Cayenne pepper

EASY DOES IT # 16 – Two Quick, Simple Salad’s



A lot  of folk’s shy back from constructed salads because they find them difficult to make and the recipes too complicated.
I can asure you that nothing is further from the truth. First, choose two main components, such as pasta and cold cuts, rice and seafood, potato and vegetables, vegetables and cheese, any grain such as amaranth, barley, quinoa, or rye,  add herbs or whatever else tickles your fancy. Add whatever else you want to add that you think will enhance your salad, dress with whatever dressing you fancy. Combine any ingredients you feel will go well together and experiment.
However, if the salad is to be served at a later point in time or outside at a party, I don’t recommend homemade mayo for obvious reasons, use the store-bought version which is safer. Also, for pasta, rice and potato salads, I recommend to cook the starch a bit longer than if you use them in a hot dish. The texture will be more pleasant.
Following find two simple salads which I made yesterday. The whole prep and assembly took about thirty minutes total. If you don’t have much practice, both salads might take you an hour, not bad for two different dishes that serve about 20 each. Just remember, It’s your salad – do with it whatever you like as long as YOU think it’s the way it should be: omit, add, deduct any ingredient You feel makes your dish a better one 🙂


“Shrimp, Pasta And Egg Salad”

Penne rigata, shrimp, fennel leaves, eggs, peas, cherry tomatoes, mayo (easy on the mayo), olive oil,  garlic paste, white balsamic vinegar, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, greek yogurt, maggi. Use whatever ratio of ingredients you prefer. If it tastes good and looks good, you’ve done it right 🙂


“Farfalle Salad With Salame, Pepperjack And Cornichons”

Farfalle pasta, salame, pepper jack cheese, cornichons, scallions, mayo (easy on the mayo), olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic paste, white balsamic vinegar, cornichon liquid, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, maggi. Same here again,  use whatever ratio of ingredients you prefer. If it tastes good and looks good, you’ve done it right 🙂


Happy Cooking and Bon Appetit !

Click here for more “Easy Does It”


Shrimp, Pasta And Egg Salad

Shrimp, Pasta And Egg Salad

Shrimp, Pasta And Egg Salad

Shrimp, Pasta And Egg Salad

Shrimp, Pasta And Egg Salad

Shrimp, Pasta And Egg Salad

Shrimp, Pasta And Egg Salad

Shrimp, Pasta And Egg Salad



Farfalle Salad With Salame, Pepperjack And Cornichons

Farfalle Salad With Salame, Pepperjack And Cornichons

Farfalle Salad With Salame, Pepperjack And Cornichons

Farfalle Salad With Salame, Pepperjack And Cornichons

Farfalle Salad With Salame, Pepperjack And Cornichons

Farfalle Salad With Salame, Pepperjack And Cornichons

Farfalle Salad With Salame, Pepperjack And Cornichons

Farfalle Salad With Salame, Pepperjack And Cornichons



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Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach

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Comfort food  at it’s easiest, it’s quickest and it’s best. Once the spinach has been blanched  (I always keep some in the freezer for occasions like this),  the whole shamukus does not take more than fifteen minutes to prepare, ideal for a lazy day-off  lunch while watching a good movie ( Captain Phillips )

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

Click here for  Creamed Spinach  recipe

 

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach



Preparation :

season chicken and shiitake with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and granulated garlic, grill until internal temperature has reached 162F, remove from grill and let rest for fife minutes, carryover heat will cook chickento a perfect 165F

season boneless chicken tights  and shiitake mushroom with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and granulated garlic, grill until internal temperature has reached 162F, remove from grill and let rest for fife minutes, carry-over heat will cook chicken to a perfect 165F

place creamed spinach on a serving dish

place creamed spinach on a serving dish

top spinach with chicken and shiitake, drizzle with lime juice, sprinkle with sliced scallion

top spinach with chicken and shiitake, drizzle with lime juice, sprinkle with sliced scallion

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach



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Gravlax Dinner



Tonight  I finally got to eat the gravlax I prepared last week. What a great tasting piece of fish. Of course, what makes it perfect is the accompanying dill/mustard sauce, without which a gravlax is not complete. Many restaurants nowadays serve gravlax with all kind of fancy sauces and condiments, which might seem right if you never been to Scandinavia and had the real deal. But please believe me, making the dill / mustard sauce will take you less then five  minutes and only “it” will make the dish perfect.
The ingredients for dill / mustard sauce are few and in everybody’s cup board:
Good quality mustard, white wine vinegar, kosher salt, neutral tasting oil (I used grape seed oil), sugar, fresh dill leaves only, pepper(optional), I used cayenne pepper and replaced the sugar with weisswurst senf (sweet, brown, Bavarian mustard)

Smaklig måltid!    Livet är bra !


