Smoked Pork Chops with pineapple salas, sugar peas and rice.

Smoked Pork Chops Recipe ~ Pineapple Salsa

4 boneless pork chops, 3/4 - 1 inch thick (1-1.5 lbs)

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp. mesquite liquid smoke
1 Tb. sriracha hot sauce
3 Tb. honey

For the Salsa:

1 cup fresh diced pineapple
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced kiwi (about 4)
1/4 cup diced red onion
2 Tb. chopped cilantro
1 Tb. olive oil
1/2 tsp. sriracha hot sauce
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Pour the soy sauce, liquid smoke, hot sauce and honey in a large zip bag. Shake to mix, then add the pork chops. Marinate for at least thirty minutes.

Preheat the grill to high heat.

For the pineapple salsa, mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Once the grill is hot, grill the pork chops for 3-4 minutes per side. You want the pork chops to be slightly pink or just barely cook through, but not dry.

Cover the chops with foil and allow them to rest at least 5 minutes before serving.

Serve warm with fresh salsa piled over the top.

Peas were steamed, then salted and buttered.

Rice was cooked in rice cooker with water, Sazon and chicken bouillon.

Leaping Frog Grilled Chicken for Banh Mi sandwiches

Charlie always makes Banh Mi sandwiches with pork but Cassie's sister is visiting and she does not like pork so we are going to make it with the more traditional chicken. I spatchcocked a chicken but instead of cutting out the backbone, i left the whole chicken intact and cut the breast free and rotated it in front so it looks sort of like a leaping frog. I slashed the part between the thighs and back to open it up so that part can cook faster.  That part usually is still raw when the rest of the chicken is done.  Since the vegetables in the banh mi sandwich are marinated in rice vinegar and sugar, I basted the chicken with lime juice and honey flavored olive oil.

I roasted the chicken on the closed grill with the outside burners on low and the two inside burners turned off. 

Banh Mi

"This version of the popular Vietnamese bahn mi sandwich has sweet and tangy pickled vegetables and broiled chicken breast, served on a toasted French baguette."

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup carrot, cut into 1/16-inch-thick

matchsticks

1/4 cup white (daikon) radish, cut into 1

/16-inch-thick matchsticks

1/4 cup thinly sliced white onion

1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half

garlic salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

1 (12 inch) French baguette

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/4 cup thinly sliced cucumber

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves

1 small jalapeno pepper - seeded and cut

into 1/16-inch-thick matchsticks

1 wedge lime

I cut the vegetables thin and about two inches long but do not cut them matchstick.  After the vegetables are marinated, the french bread (I used Italian because the crust is softer) is split lengthwise.  It can be toasted if desired, then both sides are spread with Mayo and the vegetables and chicken is layered on.  The cilantro is not marinated but chopped and sprinkled on top of the chicken. 

Grilling today

Hen House Market had ribeyes on sale today but Cassie had the  kitchen tied up with some cookies and cupcakes she was asked to make so I made dinner outside.  Along with the creamed corn, steaks and potatoes we also had sauteed mushrooms, okra chips and some toppings for the potatoes.

Creamed corn: corn was cooked on the grill, cut off the cob then mixed with butter, milk, honey, bacon, green onion, salt and cream cheese.  Potatoes washed, oiled, slashed and baked 1 hour at around 350.

Steak allowed to sit 30-45 minutes with kosher salt and pepper then grilled about 4 minutes per side.

Korean style dinner tonight Beef Bulgogi

About 12 years ago I got a bulgogi recipe from a Korean lady that I intended to try but didn't until today. I used the Asian pear in the recipe but we thought it needed to be a little sweeter. Next time I will add some sugar as well as pear.  Also next time I am going to marinate it overnight.  This time was for two hours.  I grilled it outside.  The dish covered with plastic wrap in the first picture is Korean style spinach. Second picture shows it.  I was at the Asian Market today and picked up a salad dressing called "red salad dressing" and we tried it on the salad.  It was good. I might add some ginger to it. 

We also had green onion kim che and napa cabbage kim che and rice.

Beef Bulgogi

 In a large bowl, combine 

1.5 lbs fresh beef (thinly sliced, large flat pieces) with 

1t sesame oil, 

3 cloves minced garlic, 

3T soy sauce, 

1T sugar or CARO SYRUP (traditionally, however, you would grind an asian pear     into the marinade--but they mostly use the caro syrup now) and 

1/4 cup white wine, beer, whiskey, soju (Korean liquour) or even Coca Cola as tenderizer. You may also add 

chopped carrot,

 onion, 

green onions 

and/or generous handful toasted sesame seeds, if desired. 

Marinate for at least 15 minutes (I prefer about 2 hours though). Method of cooking is preferential--the best is grilled, but you can also stir-fry. Serve over hot white rice and with leaf lettuce to roll up and eat. As I'm sure you know, be cautious with that sesame oil. It smells great, but if you add too much it really ruins the flavor of the meat. I prefer to go easy on the sesame oil and add the sesame seeds for added flavor. Hope you like it!

SPINACH Korean style      

10 ounces spinach

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons sesame salt

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon scallion minced

1 teaspoon vinegar optional

salt and red pepper optional

Blanch spinach in boiling water until bright green-about 2 minute.  Plunge into cold water.  Squeeze out excess water.  Combing all remaining ingredients and refrigerate up to seveal days.