These letters set the mood for my cucina. I've been baking, cooking and feeding people since the age of ten, when I could serve up a close-to-gourmet meal. Imagine my amazement when recent blood work revealed me to be anemic and malnourished. How's that for irony? Moi? The one who crams in nutrition wherever and whenever she can? The one about whom my son says, "You eat too healthy and that's why the mosquitos go after you… when you start eating junk food, they'll leave you alone." Not to worry. It's all part of the illness I suffered and I'm on the way back to better numbers. Junk food is still pretty much banned. But I'm cramming in more nutrition than ever and consuming the occasional piece of "the other white meat" or rare beef, albeit in small amounts. Bringing me to pork chops…
Joe goes for big and thick, so no surprise that he brought home these giants when I told him we could have a rare meal of lean pork. I egged and dredged them in seasoned flour before browning them in EVOO - stovetop in an ovenproof pan. After searing, I splashed them with balsamic and then cut two apples into wedges, putting them in every available space around the meat. Then, into the oven till done. You'll know. For these, it was 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
The big tip here is the fruit. A few nights ago, we had meatloaf with pear wedges baked around the meat. Yum!
For savory fruit, just allow it to pick up garlic powder, paprika, pepper, etc. used to season meat. For a sweet version, carefully sprinkle with cinnamon and a touch of sugar.
Mangia!
Buon Appetito!
