Pork chop Milanese with arugula salad

Active: 40 minutes; Total: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

Pork chops, bone-in, rib-cut, about ½-inch thickness; frenched, fat and membrane removed, pounded to ¼-inch thickness	4
Salt, kosher	1 ½ teaspoons + ½ teaspoon +  ¼ teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon + ½ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Flour, all-purpose	½ cup
Eggs; beaten	3 large
Breadcrumbs, plain	1 cup
Parmesan cheese, grated	½ cup + ½ cup
Italian seasoning blend	1 ½ teaspoon
Canola oil	¾ cup
Arugula	4 cups
Olive oil, extra-virgin	1 tablespoon
Vinegar, white wine	1 tablespoon
Tomatoes, cherry; cut in half	½ cup

1. Preheat the oven to 200°F. 
2. Set a wire rack on a large rimmed baking sheet; set aside. 
3. Season the pork chops evenly with 1 ½-teaspoons salt and ½-teaspoon pepper. 
4. Place the flour in a large, shallow bowl. 
5. Place the eggs in another large, shallow bowl. 
6. In a third large, shallow bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, ½-cup cheese, Italian seasoning, ½-teaspoon salt, and ½-teaspoon pepper. 
7. Working in batches, dredge the chops in the flour, shaking to remove excess; dip in the egg, letting excess drip off. 
8. Dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, patting to adhere; transfer the coated chops to a parchment paper-lined work surface. 
9. In a large skillet, pour canola oil in to a depth of ¼ an inch; heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. 
10. Working in batches, cook the chops until golden brown and a thermometer inserted near, but not touching, the bone registers 140°F, 2 to 3 minutes a side. 
11. Place the chops on the prepared wire rack on a baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt to taste; transfer to the preheated oven to keep warm while preparing the remaining chops and salad. 
12. Combine the arugula and ½-cup cheese in a medium bowl. 
13. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar; toss to combine, and garnish with tomatoes. 
14. Serve salad with the pork chops. 

Recipe from Food & Wine Annual 2025.

The Blue Pig

Active: 30 minutes; Total: 4 hours; Serves: 12

Pork tenderloin	2  1-pound tenderloins
Pepper, freshly ground	2 teaspoon
Salt	2 teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Garlic powder	4 teaspoons
Blueberries, fresh	1 cup
Garlic; smashed,  minced	4 + 2 teaspoons
Thyme	7 to 8 sprigs
Honey	1 tablespoon
Balsamic vinegar	½ cup
Rice, rinsed	1 cup
Water	1 ½ cup
Butterfly-pea flowers	6 blossoms
Lemongrass purée	1 tablespoon
Pansy, fresh picked	Garnish

The Blue Pig:

1. Pat the tenderloin dry with paper towels.
2. Combine the pepper, 2-teaspoons salt, and garlic powder in a small bowl; rub the mixture all over the tenderloin.
3. Using a sous vide, preheat the water to 145°F; place each tenderloin in a separate foodsaver bag with two smashed garlic cloves and several thyme sprigs, seal, then cook them both for 3 to 4 hours. Let rest 15 minutes, then brown on all sides in a skillet over medium-high heat with oil.
4. Using an oven, preheat to 375°F; line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the tenderloin on the baking sheet, and onto the center rack of the oven; bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until an internal thermometer reads 140°F to 150°F; rest for 15 minutes before cutting. 

Blueberry balsamic sauce: 

1. Combine the blueberries, garlic, honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. 
2. Mash the berries with the back of a wooden spoon to release the juices. 
3. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until the berries are softened. 
4. Add the balsamic vinegar, and simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced and thickened. 

Blue rice: 

1. Beat the lemongrass stalk with a mallet, then tied it in an overhand knot. 
2. Place the rice, lemongrass, and butterfly-pea flowers in a small pot, add the water; bring to a boil, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. 
3. Let the rice rest for 15 minutes, fluff with a fork, and remove the lemongrass. 

Gussying up the pig:

1. Shape the rice onto a large serving platter with a crater in the center for the tenderloin. 
2. Slice the tenderloin into ¾- to 1-inch slices, and arrange in the center of the rice. 
3. Drizzle some of the blueberry balsamic sauce over the tenderloin, and serve the remaining with the dish. 
4. Garnish with flowers, and serve! 

Note: This is a work-in-progress for an upcoming color-themed dinner party. First attempt had the flavors but lacked the textures; might have been the meat thickness. Also, tried to dye the tenderloin in the sous vide by adding butterfly-pea flowers but was unsuccessful; it was a speckled sow. The sauce is addictive. Lastly, the forget-me-not flowers lacked any plate appeal as garnish. Second attempt: we baked one and used the sous vide on another tenderloin. I thought the baked was overcooked and was bland, and the sous vide was juicy and flavorful; however, James thought the baked was what his tastebuds expects, and suspects the sous vide version was undercooked. Non-jasmine rice worked better, and beware of overcooking the sauce.

Recipe from me having to figure out a “blue” dish for a color-themed dinner party.

Pork chops with sherry pan sauce

Active: 30 minutes; Total: 1 hour; Serves: 2

Pork chop, center-cut, bone-in, about 1 ¼-inch thick	2
Salt	1 ¾ teaspoons +
Pepper, freshly ground	1 teaspoon +
Oil, grapeseed	1 tablespoon
Shallot, finely chopped	¼ cup
Ras el hanout	1 ½ teaspoons
Sherry, dry	1/3 cup
Orange zest	1 teaspoon
Orange juice	2 cups
Figs, dried, chopped	3 tablespoons
Parsley, chopped	1 tablespoon

1. Season the pork with salt and pepper. 
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 
3. Add the pork chops; cook, flipping often, until well browned and a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of meat near the bone registers 130°F, about 15 minutes. 
4. Transfer the chops to a plate, and pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings, taking care to preserve the browned bits in the skillet. 
5. Add the shallot over medium-high heat; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 1 minute. 
6. Add the ras el hanout; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 10 seconds. 
7. Add the sherry; simmer, stirring to loosen the browned bits, until the liquid has reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. 
8. Add the orange zest and juice and the figs; cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened slightly and reduced to about 1 cup, 3 to 5 minutes. 
9. Remove from heat, and stir in the parsley; season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Recipe from Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2023.

Shoyu ramen

Active: 1 hour 15 minutes; Total: 6 hours 30 minutes; Serves: 4

Broth, chicken, low-sodium	8 cups
Mushrooms, shiitake, dried	16
Kombu	30 grams
Bonito flakes	20 grams
Mirin	1 ¼ cups
Soy sauce	1 ¼ cups
Sake	½ cup
Sugar, granulated	¼ cup
Ginger, sliced	2-inch piece
Scallions, halved	3
Garlic, peeled	3 cloves smashed + 8 cloves sliced
Sugar, brown	2 packed tablespoons
Water	1 ½ cups + 6 cups + 6 cups + 6 cups
Pork belly, skin-on	1 pound
Eggs, cold	4 large
Oil, canola	½ cup
Cayenne	1 tablespoon
Sesame seeds	2 teaspoons
Wheat noodles, fresh	4 ounces

Chicken dashi 

1. In a medium pot over medium heat, bring the broth to a bare simmer; remove from heat and let cool for 2 minutes. 
2. Add the mushrooms and kombu, and let steep for 5 minutes. 
3. Add bonito flakes, and let steep 5 minutes more. 
4. Strain the dashi; reserve solids. 

Tare & chashu 

1. In a large pot over medium heat, bring the mirin, soy sauce, sake, sugars, ginger, scallions, smashed garlic, and 1 ½-cups water to a low simmer, then reduce heat to low. 
2. Meanwhile, in a medium pot over medium heat, bring the pork and 6-cups water to a bare simmer; immediately drain, and gently rinse the pork. 
3. Transfer the pork to the pot with the tare, and bring to a simmer. 
4. Cover and cook over low heat until tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes. 
5. Let cool 20 minutes, then strain and reserve the tare liquid. 
6. Refrigerate the pork and tare separately. 

Nitamago 

1. In a medium pot over medium heat, bring 6-cups water to a boil. 
2. Prink the bottom of the eggs with a pin. 
3. Gently lower the eggs into the pot with a spoon, and simmer for 6 minutes; drain. 
4. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath, and let cool 5 minutes. 
5. Thoroughly and gently crack the eggshells, then return to the ice bath to cool for 10 minutes more. 
6. Carefully peel the eggs, and transfer to a medium bowl. 
7. Pour tare over; weigh down the eggs with the reserved spent kombu to fully immerse in liquid. 
8. Let marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours, and up to 12. 

