When I want to make something to eat, I first think about what I have in my fridge that will make something decent to eat. I will start perusing recipes thinking to myself what do I want to make and how should it be made? I visit such sites like Cookstar, Foodily and Yummily, ascertaining what I have in my fridge and what I need to get.
Sometimes, I head to the grocery store, knowing full well what I have and all I need is one ingredient. This is what happened with the Pork Chops. Nick was going to the Hollywood Bowl for the first time with Lulu. And I was staying home. It was important that Nick, a former guy from Miami, should experience the LA Philharmonic. I have a tendency to get overwhelmed with the parking idiocy that ensues at the venue or any venue, since I hate parking, driving and cars in general. At the Hollywood Bowl, it’s stacked parking. A nightmare’s nightmare and after an amazing evening of relaxing with live classical music to get stressed, then infuriated at the situation, I would rather just not go.After all, that’s why we have HD television and streaming internet. HA!
So I stayed home and made Pork Chops with a Rosemary, Dijon Mustard Sauce. (Really, it should be made with chives but I forgot to buy them.)
Essentially, you just pan fry the chops until brown on both sides. (The great thing about pork is that it can be served medium now. Cooking them until they are hockey pucks isn’t necessary.) They can be thin and if you brine them for about 30 minutes, they won’t be dry but tasty and juicy!
Once you pan fry the chops (in a pat of butter…very Julia Childs…and some olive oil), deglaze the pan with some white wine. Add about a half cup of heavy cream, three tablespoons of dijon mustard (you can use yellow, only you and Julia Childs will know and a restaurant critic), half a cup of chicken stock, chopped rosemary (use the whole bunch…it will be a lot or save half.)
There are no rules to cooking like there is baking. Baking is really an edible science which is why I don’t do it too often.
There. Now you have a little bit of how I cook, why I cook and what I put into it. Really, I don’t put that much thought into it.
