Baked Goat Cheese Salad and Snap Peas with Orecchiette

We hadn't made Baked Goat Cheese Salad in years. It used to be a staple of our Salad repertoire. For some reason I remembered it, so we made it! It was great. We will make it again. Maybe I will bring back our salad with home made Green Goddess Dressing.

For the main course we made a great recipe from Sunday Supper at Lucques: Orecchiette Carbonara with English Peas and Pea Shoots. It is wonderful. I peeled the little string attached to each pea pod by hand, then chopped the peas, shell and all. The pasta just screams out “Spring is Here”. The peas retain all of their crunchiness and the pasta reheats easily in the microwave.

Baked Goat Cheese Salad

Food & Wine

 

Alice Waters used to say that she would rather make salads than almost anything else, which explains how she is responsible for one of the most iconic dishes of the decade, her baked goat cheese salad. In its essence, it's a harmonious blend of lettuces combined with softly baked thyme-and-breadcrumb-coated goat cheese, served alongside crunchy garlic croutons. As with so much of Alice Waters' seasonal, ingredient-driven cooking, this SIMPLE dish is all about the quality of the raw materials. Waters once said, "Only the best is good enough." So use the very best you can find.

 

INGREDIENTS

 

1       8-ounce) goat cheese log

¾      cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for greasing

3       sprigs thyme

½      cup plain dry breadcrumbs

½      teaspoon dried thyme

¼      cup red wine vinegar

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

8       cups loosely packed lettuce leaves

Garlic Croutons

 

DIRECTIONS

 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush both sides of bread with melted butter, and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes, turning halfway through baking. Rub croutons with cut sides of garlic while croutons are slightly warm.

 

 

Asparagus with Breadcrumbs and Chopped Egg

One of the true joys of Spring is the arrival of fresh Asparagus! We make it in so many ways. This year the Asparagus that we are getting at McCall's is exceptional in quality and price. It is worth it. This preparation is with Breadcrumbs and Chopped Hardboiled Eggs. We don't have an actual recipe for this, we just wing it. This is an easy and tasty preparation.

Asparagus with Breadcrumbs and Chopped Egg

Hard Boil 2 eggs, peel and chop

In a small cast-iron pan place butter and peeled garlic

Cook until garlic is soft and remove from pan

Add breadcrumbs, Salt and Pepper

Saute until breadcrumbs are brown

Add the chopped egg and stir

Serve over cooked Asparagus

Pork Braised in Milk

Cathy combined two recipes Pan-roasted Pork Chops with Olives and Sambuca-Braised Fennel found in our blog of March 22, 2018 (Click the date to get the recipe) and Pork al Latte with Fennel Pollen and Crispy Sage. It was a great rendition of this dish. We have made Pork Braised in Milk many times. We had recently eaten it a ChiSpacca and decided to use Nancy's recipe(s). We purchased an injector and injected brine directly into the meat to make it even more moist. We used Fennel as a side along with Polenta. This made for a great Winter meal.

Pork al Latte with Fennel Pollen and Crispy Sage
Chi Spacca Cookbook
Serves 4 to 6
 
For the Pork
1 center-cut pork loin (about 4 pounds)
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1½ teaspoons sugar
1 recipe Fennel Rub (page 20)
2 lemons
1½ cups whole milk, plus more as needed
2 medium shallots, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick lengthwise
2 bay leaves (preferably fresh)
 
For the Sage
2 cups olive oil, or as needed
½ cup fresh sage leaves
½ teaspoon kosher salt
 
For Serving
1 tablespoon fennel pollen
 
Pork braised in milk is a classic Italian preparation and results in juicy, flavorful meat. There is lemon in the braising liquid, and the combination of the milk with the acid causes the milk to form curds. Ryan likes to say it looks like a failed culinary school assignment, but i think the pillowy curds look pretty in a very rustic way. This recipe calls for a pork loin, a large cut of meat that becomes tender when braised; this is not to be confused with the smaller, thinner tenderloin, which should be grilled or seared, rather than slow cooked.
 
We brine this roast before grilling it. Brining refers to infusing meat with a solution usually consisting of water and either salt or a combination of salt and sugar. You can brine meat by soaking it in the solution or by injecting the solution into the meat. (We do the latter.) Brining tenderizes the meat, makes it juicier, and also seasons it on the inside. It is especially important with thick cuts of meat where the seasoning on the outside will have no effect whatsoever on the inside, and pork in particular, which can tend to be dry. To brine this roast, you will need a flavor injector, an inexpensive gadget that is available wherever cooking supplies are sold. The finished pork is seasoned with fennel pollen, a fragrant powder harvested from wild fennel in the hillsides of Tuscany and Umbria. You can find it at specialty food markets and online sources.
 