Click here for  Gravlax  recipe


Gravlax, Sour Dough Bread, Dill / Mustard Sauce

Gravlax, Sour Dough Bread, Dill / Mustard Sauce

Gravlax, Sour Dough Bread, Dill / Mustard Sauce

Gravlax, Sour Dough Bread, Dill / Mustard Sauce



Preparation :

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dijon mustard, sweet mustard, dill leaves

dijon mustard, sweet mustard, dill leaves

mix mustards, dill, kosher salt and cayenne pepper

mix mustards, dill, kosher salt and cayenne pepper

slowly drizzle grapeseed oil into mustard and dill mixture until a emulsion has formed, check / adjust taste

slowly drizzle grapeseed oil into mustard and dill mixture until a emulsion has formed, check / adjust taste

dill / mustard sauce

dill / mustard sauce

toast bread until golden

toast bread until golden

toasted sour dough bread

toasted sour dough bread

smear bread with herb butter

smear bread with garlic / herb butter

top with thinly sliced gravlax, serve with dill/ mustard sauce, lemon slices and chilled white wine

top with thinly sliced gravlax, serve with dill/ mustard sauce, lemon wedges and chilled white wine

Gravlax, Sour Dough Bread, Dill / Mustard Sauce

Gravlax, Sour Dough Bread, Dill / Mustard Sauce

Gravlax, Sour Dough Bread, Dill / Mustard Sauce

Gravlax, Sour Dough Bread, Dill / Mustard Sauce

Gravlax, Sour Dough Bread, Dill / Mustard Sauce

Gravlax, Sour Dough Bread, Dill / Mustard Sauce



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Sautéed Swai Filet In Brown Caper Butter



This  evening  I tried a new type of fish which I never had before:  Swai .
When I first saw the fish being sold for $ 4.00 a pound I was naturally very sceptical and went on a bit of research online. Much to my surprise, this seems to be a good choice, healthy and recommended by  fish authorities.
So, with my suspicion nullified I went on to prepare the fish this evening and I must say, it was excellent. Sweet, flaky, white flesh, great taste 🙂

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

Sauted Swai Filet In Brown Caper Butter

Sauted Swai Filet In Brown Caper Butter

Sauted Swai Filet In Brown Caper Butter

Sauteed Swai Filet In Brown Caper Butter



Preparation :

season fish with sea salt and cayenne pepper, dredge in a mixture of half corn starch, half panko bread crumbs

season fish with sea salt and cayenne pepper, dredge in a mixture of half corn starch, half panko bread crumbs

saute filets in butter until golden on both sides and cooked through, reove from pan, reserve, keep butter on heat until starting to foam and brown

saute filets in butter until golden on both sides and cooked through, remove from pan, reserve, keep butter on heat until starting to foam and brown

meanwhile, saute cooked ptatoes in garlic oil until golden, add diced peppers, saute another minute

meanwhile, saute cooked potatoes in garlic oil until golden, add diced peppers, saute another minute

add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper

add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper

transfer potatoes to serving dish

transfer potatoes to serving dish

top with fish

top potatoes with fish filets

top fish filets with peeled, sliced lemon

top fish filets with peeled, sliced lemon

add capers to hot brown butter, saute for a few seconds

add capers to hot brown butter, saute for a few seconds

top lemon slices with chopped italian parsley, top wit brown caper butter

top lemon slices with chopped italian parsley, top wit brown caper butter

Sauteed Swai Filet In Brown Caper Butter

sautéed Swai Filet In Brown Caper Butter

Sauteed Swai Filet In Brown Caper Butter

sautéed Swai Filet In Brown Caper Butter

Sauteed Swai Filet In Brown Caper Butter

sautéed Swai Filet In Brown Caper Butter

Sauteed Swai Filet In Brown Caper Butter

sautéed Swai Filet In Brown Caper Butter



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Pig’s Tail Souse

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How  many folks have actually tried pig’s tails? Not many in this part of the world I assume. In my opinion, pigs tails are one of the best parts of the pig, but sadly underutilized in the  “civilized world”, were we tend to discard secondary cuts or feed them to the animals (lucky dogs 🙂 ).
Thankfully, lately some of these special cuts have found new fans and pigs tails are now widely available again at your favorite butcher and even in supermarkets.
Buy them fresh, smoked or salted (dry or in brine) for a variety of wonderful dishes. For the following dish I used pigs tails in brine.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Pig's Tail Souse

Pig’s Tail Souse

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Pig's Tail Souse

Pig’s Tail Souse

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Preparation :
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remove tails from brine, rinse under running water for 15 minutes, cover with cold water, season with cider vinegar, garlic paste and hot sauce, simmer until tender but not falling apart, about two hours

remove tails from brine, rinse under running water for 15 minutes, cover with cold water, season with cider vinegar, garlic paste and hot sauce, simmer until tender but not falling apart, about two hours

cooked, tender pigs tails

cooked, tender pigs tails

for the dresing, slice onions, cucumbers and radishes into fine julienne, add kosher salt, cayenne pepper, garlic paste, cider vinegarand a few drops of olive oil

for the dressing, slice onions, cucumbers and radishes into fine julienne, add finely sliced chives, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, garlic paste, cider vinegar and a few drops of olive oil

pour over tails, let stand at roomtemperature for about one hour, serve with rustic bread

pour over tails, let stand at room temperature for about one hour, serve with rustic bread

Pig's Tail Souse

Pig’s Tail Souse

Pig's Tail Souse

Pig’s Tail Souse

Pig's Tail Souse

Pig’s Tail Souse

this weeks herb bush :   Chives

this weeks herb bush : Chives


Links to more pig’s tails on ChefsOpinion:

PIG’S TAIL AND POTATO CURRY, NAAN AND CUCUMBER RAITA

CONGEE WITH SMOKED PIG’S TAILS & VEGETABLES

SMOKED PIG’S TAIL, BOW TIES & VEGETABLE STEW






Smoked Pork Shank



I cooked  this beauty yesterday for two hours, then let it cool in the stock overnight.
Served today for lunch with german potato salad, horseradish, dijon, pickled tomatoes and rustic Italian garlic bread.
Simple, but oh so good 🙂

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

Click here for  German Potato Salad  recipe

Smoked Pork Shank, German Potato Salad, Pickled Tomatoes, Grilled Italian garlic Bread, Dijon Mustard, Fresh Horseradish

Smoked Pork Shank, German Potato Salad, Pickled Tomatoes, Grilled Italian Garlic Bread, Dijon Mustard, Fresh Horseradish



Preparation :

simmer pork shank in salted water with lots of chopped raw garlic, onion and plenty of hot sauce, after two hours, remove from heat and let cool in stock

simmer pork shank in salted water with lots of chopped raw garlic, onion and plenty of hot sauce, after two hours, remove from heat and let cool in stock

grill italian garlic bread

grill italian garlic bread

pickle tomatoes by pricking with toothpick all over, marinade overnight in balsamic vinegar, cayenne pepper and kosher saltsalt

pickle tomatoes by pricking with toothpick all over, marinade overnight in balsamic vinegar, cayenne pepper and kosher salt

Smoked Pork Shank, German Potato Salad, Pickled Tomatoes, Grilled Italian garlic Bread, Dijon Mustard, Fresh Horseradish

Smoked Pork Shank, German Potato Salad, Pickled Tomatoes, Grilled Italian Garlic Bread, Dijon Mustard, Fresh Horseradish

Smoked Pork Shank, German Potato Salad, Pickled Tomatoes, Grilled Italian garlic Bread, Dijon Mustard, Fresh Horseradish

Smoked Pork Shank, German Potato Salad, Pickled Tomatoes, Grilled Italian Garlic Bread, Dijon Mustard, Fresh Horseradish

Smoked Pork Shank

Smoked Pork Shank



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EASY DOES IT # 15 – Gravlax

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There  are a few compelling reasons to make your own gravelax instead of buying it at a store or online:

– Price – Fresh salmon $ 15.00 per pound versus store bought gravlax at $ 40.00
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 – Ease of preparation – actual preptime about 10 minutes, curing between 3 and 5 day’s
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 – Total control of texture and taste of finished product
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 – The joy of adding another stunner to your cooking repertoire
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My  standard  dry-marinade recipe is as follows :
3/5th  of kosher salt, 2/5th of sugar, fresh chopped dill including stems, white pepper, lemon peel, crushed mustard seeds and dark rum.

