tempting flavors

​The year ended on a flavorful note. A neighbor shared some Ruby Red grapefruits he received as a gift. While you can eat the grapefruits as is, my husband found an interesting recipe in the December 2022/January 2023 issue of “Garden and Gun Magazine” for Easy Winter Grapefruit Salad. It’s from Chef Aaron Bludorn of Houston, Texas of the restaurant Bludorn. For the recipe you’ll need one fennel bulb, sea salt, olive oil, one lemon, 2 grapefruits, capers, oil-cured black olives, fresh parsley, mint leaves, fennel pollen and bottarga.
 
Unfortunately, I was unable to located the fennel pollen or bottarga. The recipe suggested substituting ground fennel seed in place. I also left the mint out as a taste preference. Overall, the salad was quite easy to prepare. The grapefruit needs to be peeled and segmented. I recommend a sharp knife for this task. 

The grapefruit was quite juicy. I placed the segments in a strainer over a bowl to catch the juices before adding to the salad. Using a mandoline helped to make thin fennel slices. The salad was very good. Chef Bludorn suggests serving with fresh seafood, which would make for a light and delicious meal. The Ruby Red grapefruit were excellent, a little bitter, but they had a nice tang that worked well against the anise flavor of the fennel.
 
Another wonderful recipe we had was Pork Chops with Jammy-Mustard Glaze. I found this recipe in the New York Times column “Here to Help,” by Ali Slagle. For this twenty-minute recipe you’ll need fruit preserves (either fig, peach or apricot), whole-grain mustard, pork chops, kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and a neutral oil.
 
I used fig preserves for my interpretation and they were fabulous. The chops, which should be between 1/2 and 3/4-inch thick, are seared on one side over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. The heat is reduced and the pork chops are turned to cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Next, the heat is turned off as the pork rests for five minutes at which time the preserve and mustard mixture are drizzled in the pan. So easy! I made smashed red skinned potatoes and string beans to accompany this scrumptious dish. The pork was perfectly cooked and the fig preserves and mustard had the right balance of sweetness. This is a great recipe that you should keep handy; it’s perfect for families with young children that need dinner on the table in a jiffy. ​

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​Easy Winter Grapefruit Salad
Chef Aaron Bludorn, Bludorn, in Houston, TX
From “Garden & Gun Magazine,” December 2022/January 2023
“What’s in Season: Sweet on Grapefruit
 
Yield: 4-6 Servings
 
Ingredients
 
1 bulb fennel, shaved (on mandoline) or sliced thin
​1 tsp. sea salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 lemon, juiced and zested
2 grapefruit, peeled and segmented, and zest of 1 grapefruit reserved
1 tbsp. capers, chopped 
10 oil-cured black olives, sliced
¼ bunch parsley, chiffonaded
10 mint leaves
 ¼ tsp. fennel pollen
1 tbsp. bottarga
 
 
PREPARATION

1. In a bowl, season fennel with salt, then fold in olive oil and lemon juice. On a plate, lay out grapefruit segments, and place shaved fennel on top. Sprinkle with capers and olives, and garnish with parsley, mint, fennel pollen, lemon zest, grapefruit zest, and bottarga. Sprinkle sea salt on top and serve with fresh seafood (Chef Bludorn recommends seared sea scallops).

 
TIP: You can find fennel pollen in the spice department at most specialty grocery stores. Otherwise, ground fennel seeds are a good substitute.

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Pork Chops with Jammy-Mustard Glaze
By Ali Slagle
The New York Times,” Here to Help” column
December 20, 2022
 
Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
 
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons cherry, fig, peach or apricot preserves, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard, plus more if needed
4 (½- to ¾-inch-thick) pork rib chops (1½ to 2 pounds)
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed)
 
PREPARATION

1. In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup water, the preserves and the mustard. Set near the stove. Pat the pork chops dry, and season all over with salt and pepper.
2. In a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the pork chops and cook, occasionally pressing down to make good contact with the skillet, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, flip the chops and cook until opaque on the other side, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the jam-mustard mixture, turn off the heat, and let rest for 5 minutes.
3. Transfer the chops to plates, then return the skillet to medium-low heat and simmer, scraping up browned bits, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 1 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Every jam is different, so if it’s too sweet, add more mustard, salt or black pepper; if it’s too salty, add a little more jam; if it’s too intense or thick, add a little more water; if it’s flat, add salt. Spoon sauce over the pork chops.

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