Ask your butcher for a (4-pound) bone-in pork loin roast with a nice fat cap. Pork loin does not have much marbling of fat in it, so the fat cap is essential.
 
You will need an extra-large platter to serve the pork on.
 
To prepare the pork, place it in a large baking dish or on a baking sheet.
Combine the salt, sugar, and ¼ cup water in a small bowl to make a brine and whisk to dissolve the salt and sugar. Fill the flavor syringe with the brine. Entering through the side of the roast, inject half of the brine deep into the center of the roast. Remove the syringe and inject the remaining brine deep into the roast through the other side. Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Reserve 2 teaspoons of the fennel rub and sprinkle the remaining rub evenly over the pork. Use the meat to mop up any fallen rub and press the rub into the meat with your hands to adhere. Set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour to let the seasonings penetrate the pork and for the pork to come to room temperature.
 
Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 325°F.
Cut off and discard the top and bottom of the lemons at the point where you can see the flesh. One at a time, place the lemons upright on a cutting board and cut down the sides at the point where the pith meets the flesh,
following the natural curve of the fruit to remove the pith along with the peel. Discard the pith and peels. Turn the lemons on their sides and cut along one of the membranes toward the center of the fruit. Working your way around the lemons, cut along both sides of each membrane to
release all the segments from the cores.
 
Combine the lemon segments, milk, shallots, bay leaves, and the reserved 2 teaspoons fennel rub in a large Dutch oven and stir to combine. Place the pork in the Dutch oven and add more milk if needed to come halfway up the sides of the pork. Warm the milk over medium-high heat until begins to bubble around the edges, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
 
Roast the pork in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until an instant-read temperature registers 125°F when inserted deep into the side of the pork. Remove the pork from the oven and set aside for 10 to 20 minutes to allow the pork to rest and for the milk to form curds as it cools.
 
While the pork is braising, to fry the sage, pour enough oil into a small saucepan
to fill it 1½ to 2 inches deep. Fasten a deep-fry thermometer, if you have one, to the side of the pan and heat the oil over medium-high heat until the thermometer registers 350°F or a pinch of salt sizzles when dropped into the oil. While the oil is heating, create a bed of paper towels and have a slotted spoon or mesh strainer handy. Turn off the heat, add the sage leaves, and fry for about 30 seconds, until the leaves are crispy but not brown. Use the slotted spoon or strainer to lift the sage leaves out of the pan and transfer them to the paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with the salt. Let the oil cool and strain it into a container; cover and reserve the oil to cook with another time.
 
Remove the pork loin from the Dutch oven and place it on a cutting board with the bones facing up.
 
Using a slotted spoon, gently scoop the curds out of the pan, letting the liquid drain for a few seconds before gently dropping the curds onto an extra-large platter. When you have harvested all of the curds, slice the pork. With your knife parallel to and resting alongside the rib bones, slide your knife down the bones to release the loin, leaving as little meat on the bones as possible. Slice the loin ½ inch thick. Slide your knife under the slices and lay them fanned out over the curds so the curds are peeking out around the slices. Cut between the rib bones and pile them on the platter for people to gnaw on. Drizzle the liquid left in the pan over and around the pork slices and bones to moisten them. Sprinkle Sprinkle the fennel pollen and scatter the sage leaves over the pork.

Pork Shoulder Blade Chops with Chipotle and Apple Cider Syrup

ChiSpacca is one of our favorite restaurants. They occasionally have Pork Shoulder Blade Chops. I wasn't previously aware of that cut. After eating several times at ChiSpacca we decided it was time to make it ourselves. The recipe is in the ChiSpacca Cookbook. It turned out quite well. The hardest part was pre-ordering this unusual cut from our butcher: McCall's. It was excellent.

With the Pork we served Roasted Broccolini and Lemon with Parmesan. It was a perfect accompaniment to the Pork. A great meal! with lots of leftovers!

Pork Shoulder Blade Chops with Chipotle and Apple Cider Syrup

Chi Spacca Cookbook

Serves 4

 

Many of the cuts of pork that we offer at Chi Spacca are the result of our wanting to use the entire animal. This recipe is borne of that goal. The shoulder blade chop, which comes, obviously, from the shoulder, fulfills the expectations of a typical pork chop, which comes from the loin. Putting a cut like this on the menu introduces our customers not just to a cut they might not already know, but to the idea that there is a whole world of animal cuts out there, many of which they may not have tried. If you want to use the more widely known pork loin chops for this recipe, they will work, too.

