Mushroom Soup

This is a very savory, simple soup that can be whipped up in less than 15 minutes. Sounds good, no? Make sure to serve it with some crunchy toasts, or even better, with a Tenderloin "En Crosta" like I made tonight. You won't be disappointed.


Mushroom Soup
serves 2

2 Tbsp butter
olive oil
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1 8-oz. package button mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 6-oz. package cremini (baby Bella) mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 c. homemade chicken stock*
1 c. vegetable stock
.5 c. dry white wine
1 beef bouillion cube
fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
fresh tarragon, coarsely chopped
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

*The chicken stock I made was pretty thick and viscous, so I chose to mix it with some boxed vegetable stock I had on hand. Feel free to use 2 cups of whatever stock you have instead.

Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat until foamy. Add mushrooms and saute until the excess moisture evaporates and they are golden brown. Mushrooms love to soak up oil, but they do release it, so fight the temptation to add more. Spoon into a bowl and set aside.


Reduce heat to medium. Add a splash of olive oil to the pan, if necessary. Saute shallots until soft and translucent, but not too browned. Add the wine and bouillion cube, stir until combined and slightly reduced. Add the stock and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Toss the mushrooms, and whatever juices have accumulated, back into the pot, along with the fresh herbs. Simmer for 3-4 minutes more, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, then serve.

Review: Northshore Brasserie

I know that I am very lucky to get along with my parents so well. And to not just get along, but to truly have fun with them. Today, as a thank you for the lunch I made for her last week (and also because she's just awfully nice), mom took me out to lunch, at the location of my choosing. I had been hearing about this new traditional French brasserie on the (far) west side of town, and I thought that lunchtime would be the ideal time to give it a go. I am so, so glad that we did.


The decor was evocative enough of France that it made me a little giddy and excited to be there, as well as a touch nostalgic. The menu sealed the deal, with lots of classics represented, as well as some new players that honestly made my mouth water.

Mom and I decided to split two dishes to get the maximum out of our visit. Mom always deferrs to me when we eat out, so after some serious agonizing, I picked out the Fried Oyster Salad and the Lobster Club, as well as a lovely rosé. Before I get into the divine main courses, I feel I have to talk about the bread. This may very well be the best bread I have had, stateside, ever. The baguette was crusty on the outside, with just a few grains of fluer de sel, and the inside was a testament to all that is chewy and delicious. They serve their bread at the Brasserie with soft herb flecked butter, and it's good they only give a small piece, because I could have done some serious damage to my appetite with this yeasty wonder.


I'm going to try and snap myself out of the breadlust and think about the entrees. Oh, there we go, how I love to relive a great dish like this. I started with the Lobster Club, and for something so simple (generous chunks of lobster, thinly sliced tomato, spears of avocado and a thin lettuce leaf on lightly toasted bread), this was really a master piece. Quite possibly one of my favorite sandwiches ever, and as far as lobster goes, up there with Pearl Oyster Bar's Lobster Roll in satisfaction. Alongside the delectable sandwich was a tangled pile of wonderful frites, crispy and delicate and, like the bread, sprinkled with fluer de sel. They were so good that ketchup seemed to be a shame, although it was thoughtfully provided.


Now, on to the salad. There were a lot of things to get my attention with this salad--for starters, the presentation was lovely. One half of a heart of romaine lay prostrate with oven warmed cherry tomatoes, crunchy delicate fried oysters, white anchovies, and a tangy parmesan dressing draped along the length. The surprisingly good white anchovies mixed with the dressing to give the salad an almost Ceaser-like feel, but much better. When you took a bite with all of the elements included, you could really see how much thought went into this creation.


I honestly can't wait to return to the Northshore Brasserie, however my unemployed status doesn't get me out to dinner much these days. I have already put in a "birthday dinner" request to dine here, though, and my mind drifts down the tempting menu in anticipation. Lastly, the food is important, but having good service really makes or breaks a dining experience, and our waiter John was a conssumate professional. He knew to get a feel for his customers and tailor his approach thusly--luckily my mom and I are a pair of clowns and basically super easy to deal with (once you get past the jokes and all that). But really, we spent more than 2 hours at lunch and never felt the afternoon dragging by. A million stars (seeing as how this is my first review, we'll just have to see how that stacks up, no?)!

