“Onion Lovers” Grilled or Baked Pork Chops served on a bed of sliced Vidalia Onion

Serves Four

4 Center Cut Pork Chops (about one inch thick)

4 slices Vidalia Onion (about 1/2 inch thick)

1 oz Spanish Sherry

6 oz Chicken Stock

Marinade:

6 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp paprika, Hungarian or Spanish

2 tsp finely minced garlic

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp Marjoram 

Mix marinade and brush onto both sides of sliced onion and pork chops.

Place whole sliced onion on a grill pan or shallow baking pan.

Bake or grill for 5 minutes and remove pan from heat.

Place pork chops on top of sliced onion.

Place in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or grill for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and deglaze pan with sherry and chicken stock. Simmer two minutes and serve sauce with chops.

How to Butcher Lobster Tails for Stuffing

Wash tails and slice through the soft belly side.

Spread tail open to form a slight “V” shape.

Fill with your favorite stuffing and place in a baking dish.

Add one ounce of white wine per tail to the dish.
Bake in a 425 degree oven for 5-7 minutes.

Soup Dumplings

1 1/2 cups flour (I used 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup semolina flour and 1/2 cup chestnut flour)

1 egg

1 tsp parsley, chopped

Pinch of pepper

Pinch of salt

3/4 cup water (approximately)

In a small bowl, mix flour, parsley, salt and pepper together. 

Form a small well in the center of the flour.

Break egg into the well and mix using a wooden spoon, adding a little water as you go until the dough forms. 

Depending on the type of flour you use, you may not have to add all the water.

Once the dough is completely mixed, place half the dough on a cutting board and flatten to about 1/2 of an inch thick.

Wet the knife by dipping it into the soup and cut 2 inch long by 1/2 inch thick slices into your soup.

Continue this process until all the dough is finished.

Let the last batch simmer 2-3 minutes.

Side note: Chestnut flour gives the noodles a nice color and firmness without giving a dominant flavor.

Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey Whiskey Ice Cream

Serves Four

16 oz whipping cream

8 oz milk

3/4 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 oz Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey Whiskey

Whisk cream, milk, sugar, salt and vanilla together until sugar is dissolved.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Pour refrigerated mixture into ice cream maker.

Run machine for ten minutes.

Add one ounce of Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey Whiskey.

Run machine for another five minutes.

Add second ounce of Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey Whiskey and run machine for an additional five minutes or until ice cream has reached the desired consistency.

Side note: I use a Cuisinart Ice-21 ice cream maker.

French Chicken Breast Forestier

Serves 4

4 French chicken breasts 

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp flour (chestnut, almond or whole wheat flour) 

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

12 pearl onions, peeled

12 medium sized mushrooms

4 strips lean bacon, excess fat trimmed off and remainder diced

Pinch of thyme

Ground black pepper

1/2 cup red wine

1 cup beef stock

1 bay leaf

Have your butcher prepare four French chicken breasts. French chicken breasts are whole boneless breasts with the first wing bone left on the breast. To reduce saturated fat, you can prepare this recipe with skinless breasts.

Lightly flour the breasts on both sides.

Heat oil in a large fry pan and sauté floured breasts on both sides until golden.

Remove breasts and hold on the side.

Add diced bacon to fry pan and sauté until the bacon starts to crisp.

Add onions, garlic and mushrooms. Sauté two minutes.

Deglaze with the red wine. Add the herbs and spices.

Add the beef stock and return the chicken breasts to the pan.

Place the pan in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes and serve.

Skinless breasts can also be finished on top of the stove. Just cover and simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes.

*French chicken breasts are an upscale method for serving chicken and can be used with many sauce preparations.