 

If we were playing a game of what-goes-with-what, and you said, “Pork,” I’d say, “Apples.” The apple flavor is incorporated here in the form of an apple cider syrup that we glaze these chops with, something that also satisfies my love of acidic foods. We use Carr’s Ciderhouse Cider Syrup, an artisanal product from the Berkshires that my friend the food writer Ruth Reichl introduced me to when I was at her house in Hudson, New York. I liked it so much that she sent me home with a bottle. If you don’t want to seek out that product, we have provided a recipe for making a glaze using standard apple cider vinegar. Chipotle chiles are dried, smoked jalapeño chiles; they have a wonderful, deeply smoky flavor. If you can’t find chipotle chile powder, use sweet smoked paprika or another quality chile powder.

 

Ask your butcher for 2 (¾-inch-thick) pork shoulder blade chops, about 1 pound each.

 

You will need a large platter to serve the chops.

 

 

FOR THE SYRUP (IF YOU ARE NOT BUYING CARR’S CIDERHOUSE CIDER SYRUP)

1       cup apple cider vinegar

1       cup apple cider

2       tablespoons balsamic vinegar

 

FOR THE PORK

 

1       tablespoon ground coriander seeds

1       tablespoon chipotle chile powder (or smoked sweet paprika or another chile powder)

1       tablespoon kosher salt

1       tablespoon light brown sugar

2       (¾-inch-thick) pork shoulder blade chops (about 1 pound each) 

 

FOR THE ONIONS

 

2       large yellow Spanish onions, peeled and sliced into ½-inch rings

2       cups apple cider vinegar

 

To make the syrup, combine the apple cider vinegar, apple cider, and balsamic vinegar in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency.

 

To prepare the pork, first make the rub: grind the coriander seeds in a spice grinder and transfer them to a small bowl. Add the chipotle chile powder, salt, and brown sugar and stir to combine. 

Put the chops in a baking dish or on a large plate. Sprinkle the rub evenly over the meat and use the meat to mop up any rub that falls onto the dish or plate. Set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour to let the seasonings penetrate the pork and for the pork to come to room temperature.

 

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill. Move all of the coals to one side of the grill so you have both direct and indirect heat. If you have a gas grill, preheat one side for high heat and leave one side of the grill with no heat on; if it is an option, close the lid on the side with no heat.

 

While the grill is heating, place the onions in a large sauté pan. Add the cider vinegar and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high and gently boil the vinegar and onions for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are tender and the vinegar coats them like a glaze. Turn off the heat.

 

Place the pork chops on the grill over the direct heat and grill for about 4 minutes, until the undersides are golden brown with dark grill marks. Move the pork chops to the side of the grill where there is no flame and cook over the indirect heat, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, until the meat is firm to the touch. Remove the pork chops from the grill and place them on a large serving platter.

 

To serve, drizzle the apple cider syrup over the pork chops and lay the onions on and around the pork chops, leaving the meat in the center of the platter visible.

Roasted Broccolini and Lemon with Parmesan

New York Times

 

Dumping cheese onto something, roasting it and calling it genius isn't the most original thought, but it’s worth mentioning how wonderful this recipe is. Maybe it’s the caramelized, jammy slices of lemon or maybe it’s the almost burnt, crisp, frilly ends of tender broccolini. Whatever it is, a version of this is worthy of every dinner party. While there is something special about the broccolini here (nothing compares to the tender stalks and those wispy ends), this technique also works with root vegetables like carrots, potatoes and parsnips, as well as other brassicas like cauliflower and brussels sprouts. (This recipe is adapted from "Dining In: Highly Cookable Recipes" by Alison Roman.)

 

INGREDIENTS

Yield:4 servings

 

1           lemon, halved crosswise, seeds removed

4           garlic cloves, smashed

2           bunches broccolini, ends trimmed (or 1 pound broccoli, thinly sliced lengthwise, stem and all)

3 to 4    tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

½          cup finely grated Parmesan

 

 

PREPARATION

 

1.            Heat oven to 425 degrees. Thinly slice half the lemon into rounds and set the other half aside. Toss lemon slices, garlic and broccolini with the olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, making sure everything is evenly coated, especially the broccolini tips so they get fried and crisp.