I know most of my readers are not from this area, but don't you want to visit?

Scallop Corn Chowder

Since I seem to be afflicted with some sort of culinary spring fever, I was of course craving corn today. Lovely, sweet corn, just the kind of thing that is completely out of season in February. However, when I found two tiny ears of corn, with kernels that sparkled like tiny pearls, I thought it was worth a shot.

This thick chowder is all about a melding of pure tastes--the slightly metallic scallops, tasting like butter and saltwater; the cool, crisp corn kernels; the salty, crunchy bacon; the tender nuggets of potato--it all comes together in a most satisfying way.


The quality of your scallops is important here, since they do dominate the flavor of the chowder. I bought bay scallops, because they looked and smelled freshest, but I have made this with sea scallops to good effect as well. Serve this chowder with some crusty bread alongside, because you will want to sop up every golden drop.

Scallop Corn Chowder
serves 2-3

3 slices thick bacon, diced
.75 lb. scallops, patted dry
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in a .5 inch dice
.5 cup dry white wine
.5 cup stock (chicken, vegetable, or seafood)
.25 cup heavy cream
.5 Tbsp butter
kernels from 2 small ears of corn
fresh parsely for garnish

In a deep saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat, until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. You should have at least a Tbsp of drippings, add olive oil if necessary. Season scallops with salt and pepper--increase heat to medium-high, and saute until golden brown (the time really depends on the size scallop you are using, so just keep an eye on the little buggers). Transfer scallops to a plate.


Add the shallot to the drippings in the skillet and cook until translucent. Add potatoes, wine, broth, and cream, cover partially, and simmer gently until potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes). Add the scallops, corn and butter and simmer uncovered, for 4 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, then ladle into bowls. Serve topped with crumbled bacon and parsely (and some crusty bread--trust me).

Salmon Mango Salad

Sorry for the brief absence, I've been cooking but I seemed to have been struck with a little writer's block. Oh, and laziness. Whoops?


Anyway, back on track, last night I made one of my favorite summertime staples, Salmon Mango Salad. It is light, crisp, and the mangos are wonderful right now, so you can pretend that it isn't 30 degrees outside.

Salmon Mango Salad
serves 2

2 medium salmon fillets, skin removed
1 lime
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and sliced into thin coins
1 clove garlic, minced
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
olive oil
honey
salad greens
chili-lime pistachio nuts*, coarsely chopped
1 mango, diced

*I have found these at the grocery store and at Target, but if you can't put your hands on a bag, regular pistachios are fine.


Slice two wedges out of the lime, set aside. Squeeze the juice from the rest of the lime into a small bowl. Add a few splashes of olive oil, a dollop of honey, the ginger and garlic, and salt and pepper to taste; whisk until blended. Marinate the salmon fillets in the lime mixture for 1-2 hours.


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat a splash of olive oil over medium-high heat in an oven-proof skillet until just about to smoke, carefully place salmon in hot pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, developing a nice crusty sear. Flip salmon and place in oven for 5-7 minutes, depending on thickness of the fillets and desired degree of doneness.

While the salmon cooks, heat the marinade in the microwave for about a minute and place washed and dried salad greens in bowls. Top with diced mango. Mix heated marinade with a bit more olive oil and the juice from the reserved lime wedges. Whisk well to combine, then taste and adjust the spices--this is your salad dressing, you're looking for bold, tangy flavors here.


Place hot salmon on top of greens and garnish with crushed pistachios and honey lime vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Sunday Night: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

I don't really like to cook on Sunday evenings, preferring to either whip something up that is quick and tasty (see: French Toast Sandwiches), or starting something in the afternoon that can be left alone to simmer until I'm good and ready. Ideally, the kitchen is cleaned up before dinner is even served, leaving me to eat an early dinner, happily watch television and loaf around on the couch. Ah, Sundays.


