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Pork Chops with Ginger Blackberry Sauce

December 16, 2020 by Mary 4 Comments

My lead construction guy told me, with a wry smile, that this would be my “last supper” in my kitchen. You see, I am completely renovating my kitchen in the city apartment and this recipe that I threw together of Pork Chops with Ginger Blackberry Sauce was scrumptious and special and my last meal from my old kitchen. It was fun to make up, with just the things I had around and so very delicious to boot! It comes together so quickly. I know you will love the sweet, savory, spicy and umami flavors all melded as one.

Quite frankly, I really hate cooking for one. I do not like being alone but what am I to do? I still love cooking and eating, and really, they become the highlights of my day, along with a little wine (maybe sometimes too much but who cares) and that is what I look forward to every day. Additionally, my late husband Steve, never really liked fruit with meat. And I have been on this sweet and savory combo kick, which I can now explore to my heart’s desire.

My mission is to combine new, unusual flavors. I’m tired of the typical mingling of ingredients. I want to break through and create something fresh and exciting! So I really had a go of it with this Pork Chops with Ginger Blackberry Sauce recipe. But you know what, I think Steve would have liked this too!

NOW THE BACKSTORY ON MY KITCHEN…

All of my appliances were breaking and my cabinets were builder’s grade (equals really shitty quality) from when we bought this condo 13 years ago and I just couldn’t bear putting new appliances in between chipped cabinets, so I decided on a complete renovation. I started musing with this idea in the summer of 2019, after happening upon a new Italian kitchen store in my neighborhood. I fell in love with these cabinets that looked like concrete and started working on the design, getting construction and appliance estimates and moving forward. I actually would have loved to do slick, shiny bright red cabinets but I knew that those really wouldn’t go with the rest of the apartment.

Because my kitchen is wide open to the dining room and the living room which are filled with an eclectic mix of French, English and American antiques along with some traditional and modern items, I needed to make the kitchen work with all of these, yet still do something smashing. Otherwise, why was I doing it, was my thinking.

Then I remembered, my very first designer/employee at my brand design agency many, many years ago was Jeanne, and she had left the communication design field to become a kitchen designer. I should contact her!

So I rang her up and she changed everything – all for the best! She gently guided me off of the concrete and into doing real wood – gorgeous walnut, flat modern panels with some beautiful Italian polished nickel handles and a concrete looking floor. We picked a stunning piece of granite for the counter with taupe, black and some beautiful blue in it. White quartz for the windowsill and some amazing appliances including my favorite – a slim wine refrigerator that is six inches wide and holds seven bottles!

SUPER MESSY IN AN APARTMENT

My renovation is in full swing now and my cabinets arrived yesterday along with Jeanne, to open and check some of them. The old kitchen is completely out and donated to Angie’s House on Long Island. They help medically frail children have the best quality of life possible. I was so happy to find them as I definitely did not want to contribute any more to landfills. It is very trying managing the space in an apartment during a complete redo – nothing like in a house.

So I cooked up a storm my last three days in my old kitchen and this recipe of Pork Chops with Ginger Blackberry Sauce was clearly my favorite. A “last supper” to remember.

I trust you will LOVE this as much as I did. This is a festive dish and easy to do during the busy holiday season. Be sure to make with LOVE. Here is the recipe:

Pork Chops with Ginger Blackberry Sauce – serves 2

2 pork chops
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small red onion, quartered and sliced in ¼” slices
4 anchovies
5 chunks of Stem Ginger in syrup, chopped (comes in a small glass jar)
3 Tbs. syrup from the Stem Ginger
1 cup fresh blackberries
Fine Sea Salt
Fresh ground pepper
Chinese Five Spice
Fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)

The process

Take the pork chops out of the fridge for 30 – 60 minutes before cooking. Pat dry and season each side with salt, pepper and a liberal amount of Chinese Five Spice.

