Cuban Pork with Pineapple

Notes: While the pork, pineapple, and onion marinate, cook rice and heat canned black beans to serve alongside. (Or, for more intense flavor, marinate the pork the night before.) Serve with coleslaw dressed with a white wine vinaigrette spiked with cumin seeds, chopped fresh cilantro, and minced garlic. Prep and cook time: about 35 minutes.

CALORIES 378(43% from fat); FAT 18g (sat 5.6g); PROTEIN 32g; CHOLESTEROL 96mg; SODIUM 859mg; FIBER 2.1g; CARBOHYDRATE 22g

Ingredients

1/3 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon hot chile flakes
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
4 pork loin rib chops (3/4 in. thick, 6 to 8 oz. each)
12 ounces peeled and cored pineapple
1 red onion (8 oz.)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
Lime wedges

Preparation

1. In a 1-cup glass measure, whisk pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, ginger, allspice, chile flakes, and dry mustard to blend. Trim fat on pork chops to 1/4 inch; rinse pork and pat dry. Place chops in a 1-gallon zip-lock plastic bag and add all but 1/4 cup juice mixture. Seal bag and turn to coat. Let stand, turning bag occasionally, at least 20 minutes, or chill up to 1 day (see notes).

2. Meanwhile, cut pineapple into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Peel onion and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, discarding ends. Place both in a rimmed dish and drizzle evenly with remaining juice mixture. Let stand about 20 minutes, turning slices once.

3. Lay chops (discard marinade), pineapple, and onion on an oiled grill over a solid bed of hot coals or high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds); close lid on gas grill. Cook, turning once, until pineapple and onion are browned, 5 to 6 minutes total, and pork is browned on the outside and no longer pink in the center (cut to test), 5 to 7 minutes total.

4. Transfer chops to dinnerware. Garnish with grilled pineapple and onion. Sprinkle with mint; offer lime wedges to squeeze over pork.

Wine pairing: Dry Riesling. Try the Trefethen 2003 (Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley; $18), with citrus, apple, and herbal notes.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 03 September 2008 )

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Written by abcyesn

Saturday, 12 January 2008

Baked Goat Cheese and Roasted Winter Squash over Garlicky Fettuccine

The goat cheese rounds are baked at a high temperature to crisp the breadcrumb coating and heat the cheese just enough to melt when you cut into one.

The salmon was served on top of a bed of roasted okra and sauteed crimini mushrooms, red onions, red bell pepper, and tender young broccoli deglazed with balsamic vinegar to tie all of the elements together.

Ingredients

6 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled kabocha or butternut squash (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (4-ounce) packages goat cheese
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 pound uncooked fettuccine
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
Rosemary sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place squash and bell pepper in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil; toss well. Arrange vegetables in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, rosemary, and black pepper. Bake at 425° for 40 minutes, stirring once.

Place goat cheese in freezer 10 minutes. Cut cheese crosswise into 8 equal rounds. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Dredge each round in breadcrumbs; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 6 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Return pasta to pan; add reserved pasta cooking water, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, red pepper, and garlic, tossing to coat. Place 1 1/4 cups pasta in each of 8 shallow bowls; top each serving with about 1/2 cup squash mixture and 1 goat cheese round. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 12 February 2008 )