egg rendition. However, I did not want to miss out on this classic, so this recipe omits the mayo, is light and easy, and above all does not spoil in the hot sun as quickly as its cousin.

I liked the texture of the red potatoes as white or russet varieties tend to fall apart. The vinaigrette is light on the vinegar part and certainly can be adjusted to taste. Focusing more on the olive oil gives a great flavor that is not masked by a tart component. Herbs round out the salad and green onions gives some bite. Enjoy!

Vinaigrette Potato Salad
Serves 2-3

1 lb. redskin potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 fresh green onion springs, chopped
2 teaspoons table salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery salt

In a large pot bring 4 qt. of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of table salt and carefully drop in the potatoes. Cook for 20 minutes until soft and cooked through. Drain potatoes and cut in 4ths. Place in a large bowl and carefully fold in the dill, parsley and green onion. Mix the vinegar and mustard, and slowly pour in the olive oil until thickened. Fold in the vinaigrette. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Allow to cool to room temperature then refrigerate. Serve cold.

Sockeye Salmon Ala Helen

At length I have discussed the great many things I learned from shadowing my mother in the kitchen. Her wisdom is never lost on me. Helen's rustic baked salmon with almonds and dill is another family favorite. In this version, finely chopped toasted walnuts with lemon zest and fresh dill encrust a beautiful piece of sockeye salmon. There is a fine line between undercooked and overcooked salmon, and while I may have moved closer to the overcooked side, the flavor more than made up for the cooking time error. Bottom line-- watch the fish! Since sometimes all you really need to serve is one, this dish can obviously be adjusted for a crowd.

Walnut Encrusted Sockeye Salmon

Adapted from my mom (Helen)

Serves 1

1 8 oz. sockeye salmon fillet

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

2 fresh springs dill, finely chopped

zest of one lemon

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 tablespoon whole grain mustard

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor grind the cooled walnuts until finely chopped. Add the dill, lemon zest, salt and pepper, and pulse for a few seconds until everything is combined. Apply a thin coat of mustard to the fish. Place an even coat of walnut mixture on top of the mustard. Place onto a greased pan and bake for 15 minutes.

Oregano Rubbed Chicken Legs

Next to salt and pepper dried Greek oregano is the most used spice in my pantry. Oregano complements most meats and can be a central spice in ones arsenal. Spice rubs are an easy way to flavor typically boring and bland chicken. Blending spices is a great way to reflect your personality in food and there is no better canvas then chicken. This dish is common on my dinner table. After playing around with different spices and proportions you can't go wrong with the earthy flavors and heat offered by the oregano and cayenne.

Oregano Rubbed Chicken
Serves 2

2 chicken leg quarters
2 tablespoons dried Greek oregano
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1/2 tablespoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 lemon slices

In a small bowl combine the spices. Liberally rub the chicken with the spice mixture. Set aside at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile heat the grill to about 450 degrees. Apply a small amount of olive or canola oil to the grill grates. Place the chicken skin side down on the hot, oiled grates. Grill for 10-15 minutes, then flip. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked Rest for 5 minutes then serve with grilled lemons.