Five Spice Pork Chops

Thanks again, Bostrom's Farm, for some of the tastiest pork products I've ever eaten. I'm fairly sure Bostrom's will be a vendor at the Greenfield Farmers Market this year. I very much hope to see them on Saturday, as we are now totally out of pork chops, bacon, and sausage.

Here is a super simple preparation for pork chops that I made last night. You can get five-spice powder at Green Fields Market and many well-stocked supermarkets. It is a combination of star anise, fennel seed, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper.

Pork chops (1 good sized chop per person), trimmed of excess fat
Chinese five spice powder
Salt

Preheat the broiler or grill. Rub each side of each chop with 1/8 - 1/4 tsp five spice powder and sprinkle with salt. Broil or grill for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches about 140 degrees.

Greenfield Farmers Market Opens Saturday

Mark your calendars and head downtown on Saturday morning (8-12:30)--the Greenfield Farmers Market is opening for the season at last! I am expecting to see lots of starts for the garden, but also probably asparagus, rhubarb, greens, beef and pork, bread and baked goods, hopefully eggs, and with any luck some other tasty surprises! Get there early for the best selection.

Spinach Salad with Raisins and Feta

This is a riff on a main dish recipe I posted recently. The same flavors and ingredients also combine nicely in a salad.

Combine in proportions that please you:

Spinach, stemmed and washed
Raisins
Crumbled feta
Walnuts, lightly toasted and cooled
Mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Dress with a balsamic vinaigrette (at its simplest, equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar; add some minced fresh garlic or dried basil if you like).

Chipotle Spinach Pizza

The chipotle peppers lend a smoky, spicy twist to what is otherwise a spinach and onion pizza. You can use more or less of the chipotles depending on your taste. The amount listed below makes for a mild kick. This recipe makes two pizzas (we'll be eating the second one tonight since I won't have time to cook); cut it in half if you only want one.

2 medium onions, sliced lengthwise
1/2 lb spinach, washed and stemmed
1 1/2 - 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 14-inch pizza crusts (note the permanent quick reference link on the left)
Olive oil
2/3 - 1 cup salsa, ideally something fire roasted
6-8 oz. shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onions over high heat, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes. Add the spinach and continue to saute, stirring frequently, until wilted. Stir in the chipotles, salt, and pepper and remove from heat. Drain extra water off the spinach mixture to prevent a soggy pizza.

Paint the pizza crusts with a little olive oil, then spread half the salsa over each one. Top each with half the spinach mixture, then sprinkle half the mozzarella over each one.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the crusts are done and cheese begins to brown.

Serves 6-8.

Tortilla Pie with Greens and Mushrooms

The basic recipe here is almost infinitely variable depending on what vegetables are available. Here is a spring version emphasizing greens (spinach or whatever you can find). The mushrooms I got from Green Fields Market came from Pennsylvania, which seems to be GFM's usual source. Not exactly local, but not bad.

4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
3-4 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
1-2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
6 cups coarsely chopped greens
2 10-inch tortillas (I like to use whole wheat)
1 15-oz can refried beans
3-4 oz. shredded sharp cheddar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet and saute the garlic and onions for about 3-4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute another 3-4 minutes, until they start to release their liquid. Add the cumin, chili power, salt and pepper, and saute until the mushrooms are tender. Add the greens (in batches if necessary) and cook until wilted. Remove from heat.

Lightly oil a 10-inch cast iron skillet or similar pan and place one tortilla in the bottom (if you want to use the same skillet you cooked the veggies in, clean it out first). Spread half the refried beans over the tortilla, then top with half the veggies and spread half the cheddar over them. Add another tortilla and repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Bake for about 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Serves about 4.

Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Dried Tomatoes

Cafe Koko used to serve something like this before it closed. I still have tomatoes from my garden that I dried last summer, and there are lots of tasty local goat cheeses to choose from.

Combine in proportions that please you:

Fresh spinach, stemmed, washed, and drained
Goat cheese, in small chunks
Dried tomatoes, softened and chopped (soften in hot water for a few minutes)
Red onion, diced OR chives, minced
Slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Serve with a vinaigrette--balsamic or red wine vinegar would be good.

Spinach Salad with Eggs and Bacon

The spinach in the garden that over-wintered from last year is starting to get big enough to tempt me to pick it. And, of course, there has been spinach available from local farms for a while now. Excellent local eggs and bacon are also available (try Bostrom's Farm for some amazingly good bacon).

For the simplest version, combine in proportions that please you:

Fresh spinach, washed and drained
Hard-boiled eggs, diced
Cooked bacon, finely chopped

Toss and top with a vinaigrette--a mustard-y one would be a good choice.

You can also add other veggies to this if you like.