Dessert and Dinner
This is not, actually, the first meal I've made in the new house. On Monday, I made Nigella's super easy lemon rosemary roasted chicken (the leftovers of which will become chicken fried rice for tomorrow night) with rice pilaf.
Let's take this in reverse order, as that's the way I did it. Dessert actually took more prep time than the entree.
Can Madame burn*? Yes, she can.
First we're making a confit of lime. Fruit confits are really easy, it's basically a sugar water (simple syrup) reduction that's had some fruit simmered in it.
Okay, see, so first you're supposed to remove the peel, sans pith, from a couple of limes. Either my canneleur is really dull or I'm really inept with it.
My OXO veg peeler ended up working ever so much better. After removing the peel, I cut it down even further into skinny little zest strips -- which is what the canneleur is supposed to do.
After bringing a 1:4 water:sugar mix to a boil, add the lime peel and then simmer, loosely covered, until it's reduced by half. This makes your kitchen smell awesome. It can also be extremely sticky. Watch where you set down your spoon and even your pot lid or you'll end up with a sticky mess all over your countertop and stove.
Juice your two peeled limes and dissolve some sugar in it, sugar. Be sure to save your lime husks, you're gonna need 'em in a little bit.
So what are we going to do with all this sugary limey goodness?
Oh, I've missed blueberries so so much. I saw these today and could not resist. After rinsing and picking them over, toss them in the bowl with your lime-sugar mixture and thoroughly coat them with same.
Once your confit has cooled completely, pour it over the blueberries.
Add a bit of crushed mint (I totally forgot to get some at the store) and serve with creme fraiche. A lovely summer dessert.
Now, on to our entree.
I'm in love with my new neighborhood. I've got a wine shop, a kitchen gadget shop, several coffee shops... and a butcher. A real, honest to dog butcher. Pick out a couple of nice bone-in pork chops and salt and pepper them.
Toss 'em in an oven-safe pan with some butter and olive oil and sear those fuckers. About three to four minutes on each side. Then pop 'em in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes.
While they're cooking, get your mise ready, some of it you SHOULD do well before the chops hit the pan. Like fine chopping a small white onion. Then, remember how I told you to save your lime husks?
This is why. Citrus will usually take onion or any other strong flavor/smell off your wooden (and you ARE using a wooden cutting board, yes? Do we have to have The Talk?) cutting board, especially if you clean it up directly.
Your meez: a cup of strong stock, a half cup of white wine, a teaspoon of flour, your finely chopped onion, two tablespoons of dijon mustard, and a sprig of flat parsley.
Things move pretty quickly once you pull the chops out of the oven. Set the chops aside on a dish with raised edges and cover loosely with foil -- I like to set them back in the cooling oven so they don't get cold while I'm making the sauce. DO NOT FORGET THAT THE PAN HANDLE IS GOING TO BE HOT, don't be a doofus, as I have been far too many times, put an oven mitt on your hand or leave it resting on the pan handle while cooking or you'll be really fucking sorry.
Cook your onions til they're soft and golden brown, don't be fooled by the browned oil and butter either, make sure those onions are soft! Stir in the flour and cook for another minute. Add the wine and reduce the sauce by half, don't forget to scrape the whole time.
Never ever cook with a wine you wouldn't drink on its own. This evening we're drinking and cooking with white Bordeaux.
Add the stock and again reduce by half. Remove the pan from the heat. No, don't just turn the heat off, physically remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the mustard. Add your parsley, which you should have chopped roughly. Take the chops out and pour any juices from the dish they're in into the sauce and whisk that in as well.
Plate.
Would it kill you to add a sprig of parsley to your plate to make it look pretty? No, it wouldn't. Served here with cauliflower which has been steamed with a few sprigs of rosemary.
*See: Lester Young and his way with words
Let's take this in reverse order, as that's the way I did it. Dessert actually took more prep time than the entree.
Can Madame burn*? Yes, she can.
First we're making a confit of lime. Fruit confits are really easy, it's basically a sugar water (simple syrup) reduction that's had some fruit simmered in it.
Okay, see, so first you're supposed to remove the peel, sans pith, from a couple of limes. Either my canneleur is really dull or I'm really inept with it.
My OXO veg peeler ended up working ever so much better. After removing the peel, I cut it down even further into skinny little zest strips -- which is what the canneleur is supposed to do.
After bringing a 1:4 water:sugar mix to a boil, add the lime peel and then simmer, loosely covered, until it's reduced by half. This makes your kitchen smell awesome. It can also be extremely sticky. Watch where you set down your spoon and even your pot lid or you'll end up with a sticky mess all over your countertop and stove.
Juice your two peeled limes and dissolve some sugar in it, sugar. Be sure to save your lime husks, you're gonna need 'em in a little bit.
So what are we going to do with all this sugary limey goodness?
Oh, I've missed blueberries so so much. I saw these today and could not resist. After rinsing and picking them over, toss them in the bowl with your lime-sugar mixture and thoroughly coat them with same.
Once your confit has cooled completely, pour it over the blueberries.
Add a bit of crushed mint (I totally forgot to get some at the store) and serve with creme fraiche. A lovely summer dessert.
Now, on to our entree.
I'm in love with my new neighborhood. I've got a wine shop, a kitchen gadget shop, several coffee shops... and a butcher. A real, honest to dog butcher. Pick out a couple of nice bone-in pork chops and salt and pepper them.
Toss 'em in an oven-safe pan with some butter and olive oil and sear those fuckers. About three to four minutes on each side. Then pop 'em in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes.
While they're cooking, get your mise ready, some of it you SHOULD do well before the chops hit the pan. Like fine chopping a small white onion. Then, remember how I told you to save your lime husks?
This is why. Citrus will usually take onion or any other strong flavor/smell off your wooden (and you ARE using a wooden cutting board, yes? Do we have to have The Talk?) cutting board, especially if you clean it up directly.
Your meez: a cup of strong stock, a half cup of white wine, a teaspoon of flour, your finely chopped onion, two tablespoons of dijon mustard, and a sprig of flat parsley.
Things move pretty quickly once you pull the chops out of the oven. Set the chops aside on a dish with raised edges and cover loosely with foil -- I like to set them back in the cooling oven so they don't get cold while I'm making the sauce. DO NOT FORGET THAT THE PAN HANDLE IS GOING TO BE HOT, don't be a doofus, as I have been far too many times, put an oven mitt on your hand or leave it resting on the pan handle while cooking or you'll be really fucking sorry.
Cook your onions til they're soft and golden brown, don't be fooled by the browned oil and butter either, make sure those onions are soft! Stir in the flour and cook for another minute. Add the wine and reduce the sauce by half, don't forget to scrape the whole time.
Never ever cook with a wine you wouldn't drink on its own. This evening we're drinking and cooking with white Bordeaux.
Add the stock and again reduce by half. Remove the pan from the heat. No, don't just turn the heat off, physically remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the mustard. Add your parsley, which you should have chopped roughly. Take the chops out and pour any juices from the dish they're in into the sauce and whisk that in as well.
Plate.
Would it kill you to add a sprig of parsley to your plate to make it look pretty? No, it wouldn't. Served here with cauliflower which has been steamed with a few sprigs of rosemary.
*See: Lester Young and his way with words