Two Spreads: Pesto and Cucumber Tzatziki

Whenever my life gets hectic and I feel pulled in too many directions it can be hard to find inspiration in the kitchen. I become indecisive and end up either throwing my hands up and order take out or make something that I'm not really pleased with. My cure for this is to make a couple of simple spreads that pack a huge flavor punch, can be put on pretty much everything, and hold up for a couple of weeks (or longer if frozen).

Spicy Pesto

8 cloves garlic
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted (you can substitute walnuts if pine nuts are insanely expensive in your area)
1 bunch basil, stems removed
1/3 heaping cup freshly grated parmesan
1/2 cup olive oil
1/8 tsp cayenne
Salt/pepper to taste

Add garlic and toasted pine nuts to the Cuisinart, pulse a couple of times.

Add basil and pulse again.

Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

This pesto can be put on everything. Seriously. Add to eggs, hamburgers, or pasta. Stuff chicken breast w/ pesto and feta. Spread it on a piece of toast w/ avocado slices. You won't be sorry!

Cucumber Tzatziki

4 cloves garlic
7 oz greek yogurt (I use Fage brand)
1/4 of a cucumber, cut into 1/2 in. slices
2 tbs dill, chopped
Salt/pepper to taste

This one is even easier if you can believe it. Just add everything all at once to the Cuisinart and blend until smooth. Place in the fridge for 20 min before using. I stored it in an old Trader Joe's mustard jar, which worked out perfectly.

It's great as a dip for meatballs/falafel, spread on a pita, or used as a dressing for salad. It's especially great during the summer since it's light and cool.

A Dinner For One: Leftover Pork Chop w/ Strawberry Rhubarb Compote & Blackened Broccoli w/ Yogurt Feta Dip

I'm not sure about you, but this summer has turned out to be busier than any in recent memory. Parents and friends have visited, several weddings and their penultimate events are imminent, outdoor drinks, concerts and movies are a near daily plan (often overlapping), and the World Cup has definitely dominated the first third of the season. So sometimes I feel the need to shut off my phone, put a dent in The Goldfinch, watch some crappy TV, and let go of the outside world for an evening. This inevitably includes making myself a just-for-one dinner.

I've always thought cooking for one person is way more difficult than cooking for ten. Usually this leads to some creative uses of leftovers and whatever I can find hiding in the pantry. Tonight was no exception.

Tip: Reheating Leftover Pork Chops

I've tried several methods over the years, usually sticking to reheating in the microwave at work for lunch, which is perfectly acceptable. But, if you really want to get the best flavor and tenderness from your meat here's the way to do it:

In an oven-safe casserole dish put a few tablespoons of broth or water along with your pork chop. Heat at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. BOOM! Pork chop resurrection.

Note: I added paprika to both sides of the pork chop from the last post to add a kick with the sweet and tangy strawberry rhubarb compote

Pork Chop w/ Strawberry Rhubarb Compote & Blackened Broccoli w/ Yogurt Feta Dip

For the compote I used this recipe from one of my all time favorite cooking blogs, Smitten Kitchen. I cut the sugar down to 1/3 cup, though, since I never like it to be too sweet. This can also be used on pretty much everything. Ever.

Yogurt Feta Dip

4 tbs Greek yogurt (I use Fage 2%)
2 tbs crumbled feta
2 sundries tomatoes, chopped
2 small garlic cloves, minced (I used a microplane since it allows the garlic flavor to mix better)
Dash each of dried basil, thyme, and oregano
Pinch of salt
A few turns of freshly ground pepper
Squeeze of lemon

Mix it all together and you have yourself an awesome dip. This is also great on a piece of toast with an egg the next morning in case you have any leftover.



Blackened Broccoli

Large handful of broccoli florets
Olive oil
Salt/pepper to taste
Optional: freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you aren't using the dip

This is easily my favorite way to cook broccoli, the most ubiquitous veggie from my childhood. Place broccoli on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle salt/pepper (and optional parm) on top.

Turn on the broiler on Hi. Wait a couple of minutes for the oven to heat.

Cook broccoli for 5-10 minutes. Usually I start checking in the broccoli after 5 min and take them out once they have a nice char.

In The Beginning There Was Barley

Hey Everyone-

Welcome to A Brooklyn Kitchen! I guess I should start off by introducing myself. I'm your typical North Westerner who moved to NYC for undergrad and hasn't managed to leave quite yet. Currently I reside in lovely, hipster-overrun Williamsburg and have a 9-5 in Midtown. In many ways cooking is a beautiful escape, a catharsis from the grind, the commutes, the humidity, the stresses of the past and the looming future. I do some baking here and there, but cooking feels more experimental and freeing.

SO! The plan for this here blog is to post about my adventures in cooking. There will be trials and errors, experiments, and some tried and true recipes. There will be lots of dinners w/ leftovers to bring into the office for lunch the next day, brunches hosted, and the occasional party. Maybe it will morph into something else, but for now off we go...

Vindaloo Spiced Barley w/ Lots of Green Things and Pork Chops w/ Crushed Pepper and French Herbs

3 boneless pork chops
Salt
Freshly crushed black peppercorns
Provencal herbs
1 tbs vegetable oil (or any other oil w/ a high smoke point like sesame, coconut, sunflower, etc)
A dutch oven (or any pan that can also hang out in the oven for a bit)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Let the pork chops come to room temperature (about 20 minutes) and pat dry. This will create a better sear on the meat. Sprinkle a good amount of salt, freshly crushed black peppercorns, and Provencal herbs onto each side. Make sure to press the seasoning into the meat before turning it over to season the other side.

Here's my tried and true method for cooking pork chops. Pretty soon I may try something else for kicks, but for now it's been churning out great chops on the regular.

Heat oil in the dutch oven on medium high/high heat until a drop of water sizzles and immediately evaporates on contact. You want the surface to be hot enough to get that nice brown sear on the meat. Transfer the seasoned pork chops to the pan, making sure to give each piece some room to cook. Then DON'T TOUCH THEM for 5-6 minutes. Trust me, let the oil and heat do their job. Turn each pork chop over and place the dutch oven into your preheated oven for approx. 10 min. Let rest for 10 min.

Note: Cook time will vary depending on the thickness of your pork chops. It should reach an internal temp of 145 degrees after resting.

1/2 cup barley
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tsp Vindaloo
1 cup frozen edamame
1 tsp coconut oil
Juice from 1/2 a lime
A few sprigs of flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 avocado, diced
Handful of nuts/seeds (I used sunflower seeds, but I think pine nuts would be great here too)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt/pepper to taste

In a pot w/ a lid (or a small plate that you've cleverly decided to use as a lid when you couldn't find the right one) combine barley, chicken stock, and Vindaloo spice. Bring to a rolling boil, turn to low and leave covered for 10-12 minutes. You can strain out any excess liquid and fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, combine edamame (cooked according to instructions, I just heated them up in a pan w/ 1/2 inch water until they were done), parsley, avocado, lime, garlic, and coconut oil.

When the barley is done add it to the bowl. I stuck the whole thing into the fridge while I finished up the pork chops since I'm not a huge fan of super warm avocado, but this is optional.