Warm the olive oil over medium-low heat and add the onion and anchovies. Saute for 5 -7 stirring frequently.

Pork Chops With Ginger Blackberry Sauce, Seasoned and Cooking in a pan.

Push the onion mixture to the sides of the pan, raise the heat to medium, medium-high and add the chops in the center, making sure the meat is hitting the pan, not on top of the onions and add the blackberries, ginger and ginger syrup. Toss the onion/blackberry mixture on the sides while the chops are browning for 4 – 5 minutes.

Pork Chops With Ginger Blackberry Sauce, Cooking in a pan.

Turn the chops and saute for another 4 – 5 minutes, until the pork is done by pressing the meat with your thumb. It should feel sturdy but not super hard, or be at 140 degrees with an instant read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop. The temperature will increase while the meat is resting.

Remove the chops to a warm platter or board. Continue cooking the blackberry sauce for 5 more minutes, stirring until the berries break down, getting juicy and add in the collected meat juices at the end.

Pour the sauce in a line down the middle of the chops and serve, garnished with mint leaves if desired.

Testing New Products for our Winter MARY’s secret ingredients Subscription Box

October 30, 2016 by Mary 12 Comments

This is the really fun part for me!!! Testing new food products and brands for our Winter MARY’s secret ingredients subscription box stretches my imagination and creativity in ways I would never ordinarily go. Researching the products’ background, making sure they are all natural and good for you is imperative and then making sure it’s something that you can use to make an ordinary meal spectacular – without much effort – is another criteria. Using the products in the recipes that I create must provide you with a really tasty, worthy-of-sharing-with-friends-and-family meal, so you can create wonderful memories. This is my goal.

So while I do not want to spoil the surprise of the contents of the upcoming box, which will begin shipping on December 5^th, just in time for holiday gift giving, I can share some photos of some of the recipes I’ve been making, using box contenders. You should know that many product producers come to us, wanting to be in the box, but due to a flavor or ingredient profile that isn’t all natural and good for you, or I don’t like, they do not make it into our MARY’s secret ingredients Subscription Box.

You see, when you prepare great tasting meals, made with real food – fresh ingredients plus ours – because the flavors are so delicious, you don’t need to eat large quantities because you are satiated with a normal amount.

The same is very true with eating local, grass-fed meats. They are so flavorful, I know I take smaller bites, chew slower and really savor that bite. It’s a really good thing that you don’t need a huge portion to satisfy and it’s a much healthier way to live!

Take a look at these local pork chops I sautéed in coconut oil and a bit of butter with some fresh sage, Chinese Five Spice, onions and red wine. Delish! I could not eat a whole chop which gave me some for lunch the next day!
LOCAL PORK CHOPS WITH FRESH SAGE, ONIONS AND RED WINE – serves 3

3 pork chops, about ¾” thick, preferably local meat
1 Tbs. coconut oil
1 Tbs. butter
Salt to taste
11/2 tsp. Chinese Five Spice
1 small onion, sliced
11/2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage leaves
½ cup dry red wine
1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Melt the butter in the coconut oil over low heat. Add the onions and cover for 8 – 10 minutes until wilted and soft.

Wash and dry the chops with paper toweling. Season each side of the chops with salt, 1/4 tsp. Chinese Five Spice and the fresh sage leaves evenly distributed on both sides, pressing them in with your fingers so they adhere to the chops. Turn heat to medium, medium-high and brown the chops on one side for 4 minutes. Turn over and brown the other side for 3 – 5 minutes, piling the onions on top so they no longer brown and burn, and add in the wine. Your meat should feel firm to the touch and then your chops should be done.

Remove the chops to a platter to rest for 5 minutes, while you stir the bubbling wine still in the pan until it has thickened a bit. Drizzle the wine sauce on top of the chops and garnish with fresh parsley.

Serve with LOVE and enjoy! That’s some okra with our chops, sauteed in coconut oil with just a little salt. So good – and good for you!

With the holidays coming, don’t forget that our MARY’s secret ingredients Subscription Box makes a spectacular gift for everyone on your list, and with a full year subscription, you’ll be in front of them 4 times a year – every season. Makes a great corporate gift for plenty of referrals the whole year long!

Use the code: TREAT16 at checkout to get the full year subscription for only $99.00 starting with our gluten-free fall box!! It’s only good until midnight tomorrow as my Happy Halloween gift to you!

English Provender Caramelized Red Onion Chutney Pork Chops with Apples and Sweet Peppers & Luxury Lemon Curd Chiffon Pie with Strawberries

July 19, 2016 by Mary 8 Comments

Across the pond, the English Provender Company makes excellent chutneys, jams and spreads. They use only the finest premium ingredients to make each one of the products in their line. That’s why when they approached MARY’s secret ingredients to be in the box, after our testing and trial, we said a resounding “YES!” We’ve got two of their products in the box, which makes it twice as nice!

This caramelized red onion chutney is insanely good and you’ll want to put it on everything as I have been! I have used the chutney to finish off a fresh Bing cherry sauce for duck, it’s terrific as is served on the side of a broiled or grilled steak and it even goes great with scrambled eggs! You can tell I really love this stuff! But then I buckled down and made these Caramelized Red Onion Chutney Pork Chops with Apples and Sweet Peppers that you will LOVE. They are super easy to make, gorgeous to look at and taste out of this world. All good things.

Finishing the chops with a squeeze of lime and the sprinkling of chopped parsley adds the right amount of acid and really wakes up everything. I’ve been playing with limes a lot lately. A squeeze of lime is softer than lemon and not so distinct on a dish. It’s nice. Try it!

And then you can serve this super easy dessert to finish your meal that is light, delicious, refreshing, pretty and screams summer. Lemons and strawberries are a wonderful combination. A perfect way to end a meal is with this Luxury Lemon Curd Chiffon Pie with Strawberries. Enjoy!!

ENGLISH PROVENDER CARAMELIZED RED ONION CHUTNEY PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES AND SWEET PEPPERS – serves 2

2 ½” thick heritage pork chops
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
Salt
Pepper, fresh ground
1 Fuji apple, cored and cut into 16 slices
5 small red, yellow or orange small sweet peppers
2 heaping Tbs. of English Provender Caramelized Red Onion Chutney
3 springs of Italian parsley, chopped for garnish
1/4 of a lime in a wedge

Wash and dry your pork chops with paper toweling. Season the top side with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet on medium high heat until foaming mostly subsides. Lay pork chops in, seasoned side down. Add in apples and peppers around the chops and salt and pepper the top side of the chops and sauté for 4 – 5 minutes.

Turn chops and put on 1 heaping Tbs. of English Provender Caramelized Red Onion Chutney on each chop and spread around on the top of the chop. Turn apples and peppers and place them on top of the chops. Sauté for 5 – 6 minutes on this side.

Remove chops carefully to a platter, keeping all the toppings in place. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Squeeze on the lime wedge all over and sprinkle with parsley.

Serve with LOVE and enjoy!!

ENGLISH PROVENDER LUXURY LEMON CURD CHIFFON PIE WITH STRAWBERRIES – serves 6 – 8

10 – 12 oz. heavy cream
4 oz. English Provender Luxury Lemon Curd
1 qt. strawberries, washed, air dried, stems removed and sliced in half
1 9” baked pie shell

Make the pie crust from the recipe here, (or buy a ready made one). Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake the pie shell for 8 minutes with parchment paper and dried peas, beans or pie weights in the center to weigh it down. Remove the parchment paper and weights at the 8-minute mark and return the crust to the oven for 4 – 8 minutes more until pastry is light brown, crisp and dry. Let the crust cool completely on a rack before filling.

Whip the heavy cream until nearly stiff peaks form. Gently fold in all of the lemon curd evenly throughout.

Spread the filling in the pie shell and chill for at least 4 hours.

Right before serving, place all the halved strawberries on top of the filling evenly. Cut in wedges to serve. Enjoy!!

Pork Chops, Peaches and Pet Peeves

June 8, 2015 by Mary 34 Comments

I don’t know about you, but some things I cannot understand. (now I sound like my mother – hmmm, not necessarily a totally bad thing) Like, why aren’t people at home at dinnertime and sitting down and eating a proper meal? I see kids on the bus eating 6 mini powdered sugar covered doughnuts at dinnertime. Kids running on the street with 2 packs of Milk Duds grasped in their hands. I, for one, happen to hate cocktail parties or small plates the whole night long. At some point, I want to sit down, eat some real food, a real dinner, on a plate. My five brothers and me, we’re all the same. It drives some of my sister-in-laws crazy. I have friends who LOVE cocktail parties/small plates as the whole dinner. I was taught to not spoil your appetite and have a real dinner, so I hardly eat anything at those events, and then if there’s nothing more, I’m in trouble!

Once, when we were kids, we took a family vacation down south. One of my Dad’s close business friends had a daughter getting married. Now at that time in the South, (maybe it’s still true today) they believed that a fancy wedding consisted of an endless champagne fountain (probably of very good champagne), cucumber sandwiches and cake! Well, here we were, 6 kids, and starving for dinner. I remember that EVERYONE got really drunk, except my mother, who didn’t think it was very funny. She was so angry and in her opinion, I remember her saying to my Dad, “John, these children are starving for dinner. Can’t these rich people feed anyone?” and begging him to leave to go anywhere to get some food for all of us. I must have been about 5 or 6 years old but it made such an impression on me.

And here I am, quite the same today. Tomorrow, we will go to a cocktail party benefit at The Apollo Theater, starting at 6:30 and I will want to leave soon after to come home to eat a dinner that I will make – Buttermilk Roast Chicken that has been marinating since Saturday. Easy, if you plan it!

Last night I threw together this combo – pork chops with peaches, sweet onions, and shallots with some roasted zucchini. It was delicious. And we were sitting down.

PORK CHOPS WITH PEACHES, SWEET ONIONS AND SHALLOTS – serves 3
3 pork chops with tenderloin section, 3/4” thick
11/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
Mary’s cocoa spice rub on one side of chops, S + P on the other side
1/2 large Vidalia onion, cut in 1/4 “ thick slices
2 small shallots, peeled and cut into 1/4” slices
3 smallish white peaches, washed, cored and cut into 8 slices
1/3 cup dry white wine (I used a Vouvrey)
Parsley, chopped for garnish

This spice rub is just terrific to have around for use on pork, duck, or chicken. Use a mini spice grinder and keep it in a tightly closed glass jar or plastic container.

MARY’s COCOA SPICE RUB
1 tbs. raw cocoa nibs/cacao
1.5 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
8 juniper berries
4 whole cloves
Combine everything in a mini spice grinder and pulse until finely ground.

Wash pork chops and dry with a paper towel. Season one side of the chops with a heavy sprinkling of the spice rub.

Melt the butter in the oil in a large skillet on low heat. Add sliced onions and shallots, cover for about 10 minutes. Raise heat to medium high. Add chops, seasoned side down and let cook for 4 – 5 minutes, uncovered. Salt and pepper the top side, turn the chops and add the peaches all over. Cook for another 2 minutes, then add the wine and cook for another 2 -4 minutes, uncovered, until just done, 140 degrees. Remove the chops to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes.

Keep the sauce and peaches warm on low heat and slightly covered.

After meat has finished resting, pour peaches, onions and juices overall, garnish with chopped parsley and serve with LOVE.

Easy, so delicious pork chops

October 4, 2012 by Mary Frances 2 Comments

I made the most amazing, simple dinner the other night. I had thick cut pork chops – two meals for me, one for my husband and about 30 small portobello mushrooms, fresh oregano and fresh sage – and we were hungry and needed to eat quick. I also had some spinach that was begging to be of service.

