Coffee and Molasses Brined Pork Chop with Roasted Corn Salsa and Watercress Salad

Coffee and Molasses Brined Pork Chop with Roasted Corn Salsa and Watercress Salad

Mrs. Stuntman started with a new employer recently and, while she is getting acquainted with her new colleagues, it presented an opportunity to introduce myself through my food. You see, I'll normally prepare at least one extra serving of whatever we eat for dinner so she can brown bag the leftovers the next day.

Since Seattle is known for coffee, I wanted to feature it in a savory application, especially since the food pairing in The Flavor Bible suggest a dessert. The concept of pairing pork with coffee isn't new to me but I wanted to explore it more, especially since the coffee in the other pork with coffee dish I've prepared had a muted coffee flavor. I knew that pork pairs well with sweet flavors (which is the reason why apples pair so well with pork), so I thought corn might be an interesting substitution in addition to balancing out the flavors with a mild spice and acid. Also, after performing a Google image search for pork chops fine dining, I noticed that nearly all were double cut with the bone frenched, so I wanted to present my dish in a similar manner. While double cut chops would have been too large a portion for my family, I did ask the supermarket where I purchased them to French my chops.

The Challenge

Make Mrs. Stuntman's colleagues envious of her brown bag lunch by elevating it.

The Source

To execute this dish, I compiled from a number of different sources. I adapted the brine from allrecipes.com; the salsa from Eating Well magazine and the salad from Food & Wine magazine.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 cup kosher salt plus more for seasoning, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups strongly brewed coffee
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 cup ice cubes
4 bone-in pork rib chops about 1/2-inch thick, frenched
4 cups corn kernels
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
t tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bunch watercress leaves, stems removed

Method

1. Prepare the salad dressing. Combine the lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Brine the pork chops. Combine the water, coffee, brown sugar, 1/4 cup kosher salt, molasses in a large bowl and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Place the pork chops in a large resealable bag with the ice cubes and pour the brine over the pork. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 3 hours.

3. Prepare the salsa. While the pork is in the brine, place a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the corn and red bell pepper and cook, stirring periodically until browned, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, then stir in the red onion, lime juice, cilantro, basil, and cumin. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.

4. Finish the pork and complete the dish. Remove the pork from the brine and discard the brine. Pat the chops dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat and, once hot, sear the pork chops, in batches if necessary, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the chops to a plate to allow for carryover cooking. While the pork rests, whisk the salad dressing again, then toss with the watercress. To present, spoon some salsa onto a warmed plate, top on one side with a pork chop and garnish with the watercress. Serve immediately.

Successful?

I'll confess and note here that by the time I got to the pork, it had been sitting in the brine for closer to four hours. I was praying that my protein was not over-brined but my fears were nullified when the first thing Mrs. Stuntman noticed was how juicy the pork was. In addition, the coffee infused into the pork giving it a deep, rich flavor which contrasted well with the corn salsa which was well balanced on its own. I also slightly overdressed the watercress but the lemon in the dressing gave the dish a brightness. Overall, each element complemented the other.

Finally, Mrs. Stuntman reports that her lunch breaks are spent alone because she thinks her colleagues feel inadequate with their sandwiches bought from the delicatessen next door.

Guest Post at Cravings of a Lunatic: Braised Salmon with Mushrooms, Potato Purée, and Watercress

Braised Salmon with Mushrooms, Potato Purée, and Watercress

Yikes! I think I dug myself a hole.

Earlier this year, Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic featured me in her series, Burning Down the Kitchen where she replicated the Bucatini All'Amatriciana I originally published more than two years ago. I returned the favor about a month later when she became my inaugural blogger for my Adding Some Class with... series. In both cases, a major theme is that I like to challenge myself in the food I prepare. Well when I volunteered to do a guest post for Kim, I knew I had to prove I had to "walk the walk" so-to-speak since we talked the talk.

It's interesting how my strategies have evolved over the course of the last two years. I started out profiling unusual cooking methods for the home cook and making food from scratch but I'm finding recently that food pairing and dish composition more satisfying than straight execution. In all honesty, it took me several days to decide upon the components in this dish and I couldn't do I without my copy of The Flavor Bible. Ultimately, I had some execution failures which I will go further into detail at Kim's but first please reach her at Facebook, G+, Pinterest, StumbleUpon, twitter on top of her Kiss My Smoke Facebook and Pinterest pages if you haven't already.

The Challenge

Live up to the reputation I've built for myself.

The Dish

...can be found at Cravings of a Lunatic

Presenting: Warm Fennel and Bitter Greens Salad

Warm Fennel and Bitter Greens Salad

This past Sunday, a certain football game was played, Punxsutawney Phil determined the fate of winter, and the second anniversary of the first dish I published on this blog. I wanted to mark the occasion with a little more flair, but time got the best of me.

As I stated earlier, one of my goals for 2014 is to eat more salads so I was looking online for ones that use ingredients that are in season now and came across this one on Food & Wine magazine's website. I thought it looked good enough to present here.

Check back tomorrow for my #SundaySupper contribution.

Anniversary Dinner 2013 Appetizer Course: Radicchio Slaw with Warm Honey Dressing

Radicchio Slaw with Warm Honey Dressing

For those of you reading this in the United States, I hope you have a Happy Tax Day!

This past weekend, Mrs. Stuntman and I celebrated our ninth anniversary. Readers of my last website might remember we ate at the Michelin-starred Lucé in San Francisco two years ago, but I didn't address the event in 2012 so I wanted to this year. We decided to celebrate at home with our daughter. Probably Mrs. Stuntman's favorite component of my last dish I published was the Asian cole slaw, so I thought this might work well. I also liked this dish from a practical standpoint because mis en place could be prepared in advance and it didn't use a lot of dishes so I could utilize them for other courses.

The Challenge

While the execution of this dish is fairly simple, the challenge here won't be fully realized until I reveal the other two courses. Namely, to compose a well-balanced tasing menu because I'm finding that putting components harmoniously together on a plate or over a multi-course meal has proven more challenging than the preparation itself.

The Source

Adapted from page 81 of Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello with Janet Fletcher.

Ingredients

1 medium size head radicchio
1/2 head Napa cabbage
Ice water
1 bunch watercress
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar white wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Quarter the radicchio through the core but then remove the core from each wedge. Cut the leaves into 1/8-inch wide ribbons. Halve the cabbage in a similar fashion, remove the core, and slice it into similarly 1/8-inch wide ribbons. Place both types of leaves into a large bowl and cover with ice water, then soak for 20 minutes. Drain and soak again in fresh ice water for an additional 20 minutes. Drain a second time, pat dry and set aside. Cut any thick stems from the watercress and set aside.

2. Make the dressing: Toast the fennel seeds in a dry small skillet over medium low heat until the seeds are lightly brown and aromatic, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Allow them to cool, then grind the seeds in a mortar or spice grinder.

Combine the honey, vinegar, and ground fennel seeds in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the honey dissolves. Remove from heat and whisk in the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.

3. Toss the radicchio, cabbage, and watercress in a large bowl and add enough dressing to coat. Adjust seasoning, if necessary, then serve immediately.

Successful?

From an execution standpoint, Mrs. Stuntman thought I under-dressed the dish which was partially due to the ratio of dressing prepared to the amount of slaw to be dressed. In other words, there wasn't enough dressing so I recommend doubling the dressing ingredients. This dish did, however, work well with the entreé course which I hope to publish later this week.