Boneless pork chops cook quickly on the barbecue, be careful not to over-cook or they will be dry; a wee bit pink in the center is perfect.
As usual, rather than buying pork chops, I bought a whole pork loin and sliced my own.
Ground ginger adds a bit of heat to this marinade, as does the garlic.
Use between the 1/2 and 1 tsp of the ginger, depending on your love of ‘hot’.
Orange marmalade is great in marinades, adding a bit of tart / sweet to the mix.
Orange Glazed Pork Chops
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 – pork chops, depending on size 12oz (360gr) if boneless
- Marinade:
- 3 tbs soy sauce
- 3 tbs orange marmalade
- 3 tbs dry sherry
- 1/2 – 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions:
- In small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the marinade – you need to use the whisk to break up the marmalade.
- Pour over chops and let marinate for 15 minutes (or longer…).
- Remove chops from marinade and cook on barbecue 10 – 15 minutes turning once or under broiler for 12 – 15 minutes turning once – or sauté in large skillet 10 – 15 minutes (you get the picture).
- Baste with any remaining sauce before turning.
- In all cases it depends on thickness and test for doneness by slicing and peaking. Remove and serve.
More in Barbecue Grill: Pork & Lamb
There has been a bit of a brouhaha on the internet this past week regarding the killing of Cecil, the lion.
I’ll be brief….
I’m not opposed to hunting for food. I’m from Wisconsin and hunting for deer, ducks, and geese is a long tradition.
I find hunting for trophies despicable, especially when there is no actual hunting, as in tracking on foot, involved on the part of the hunter. Luring an animal to a vehicle so you can shoot it (and miss) is not hunting. It’s merely slaughter. And killing merely to have a trophy and bragging rights is reprehensible.
That being said, there are a lot of much worse tragedies happening in the world every day to our own species, humans, that don’t incite nearly the outrage that the killing of a lion did.
Perhaps it’s easier to focus our anger and energy on something that can be ‘painlessly’ fixed (ban trophy hunting) and is far away (Zimbabwe) rather than something that requires effort to fix (senseless killings of other humans) and is close to home (one’s own city / country).
What nauseates me is that other ‘trophy hunters’ are now getting thousands of ‘likes’ on Facebook, resulting in increased ad revenue, talk show gigs, etc.
All of the outrage could be having the opposite effect.
And now I have done my bit in exacerbating the issue.
On to other things….
I haven’t done any entertaining in a while, but it’s time.
I’m having a dinner party.
I need dessert ideas.
I only make desserts when we entertain so I don’t have a vast repertoire at my disposal.
In the past I have done a Carrot Cake, a Lemon Cake, a Peach Cheesecake, and both Rhubarb and Apple Crisps.
I want something easy, impressive, and that can be made the day before.
Anyone?
Leave your suggestions in the comments, please.
I’m not offering any prizes, only my gratitude.
I recently made these a day ahead of a dinner party, and they were easy and fancy: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/salted-caramel-cream-puffs-with-warm-chocolate-sauce
I also made this depression cake, which was amazingly moist and delicious: http://www.sweetlittlebluebird.com/2013/03/tried-true-tuesday-crazy-cake-no-eggs.html?m=1
I will send you a link by email for something delicious that I serve here at the riad, without the alcohol component for obvious reasons. I make in advance and freeze it and serve from freezer like a glace but you can serve at any temperature.
The strawberries here are superb at the moment, particularly if you can get the Mara de Bois variety. I serve them either with a pavlova base or I make Marcella Hazan’ s walnut cake or a flourless chocolate/walnut cake. All three of those options can be made in advance and then either whipped cream or crème fraîche complete the dessert
Ina garten’s No Bake mocha Ice Box Cake.
I too am not a big dessert fan, so I usually opt for a cheese and fruit platter with a bowl of dark chocolate pieces and a nice port on the side.
The dessert I make that gets the most requests is a caramel apple upside down cake I have changed several things from the original recipe but mostly that happens due to what I have in my pantry. Cant find a link to it. So here’s the original recipe
Caramel Topping:
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup coconut crystals
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 organic apples, thinly sliced and chopped
Apple Cake:
• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 1/3 cup blanched almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 5 organic eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, grade B
• 1/4 cup organic, full fat coconut milk
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease an 8×8 pan with coconut oil.