I make this meat sauce every couple of months or so, since I almost always have the ingredients on hand (I tend to keep a couple of pounds of ground beef in the freezer), it freezes well and makes great leftovers, and Chris really likes it. You will see that it is pretty easy, not a lot of chopping to worry about, and I like the simplicity of the flavors. However, I also just adore pasta, so it is pretty easy to make me happy. This recipe doubles and triples well.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
serves 2-3 with leftovers

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tsp whole mixed pickling spice
pinch red pepper flakes
pinch ground cinnamon
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 14-oz. can petite diced tomatoes, with juice
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
pinch dried basil
1 beef bouillion cube
1 generous Tbsp red wine vinegar
splash basalmic vinegar
1 cup water
8 oz. spaghetti
parmesan cheese for topping


In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and saute the onions over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add garlic, saute 1 minute longer. Remove onions and garlic from pan and set aside. Add a bit more oil if necessary, then add the ground beef and cook until evenly browned. Return the onions and garlic to the pan.

Put the pickling spice and red pepper flakes into a tea ball (or cheesecloth), and add to the pot along with the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, water, vinegar, bouillion, basalmic, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours (you can go longer without consequence). If it is too watery take the lid off for 20 minutes or so. Makes 3 heaping cups.


Cook the spaghetti in salted water until "al dente", drain. Place spaghetti in pasta bowls, top with the meat sauce and some shavings of parmesan. Enjoy!

Craft Caramel Corn

I have been making my way through the archives at The Amateur Gourmet for a few days now. It is and attractive site, with a nice mix of commentary, restaurant reviews (that make me miss living in New York), and recipes. The first recipe to really catch my eye, though, was the one Adam listed for Craft Restaurant's Caramel Corn (affectionatly called "Devil Corn" because it is just that good).


Tonight, left home alone with icy streets and no projects to occupy myself, I couldn't stop thinking about this corn. Finally, really too late in the evening, I succumbed to temptation and jumped in to the sweet, sweet devilishness. And lo, it was good. So thank you to one of my newest online reading pleasures for this one:

Craft Restaurant Caramel Popcorn
makes 8 cups

1 to 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbs sea salt
1 tsp baking soda


Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a lidded pot. Add the popcorn and cook, shaking the pan frequently, until the popcorn stops popping. Transfer the popcorn to a very large oiled bowl. If you can, remove the unpopped kernels.

Place the sugar in a large saucepan and dampen with about 2 Tbsp water (enough so the mixture looks like damp sand). Add the butter and salt and heat over high, stirring constantly, until the sugar is melted and the caramel is amber--do not let it get too dark, this happens very quickly!. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the baking soda (I forgot this bit, and it was fine, but the soda apparently helps prevent teeth-breakage).


Pour the hot caramel over the popcorn and carefully stir with a wooden spoon until the caramel is evenly distributed and beginning to cool. Spread on an aluminum foil covered cookie sheet, cool to room temperature, then break into pieces and serve or store in a covered container.

Warm Mushroom Salad

This one is straight from Ina Garten, the Julia to my Julie, and yes I am petitioning her to adopt me, or at least take me under her wing. I would miss my family a lot if she were to make me her own, but I would be oh-so-well-fed.


Anyway, I liked this salad, but had a few minor issues. One, I found it to be a bit salty, I think because of the prosciutto. Two, it would be lovely, I think, for lunch on its own, because it is so flavorful that it will certainly compete with anything you serve alongside. This is my own fault, though, I got a little excited about trying it and didn't want to wait for lunch.

Warm Mushroom Salad
with Ina Garten's inspiration
serves 2

.5 pound cremini (Baby Bella) mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
.5 tsp sea salt
.25 tsp freshly ground pepper
two handfuls baby spinach
one handful watercress
4 slices prosciutto
1-2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
a few oven dried tomatoes, drained and julienned

In a large skillet, melt the butter and half the olive oil until foamy. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and saute for another 2-3 minutes.


Meanwhile, arrange lettuces on two lunch plates and divide prosciutto among them. When the mushrooms are cooked, add the vinegar and remaining olive oil to the hot pan. Spoon the mushrooms and pan sauce on top of the lettuces and prosciutto, sprinkle tomatoes over. If desired, shave some parmesan and sprinkle some flat leaf parsley over the top, and serve while mushrooms are still warm.

