Pork Chops with Pears in a Port Wine Sauce

Don't freak out on me. I know how this post sounds already.

It sounds fancy. And fancy has, historically, meant hard.

But this is me, remember? Do I give you hard dishes? If I can't prepare an excellent meal with a six year-old trying to show me his latest Lego creation while my two year-old tries desperately to "help" me by either eating half my ingredients or dumping them on the floor, then I don't tell you about it.

And I'm telling you about this recipe. So that means it can be prepared with even the most insane distractions.

Pork Chops with Pears in a Port Wine Sauce
Recipe from Ellie Krieger
Prep time: 5 minutes   Cook time: about 25 minutes

1 large, firm-ripe pear (or a couple medium ones)
Cooking spray
4 pork chops, about 3/4" thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup port wine
1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1. Core, and slice the pears into 1/2" thick slices.

If peels bother you, take them off. I was too lazy to bother with it though.

2. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat. Add the pears and cook, stirring once or twice, until warmed and slightly softened but still retain their shape, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the pears to a plate.

Don't be afraid to SEASON. Flavor doesn't just happen by itself.

3. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Spray the skillet with additional cooking spray, then add the chops and cook until just slightly blush in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a second plate and cover to keep warm.

Trying to go for some good color.

4. Add the broth and port to the skillet, raise the heat to high, and cook until the liquid is reduced by about half, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the mustard and whisk until dissolved, then return the pears to the pan and stir to combine. Drizzle the pear and port sauce over the chops and serve.

A 4-ingredient pan sauce. EASY!!

If you want to step up the sauce a little more, add a little bit of butter right at the end. This adds a glossy shine to the sauce, and a touch of rich flavor too. Yummy!!

And, for the record, my older son creates amazing Lego structures. My younger son is quite hilarious to have around in the kitchen (these pears were thoroughly taste-tested). And this meal absolutely fantastic, even with all my crazy distractions!

Cranberry-Pear Salad

One of the many lessons I learned from our CSA experiment is that I do not play around enough with our side dishes. Actually, I tend to ignore the sides most of the time and throw together the easiest, least hands-on dish and call it a meal.

For someone who claims to love food so much, it's really quite embarrassing.

I'm trying to change my ways though!  You might be noticing on my meal plans lately that I'm trying to not list my usual "steamed veg" or "tossed salad" quite so much.  I want to get more specific.  Have more fun.  Live a little!

Like this salad: something that's super-duper simple, seriously easy to put together, and packs way more of a flavor punch than boring ol' steamed green beans.

Cranberry-Pear Salad
Recipe from Food Network Magazine
Prep time: 5-7 minutes

3 tbsp cranberry sauce [Please, please, pretty please use a good-quality or homemade sauce!!]
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
5 oz lettuce*
2 medium pears, thinly sliced
1/2 cups diced cheddar
Salt to taste

*I have nothing against romaine or even iceberg lettuces, but I am seriously falling in love with this lettuce. Have you seen it in the store?  It's awesome!! It's just a bit fancier, has more flavor, and you get get a TON in these little four-packs. And while it's not pre-washed, it's nothing a quick soak in a sink full of cold water can't fix.

1.  In the bottom of your serving dish, whisk together the cranberry sauce, EVOO, orange juice, honey, and mustard.

Don't we all have these ingredients lying around our pantries or fridges?

2.  Layer the lettuce, sliced pear, and cheddar cheese over the dressing.  If you are serving immediately, toss to coat. If you are serving this later, only put the lettuce in the bowl, cover and refrigerate until just before meal time.  Then add the pears and cheese and toss to coat. I promise you, the greens touching the dressing will not wilt.

FYI, this is only about half of that lettuce 4-pack.  Yeah, LOTS.

How can you go wrong with crisp slices of pear and big chunks of cheddar?

One of the reasons I stay away from "fancier" side dishes is I tend to think they require a lot of work and focus and attention.  Then I quickly become overwhelmed with trying to split my precious time in between the Star (the main dish) and the Supporting Players (the sides).

Boy how stupid have I been?!  This salad not only tastes fantastic, but it really requires so little from me.  A quick measure and whisk of the dressing ingredients, and then tossing in the rest of it into the salad bowl. Done. And I even have a Get Ahead option by assembling this but waiting to coat it all in dressing. How fabulously easy is that?!?

Pear Ginger Breakfast Cake (Gluten & Dairy Free!)