Garlic la-yu 

1. In a small pot over very low heat, simmer the garlic in canola oil, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 15 minutes. 
2. Remove from heat, stir in the cayenne, then the seeds; let cool. 

Serving 

1. Slice the chashu into 2-inch-wide slices; torch lightly, if desired. 
2. In a pot of boiling water, cook the noodles, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 1 to 2 minutes; drain. 
3. In a small pot over medium heat, bring the dashi and mushrooms to a simmer; cook 1 minute. 
4. Transfer the dashi to a serving bowl, then add tare and noodles. 
5. Top with mushrooms, chashu, nitamago, scallion, and a drizzle of la-yu. 

Recipe from Delish magazine by June Xie.

Crispy pork cutlets with tonnato sauce

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 40 minutes; Serves: 4

Olive oil, extra virgin	½ cup + ½ cup + ¼ cup
Caperberries	¼ cup +
Anchovy, drained	3 fillets
Lemon zest	1 ½ teaspoons
Lemon juice	1 tablespoon
Pepper, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Tonnino tuna fillets, oil packed, drained	13.4 ounces (2 jars)
Water	½ cup
Pork loin chops, pounded to ¼-inch thickness	4 6-ounce chops
Salt	1 ½ teaspoon
Flour, all purpose	½ cup
Eggs, lightly beaten	2 large
Panko	2 cups
Parsley leaves, loosely packed	2 cups
Onion, red, thinly sliced, rinsed, patted dry	¼ cup

1. Preheat your oven to 200°F. 
2. Process ½-cup oil, caper berries, anchovies, lemon zest and juice, and ¼-teaspoon pepper in a food processor until almost smooth, about 1 minute. 
3. Add tuna; process until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. 
4. Transfer to a bowl; stir in water until smooth; cover and refrigerate until ready to use. 
5. Sprinkle pork evenly on both side with salt and remaining pepper. 
6. Place the flour, eggs, and panic in three separate wide, shallow dishes. 
7. Working with one cutlet at a time, dredge in flour and shake off, dip in eggs and let drip a bit, and then dredge in the panko to coat; place on a plate. 
8. Heat ½-cup oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. 
9. Working with one or two cutlet at a time, cook in the hot oil until golden brown, crisp, and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per a side. 
10. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels; sprinkle evenly with salt to taste, and place in the preheated oven to keep warm. 
11. Repeat with remaining cutlets, adding the remaining oil to the skillet after cooking two cutlets. 
12. Divide cutlets among four plates; spoon about 1/3 cup tonnato sauce over each cutlet. 
13. Top evenly with parsley and onion.
14. Garnish with additional caperberries and pepper; serve with lemon wedges and remaining sauce. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, March 2021.

Sous vide pork chops with mushrooms

Active: 15 minutes; Cooktop: 15 minutes; Sous vide: 45 minutes; Serves: 2

Pork chops, thick-cut, bone-in	2
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Butter, unsalted, cold	1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon
Mushrooms	4 ounces
Sherry	¼ cup
Beef stock	½ cup
Worcestershire sauce	1 tablespoon
Micro greens	Garnish

1. Preheat your sous vide to 140°F. 
2. Season the chops with salt and pepper, and place in a large ziplock or vacuum seal bag; seal. 
3. Place in the water bath, and cook for 45 minutes. 
4. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. 
5. Remove the pork chops from the bag and pat dry; discard cooking liquid. 
6. Melt 1-tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 
7. When the butter stops foaming, add the pork chops and sear until well-browned, about 1 minute per side; transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. 
8. Return the skillet to the heat, and add the mushrooms. 
9. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. 
10. Add the sherry and bring to a rapid simmer, scraping up any browed bits from the bottom of the skillet. 
11. Add the stock and Worcestershire, and bring to a rapid simmer. 
12. Reduce head to medium, and continue to simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened. 
13. Remove the skillet from the heat, and rapidly swirl in the remaining butter, ½ tablespoon at a time, until the sauce emulsifies. 
14. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
15. Serve the pork chops with the mushroom sauce and micro greens.