Pan Cooked Pork Chop with Cannellini Bean Salsa

Light, clean, quick and easy is usually the route I take during the week. Combining a plain piece of meat such as pork, chicken, beef or fish with simple clean bright ingredients can make all the difference in the world. This Cannellini bean salsa gives this pork chop a swift kick and makes it a party in your mouth!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 15oz can of Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 large Roma tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup of red onion, minced
2 tbsp of Italian parsley, minced
1 tsp grated lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste
4 3/4in-1in boneless pork chops

In a large bowl mix first 8 ingredients together, taste for salt and set aside.

Pat the pork chops dry and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. In a large pan, preferably cast iron on high heat, add olive oil. Let the oil get hot. Cook the pork chops 2 at a time, 4-5 minutes on each side, remove from heat and let them rest for 5 minutes.

Plate each pork chop and top with a good amount of the Cannellini bean salsa and serve immediately.

Fresh Poached Salmon Rillettes

Poaching your fish instead of using can fish is 1 million times better, very simple to do and gives the fish a distinct flavor on its own. It's as easy as opening up that can, you just need the right ingredients. I used salmon in this recipe.

Rillettes is a French dish usually made with any meat such as pork, duck, chicken and fish. Traditionally its cooked in its own fat, then shredded or cubed and allowed to cool in its own fat until it solidifies. Its served at room temperature with crostini or crackers.

Rillettes is great for parties. I usually serve it with my crostini (small toast), but it's also great with crackers and veggies. Try it on a bagel, sandwich bread or lettuce wrap and have it for lunch! Fancy huh!

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

1 good sourdough baguette
2 cups water
1 cup dry white wine
1 small shallot, sliced
1 tsp whole black pepper corn
1 tsp whole coriander seeds
2 bay leaves
1 pound skinless salmon fillet, cut into 4 even pieces
3 green onions, chopped fine
1/4 cup Italian parsley, minced
1/4 cup good mayo such as Hellmanns or Best Foods
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp lemon zest
1-2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.

For the crostini (small toast)..

Slice the baguette at a bias (diagonal slices) about 1/3 inch thick, place them on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 6-8 minutes or until a light golden color then remove from oven and set aside.

For the Poached Salmon Mix..

In a large deep pan, add water, wine, shallot, pepper corns, coriander seed and about 1 tbsp of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add salmon and poach for about 5-6 minutes until it turns a pale pink on the outside. Gently transfer the salmon to a paper towel lined plate, let it cool. Remove the paper towel and put into the refrigerator until completely chilled, about 20-30 minutes.

In a bowl add poached salmon pieces, green onion, parsley, mayo, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste and gently mix the ingredients. Break up the salmon pieces while mixing, but be careful not to over mix or it will turn into a paste. Taste for salt.

Serve along with crostini. Spoon some of the mixture on the crostini and enjoy! :)

Fire Roasted Red Pepper Crostini

Now that it's grilling season, taking advantage of flame when cooking is a must. Like fire roasting peppers for a very simple yet bold flavored antipasti to put on crostini (little toast). I topped the crostini with the red pepper mix alone, but you can spread creamy brie, goat or cream cheese on the toast first then top it with the mix to give it a balance.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 good sour dough baguette
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 red bell peppers, fire roasted on a grill, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup Italian parsley, minced
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.

For the crostini (small toast)..

Slice the baguette at a bias (diagonal slices) about 1/3 inch thick, place them on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 6-8 minutes or until a light golden color then remove from oven and set aside.

For the Red Pepper mix..

Combine the last 7 ingredients into a bowl and mix. Serve with crostini. Spoon some of the mix onto the crostini and place in mouth. :)

Pea and Arugula Crostini

Looking at this crostini reminds me spring is here, summer is coming and PICNICS! Fresh herbaceous arugula mixed with sweet peas, lemon and nutty cheese turn this spread into a vibrant pesto and the perfect topping to a crunchy crostini (small toast). I used peas, but you can substitute for fava beans or edamame.

Serves 6-10

Ingredients

1 good sour dough baguette
2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
2 cups baby arugula
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
4 red radishes sliced thin

Preheat oven to 400.

For the toast..

Slice the baguette at a bias (diagonal slices) about 1/3 inch thick, place them on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 6-8 minutes or until a light golden color then remove from oven and set aside.

For the spread...

In a food processor or blender, coarsely pulse the peas. Transfer half of the pulsed peas to a bowl and set aside. Add 1/3 cup olive oil, arugula, cheese, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper to taste and blend until smooth. Add to the bowl with the rest of the pulsed peas, fold together and taste for salt. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over it an serve along with crostini

Spoon the mixture onto the crostini and garnish with 2 thin slices of radish.