The only way I can describe tamarind is to say that it is like a bitter molasses--sour, smoky molasses. I've always enjoyed tamarind-flavored food in restaurants but it has been a couple years since I have used it at home.
Tamarind-Glazed Pork Chops
Melted Greens
This recipe is really a winner. Easy to make, inexpensive ingredients, and a little exotic at the same time. It just requires a little deeper pantry stocking of dried ancho peppers and tamarind concentrate. It was an effort to find the tamarind concentrate at my local uber-gourmet grocer, but it was only $4 and a little goes a very long way, so we will be enjoying these pork chops again soon.
Using thin pork chops is key and it cooks quickly so make sure you plan ahead whatever else you are making. For this dish you blend up the tamarind, a sweet dried chile, garlic, fish sauce (always my secret ingredient in sauces), sugar, dry white wine and a little water.
Sear the pork in a little oil, add marinade in the last few minutes of cooking to get it nice and bubbly and all over the pork, and that is it! I sauted them but I think they might have been tastier off the grill.
I paired it with the normal Melted Greens recipe, no bacon this time, and again, the chile pepper really made the kale stand out. This was a good combo with the garlic and chile in the pork sauce. I added white wine to the kale as well. I've now got a bottle of Hogue Fume Blanc in the fridge that is specifically for cooking since every other recipe in this cookbook uses wine.
I paired this with Otis Kenyon 2005 Matchless Red Wine from Walla Walla. I could drink a whole bottle of that wine by myself, but Trevor likes wine too, so I have to share.
15 recipes down in How To Eat Supper.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment