good food experiments

[emchy]

tonight i tried two fairly simple recipes and they kicked so much ass that though i am not usually a food writer... i must share
both recipes were cooked in the orla tradition
ie over drinks on thurs i was told how to make the food, and this was my version of how it got remembered
but really OMIGOD - yummy

pork chops with tomatoes

this recipe originally called for lamb. but i tried with the pork chops instead.
first, sear the pork chops on both sides.
then add two super thin and shredded pieces of prosciutto to the pan
once the fat has melted,
add a generous amount of onion and garlic (i used a head of garlic and two onions)
cook until onions are tender on a medium heat
then add fresh chopped tomatoes (i did 10 roma tomatoes)
fresh chopped basil (4 leaves)
a couple of dashes of cumin, oregano, and thyme and some bay leaves
about a cup of red wine (merlot for me)
about 2 pours of balsamic vinegar
stir, cover and let simmer for an hour.
once the hour had passed, serve pork chops with a small spoonful of sauce
the rest of the sauce should be used for pasta sauce (either as one of the course of this meal or at a later time)

tossed asparagus

steam asparagus until it is bright green
in a bowl combine 4 chopped basil leaves, the juice of one lemon and a pour of olive oil
toss the asparagus with the mixtures
salt, pepper and it's ready
the variation is to also include garlic in the mixture, but i forgot