In the variation  below, I have changed the dry-marinade recipe a bit as follows:
3/5th  of kosher salt, 2/5th of sugar, freeze dried dill leaves, raw garlic paste,  cayenne pepper, dijon mustard, vodka.
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Mix the marinade ingredients, place half of it in a chemical reaction-free container. Top with salmon filet. Add remaining dry marinade to top of salmon. Cover airtight, place in refrigerator. Flip salmon every twelve hours. After twenty four hours, dry-marinade will have transformed into a thick brine. The salmon will be cured after two to three day’s, depending on the thickness and salt to sugar ratio in your marinade. I usually keep my salmon in the brine another one to two days, again depending on the marinade and thickness of the filet. The extra time will give me a slightly dryer and more opaque product which I prefer. This one took four day’s to be exactly the way I like it.
To serve, remove salmon and wash under running water to clean off excess brine. Slice into thin slices, accompany with dill/mustard sauce and rustic bread of your choice.
(To think, first time I prepared  Gravlax  was in the summer of 1973 at the  Hotel Kattegat,  Torekov,  Sweden.  Good times 🙂

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Note:
Start out the first time by following my standard recipe, the next few times experiment with the marinade and curing time until you find your own sweet spot.
Variations can be, but are not limited to, different salt/sugar ratios, different herbs, different seasonings, different liquors, different curing length’s.
Enjoy your gravlax journey !
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mise en place

mise en place

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Gravlax

Gravlax

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Preparation :
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mise en place

mise en place

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sprinkle top of salmon with plenty of dill leaves, mix dry-marinade ingredients

sprinkle top of salmon with plenty of dill leaves, drizzle with vodka,, mix dry-marinade ingredients

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add half of the marinade to chemical-reaction-free vessel

add half of the marinade to chemical-reaction-free vessel

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add salmon filet, top with remaining dry-marinade, cover airtight, store in fridge for 3 - 5 days

add salmon filet, top with remaining dry-marinade, cover airtight, store in fridge for 3 – 5 days

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flip salmon every twelve hours

flip salmon every twelve hours, cover again, back into fridge

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4 day's later - done, rinse under cold running water, carefull not to rinse of the dill

4 day’s later – done, rinse under cold running water, carefull not to rinse of the dill

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Gravlax

Gravlax

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Gravlax

the beauty and the beast

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Gravlax

Gravlax

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Gravlax

Gravlax

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Gravlax

Gravlax

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Iced Tomato Soup With Vodka And Tropical Fruit



The  day before yesterday I started to make a tomato bisque for dinner but had to abandon the plan when unanounced visitors arrived. So I put the tomato stock  overnight in the fridge to finish the bisque yesterday after work. However, it was a rough day at work and whenI came home I wanted to spend some time outside on the terrace. Yesterday was a fairly hot day, so a hot tomato soup did not sound like the best of dinner ideas. Instead, I prepared for myself this delicious, refreshing cold soup which hit the culinary nail right on the head 🙂

Bon Appetit !  Life is Good !



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Preparation :

simmer water, red wine, garlic paste, kosher salt, sugar, cayenne pepper for two hours, cool overnight

simmer  very ripe tomatoes, water, red wine, garlic paste, kosher salt, sugar, cayenne pepper for two hours, cool overnight

mix in blender until texture is very smooth

mix in blender until texture is very smooth

add wodka, check / adjust seasoning

add vodka, check / adjust seasoning

add fresh pineapple, honey dew melon and passion fruit seeds to serving bowl

add fresh pineapple, honey dew melon and passion fruit seeds to serving bowl

ladle iced tomato soup on top of fruit, sprinkle more fruit, garnish with opal basil

ladle iced tomato soup on top of fruit, sprinkle more fruit, garnish with opal basil

Iced Tomato Soup With Tropical Fruit

Iced Tomato Soup With Vodka And Tropical Fruit

Iced Tomato Soup With Tropical Fruit

Iced Tomato Soup With Vodka And Tropical Fruit

 

Iced Tomato Soup With Tropical Fruit

Iced Tomato Soup With Vodka And Tropical Fruit



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Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup



Usually,  when we think of the combination of shrimp and coconut, Asian food is foremost in our mind. Lately, every publication seems to have a preference for food with an Asian origin or at least an Asian  influence. While I am a huge fan of Asian food, I am also very fond of the food from our closest neighbor, the Caribbean. Here now is a shrimp and coconut soup I had first put on the menu while I was working in Negril, Jamaica in the late 80’s. (How time flies when you look back)

Bon Appetit !   Iree, Mon !

Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup



Preparation :

to split the coconut, saw a small inision around the outside of the coco, then crack it with the back of a large chefsknife or machete (I live in Florida where it is normal to have a machete in the house) :-)

to split the coconut, saw a small incision around the outside of the coco, then crack it with the back of a large chef’s knife or machete (I live in Florida where it is normal to have a machete in the house) 🙂

good job

good job

aaute finely diced onions in coco oil

saute finely diced onions in coco oil

season shrimp with sea salt and cayenne pepper, dust lightly with corn starch

season shrimp with sea salt and cayenne pepper, dust lightly with corn starch

add shrimp and garlic paste to pan and saute until shrimp are halfway cooked

add shrimp and garlic paste to pan and saute until shrimp are halfway cooked

remove shrimp, reserve

remove shrimp, reserve

deglaze pan with cocnac (careful, it might ignite)

deglaze pan with dark caribbean rum (careful, it might ignite)

add white wine

add white wine

add coconut water from coco, two small can of coconut milk, one small can of clam juice

add coconut water from coco, two small can of coconut milk, one small can of clam juice

simmer soup until slightly thickened

season with sea salt and cayenne pepper, simmer until slightly thickened

add diced cooked potatoes, corn and shrimp, heat through and remove from heat, dont let it simmer or the shrimp will toughen and get dry

add diced cooked potatoes, corn and shrimp, heat through and remove from heat, don’t let it simmer again or the shrimp will  get dry and tough

spoon shrimp, potato and corn into clean coconut, spoon soup on top and sprinkle with chopped cilantro

spoon shrimp, potato and corn into clean coconut, spoon soup on top and sprinkle with chopped cilantro

Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

my portion :-)

my portion 🙂

Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup







Pork Blade Steak



If  you are on a budget but still like to have more than a tiny steak for dinner, you might want to try this cut. While not overly popular, probably because folks don’ know how to prepare it, it is a great piece of meat, tender, juicy and very economic (meaning bloody cheap 🙂 ) The three steaks in the picture were just $ 4.20, so the whole meal was under six buck’s. Even if you are not on a budget, these steaks make for a great, tasty meal. I guess that most people would have had enough with just one steak (which would then be about $ 2.50 per portion, including the salad), but since I did not prepare any starch, the three of them with a small salad were just the right sized portion for me. And of course, Bella had a few bites too.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

Pork Blade Steak & Arugula In White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Pork Blade Steak & Arugula In White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Pork Blade Steak

Pork Blade Steak

arugula with radish and onions in balsamic vinaigrette

arugula with radish and onions in white balsamic vinaigrette



Preparation :

season sliced onions and sliced radishes with kosher salt, set aside

season sliced onions and sliced radishes with kosher salt, set aside

season blade steaks with kosher salt, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper, dredge in flour, saute in peanut oil

season blade steaks with kosher salt, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper, dredge in flour, saute in peanut oil

almost.......

first one done, two to go…..

 

two done, last one on the way

two done, last one on the way



saute grapetomatoesin garlic/olive oil, season with salt and pepper, just before serving add fresh chives

saute grape tomatoes in garlic/olive oil, season with salt and pepper, just before serving add fresh chives

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meanwhile, squeeze and discard excess juice from radish and onions, add arugula, white balsamic vinegar, freshly ground white pepper, garlic/olive oil and a splash of maggi seasoning

meanwhile, squeeze and discard excess juice from radish and onions, add arugula, white balsamic vinegar, freshly ground white pepper, garlic/olive oil and a splash of maggi seasoning

 

 

arrange steaks on serving platter, top with sauteed tomatoes and chives

arrange steaks on serving platter, top with sauteed tomatoes and chives

Pork Blade Steak & Arugula In White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Pork Blade Steak & Arugula

Pork Blade Steak

Pork Blade Steak

Pork Blade Steak

Pork Blade Steak

arugula with radish and onions in balsamic vinaigrette

arugula with radish and onions in balsamic vinaigrette



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