GRILLED FIG TOASTS WITH PROSCIUTTO AND GREEN BEANS

Monday, December 14th, 2009

app_Grilled-Fig

Time: 45 minutes

Serves 6

1 pound green beans, trimmed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 ounces thin-sliced prosciutto, torn into pieces (1/2 cup)

Small handful fresh basil leaves, shredded by hand

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup honey

1 pint each fresh Black Mission and green figs

6 slices store-bought nut bread

1 shallot, minced

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing the figs

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water and add salt to it until it tastes lightly salty. You’re going to refresh the cooked beans in this water bath and you want salt in there so that the ice water doesn’t leach out the salt absorbed by the beans during cooking. When the water comes to a boil, add the beans and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, then refresh in the water bath to keep the bright green color, and drain well again. Put the beans in a bowl with the prosciutto and basil and set that aside.

Whip the softened butter and honey together.

Put a large grill pan on two burners over medium-high heat or preheat an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue and get it very hot.  Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square.  Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel, then carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a nonstick grilling surface. Cut the figs in half, brush with olive oil and grill, cut sides down, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove to a platter.

Now put the bread slices on the grill and grill on both sides until marked and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes total.  Bush one side of each slice with the honey-butter (you’ll have some of the honey butter left over; you’ll need it for the vinaigrette.) Put a slice of toast in the center of each of 6 serving plates, buttered side up. Arrange 4 to 5 fig halves on top of each. Melt the remaining honey-butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat and cook until it begins to brown. Add the shallot and cook 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar and olive oil and pour the dressing over the beans. Toss and season with salt and pepper.  Mound the bean salad on top of each toast and serve.

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PAN ROASTED PORK CHOPS WITH CRISPY PROSCIUTTO AND ROASTED RED GRAPES

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009


Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

10.06.09-PAN_ROASTED_PORK_CHOP

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 1 hour

4 bone-in pork chops, about 1 ½ inches thick

2 quarts of water

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup kosher salt

2 cloves

6 all-spice berries

4 fresh thyme sprigs

8 slices (approx 3 oz) of prosciutto

1/2 cup chicken stock

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled

4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

1 pound California red grapes, on the vine and cut into 4 smaller clusters/bunches

extra-virgin olive oil

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the pork chops. Make a brine by combining the water, sugar, salt, thyme sprigs, clove and all-spice berries in a re-sealable bag.  Add the pork chops, seal up the bag and put in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Drain and pat dry pork chops. Set two large cast-iron skillets over medium-high heat and add a 2-count of extra-virgin olive oil to each skillet.  Add 2 chops to each of the skillets and cook for 4-5 minutes until golden.  Turn chops and push to one side and set grape clusters in pan.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper before putting the whole pan in the oven to roast for 5-7 minutes until chops are cooked through. Remove from oven when done and set chops and clusters of roasted grapes aside on a plate – keep warm.  Set prosciutto on a roasting tray in a single layer and roast in the oven for 13-15 minutes until golden and crispy.

Consolidate juices into one pan and set over medium heat.  Add a splash of chicken stock to the pan, scraping the bottom to extract all the flavours.  Fold in cold butter whilst whisking to thicken sauce.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve pork chops with roasted grapes, crispy prosciutto and garnish with fresh parsley leaves.

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