Roasted Asparagus

We started roasting with White Asparagus and found it to be disappointing. Louisa came up with this recipe with which we were quite pleased.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound asparagus
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
½ tsp fresh lemon zest
¼ tsp Red pepper
Lemon Peel strips for garnish

PREPARATION:

Wash the asparagus then trim about ½'' from the ends and peel them with a sharp vegetable peeler, starting just below the "Bud" area down the full length of the spears. Wash the lemon, using a "Strip Peeler", peel three or four 6" to 8" strips from it. Tie a knot in the middle and put them in ice water to firm up. Then zest the ½ tsp. of zest.

Peel the garlic and press it through a press into a large zipper bag. Add the oil, Red pepper and lemon zest, mix by massaging the bag. Add the asparagus and carefully massage to distribute the oil mixture over the spears. Let them rest for a 2 hour or so.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Then arrange the spears on an oven proof dish or baking sheet in a single layer.

ROASTING:

Roast just until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Check with a paring knife, you should feel some resistance while piercing them.

Serve them up with the lemon curls as garnish.

Blackened Grilled Pork Chops

Grilling Pork Chops has long been a quest for me. We buy only untreated pork (None of the additives called tenderizers - all natural) so the pork must be done properly and steps taken to keep it juicy and tender. Both my wife and I were pleased with the results. My preparation is not from any published recipe, but rather an amalgamation of tastes and spices. The flavor is not of your typical pork, so expect unusual.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Pork Chops about 3/4 " thick
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh Thyme or (2 tsp dry)
1 small shallot
1 Tbsp of Honey
Pepper to taste
Sprig of thyme or sage for garnish

PREPARATION:

Peel the shallot and mince. Wash the thyme shaking off excess water, strip the leaves and chop finely.

Add the vinegar, thyme, shallot, honey and pepper to a small bowl and mix well. Add the in the olive oil and blend in with a whisk.

Wash the chops, de-bone and remove excess fat, leaving a small cap. Grind a little black pepper onto both sides of the chops. Put the pork chops in a resalable bag and add the marinade. Massage the bag to cover the chops. Let them marinate at least 4 hour, longer if you can.

Fill your chimney starter about ¼ full and set it ablaze. (3 ½ to 4 scoops)

Just before the charcoal is ready, remove the chops from the marinade and pour it into a metal handled sauce pan and bring to a slow boil over medium heat. (Can be put on the grill to heat)*

GRILLING:

When the coals are ready, dump them into the grill and let the grids heat for a few minutes. Oil the grids with olive oil to reduce sticking.

Grill the pork chops close to the coals (Don't disturber them), tuning after 6 min. and continue to grill until the internal temperature is 155 to 160 deg. Depending on the thickness this will take about 12-15 minutes total. DO NOT OVERCOOK as they will get tough! We are looking for a slight blush of pink in the center. The sauce may also be used to baste the chops while grilling.

Serve the simmering marinade as a "dipping" sauce along with the chops. Garnish with a sprig of Thyme or Sage.

*Sauce must reach 145 to 150 deg. to kill any bacteria from the meat. Reaching a boil insures that.

Oven Roasted Broccoli

Broccoli you either love it or hate it. After a while, steamed just doesn't have enough flavor, so here's a way to "spice" it up with hot red peppers and then oven roasting it. Always peel the stalks as the outer layer is tough and stringy.

INGREDIENTS:

¾-1 pounds broccoli crowns

3+ Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves

½ tsp lemon zest

½ tsp dried red pepper flakes

PREPARATION:

Wash the broccoli and cut it into florets, using a vegetable peeler, peel the lower portion of the stalks. Dry thoroughly. Zest the lemon. Red pepper flakes if you can't buy them, follow the link.

Peel and press the garlic through a press into a large zipper bag, add the oil, Red pepper flakes and lemon zest, mix by massaging the bag. Then add the broccoli, tossing to distribute the oil through the florets. Set aside and let is rest for an hour. Pour into a baking dish and grind some fresh black pepper on it.

Preheat oven to 425 deg

COOKING:

Place the dish in a preheated oven and roast 10-15 min. Check for browning, continue roasting until broccoli just starts to brown. Garnish with red peppers and Serve.

Juicy Roast Pork with Vegetables

For this recipe, we used a pork tenderloin, but caution you to use only all natural pork. Avoid the "Tenderized" verity as the "stuff" that's added changes the flavor and just plain isn't good for you. Also my preference is for fresh carrots as the sanded "baby" ones tend to be tough, flavorless and woody.

I think you will find this a very tender, juicy way to roast pork.
 
