Quick and easy recipes

By Jayni Carey on February 22, 2012

Pork Chops with Herb and Mustard Pan Sauce

4 pork loin chops, cut ½-inch thick (bone-in or butterflied)
salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup dry white wine
½ teaspoon each dried marjoram and thyme
1 teaspoons coarse brown mustard
1/3 cup heavy cream

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or sauté pan. When hot, add the pork chops and cook for 3 to 5 minutes each side, until done. Lower the heat if necessary to prevent burning.

Transfer the chops from the skillet to a warm platter and pour off most of the fat in the skillet, leaving the brown bits. Add the wine and herbs to the skillet. Increase the heat to medium-high and reduce by half, stirring occasionally. Stir in the coarse brown mustard and the cream. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the sauce, stirring frequently until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve the herb and mustard sauce over the pork chops with Rice Pilaf (recipe follows). Serves 4.

Wine Recommendation by Tom Hodge: 2006 Martin Ray Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County.

Rice Pilaf

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup white basmati rice
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt

Heat the butter and olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the rice and stir frequently, until it begins to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, raise the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook the rice for 14 to 16 minutes, until all of the liquid is absorbed. Let stand, covered, for about 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

Coconut Curried Shrimp with Caramelized Pineapple

2 pounds large shrimp (16 to 20 count)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
½ teaspoon salt
1 4-ounce can (hot or mild) green chiles
1 tablespoon (hot or mild) curry powder (no salt added)
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
¼ cup cilantro, stemmed and snipped
2 to 4 tablespoons lime juice, to taste
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks or rings, drained
fresh cilantro sprigs

Shell and devein the shrimp, rinse, drain and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.

Heat the butter and oil over medium heat in a large skillet or sauté pan. When hot, add the chopped onion and red pepper and stir frequently, until the vegetables are golden. Stir in the garlic, ginger, salt, green chiles and curry powder and cook for 1 minute more. Add the chicken broth and simmer until reduced by half. Add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Add the shrimp and when the liquid returns to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, turning the shrimp once, until it is cooked through. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cilantro, and lime juice to taste. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired.

To caramelized the pineapple, lightly brown fresh pineapple chunks or rings in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, 3 to 4 minutes each side. (No oil is necessary to brown them.)

Serve the shrimp curry over Jasmine Rice with Peas (recipe follows). Garnish with caramelized pineapple and fresh cilantro sprigs. Serves 4 to 6.

Wine Recommendation by Tom Hodge: 2008 Big House White, California White Wine.

Jasmine Rice with Peas

¾ cup frozen peas
1 cup jasmine rice
1 1/3 cups water
½ teaspoon salt (optional)

Place the frozen peas in a strainer and run cold water over them to thaw slightly and set aside. Rinse the jasmine rice in a bowl of cold water to remove the starch. Drain well. Place the rice in a saucepan. Add the water, and salt, if desired. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stir, cover and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Steam-cook the rice for 5 minutes. Lift the lid, quickly add the peas and cover (do not stir). Continue cooking until all of the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 10 minutes more. Let the rice stand, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes, stir gently to incorporate the peas and serve. Serves 4 to 6.

Brown Sugar Baked Apples with Raisins and Walnuts

4 medium apples (Jonagold, Jonathan, Braeburn or Gala), cored and quartered
¼ cup raisins
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2/3 cup apple cider
1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
½ cup heavy cream, sweetened to taste and whipped to soft peaks

Place the quartered apples and raisins in a large bowl. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Toss to coat. Pour the apple cider in a baking dish just large enough to hold the apple mixture. Spoon the apple mixture into the baking dish and place in a 350 degree oven. Bake the apples for about 40 minutes, basting them with the juices twice (every 15 minutes). After 30 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the chopped walnuts over top. Return to the oven and cook for about 10 minutes more, until the apples are tender.

Transfer the apples, raisins and nuts to a shallow bowl using a slotted spoon. To make a sauce, pour the juices from the baking dish into a small saucepan and boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and reduces by half.

To serve, pour the sauce over the baked apples. Spoon the apples into dessert bowls. Garnish servings with whipped cream. Serves 4 to 6.

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