2.            Sprinkle with Parmesan and roast until the broccolini is bright green, starting to char and the cheese is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

3.            Remove from the oven, squeeze the remaining half of the lemon over the top and serve.

 

 

Buttermilk Chicken and Soup

 

I like crispy Chicken Skin! Of course it is unhealthy, but it seems a lot of good things I like are! This recipe for Buttermilk Chicken creates Chicken with wonderful crispy skin. You can get the recipe on our blog of: June 24, 2016. Click the date to get the recipe. Cathy enhances the recipe by placing Shaved Brussel Sprouts beneath the Chicken. It makes for a great one dish dinner!

We started with  leftover Butternut Squash & Red Lentil Soup with Coconut and Spinach. You can find the recipe for this delicious and hearty soup on our blog of March 13, 2025. Click the date to get the recipe.

Scallops and Fresh Water Chestnuts in Thai Pork Sauce

Our good friend Timmy surprised us by dropping off Fresh Water Chestnuts. These are NOT like the Chestnuts you find in can. They are fresh and I have only seen them in an Asian Market. Timmy knows there is a dish we like to make called: Scallops and Fresh Water Chestnuts in Thai Pork Sauce and he knows it is hard for us to find them. The most interesting thing about this dish (in addition to it being delicious) is the Water Chestnuts and and the Scallops visually look the same in the dish. So when you pick one up and put it in your mouth you don't know what to expect, crunchiness of the Water Chestnut or the soft texture of the Scallop. We first had the dish at Bruce Cost's restaurant in San Francisco and have recreated it many times. You can find the recipe on our blog of April 18, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe.

We started with a Little Gem Salad with Garlic Almonds. This is a great a different Salad Dressing. If you have Never made it I would highly recommend it. You can get the recipe on our blog of April 10, 2022. Click the date to get the recipe.

Sweet and Sour Cauliflower

We had left over Meat Loaf and decided to make Sweet and Sour Cauliflower. You can find the Meat Loaf recipe on our blog of March 9, 2025. Click the date to get the recipe.We didn't particularly like it. It reminded me of just what it is, an Americanized version of a Classic Chinese dish. Oh well we tried, and we have lots of Chinese restaurants in Los Angeles where I can get the real deal. However if you aren't near a Chinese restaurant this might be the recipe for you!

Sweet and Sour Cauliflower
New York Times
Reminiscent of classic sweet and sour dishes served at Chinese American restaurants, cauliflower seamlessly steps in for pork or chicken here. For beautifully burnished florets with crispy edges, the cauliflower is treated to a simple dusting of cornstarch, applied in stages to create a more even coating, and a gentle lick of oil before baking or air-frying. Punchy and tart, this sweet and sour sauce is a keeper. Ketchup is the key ingredient, and it brings sourness, sweetness and umami to a simple blend of garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce and sugar. Eat with rice, noodles or on top of pan-fried tofu.
 
Sweet and Sour Cauliflower
New York Times
INGREDIENTS
Yield:4 servings
 
6    tablespoons cornstarch (for the cauliflower) plus 1             teaspoon (for the sauce)
1       large cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets
Salt and pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
3       tablespoons ketchup
3       tablespoons sugar
2       tablespoons rice vinegar
2       tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1       garlic clove, finely chopped
2       scallions, thinly sliced
Rice or noodles, for serving
 
PREPARATION
 
1.  If using an oven, heat it to 425 degrees. If using an air fryer, heat it to 400 degrees, if preheating is recommended for your air fryer.

2.  Place 3 tablespoons cornstarch in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower, season with a big pinch of salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Drizzle in 2 to 3 tablespoons oil and toss until well coated. Add 3 tablespoons cornstarch and toss. Drizzle in another 1 to 2 tablespoons oil and toss well again, making sure there is no dry cornstarch on the cauliflower.

3.  If using an oven, grease a sheet pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Arrange the florets in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip the cauliflower to encourage even cooking, and return to the oven for another 8 to 10 minutes, cooking until it is tender and golden around the edges.

4. If using an air fryer, you may need to work in batches depending on the size of your machine. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer on the rack, and air fry for 16 minutes, tossing the cauliflower halfway through, to encourage even crisping. Cook the remaining cauliflower.

5. While the cauliflower cooks, make the sweet and sour sauce: Place the ketchup, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and garlic in a small pot. Heat over medium, stirring, until the sugar melts and the mixture starts bubbling around the edges, about 1 minute. Whisk the remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water, then slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the pot, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 1 minute.

6. To serve, transfer the cauliflower to a bowl and drizzle the sweet and sour sauce over the florets. Top with scallions. Serve with rice or noodles.

Butternut Squash & Red Lentil Soup with Coconut and Spinach

We had leftover Moroccan Tangine. We had made a lot of the Tangine (6 Veal Shanks) so we had lots of delicious leftovers.You can get the recipe on our blog of: February 2, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe. We like to cook so that we have leftovers.

Butternut Squash & Red Lentil Soup with Coconut and Spinach is a delicious soup. I am glad we made it. It is surprising to me as I looked through our blog how many different delicious recipes we have made with Butternut Squash. Almost all of them turned out to be great.

 

Butternut Squash & Red Lentil Soup with Coconut and Spinach

Dinner Changing the Game

 

There are many lentil varieties from which to choose, but for me at least, the best ones for soup are the red ones. Actually, more of a pale salmon or orange color, these tiny lentils cook quickly and will break down into a puree with only the slightest encouragement from some vigorous stirring. You can also puree them in a blender or food processor into perfect smoothness without the need to strain. Plus, I think they have a lighter and more vegetable-y flavor than super-earthy brown lentils. Here, l've spiced them with cumin and mixed them with sweet butternut squash and coconut milk. It's a thick and almost porridge-like soup with a deep, aromatic flavor and a hit of lime at the end.

 

6       tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2       onions, diced

4       garlic cloves, finely chopped

2       tablespoons tomato paste

2       teaspoons ground cumin

Pinch of cayenne pepper

¾      teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

12     ounces butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced

1       cup red lentils

2       cups chicken stock

1       3.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

5       ounces fresh baby spinach (optional)

1       teaspoon grated lime zest

Fresh lime juice, as needed

 

1.    In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until it is shimmering. Add the onions and garlic, and cook until they are soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, cayenne, the ¾ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste; cook for 2 minutes.

2.     Stir in the squash and the lentils. Pour in the stock and 4 cups of water, and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and partially cover the pot; simmer until the lentils and squash are soft, about 30 minutes.

3.    Stir the coconut milk into the soup and heat it through. Taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed.

4.    Using an immersion blender (or working in batches in a blender or food processor), coarsely puree the soup. Then stir in the spinach if using and the lime zest and cook until the spinach wilts. Season with lime juice just before serving.

 

Beef Tagine with Sweet Potatoes

We made a Beef Tagine with Sweet Potatoes from The Food of Morocco. Susan had recommended the cookbook to us. I loved this recipe. It was a combination of tastes of both Moroccan Spices and the sweetness of the Potatoes. The meat was extremely succulent. We used the Tagine maker that Courtney had given us, it gets very hot and steams the meat. Plus it is beautiful! You can get the recipe on our blog of: February 2, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

We served Couscous with it.

Meat Loaf and Mashed Potatoes

There is Meatloaf and then there is MEATLOAF. We made one of our favorite winter dinners: Meat Loaf and Mashed Potatoes. We highly recommend this dinner, it is wonderful!

The recipe can be found in Mediterranean Grains and Greens by Paula Wolfert. The meatloaf is entirely made from pork and sausage with lots of greens. It is almost like a pate in texture. It is delicious. What better to go with meatloaf than mashed potatoes? You can find the recipe on our blog of: December 21, 2008.

In addition we found an amazingly wonderful Garlic Mashed Potato recipe in TheBalthazar Cookbook by McNally, Nasr, Hanson. This is a fantastic recipe - it is super-rich! We were amazed that it reheats perfectly in a double boiler. The trick on mashed potatoes is to use a Ricer - which is fun. It makes a far smoother mashed potato. The kick of the garlac just tops it off! We are ready for winter with these two winning recipes! You can find the recipe on our blog of: November 12, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

Chicken With Torn Sourdough, Sherry, Raisins & Bitter Greens justice

Hopefully the pictures do this recipe for Chicken With Torn Sourdough, Sherry, Raisins & Bitter Greens justice. I loved it. It reminded us of all the wonderful dinners we used to have a Zuni in San Francisco. What a wonderful restaurant and what a great cookbook. This recipe was probably developed independently of the Zuni recipe, I don't know for sure and it makes no difference. All of the the classic Zuni Chicken recipes (of which we have several variations) are are excellent. This recipe joins the club. It is excellent, give it a try. Although we haven't been to San Francisco, for a few years I am sure one fine day we will return for a visit. When we return we will go back to Zuni. You can find the recipe on our blog of: June 26, 2021. Click the date to get the recipe.