Seared Pork Chops With Mushroom Sauce and Tomato Gastrique

by Kathy Douglas | Feb 26, 2017 | Entrees

A delight for the taste buds, our two sauces made a deliciously contrasting dish. Easy to prepare, they help get your tasty pork chop menu done in a breeze. Try serving with mashed potatoes to help soak up the yummy extra sauce.

INGREDIENTS
Seared Pork Chops
6 thick-cut pork rib chops
Salt
Pepper
2 teaspoons grape seed or vegetable oil

Tomato Gastrique
½ cup honey
½ cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Pinch of sea salt

Mushroom Cream Sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Kosher salt
6 ounces white mushrooms, thinly sliced
½ cup white wine
1 cup beef broth
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
White pepper

Pork Chops
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Season the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large oven-proof sauté pan over medium high heat to very hot, then add the oil. Add pork chops and cook for 3 minutes per side until well browned. Carefully, place the hot sauté pan in oven for 10 minutes or until pork chops are cooked to medium when the internal temperature reaches145 degrees.

Tomato Gastrique
Heat the honey in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes, until it becomes a deeper shade of brown.

Mix the vinegar and tomato paste together and add to the honey; it will boil vigorously but keep stirring constantly until it settles down. Continue to cook at a simmer, swirling the pan a few times, for about 12-15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat, strain, and add a pinch of salt or to taste; keep warm to serve with the pork chops.

Mushroom Cream Sauce
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and shallots, sauté until soft but not browned. Add the mushrooms, season with ½ teaspoon salt and sauté for 5 minutes until they release their liquid. Sauté until the liquid is almost gone and the mushrooms are lightly browned. Add the wine and sauté until evaporated. Pour in beef broth and sauté until reduced to 2 tablespoons of liquid. Add the cream; heating until thickened. Add the lemon juice then the salt and white pepper to taste; keep warm to serve with the pork chops.

Green Chili Chicken Corn Chowder with Toasted Corn Bread Croutons

by Kathy Douglas | Feb 21, 2017 | Entrees

Using a pressure cooker, you can have this Green Chili Chicken Corn Chowder recipe ready in a little over 10 minutes. Or try our stove-top version to be completed in only 30-40 minutes. Easy and quick to make, the toasted cornbread croutons and bacon topping add a nice crunch to the creamy chowder.

INGREDIENTS
2 slices applewood smoked bacon, cut into lardons, or chopped
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, uncooked and diced
½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups boxed unsalted chicken stock
4 ounce can green chilies
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled, cubed
2 cups frozen corn
½ cup cream
1 tablespoon flour
Prepared cornbread, homemade or store purchased
Thinly sliced green onion tops
Sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS
Place the bacon in a stockpot or pressure cooker pot over medium heat. Sauté until very crisp then remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate; cool completely, crumble and set aside to use as a topping.

Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat in the pot. Add the diced chicken with the ancho chili, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and a big pinch of salt and sauté until the chicken is browned on all sides, about 3 minutes. Remove from the pot and set on a plate.

Add butter to the cooking pot. When butter is melted, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Add chicken broth and stir, scraping up any remaining browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add a 4 ounce can of green chilies, corn, diced potatoes and cooked chicken, with any juices that accumulated while resting, to the cooking pot. Stir to combine.

Mix the cream with a tablespoon of flour, set aside.

Pressure Cooker Version
If using a pressure cooker; lock lid in place, select High Pressure and, after the pot has pressurized, cook 10 minutes. When time is up, remove the pressure cooker from the heat and do a quick pressure release. Stir in the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Stockpot Version
If using a stockpot, bring to a simmer, lower the heat, cover and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Croutons
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the cornbread into cubes and place on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Bake 10 minutes until crisp on the outside, and the middles still soft.

Serve the chowder in bowls. Sprinkle over the crumbled bacon, add a spoonful of sour cream and top with the chopped green onions.