Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book (20 page)

Many of us have friends or family who come to town unexpectedly or are lucky enough to have unexpected reasons to celebrate from time to time. For those occasions, here's a tasty supper that can make even an average day more festive. If you go to a good butcher, get him to trim up the tenderloins for you.

SERVES 4 TO 6

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Combine the grill seasoning, lemon zest, and thyme in a small bowl, then coat the tenderloins with the mixture. Drizzle with the EVOO and rub into both sides of the chops. Place the pork on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. Let the pork rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to settle, then slice on an angle.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and sauté for 12 to 15 minutes, until very tender. Season with a pinch of salt, then sprinkle the flour over the apples and toss to combine. Squeeze the lemon juice over the apples and sweeten with the sugar.

Arrange the apples over the pork to serve.

SERVES 4 TO 4

Halve the squash. Heat the EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the squash for 5 minutes, then add the onions and tomatoes, season the vegetables with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the tomatoes begin to burst and the onions are heated through. Toss the herbs with the vegetables and transfer to a serving dish.

SERVES 4 TO 4

Heat the EVOO and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the potatoes are brown and crispy. Season with nutmeg to taste and add the cheese. Turn the mixture with a spatula to melt the crumbles and crisp the cheese a bit, 1 minute. Transfer to a serving dish.

This dish was actually served to a friend of mine at a tiny restaurant on a small graffiti-covered side street of Lisbon. (I ordered the cod cakes.) The restaurant had no sign; it didn't need one. The cluster of hungry locals waiting for tables outside was sign enough that the food would be traditional and “made right.” Thanks to Chris for letting me taste his dinner four or five times so I could get it right, too.

SERVES 4

Trim the pork of all connective tissue and cut it into ½-inch-thick slices. Season the pork with salt and pepper.

Heat the EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil smokes, add the pork and brown on one side for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the meat, season with the paprika, and cook for 2 minutes more to brown the second side. Remove the pork slices to a plate. Add the chorizo to the skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to render some of the fat, then add the vegetables and cook for 7 to 8 minutes to soften, stirring frequently. Return the pork to the pan and deglaze with the wine, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon. Stir in the stock, scatter the mussels around the pan, add the cilantro, and gently stir. Put a lid on the skillet and cook until the mussels open, 3 to 4 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open. Serve immediately in shallow bowls, with bread for mopping.

Pork Chops in Tangy Fire-Roasted Tomato Sauce With Bacon Pea Polenta

Every time I cook a simple pork chop supper I ask myself why I don't cook these more often. They're tasty, and, as they say—they're the other white meat. The spicy sauce on these chops is balanced nicely with the sweet and smoky polenta.

SERVES 4

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and sear them in the hot pan until they're golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Once they are golden, remove the chops to a plate and cover them with foil. To the same pan the chops were cooked in, add the garlic and scallions. Cook until the scallions begin to get tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

While the scallions are cooking, heat the remaining tablespoon of EVOO in a medium pot over medium heat. Once it is hot, add the chopped bacon and cook until the bacon is crispy, 5 to 6 minutes.

Once the scallions are tender, add the vinegar, brown sugar, and tomatoes to the pan. Bring the sauce up to a bubble and return the pork chops to the pan. Finish cooking the pork chops in the sauce, 3 to 4 minutes.

When the bacon is crispy, remove it from the pot with a slotted spoon and reserve. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat, add the chicken stock, milk, and peas to the pot, and bring everything up to a bubble. Whisking constantly, gradually add the polenta to the pan and cook, still whisking, until the polenta has thickened up, 2 to 3 minutes. Season the polenta with salt and pepper and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and reserved bacon.

Serve the polenta alongside the chops and top with the tomato sauce.

Although I've written many recipes encouraging you to make your own take-out food so that you can control the salt, fat, and quality of ingredients in what you're eating,
everyone
orders takeout occasionally. So you
must
have leftover packets of Chinese condiments in your junk drawer. This recipe is a great way to use them up.

SERVES 4