Garlic Wine Pork Chops

Thursday = Menu Brainstorming. 

I typically go grocery shopping on the weekend (because really there's just no time during the week) so as the week progresses and the closer to the weekend it gets the question of "What to have for dinner next week?" comes into play.

And I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I'm tired of the same old things. Doesn't matter if it's usually your favorite dish... after a while you just get B-O-R-E-D with it.

Enter PINTEREST!!
My new love and addiction.

There have been a few recipes I've found on Pinterest that just makes my mouth water (Nutella Pudding anyone?) and others that have totally saved my drab dinner plans (Chicken, Chorizo and Green Chile Hash).

This upcoming week I plan on trying out two more Pinterest recipes. The first I posted yesterday (Shrimp and Chorizo tapas) and then this one....

Photo from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Pork Chops with Garlic and Wine

Ingredients:
6 whole pork chops, medium-to-thin
2 TB olive oil
2 TB butter + 1 additional TB
salt & pepper
1 1/2 C red wine
1/2 C beef broth (more if needed)
1 whole bay leaf
1 TB balsamic vinegar
18 whole, peeled, cloves

Directions:

Heat oil and butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops and sear them on both sides until they're nice and golden, about 2 minutes per side. (No need to completely cook the chops at this point.) Remove the chops from the skillet and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium-high, then throw in the whole garlic cloves. Stir them around and cook them for several minutes, or until they get nice and golden brown.

Pour in the red wine, then add the bay leaf. Stir around and let it reduce, raising the heat if necessary. Cook the sauce for several minutes, or until it's nice and reduced and thick.

Stir in the beef broth (you can add more if it needs the liquid) and add the chops back into the cooking liquid, arranging them so that they're swimming in the sauce. Allow the chops to cook in the liquid for a few minutes, then pour in the balsamic. Shake the pan to get it to distribute, then cook for a couple more minutes, or until the pork chops are done.

Remove the chops from the pan once more, then let the sauce reduce a little more if needed until it's very thick and rich and the garlic is soft. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of butter and sprinkle in a little salt and pepper.

Arrange pork chops on a platter, then pour the whole skillet of sauce (including garlic) over the top.

Fabulous Flatbread

I'm not sure what it is about the combination of goat cheese, figs and bacon that just sounds so amazing. But when I saw this I started to drool. Thank you Chef Jenna.

Goat Cheese, Fig and Bacon Flat bread

Jenna has her own pizza dough recipe - but if you're like me, you don't have time to make your own pizza dough on a busy Wednesday night. I've found that Tandoori Naan makes for great flat bread pizza crust. So when I finally get around to make this that's what I'll be using.

Ingredients:
Pizza Dough (Or premade flat bread)
4 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
1 small log of soft goat cheese (I think I'll pick an garlic cheese)
10 fresh figs, sliced in half (If you're like me make sure to buy extra because of "accidental" eating)
1 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch of arugula
Sprinkle of sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Prepare pizza dough (if you are using precooked flatbread skip down to *)

After preparing the dough, divide it into four parts on a floured surface. Then divide those four parts in half so you have eight little balls of dough.

Roll each small dough ball out to a circle (you can probably just stretch the dough) and * top with goat cheese crumbles, bacon crumbles and two sliced figs.

Drizzle a little olive oil over each.

Place flat breads on a lined baking sheet, reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake for 12-15 minutes. After baking, top with arugula, another drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Time:

30 minutes (not including time to prepare dough)

Shrimp and Chorizo Tapas

Oh my. I was on Pinterest and came across this pin of a Shrimp and Chorizo Tapas...turns out to be an Emeril Lagasse recipe.

I'm a big Chorizo fan - so spicy and rich - and love shrimp with spanish spices... so this is very exciting. So much I had to share.

Shrimp & Chorizo Tapas

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon, plus 1/4 cup Spanish olive oil
1 pound chorizo, sliced on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup dry (fino) sherry
1 tablespoon Spanish paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined raw medium shrimp
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced parsley leaves
Crusty bread, for serving

Directions

In a large skillet or cazuela, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and saute the sliced chorizo until it begins to brown around the edges, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are caramelized around the edges and softened somewhat, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup of the sherry and cook for 1 minute. Add the shrimp, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sherry and 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and remainder of the salt and pepper; stir to combine and remove from the heat. Serve immediately, on small plates with any accumulated cooking juices spooned over the top. Pass the bread at the table.

le Bistro Montage

Went to le Bistro Montage for the first time a few weeks ago and it was DE-LIC-IOUS. They are a fine-dining Cajun style restaurant who happens to be famous for their Alligator Jambalaya and their creative To-Go containers. Here are the pictures I took (it was a very dark restaurant so the pictures came out a bit grainy):

Montage is located in the East side Industrial area of Portland

Large family-style dinner tables set up throughout the restaurant

Large murals and paintings on the walls

Tables lit with candles and a full dining layout -
down to the dessert spoon you see in the picture

Appetizers: Hush puppies (Front Left)
Fried Frog Legs (Back Left) & Fried Alligator (Front Right)

Mac & Cheese with Garlic and Parmesan cheese
Alligator Linguine in the back.

Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Sausage

Pecan glazed pork medallions with garlic mashed potatoes and corn bread

Crawfish etouffee and corn bread

Rock Shrimp Jambalaya and corn bread (my dinner)

Are are the To-Go containers!!

Aren't they cute? Too bad they smash the food to make it fit.