Soy and Molasses Glazed Pork Chops: A Cook Book Review #APlaceattheTable

I received an advance copy of the cookbook, A Place at the Table from Prestel Publishing for use in creating a recipe for this post.  All writings, content and opinions are strictly my own.

Come on in and see what I thought........

My friend Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla contacted me and asked if I wanted to join her and some others in reviewing a new cookbook,  The cookbook is subtitled "New American Recipes from the Nation's Top Foreign-Born Chefs".  Well, if that doesn't sound right up my alley I don't know what does!!

When this book arrived, I anxiously curled up on the couch to peruse it and get a feel for what I had agreed to.  The book is lovely.  The photography is amazing.  The writing superb and the recipes masterpieces.  I began to understand why a publisher who specializes in books on art chose to publish this cookbook.  It is truly beautiful.

The forward is written by Padma Lakshmi of Top Chef fame.  She gives her background on her life as an immigrant chef seeking out ingredients similar to those of her homeland and culture.  Through her work on Top Chef she has met many chefs who have brought the flavors and recipes of their countries and collided them with the ingredients and cooking methods we have available her in the USA.  

This book gives a small back story and several recipes of 40 different cooks who come from different cultures throughout the world.  It is interesting to see the different ways that these chefs have put their own spin on the foods found and loved here in this country while incorporating foods and techniques from their own countries.  

Today's recipe is adapted from one developed by Jae-Eun Jung.  Jae-Eun Jung came to the USA from Seoul to attend the Culinary Institute of America.  She trained at Michelin-starred Oceana and Le Barnardin in NYC and received formal training in royal court cuisine from the Chosun dynasty in Korea.

Upon graduating, Jung, settled in New Orleans and immersed herself in southern cuisine.   Jung found the barbecue pork and seafood reminiscent of the food from her native country.  Jung is currently working as a sous chef at Boulud.  

The recipe I chose to make the Soy and Sugar Cane Glazed Grilled Pork Chops and Tomato-Peach Salad.  That is quite a mouthful.  And it is quite a recipe, that I adapted in several ways while still staying true to the recipe.

You start off brining the pork chops in mirin, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, coriander seeds and peppercorns.   I had no mirin so I substituted rice wine vinegar sweetened with sugar.  I used ground coriander instead of seeds and I didn't have both black and pink peppercorns so I only used black.

The salad called for fresh peaches and plums.  Neither are in season right now.  I used all peaches and omitted the plums.  I also used only 1 t. of chili powder as my husband is spice sensitive.  This was still too spicy for him but the Teen and I loved it.  I couldn't find watercress so I substituted baby arugula. Oh and Sugarcane is Molasses.....I had to look it up.  I live under a rock.

The grits called for fresh corn that you grilled first.  I'm sure that would have been amazing but corn, too, is out of season.  I used frozen and did not grill nor roast it first.  It also called for stone ground grits, I had instant in the cupboard so that is what I used.  I also did not add any serrano chiles which were included if you so desired.  This recipe makes way more grits than you need for dinner.

The pork chops marinade overnight in the refrigerator but other than that this meal comes together quickly.  It was a wonderful fusion of Southern and Korean styles and flavors.  It was one of my favorite meals that I made this month.  The Teen was crazy about it and she doesn't normally like pork outside of bacon or sausage.

The Angel Face especially loved the grits, eating several servings and asking for more to be packed in her lunch the next day.

I am very anxious to try more of the recipes found in this cookbook and find myself picking it up and thumbing through it each time I pass the table where it lies.

I'm sharing this review over at Foodies Read.  Stop by and see what others think about what they are reading this month.

#asian, #neworleans, #fusion, #porkchops,

Entrees, Pork

Korean Fusion

Yield: 4 servings

Author: Wendy Klik

Soy and Molasses Glazed Pork Chops

Korean, Cajun and Creole flavors collide in this amazing dish that will have you coming back for more.

ingredients:

Marinade

• 4 bone-in rib pork chops
• 1 1/2 c. rice vinegar
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. olive oil
• juice of 2 lemons
• 7 cloves garlic, smashed
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 2 t. ground coriander
• 1 t. black peppercorns

Salad

• 1 t. canola oil
• 10 oz. frozen sliced peaches, thawed
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1/4 c. gochujang (Korean fermented chile bean paste)
• 1 t. chili powder
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 1 T. salt
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• lg. handful baby arugula leaves

Grits

• 1 c. frozen corn, thawed
• 3 c. water
• 1 c. cream
• 1 T. salt
• 1 c. instant grits
• 4 T. butter
• 1/2 c. mascarpone cheese

Glaze

• 1 c. soy sauce
• 1/2 c. molasses
• 1/4 c. paprika
• dash of cayenne

instructions:

How to cook Soy and Molasses Glazed Pork Chops

Pork Chops

1. Combine the glaze ingredients in a sauce pan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. 
2. Remove chops from marinade and scrape off any spices clinging to them. Season with salt and pepper and place onto a hot grill pan over med high heat. Grill for about 3-4 minutes , then flip and grill for another 3-4 minutes until grill marks are visible.
3. Transfer to a baking pan and brush with the glaze. Place into a preheated 400* oven and let roast, until deeply browned, shiny and an internal temperature of 145* is reached. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Salad

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the peaches and cook, without turning for about 4 minutes, until golden on one side.
2. Whisk together the olive oil, gochujang, chili powder, brown sugar and salt.  Add the peaches, tomatoes and arugula.  Toss together until coated.  Set aside to rest while chops are roasting.

Grits

1. Bring the water and cream to a boil in a large sauce pan over med high heat.  Slowly stir in the grits and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until they start to thicken.  Stir in the butter and mascarpone until melted and the grits are creamy.  Fold in the corn.  

Assembly

1. Spoon desired amount of grits onto a plate.  Place a pork chop on top of the grits and top with desired amount of salad.

NOTES:

Adapted from a recipe found in A Place at the Table provided by Chef Jae-Eun Jung.

Calories
1658.08

Fat (grams)
111.28

Sat. Fat (grams)
46.72

Carbs (grams)
120.54

Fiber (grams)
8.81

Net carbs
111.73

Sugar (grams)
90.69

Protein (grams)
51.29

Sodium (milligrams)
5214.83

Cholesterol (grams)
306.14

Nutritional info based on dividing the grits and salad into 4 equal servings.

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