Polenta with Peas, Pancetta and Parmesan...

This is a tough time of year. Here in the UK we have a tiresome combination of cold, dark, blustery and wet. Despite a real passion for cooking the seasonal blues take hold and drain my motivation, especially when it comes to midweek meals.

This recipe from Rachel Ray via the Food Network provides the perfect solution. It’s easy to make, absolutely delicious and ticks all the comfort food boxes. As a one-pot meal it also saves on the washing up – BONUS!

Give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.

Polenta with Peas, Pancetta and Parmesan

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2-3 slices of pancetta cut as thick as bacon, chopped (I have successfully used the following: thin pancetta, thick smoked back bacon and leftover roast honey-glazed gammon)

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup quick cooking polenta

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup frozen peas (thawed)

a couple handfuls of grated Parmesan / Parmigiano-Reggiano (I used Grana Padano)

Directions

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat

Add pancetta and cook until crisp (about 5-minutes) then remove to a plate

Add the chicken stock and milk to the sauce pan and bring to a boil

Whisk polenta into the liquid and continue to whisk for 2-3 minutes to thicken

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper

Stir through peas to heat through (about 1-2 minutes)

Remove from heat

Stir in cheese and adjust seasoning

Garnish with pancetta

Optional: garnish with a few slivers of the cheese as well (I have also started adding a knob of butter at the same time I add the cheese. For me it adds richness and makes it even creamier)

Enjoy!

Coffee–Molasses Marinated Pork Chops...

‘Pork chops and apple sauce…ain’t that swell’
Peter Brady: The Brady Bunch, Television series 1969–1974

Pork chops and applesauce certainly are ‘swell’ – they are a classic combination after all. The two go together like peanut butter and jam, bacon and eggs or strawberries and cream.

Last night I decided to put the applesauce to one side and try a different approach to pork chops. Over the past few months my eye had been drawn to several recipes for pork chops with a coffee-molasses marinade. There was a half empty jar of molasses kicking around so I thought, why not?

I was missing some of the ingredients so a few substitutions needed to be made. I don’t think this affected the final outcome of the dish – it was delicious! Peter Brady would approve. In fact he may have even called it… ‘swell’.

Here is the recipe I used from the Taste of Home website. We served these with boiled new potatoes and butter braised Savoy cabbage.

Coffee–Molasses Marinated Pork Chops (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 cup strong brewed coffee

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 6 fresh thyme sprigs (I used lemon thyme from our garden)

• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar (I used tarragon vinegar)

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (I used mustard powder)

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning (I used lemon myrtle and lots of freshly ground black pepper)

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 4 bone-in pork loin chops (1 inch thick)

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients

Pour 1/2 cup marinade into a large re-sealable plastic bag; add the pork chops. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining coffee mixture until ready to cook

NOTE: I used a large Pyrex oven dish and covered the pork chops in ALL the marinade as in Alton Brown’s recipe for coffee-molasses marinated pork chops from the Food Network website. When it came time to make the glaze I once again used ALL the marinade. I poured it through a fine sieve first and reduced it to about ¼ of a cup so it was much thicker in consistency than the Taste of Home recipe

For glaze, place remaining coffee mixture in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup

Drain and discard marinade covering the pork chops

Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack.

Grill chops, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160°

NOTE: We used our Creuset grill pan to cook the chops and gave them a slightly longer cooking time of 6-7 mins

Spoon glaze over chops

Enjoy

Grilled and Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Gorg...

Tonight was a night for trying something new. A few weeks ago I saw one of my favourite chefs from the food network, Giada De Laurentiis, prepare a wonderful looking meal for her friends.

Mushrooms have always been one of my favourite foods and Giada’s recipe for Grilled and Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Gorgonzola looked too yummy to pass up. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get all the ingredients so I did have to make a few compromises.

Instead of turkey or chicken sausages, I used plain pork ones. I also didn’t have any mascarpone cheese. The mixture did need some moisture to help blend everything together so I added just a touch of double cream.

I served the mushrooms with a simple watercress salad on the side. The peppery flavour of the watercress complemented the gorgonzola nicely. This was a huge hit and I will definitely be making it again.