National Eat At Home Week

Just kidding. But it is Eat At Home Week for us, as we have vowed not to spend another penny this week. I think we can do it. I have plenty of groceries in the house, and we can do it, if we're creative.

Tonight, pork chops. Pork chops were on sale yesterday, so I got em two packs for the price of one. I love pork chops. Love em. Bone in, bone out, butterflied, grilled, pan fried, broiled, roasted... When I was a vegetarian, I cooked a pork chop for TBI for a bon voyage meal once, and that was the end of my vegetarian days. Mmmm. Pork. Mmm. Pig.

I was bored with the usual grilled fare and wanted something easy but with a little flair tonight, so I got to thinking Asian. I also always think Asian when I don't want to have to go to the store for extra ingredients, because I always have basics on hand.

So with all of those criteria (they are many!) in mind, I set upon a meal for this evening.

I'm into braising right now. So, asian style braised pork chops:

1 pkg pork chops. I used bone in tonight. Better for braising.
2 cups frozen sugar snap peas
olive oil/butter
2 diced carrots
1/3 cup chopped onion (whatever flavor you go)
2 tsp Thai fish sauce
1 T. rice wine vinegar
3 T. soy sauce (Tamarind, if you have it)
2 cups water
2 T peach preserves
1 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. ginger (fresh or ground)
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. chili garlic paste (if you have it)
salt and pepper to taste

1) Sear your chops in a large skillet with a lid. You have to get the oil and/or butter pretty hot to start.

2) Remove your chops and toss them aside.

3) Toss in your carrots and onions to start sauteeing. At this point, put in your liquids, preserves, and spices EXCEPT the water.

4) Let those guys simmer for about 5 minutes, then add your pork chops back and pour in the water. Put the lid on and simmer this mixture at medium heat for about half an hour. (In the meantime, your rice should be cooking - see below.)

5) Remove the chops from the liquid, and toss in the peas. If you need to hit the chops again in a frying pan for some color, I recommend doing it in the fried rice pan. See below.





Next, fried rice:

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked white rice
3 tablespoons soy sauce (I like the tamarind kind)
three pieces of bacon
2 eggs
1/3 cup diced onion
a couple of pats of butter, just in case

1) Start by frying the bacon. I am really into my cast iron skillet right now. So if you have one, use it. It does cool things to bacon grease.

2) Remove the bacon but leave the grease. There won't be that much from 2 or 3 slices.

3) Crack the eggs in there and scramble em.

4) Remove the eggs.

5) If you need more fat (read: grease) do it now. I added a couple of pats of butter. Throw in the onions. Let them get translucent. This shouldn't take long.

6) Now, pour in the soy sauce and toss the rice into the pan. Use a spatula to stir it around, and coat all pieces. Then let the rice sit in the hot skillet for about two minutes on each side, to get that "fried" flavor. More, if necessary, but don't burn it.

7) Chop the bacon into it, toss in the eggs. Remember the carrots you put in the braising sauce? Pick a few of those out too, and toss some in with your rice. DELISH. I mean it. SOO GOOD. Quick and easy.

Serve the chops atop the rice, and use a slotted spoon to remove some of the sugar snap peas, carrots, and onions onto the plate.