It's a pretty salad, but there is a lot going on. I plan to try it again the next time I have someone over for lunch--what do you say, Mom?

Eggplant Ricotta "Custard"

Once I made fresh ricotta, it should go without saying that I couldn't wait to use it in a recipe. Inspired by eggplant gratin (but then completely abandoning any recipe I had researched), I set out on yet another adventure.

This is a simple dish, but very satisfying. I would happily serve this to my vegetarian friends at a dinner party, but I don't know that I would otherwise make it in this incarnation any time soon. Don't get me wrong, it was wonderful, kind of like an eggplant lasagna without the noodles; but as I was eating it I was immediately struck with other ideas. Mostly, the ricotta "custard" was so wonderful--light, fluffy, and savory--that I plan to make it on its own and serve it, almost like a quiche, in a fat slice alongside a simple salad.


Eggplant Ricotta "Custard"

1 medium eggplant, unpeeled and sliced into thinner than .5 inch slices
1 batch homemade goats milk ricotta (about a heaping cup)
3 eggs
.5 cup half and half (more if necessary)
1 cup grated parmesan, divided
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 cup jarred marinara (I used Classico Fire Roasted Tomato)
olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large skillet--enough to cover the pan generously, about .25 inch--until near smoking. Fry the epplant slices in batches until golden on each side; drain on paper towels. The eggplant will soak up a bit of the oil, so expect to add to the pan between batches.

While frying your eggplant, mix the ricotta, eggs, .5 cup parmesan, half and half, and about .5 tsp salt and .25 tsp pepper in a large bowl. You want a loose, wet mixture, much thinner than you would make for lasagna or manicotti. Add more half and half if necessary (if your ricotta came out dry you may need to do this).

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.


Place a layer of half of the eggplant at the bottom of a shallow baking dish, top with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, half of the remaining parmesan, a few dollops of the ricotta mixture, and most of the marinara sauce. Top with the remaining eggplant, the rest of the ricotta mixture, a few dollops of the remaining marinara, and the remaining parmesan.

Place dish, uncovered, in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Then, turn the oven down to 350 degrees and cook for about 25 minutes more, until golden and bubbly on top. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, then serve.


I served this with the warm mushroom salad I'm posting next, but it turned out to be too much and I think it would be nice with something more simple. Also, like I said before, the star here was the ricotta custard. Next time I make some cheese I am going to bake the custard alone in a tart pan and let it shine without any competition. Still, very good and worth trying!

Roasted Chicken Bread Salad

I've been hearing about San Francisco's Zuni Cafe Tuscan Bread Salad for months now, and the recipe never fails to tempt me with its complex combination of flavors and textures. So while the salad I put together today did not follow the Zuni example, exactly, I do have to give them credit for inspiring me.


My mother was coming for lunch today and I wanted to make something that would knock her socks off, but would also make use of some leftovers I had on hand. Once I surveyed the roasted chicken, Perfect Vinaigrette, and crusty french loaf before me I knew that it was bread salad time, indeed.

Roasted Chicken Bread Salad
serves 3-4

4-5 cups of cubed French bread (stale is good)
olive oil
red wine vinegar
handful of dried cherries
1 large clove of garlic, slivered
3-4 scallions (shallots would be good, too), sliced
leftoverRoasted Lemon Chicken
small head Bibb lettuce, torn into pieces
two handfuls baby spinach
handful fresh parsley
Perfect Vinaigrette


Start by slicing the crust off of the loaf of bread, and then cubing it. Toss the bread in some olive oil and then broil until deep golden brown on all sides. I really toasted the bread pretty thoroughly--it was important to me to maintain some of the "crunch" texture even after it soaks up some vinaigrette. Once it is out of the oven, toss it back into the olive oil-slicked bowl and add the dried cherries and a few splashes of the vinegar. Toss well and set aside.


Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the leftover chicken into a small roasting dish (adding whatever pan juices you have--some of the fat skimmed from your stock would work, too), and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Heat for about 15 minutes.