INGREDIENTS:

1 to 1-1/4 lb Pork roast Loin or tenderloin
1 med. shallot
1/2 lb fresh carrots (not baby!)
10 baby red potatoes (B size)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1/8 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
7 ounces chicken broth (low sodium)
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp cornstarch

PREPARATION:

Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Wash and halve the baby potatoes. Peel and wash the carrots, then cut into 1-1/2" lengths on the diagonal. Wash the pork roast removing most of the fat.

Make several crosswise cuts about 1" deep across the roast . Insert slices of shallot into each cut, save the leftover shallots. Combine all the spices except the bay leaf in a small bowl mixing well. Mix the water and cornstarch blending until smooth

Place roast in ovenproof Dutch oven pouring the broth around it. Spread spices evenly over the roast. Place remaining shallots, carrots, potatoes and bay leaf around roast.

COOKING:

Cover bake at 325°F for 2 1/4 hours. Remove the roast to a cutting board, cover with a foil tent, while making the gravy. Remove the vegetables to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

Gravy: Bring pan juices to boil; boil 10-12 minutes or till reduced to half.

Discard bay leaf. Add the cornstarch mix to the pan. Continue cooking and stirring until the gravy thickens.

Slice the roast into 3/4" slices and arrange on a serving platter, surround with the vegetables. Pour the gravy over and garnish with parsley sprigs.

Adapted from a recipe by ShaGun on April 05, 2005

Roasted White Asparagus

White Asparagus should the an epicurean treat, certainly gourmet at least. However, after preparing them last evening, it was disappointing to say the least. They were tasty, but not tender and somewhat stringy, even after peeling the stalks. My recommendation - save your money and prepare this recipe with Green Asparagus, but reduce the roasting time a little.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound white asparagus, ends trimmed
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
Dash of salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
parsley flakes for garnish

PREPARATION:
Wash the white asparagus then trim about 1/2'' from the ends. Then peel them with a sharp vegetable peeler, starting just below the "Bud" area down the full length of the spears. Wash the rosemary shaking off the water and chop finely.
Zest the lemon into a zippered bag, add the olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper mixing to combine. Add the asparagus and carefully massage to distribute the oil mixture over the spears. Let them rest for a 2 hour or so. then arrange the spears on an oven proof dish or baking sheet in a single layer.

Preheat oven to 400°.


ROASTING:

Roast just until tender, about 12-15 minutes. Check with a paring knife, you should feel some resistance while piercing them.

Oven Roasted Chicken Breast with Vegetables

The weather has turned damp and chilly here in Arizona so what better time to revisit an old favorite of Louisa's. First dredging the breasts in spiced olive oil and then Hot roasting at a high temperature seals in the juices. I think you will find "Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts with Vegetables" quite tender juicy and flavorful.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. chicken breast boneless, skinless halved *
3 large shallots
1 red bell pepper
½ pound small red potatoes (Size of a quarter)
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (divided)
½ cup chicken broth(low Sodium)
Rosemary sprigs for garnish

* It is essential that you use the ½ chicken breasts as the size cooks precisely temp and time wise with the vegetables. I tried substituting the same weight of "Tenders". They were TOUGH!!!

PREPARATION:

Wash the chicken breasts, remove any fat and connective tissue; pat dry with a paper towel.
Wash the rosemary and thyme, shaking off the water, then finely chop. Peel the garlic and squeeze through a press. Juice the lemon.

Combine the lemon juice, ½ of the rosemary, ½ garlic and thyme in a soup bowl with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Then dredge the chicken breasts in it and set aside while preparing the vegetables.

Peel the shallots and blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, then cut in halve lengthwise.
Wash the pepper, removing the core and white ribs. Cut into 1” squares. Scrubbed the potatoes removing any markings; cut them in half .

In a large ovenproof skillet add the remaining garlic and rosemary, thyme, 2 Tbsp of olive oil, the bell pepper, red potatoes, shallots and fresh ground pepper to taste. Gently toss to coat being careful not to dislodge the shallots. Arrange the chicken on top of the vegetable mixture.

Preheat the oven to 450 deg.

COOKING:

Place the skillet in the upper 1/3 of the oven and roast the chicken and vegetables for 20 minutes at 450 deg., reduce the temperature to 375 deg. Continue roasting for about 10 to 15 minutes more, or until the chicken is springy to the touch. Timing is important so as not to overcook the peppers. The potatoes should be creamy and the peppers still firm.

Move the chicken and vegetables to a waiting platter arranging the vegetables around the breasts. Cover with a foil tent to retain the heat.

Put the skillet on a hot burner and stir the broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any adhering bits. Bring to a rapid boil and stir for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with the rosemary sprigs.

Serves 2.