Accounting for Taste

How about a to-die-for date night dinner for two? Pork and fruit are a classic partnership, and in this recipe from Bon Appétit, the marriage has lasting potential! It was a memorable dinner date for us… no future divorce attorneys on speed dial…

Rehydrating dried cherries in hot water turns them plump and juicy—exactly what you want scattered throughout a rosemary-scented pan sauce for thick-cut pork chops. Don’t be tempted to go for boneless chops; a dish this simple and flavorful calls for a heavy-hitting bone-in situation.

Our sides consisted of Patatas Panaderas and a side salad. Dinner Done!

Rosemary and Dried Cherry Pork Chops

Servings: 2
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

⅓ cup dried tart cherries
2 1″–1¼”-thick bone-in pork chops (10–12 oz. each)
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 sprigs rosemary

Directions

Combine ⅓ cup dried tart cherries and ½ cup hot water in a small bowl. Let sit to rehydrate while you cook the pork.
Pat two 1”–1¼”-thick bone-in pork chops (10–12 oz. each) dry with paper towels. Season generously on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour evenly over both sides of each chop; press in gently to coat lightly.
Heat 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Shake off any excess flour and cook pork chops until deep golden brown underneath, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook until deep golden brown on other side and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 135°, about 2 minutes, depending on thickness of chops. Transfer to a plate. Let pan cool slightly.
Combine 1 large shallot, thinly sliced, and 2 tablespoon unsalted butter in same pan and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until shallot is softened, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, and reserved cherries with their liquid. Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
Add 2 sprigs rosemary (OK maybe a bit more) and cook, stirring often, until sauce thickens further and is homogeneous, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add remaining 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, and vigorously stir to combine. Taste sauce and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, nestle pork chops back into sauce in pan and spoon some sauce over.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Kendra Vaculin for Bon Appétit

Pork shoulder is a classic for braising. The meat turns nearly spoonable but still slices nicely, and leftovers are great for sandwiches. In this recipe the pork is combined with dried cherries and sweet potatoes, balancing their sweetness with the slightly bitter taste of Guinness stout and molasses. Odd combination? I thought so too, but OMG, it was fantastic!

It hailed from renowned Chef Daniel Boulud’s cookbook “Braise, A Journey Through International Cuisine” where all of his recipes are influenced with a global perspective. We know that braising transforms inexpensive, tough cuts of meat into succulent soft morsels. And as Daniel writes “In fact, the cheaper, more sinewy, and more chewy the meat is to begin with, the more delectable it’s texture and the thicker the sauce after cooking.”

The original recipe, which is depicted below, calls for a 5-1/2 pound shoulder roast. We happened to have a 3-1/2 pound pork roast on hand, so that’s what we used and adjusted the other ingredients to follow suit. Then we completed the meal with roasted cauliflower and carrots.

Don’t forget to make the Guinness stout and cherry sauce ahead of time. It needs to sit for at least an hour or be refrigerated overnight for the flavors to meld.

Pork Shoulder with Guinness, Dried Cherries and Sweet Potato

Servings: 6-8
Time: 4 hrs
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

5 cups Guinness stout
1 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. vegetable or extra-virgin olive oil
1 (51/2-lb.) pork shoulder roast
Coarse sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large red onions, peeled and sliced
1/2 tsp. crushed black pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
5 whole allspice, crushed
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup molasses
3 Tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
2 lbs. sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and roughly chopped

Directions

Bring the stout, cherries, and vinegar to a simmer in a saucepan. Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let sit for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight.
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F.
Warm the oil in a large cast-iron pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Season the pork shoulder with salt and ground black pepper and sear on all sides until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pork shoulder to a platter. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pot.
Add the onion and the crushed black pepper to the pot and sauté for 7 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer.
Add the pork shoulder, the marinated cherries and liquid, allspice, bay leaves, molasses, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 cups water. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Cover the pot, transfer it to the oven, and braise for 1 hour, turning the pork once during cooking. Add the sweet potatoes and continue to braise for 2 more hours, turning two more times. If the sauce is too thin or is not flavored intensely enough, ladle most of it off into another pot and simmer it until it thickens and intensifies. Then add it back to the first pot.
Slice the pork and serve with the sauce on top.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe Courtesy of “Braise: A Journey Through International Cuisine,” ECCO/Harper Collins – 2006