If you are not fortunate enough to vote at my polling place, and therefore have access to our PTA's bake sale right when you walk in the doors, rest assured you can still enjoy at least what I donated!  This year I made some chocolate zucchini bread AND two of these lovely cakes.  By the time I voted at 8:15, only one of the cakes was left.  How's that for an endorsement??

Pear Ginger Breakfast Cake (Gluten & Dairy Free)
Recipe adapted from I have no idea what website anymore because I've had this for so long
Prep time: 15 minutes   Bake time: 45-50 minutes

2 ripe pears
2 tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Powdered sugar, optional

1.  Preheat oven to 350. Grease a medium-sized loaf pan. 

I made two cakes so I of course used double of the ingredients.

2.  Peel, core and dice the pears. Spread in baking dish and top with the crystallized ginger.  

My kids LOVE to snack on crystallized ginger!  That's probably why I'm low on it now.

3.  Beat eggs and sugar until pale in color and very thick. Add vanilla.  

Such a sunshine-y color

4.  Combine rice flour, cornstarch and baking powder. Sift over egg mixture and fold in. Drizzle oil around edge of bowl and fold in. Spread batter over diced pear.  

The consistency is similar to pancake batter.

5.  Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top is lightly golden. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. 

Ready for the oven!

This cake is AMAZING!!!  The cake part on top cooks up moist and delicious, with this thin crackly, crunch layer just at the top where it's golden.  And I swear pears and ginger are just about the most perfect pairing; they are juicy and succulent and oh-so-delicious underneath all that cakey goodness.  Whether you have this for breakfast or not, whether you have a gluten or dairy allergy or not, THIS cake is WORTH MAKING!

Pear-Ginger Pie

I was probably about 7 years old.  We were living in California at the time and preparing to leave in  the coming months.  It was my brother's birthday and I'm not sure why exactly but he didn't have a cake that year.  He had pie. 

He had this crazy, amazing pie with looooong skinny candles in it.  And once I tasted it, I don't really remember anything else about that night.

But I'll never forget my dad's first pie.

Pear-Ginger Pie

Recipe from my dad

Flaky Pie Dough (double crust):

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ cup cake flour

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

2 sticks unsalted butter

5-6 tbsp water

 

1.  Mix dry ingredients together, cut in the butter using either your fingers or a pie crust mixing tool until it is like meal with no large pieces of butter.  Add the water and toss with a fork until the dough holds together.  

2. Cut the dough into two and form two separate 4-6 inch disks and wrap each in plastic.  Chill for at least 45 minutes.

 

Pear and Ginger Pie:

2 ½ pounds of firm, ripe pears (about 6-8 pears)

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1/3 cup sugar

3 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tbsp unsalted butter

 

Glaze:

1 egg

Pinch of salt

 

1.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Roll out one of the dough disks into an 11 inch crust  that is 1/8 to ¼ inch thick.  Fit without stretching into a 9 inch pie pan.  Trim the dough even with the edge of the pan.

Little sprinkling of the flour-sugar mixture

2.  Peel, quarter and core the pears and cut each quarter crosswise into 5 or 6 slices.  Place the pears in a large bowl and toss with the grated ginger.

Some of my pears were on the small side, so I used 9 total for this pie

3.  Combine the sugar and flour and sprinkle 2 tbsp of the mixture over the pastry in the pan.  Pour the remaining sugar and flour over the pears and toss gently to mix.  Turn the filling into the prepared pastry shell and smooth the top as much as possible.  Dot the filling with the butter.

Butter makes everything better, except the way my pants fit.

4.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the remaining dough to an 11 inch disk and fold the dough in half.  Place the folded dough on the surface of the filing and line up the fold with the center of the pie.  Unfold the dough.  Trim the edge of the dough so that there is an even ½ inch edge of overhang.  Tuck the excess dough under the edge of the bottom crust.  Flute the edge of the crust.  Cut 3 or 4 vent holes in the center of the top crust.  Beat the egg and salt together and paint the top of the pie with the glaze.

Glossy!!

5.  Bake the pie on the bottom rack of the oven for 15 minutes.  Yes, the bottom rack; do not freak out.  Unless your oven does crazy temperature things, the crust will NOT burn.  After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 35 minutes longer, or until the crust is deep golden and the juices are just beginning to bubble up.  Let the pie cool on a rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

*drooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool*

 

Recommended by the Pie Man himself:

Enjoy 2 – 3 glasses of white wine while you are preparing the pie.