Sweet and Sour Pork

INGREDIENTS
2   tablespoons juice from the canned pineapple
2   tablespoons cider vinegar
1   tablespoon soy sauce
1   tablespoon brown sugar
1   tablespoon sesame oil
 
2 tablespoons peanut or olive oil, divided
1 pound pork loin, cut to bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 stalks celery, cut to ½ inch pieces (1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, seeded, cut to 1 inch pieces
1 can (12 ounces) pineapple chunks

METHOD

To prepare the sauce, drain the pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons of the juice. In a small bowl, stir together the pineapple juice, cider vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the pork cubes and fry until well browned, about 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Remove the pork to a medium bowl and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, the celery and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender-crisp, about 7 to 8 minutes. As the famous Chef Chu used to say, this is stir-fry dish, not watch-fry dish

Add the pineapple, pork and the sauce and stir to coat.. Let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the pineapple to become tender and the pork to warm. Serve with warm rice.

 

Dijon Chicken and Tomato Risotto

INGREDIENTS

Chicken

2   chicken breast halves, skinless, boneless or
6   chicken thighs, skinless, boneless
2   tablespoons sour cream
2   tablespoons Dijon style mustard
1   tablespoon Herb de Provence or mixed herbs of your choice
 
Risotto
1   can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1   can (154 ounces) diced tomatoes
2   tablespoons olive oil
1   medium white onion, chopped
1   cup Arborio rice
½  cup dry white table wine
1   tablespoon dried basil
1   tablespoon butter
3   tablespoons Parmigiano-Romano cheese, grated

METHOD

Chicken
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cut the chicken breasts into six even sized pieces. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mustard and herbs. Dredge each chicken piece in the mixture and place onto a wire rack placed on a baking sheet. Be sure all surfaces have an even coating of the sour cream-mustard mixture. Place the rack into the middle of the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until the chicken pieces have begun to brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Risotto.

Pour the tomato sauce into a 2 cup measuring cup and add 1 can of water. Drain the diced tomatoes into the measuring cup, squeezing all the liquid out of the tomatoes. Fill the measuring cup to 2 cups with water and set aside.

As the chicken cooks, prepare the rice in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to evenly distribute. Add the onions and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until translucent. Add the rice and mix thoroughly. Cook the rice until it begins to sizzle, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the white wine and stir until it is absorbed. Add ½ cup of the tomato-water mixture, stir and wait until it has been absorbed. Continue to ad small amounts of liquid and stirring until the rice becomes al dente, about 20 minutes. (Check the chicken if you haven’t already removed it from the oven.) Add the diced tomatoes and basil and mix in to the rice. Add the butter and stir until it melts. Add the cheese, remove from the heat and stir it into the rice. It is now ready to serve alongside two or three pieces of chicken.

Tomato and Corn Pie

INGREDIENTS
1   recipe basic pie dough from this Blog
1   tablespoon olive oil
½  pound ground beef
1   medium onion, chopped
1   can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
1   package (16 ounces) frozen corn, defrosted, rinsed, drained
1   small can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1   tablespoon dried basil
1   tablespoon all-purpose flour
½   cup sour cream

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Using half of the pie dough, roll it out until it is large enough to cover a 9 inch pie pan with at least ½  inch extra. Set aside. Reserve the other half for another dish.

In a large skillet or sauce pan, add the olive oil and the ground beef. Cook the beef while breaking it up into small pieces, for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring it into the ground beef.

Add the diced tomatoes, corn, tomato sauce and basil, Stir and cook this mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the flour and sour cream and mix well. Cook for 1 to 2 more minutes and pour the mixture into a 9 inch pie dish. Cover with the reserved pie dough, cutting off any extra. .and make four slits in the crust. Bake until the crust is golden, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack before serving.

Cooks Notes: To modify this dish, add jalapeno peppers and chili powder for a Southwest flavor or cumin, coriander and lemon juice for a North African flavor or add whatever you wish for a different flavor profile.