While the chicken is reheating, drizzle the bread generously with the vinaigrette. Toss well. In a small saute pan, heat the garlic and scallions in a little olive oil over medium low heat. You want them to soften, but not brown. Add to the bread mixture.


Place greens in serving dishes. Top with bread mixture, then a few slices of the roasted chicken. Drizzle a Tbsp of the chicken pan juices over the salad and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Fresh Goats Milk Ricotta

I just love cheese, and like any adventurous and ardent cheese lover, I have daydreamed about making my very own. When I pulled a recipe for the weekend that called for ricotta, I couldn't resist the idea of concocting a fluffy, creamy goats milk cheese.


I used half goats milk and half cows milk, mostly because I wasn't sure how it would turn out if I only used the goats milk--I was kind of flying by the seat of my pants here. This is seriously very, very easy--but you MUST be diligent. The milk will do nothing, do nothing, do nothing, then suddenly, the magic happens and you have curds and it is time to drain it right away. I would have photographed this moment, but it really came upon me too quickly. Cheesemaking is "Mr. Wizard" fun.

Start out by folding about 4 yards of cheesecloth into a large square that is about 6 layers thick. Wet the cloth and then line a large colander with it. Place over the sink.


In a large, heavy saucepan, heat 1 quart whole goats milk, 1 quart 2% cows milk, and .5 quart buttermilk over medium high heat. Stir frequently with a flexible rubber spatula, and make sure than it isn't scorching on the bottom.

You will know that it is time when the soft, fluffy curds suddenly float to the top, with the cloudy, watery whey underneath (this happens around 175-180 degrees, but I didn't use a thermometer). Gently ladle all of the curds and whey into the cheesecloth lined colander, taking care to not compress the curds.


Once the draining has slowed, tie up the corners of the cheesecloth and hang from your faucet for about 10-15 minutes, or until the dripping has stopped. Transfer into an airtight container and use within the week.

Easy Chicken Stock

Okay, so you've roasted a chicken (hopefully you tried the recipe below), and now you have all of these buttery onions and a lovely carcass. Time to make stock!

I buy boxes of organic chicken stock every week at the grocery store, so when I get the chance to make it for myself I'm usually very pleased. It should go without saying that homemade stock is really an entirely different animal from even the best packaged stuff.

Easy Chicken Stock

1 roasted chicken carcass, including lemons stuffed inside
onions and drippings from baking pan
handful of baby carrots
2-3 celery stalks, broken in half
4-5 garlic cloves, unpeeled and chopped in half
several handfuls fresh parsley
dried (or fresh) thyme
sea salt
whole peppercorns
roughly 8 cups of water


Dump everything in a stockpot and just cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 3-4 hours, skimming if necessary. Strain stock well and chill overnight. Skim the fat off in the morning and now you've got some seriously good stock! Use in the next 4-5 days or freeze for 3 months.

Roasted Lemon Chicken

Yes, I know. Roasted chicken--there are a million and three recipes out there. Still, I'm giving you mine, because I'm terribly vain and think it's just really, really good.


Roasted Lemon Chicken

1 5-6 lb. roasting chicken
2 lemons, quartered
1 large yellow onion, peeled and coursely sliced
olive oil
sea salt
herbed butter*

*Whenever I have extra fresh herbs on hand, I chop them up and mix them into a stick of butter. This butter can then be frozen and utlized in a multitude of culinary endeavors. Very good stuff.

Pull all of the nasty inner bits out of your chicken and dispose of them. Rinse the bird inside and out with cold water, pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack over a pan and refrigerate uncovered for several hours--this will ensure you the crackling golden skin that we all know we shouldn't eat, but can't resist when it's this good.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Once the chicken has had it's rest in the fridge (you can even do this overnight), toss the onions in some oilve oil in a medium baking dish. Salt and pepper the cavity of the chicken, stuff with the lemon quarters, and place on top of the onions. Tie the legs shut with butcher's string or a bit of cheesecloth, as I've done. Melt the herbed butter in the microwave and brush generously on the outside of the bird. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.


