MVCC Hospitality Recipe of the Week

September 15, 2022

Recipe of the Week:

Grilled Pork Chops with Basil & Feta Pesto, Braised Kale, Black Bean & Local Mushroom Cassoulet

Serves 4:

Grilled Pork Chops with Basil & Feta Pesto

Serves 4:

Ingredients:

Pork Chops, Boneless 2 lbs

Garlic, minced 2 cloves

Basil 1 bunch

Pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds 2 Tbls

Olive oil ½ cups

Feta ¼ cup

Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat grill or grill pan and oil well to prevent sticking
2. Pat dry pork chops with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper on both sides and massage with a small amount of olive oil, set aside.
3. Pick basil leaves from central stem and place in bowl of food processor with nuts, feta, and garlic.
4. Process for ~30 sec and then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while the machine is running.  Do not over process or the heat generated will turn basil dark brown.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning to your tastes.
6. Grill pork chops over high heat until desired doneness is reached ~130 F for medium.
7. Let rest 5 min before serving to allow internal moisture to redistribute.

Braised Kale

Serves 4:

Ingredients:

Kale, chopped 2 bunches

Leek, white, small dice 1 each

Garlic, minced 1 clove

Chicken / Vegetable stock or water 1 cup

Brown sugar 1 Tbls

Vinegar 1 Tbls

Butter, unsalted 2 Tbsp

Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Remove the tough bottom few inches of stem from kale.  Rough chop into 1-2 inch pieces.
2. Melt butter in a pan with high sides and cook leeks and garlic gently until softened ~5 minutes season with salt and pepper lightly.
3. Add kale and stir to coat with butter (kale will cook down so its ok if it is mounding out of pan) salt and pepper lightly.
4. Add sugar, vinegar, and stock/water.
5. Bring to a simmer and then cover and cook over low heat (just a few bubbles) until fully tender ~20-30 minutes.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired

Black Bean and Local Mushroom Cassoulet

Serves 4:

Ingredients:

Bacon 4 slices

Garlic, minced 1 cloves

Leeks, white, small dice 2 each

Carrots , small dice 2 each

Celery, small dice 2 stalks

Dry white wine ¼ cup (plus more for drinking)

Black Beans, soaked 8 hours ¾ cup

Oyster mushrooms, stem trimmed 8 oz

Olive Oil as needed

Chicken / vegetable stock or water 2 cups

Tomato, chopped 1 ½ cup

Bay leaf 3 each

Thyme springs 3-4 each

Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Drain and rinse black beans after soaking in cool water for 8 hours or overnight.
2. Cover with salted water (should taste like seawater) and cook at a gentil simmer until tender ~30-45 minutes
3. Let cool in water (can be done 2-3 days ahead of time)
4. Drain beans and set aside
5. In a pot or Dutch oven, cook 4 slices of bacon until crisp, remove to paper towel.
6. add mushrooms and cook over medium high heat until crispy (adding olive oil if needed).
7. Remove to paper towel with bacon
8. Soften leeks, carrots, celery, and garlic in bacon fat over medium heat (adding oil as needed) and season with salt and pepper ~5 minutes
9. Add chopped tomato, bay leaves and thyme sprigs, cook 2-3 minutes more.
10. Deglaze with wine and reduce by ½ add stock/water and reserved black beans, mushrooms, and bacon (crumbled).
11. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered until liquid is absorbed taste and adjust seasoning ~ 30 minutes
12. If excess liquid remains simmer uncovered until desired consistency is reached.
13. Taste and adjust seasonings. (Beans need a good amount of salt to bring out their flavor)

** Left over Pesto can be frozen in ice cube trays and then mixed in to soups/stews or pasta for a burst of freshness in the dead of winter.