2. Caramel Topping: In a small bowl combine the melted coconut oil, coconut crystals and cinnamon. Pour into the prepared pan. Evenly sprinkle the chopped apples over the caramel.
3. In a medium bowl combine the coconut flour, almond flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
4. In another medium bowl combine the eggs, vanilla, syrup, and coconut milk. Blend well.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, and then slowly mix in the melted coconut oil.
6. Carefully spread the cake batter over the apples and caramel in the pan.
7. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes.
8. Loosen the edges of the cake with a knife. Invert the cake by placing a plate over the top of the pan and then flipping it over.
9. Slice, serve and enjoy!
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 105 calories, 7g fat, 44mg sodium, 7g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 3g protein
I usually double the recipe and put it in a 9×13 pan
I make a no cook choco pudding and add brandy laced whipped cream and fresh strawberries the next day.
Chocolate Pots de Creme … in all of about 5 minutes … using ingredients I bet you all have on hand already. Sinfully rich and delicious chocolate pots of gold using standard items you have in your pantry – what more could you want? Boil some milk, and while waiting for it, mix a few things in the blender. Combine it all and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Feast and enjoy. The Pots de Creme would be perfect for company, especially since it can be easily dressed up as you desire, but also a great little ramekin of “just because.” Enjoy!
Ingredients
4 demitasse cups (I used ramekins)
2/3 cup whole milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar
A pinch of salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) or dark rum
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons brandy
Edible flowers (found in produce department) or candied violets, for garnish (optional) (I skipped)
Yields: 4 servings in demitasse cups, 2 servings in tea cups
‘
Preparation
Heat milk in a small pan over moderate heat until it comes to a boil. Using the low setting on a blender or food processor, combine the egg, sugar, salt, chocolate chips and liqueur. Pour in the boiling milk in a slow stream (the hot milk will cook the egg and melt the chocolate). Process or blend 1 minute, until smooth. Pour the mixture into the demitasse cups and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Just before serving, beat the cream with a whisk or hand mixer until soft peaks form. Add a little sugar and brandy and beat again to combine. Top each chocolate cup with a dollop of cream and garnish with an edible flower or candied violet.
k_sam, ooooh, I haven’t made cream puffs in ages! Great idea. And the depression cake – I remember my mother making something similar. Thanks!
Kate, thanks – maybe to go with the cream puffs…. I like do ahead / freezer
Gill, you’re still getting strawberries???? Even our local farmer is done with theirs a few weeks ago, Maybe Grand Frais….
Sullimaybe, thanks, I’ll have a look. I like most of her stuff, but sometimes it calls for things I don’t have – like Karo syrup.
Delline, I’m a big fan of (just) port and cheese…. Unfortunately, here that still needs to be followed by dessert… Sigh…. (In the UK they serve the dessert before the cheese, here in France it’s after)
Gayle, actually, I had been thinking of an apple cake – but a caramel apple cake? Oh. My. Thanks!
Karen, I have never made these – and it looks so easy. Shame on me. Thanks!
Hope you were able to choose from the yummy suggestions posted.
Strawberries are still appearing in Chalais market and yesterday we got 3 large punnets from a local producer via the bakery we use close by, for a family gathering of 15. What fun – the ages ranged from 81 to our younger grandson of 2 1/2 .
You’re still getting strawberries – lucky you! I love a party with all ages, so much more interesting.
I’m probably too late but I’ll answer anyway. We make an Indian dessert that is insanely easy to prepare, perfect if made the day before and if you have some mint sprigs in the garden, you can make it look very very elegant.
Hang plain yoghurt in a few layers of cheesecloth over a bowl (you can use the whey to cook lentils) until it’s just a little thicker than Greek yoghurt. Stir in sugar, cardamom and a few threads of saffron and let it sit in the fridge so the saffron melds. The result is like the best cheesecake. A little goes a long way. We serve it in very small dishes, with toasted almond slivers on top. And a sprig of mint if we have it.
our recipe here: http://etherwork.net/recipes/creamydessert.html#srikund
That is the kind of dessert I would make for the two of us…. simple and (relatively) healthy. My French doc always makes sure I have my yogurt every day…. Thanks!
You’re most welcome. We adore it and hope you do too. It’s one of our standard “Wow guests with something that seems rich and extravagant”