Roaste for approximately 1.25 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh. Baste once with remaining melted herbed butter. Remove chicken from oven, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let sit for 15 minutes. Carve it up and dig in!

Remove leftover meat from the carcass and drizzle some of the pan juices over (this will be wonderful with tomorrow's bread salad). Save the carcass, lemons, and onions for the stock recipe I'll be serving up in the morning.

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

Tonight's side dish combines two of my loves--Israeli Couscous and roasted vegetables. It's really very simple, just follow the couscous recipe discussed here, then add whichever roasted vegetables you prefer.


What I like about this dish is that you can make the vegetables whenever you would like, within 24 hours of serving. Tonight I roasted carrots, sweet potatoes, red peppers, and zucchini. I cut the vegetables a bit smaller than usual since I would be mixing them into the couscous, but otherwise the preparation was typical--toss in some olive oil, salt, and pepper; then roast at 400 degrees for about an hour. you want them to be browned around the edges, soft, and flavorful.


After you've roasted the little devils, cook up your couscous, and add the veggies in the last minute or two of cooking. Voila! A wonderful side dish that is really easy with the added bonus of being delicious and healthy to boot.

"Cheese Sandwich"

A lot of fuss has been made lately over an article written by Pete Wells for Food & Wine Magazine's online edition. In the article Wells disparages "cheese sandwich" food blogs, where the content runs towards the pedantic and often features musings including the question, "Do you like cheese?"


I, for one, have only been writing about food for a couple of weeks now, and I can't say I'm too up in arms over this article. I started writing about my cooking for myself--I wanted a place to keep track of my hits and misses. The fact that some people enjoy reading what I write about it just gravy (pardon the pun).


Regardless, I made my own "cheese sandwich" for lunch today, and it was wonderful. Good, crusty French bread with roasted turkey, thinley sliced crisp pears, brie and Jarlsburg cheeses, and a tart plum mustard I whipped up. I wrapped it in aluminum foil and heated it for 15 minutes in the oven, and lo, it was good. Even if it isn't very entertaining to read about.

Project: Oven Dried Grape Tomatoes

Does this happen to anyone else? You pick up some produce, like say, a $5 pint of organic grape tomatoes, only to accidentally hide them behind something like a big canister of flour. I found these tomatoes late last night when I was cleaning the kitchen, and they had already started to wrinkle. I knew they wouldn't last the night, and I really couldn't bear to know I had wasted not only the food, but the money.


So, I sliced them in half and placed them, cut side down, on an aluminum foil wrapped cookie sheet. Then I sprinkled them with a little salt and put them in my oven, set on the lowest temperature possible (170 degrees). One thing I love about my oven the the timer, which you can set to turn off the oven after the time is reached. So, I set it on 6 hours and happily went to bed.


This morning, the tomatoes were shriveled and very fragrant. I let them cool completely and then packed them in a jar, covered with some very good olive oil. I really can't wait to make some pasta with them, or toss them on a salad.

Sesame Pork Rice

Yet another great recipe for leftover rice (although perhaps I am the only person that always makes too much rice?), this dish is also relatively healthy. I like to think of this as the healthful version of pork fried rice, it has loads of flavor but only about 1 tablespoon of oil per serving. You will see that Buster the dog also gave this dish his full approval.

I highly recommend serving this with the Blistered Green Beans I wrote about below. Also, Pork Sesame Rice is just wonderful leftover, so feel free to double the recipe as needed!


Pork Sesame Rice
serves 2

1 cup cooked white rice
.5 lb pork center loin chops (2 chops should do it), cubed
.75 tsp minced garlic, divided
.5 tsp minced ginger, divided
.5 tsp dark sesame oil
1.5 Tbsp tamari soy sauce
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 scallions, sliced thinly
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Toss pork with .25 tsp garlic and .25 tsp ginger. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and sautee 3 minutes, until browned. Remove from pan and keep warm.


Add oil to pan if necessary, keep heated over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and ginger, sautee 30 seconds. Add rice, tamari, hoisin sauce, and vinegar; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add pork, cook 2 minutes longer. Serve topped with sesame seeds and scallions.