I used Garam Masala for a quick and delicious flavoring. It is an Indian spice that I love, a mixture of coriander, black pepper, cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon. To me, it’s a terrific, already made up spice rub! I like to use it on pork, although it’s probably good on chicken and maybe even roasted cauliflower. I’ll have to try that and let you know.

Here’s what I did.

GARAM MASALA PORK CHOPS WITH MUSHROOMS AND FRESH HERBS
– serves 2-3

1.5 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. unsalted butter
2 thick, center cut pork chops with the tenderloin section
Salt
Pepper
Garam Masala
About 30 small Portobello mushrooms, washed quickly and cut in half.
¼ cup leftover dry white wine or dry vermouth
¼ – 1/3 cup chopped fresh oregano
¼ – 1/3 cup chopped fresh sage leaves

Wash your chops thoroughly and pat dry. Wash the mushrooms in a cold bath of water quickly, lift them out of the water and drain and dry on paper towels. Mushrooms are delicate and very porous do you don’t want them lingering in the water and soaking it up. When the mushrooms are dry, trim a little bit off of the stems if necessary and cut in half to make them all the same approximate size.

Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper and then cover with Garam Masala and rub in with your fingers. Do this on both sides. See photo.

Heat the oil on medium high heat. Add the butter and when sizzling subsides, add the chops to brown. After about 4 minutes, add the mushrooms on both sides of the chops and sprinkle on 2/3’s of the chopped herbs which have been mixed together. Do not disturb for 3 minutes. The mushrooms will absorb the oils and then emit their own juices while browning underneath. Then turn your chops, and when you see the mushrooms getting juicy, you can toss those around to brown on the other side. After about 2 more minutes, add the white wine and continue cooking the chops until done. You will most likely want to remove the mushrooms beforehand, if your chops are as thick as mine were. Put the mushrooms in the center of your platter and place the chops on top of them when done to rest and warm the mushrooms up again. Drizzle all pan juices on top. I like to remove my chops at about 140 degrees as they will continue cooking when resting on top of the mushrooms. Let the chops rest for 5 – 10 minutes and sprinkle with remaining herbs before serving.

I served this with some spinach sauteed in olive oil and garlic. A perfect, quick, early autumn dinner!

Birthday dinner!

April 1, 2012 by Mary Frances Leave a Comment

Crab cakes and lettuce on white dinner plates.

Crab cake on a Boston lettuce leaf with organic watercress and chipotle mayo

Birthdays are always very special in our house. I am happy to cook a magnificent meal of the celebrated’s choice, served at the dining room table with china, crystal and sterling. However, this year, my oldest son requested a surprise. Dinner was to be of my choosing, so here’s what I made:

Appetizers:
A cheese board with a variety of cheeses, dried apricots and walnuts

First course:
Crab cake on a bed of Boston lettuce and organic watercress with chipotle mayonnaise (search this blog for the recipe)

Main course:
Center cut pork chop with a grape and tarragon sauce (a Food and Wine recipe)
Homemade gnocchi with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (a Food and Wine recipe) – this was divine!
Roasted asparagus with olive oil and fresh mint (my simple recipe)

Dessert
Vanilla pots with fresh strawberries (a Mark Bittman recipe)

Our evening was just great – a special time for just us to catch up on each others lives, watch funny You Tube videos together and of course it ended with viewing the return of Mad Men.

You know, it’s always wonderful to do a special dinner for just your family. When the kids were young, we used to do this every Sunday night. My husband insisted on this tradition, saying that we often entertained our friends specially and why shouldn’t we do it just for us. It gave us a time to regroup before starting the week and taught the boys how to behave at an elegant dinner. The conversation was slower and more interesting, providing a time for all of us to unwind. I hope you do this with your family, creating wonderful stories and memories along the way.