Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times (29 page)

1.
Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl; whisk to blend. Add the juice of one of the limes and lots of pepper—about a teaspoon. Marinate the pork in this mixture while you preheat a grill or broiler to moderately hot; put the grill rack about 4 inches from the heat source.

2.
Grill or broil the pork, spooning the marinade over it as it cooks, until done, about 10 minutes. Turn only once, so that each side browns nicely. Serve with the remaining lime, garnished with the optional herb.

VARIATION

Turn this dish into a full meal by pairing it with a simple, Vietnamese-inspired cabbage salad. Finely slice some cabbage, toss it with a few pinches of salt, and let it sit in a colander while the pork steaks marinate and grill. While the grilled meat is resting, toss the cabbage with lime juice (start with 1 lime and work up from there), a goodly amount of whatever herb you’re serving the pork with, finely chopped, and a healthy, heady dose of freshly ground black pepper. Top the cabbage salad with the pork and serve.

NOTE

To prepare lemongrass, first peel it like a scallion. Virtually the entire inner core is tender enough to mince (in the winter, when the stalks have been in storage, you may have to peel off layer after layer to find the edible center). Figure a yield of about a tablespoon of minced lemongrass per stalk.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 45 MINUTES

IT ISN’T OFTEN
you can combine a few winter staples and create a novel, fresh-tasting dish that is easily varied, stands on its own, or forms the base for a variety of other foods. Yet a simple mélange of fennel and orange does all of these things and without a lot of effort. Take some slices of boneless pork, for example, marinate them briefly in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper, pan-roast them, then serve them on a bed of the compote: the mingled juices are sheer delight. (I’ve presented the recipe that way here, but it is easy to cook the fennel-orange combination on its own.) Similarly, the compote works nicely as a bed for simple roasted cod, sautéed duck breast, and grilled chicken. There isn’t much technique to speak of here; you’ll know the dish is done when the orange juice bubbles become scarce. Just be sure not to cook the compote entirely dry; the orange juice sauce is a nice touch.

1.
Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper to taste and marinate them on a plate with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the lemon juice. Preheat the oven to 500°F.

2.
Trim the fennel, reserving some of the dill-like fronds. Cut the fennel, oranges, and onion into ⅛- to ¼-inch-thick slices.

3.
Put the remaining olive oil in an 8-inch skillet or a saucepan that is at least 4 inches deep. Put half the fennel in the skillet, then top with half the orange, the onion, and the rosemary. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then top with the remaining fennel and orange. Pour in the orange juice and add more salt and pepper.

4.
Bring to a boil on top of the stove and cook over fairly lively heat, pressing the solids down into the liquid from time to time. When the mixture is no longer swimming in juice but not yet dry—about 20 minutes—it is done. Hold it at minimum heat while you finish the pork chops.

5.
Just before you judge the compote to be done, heat an ovenproof skillet over high heat for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the pork chops with their marinade and immediately transfer the skillet to the oven (if you have a powerful vent, you can pan-grill the chops on top of the stove). Roast for 2 minutes, then turn and roast for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the chops are done.

6.
Serve the chops on a bed of the compote. Mince the reserved fennel fronds and use as a garnish.

VARIATIONS

• Substitute grapefruit for the oranges or add the juice of a lemon or a lime to the mix.

• Vary the herb. Classic Western European herbs like rosemary, thyme, tarragon, and parsley are all naturals, but cilantro or finely minced lemongrass also add nice touches.

• Add finely minced peeled fresh ginger along with some garlic and soy sauce. A teaspoon or so of sesame oil finishes the compote nicely. Substitute peanut oil for the olive oil if you have it, or use a neutral oil like canola.

• Any meat, like steak, can be cooked like the pork. Grilled chicken, on or off the bone, works well, as does sautéed duck breast. You can also make the dish with fish: Try roasted delicate fillets, like cod or red snapper; or grilled shrimp; or swordfish, tuna, or salmon steaks.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 30 MINUTES

ALTHOUGH I WAS
told this dish—beautifully browned sausages nestled on a bed of grapes in varying stages of doneness, some lightly browned, some collapsed, some whole and nearly raw—is Umbrian in origin, it seems as if many workers of the land who produced sausages and picked grapes would have created this, even if by accident, no matter where they lived. It is an often overlooked recipe in cookbooks, perhaps because there’s almost nothing to it. In any case, the wonderful marriage is incredibly easy to produce and easily worked into anyone’s repertoire. With good bread and a salad, you’ve got a great weeknight meal in about half an hour.

1.
Put the sausages in a 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook the sausages, turning from time to time, until nicely browned, about 15 minutes. Prick each sausage in a few places with a thin-bladed knife and cook for 5 minutes more.

2.
Transfer the sausages to a warm platter. If more than a tablespoon or two of fat remains in the pan, remove the excess. Add the grapes and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until some of the grapes collapse. Add the vinegar or lemon juice, stir, and turn off the heat. Serve the sausages nestled in the grapes and their juices.

VARIATION

Bangers and Mash, Italian Style

Boil 1½ to 2 pounds peeled potatoes in water to cover until soft; drain, reserving some of the cooking liquid. While the potatoes are hot, mash them with ½ teaspoon minced garlic, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and enough of the reserved cooking liquid to make them smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, cook the sausages. In step 2, just before adding the grapes, add 1 cup white wine or chicken stock to the skillet. Raise the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the liquid is reduced by about half. Stir in the grapes and proceed as directed. Serve with the mashed potatoes.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 30 TO 40 MINUTES

BY BUILDING THIS
stew one ingredient at a time—in a manner not unlike that of making soup—the process is streamlined and nearly everything is browned. This makes the flavors so much more complex that the stew needs no stock to finish it off. (Should you have some stock on hand, however, by all means use it.) To make this stew even tastier, use a mixture of mushrooms or add a few reconstituted dried porcini and use their soaking liquid to replace some of the water.

1.
Put the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or casserole over medium-high heat; a minute later, add the sausage and cook without stirring until the sausage browns well on one side, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the stems of the kale into about ½-inch lengths and shred the leaves.

2.
Stir the sausage and let it brown a bit more. Remove it with a slotted spoon (don’t worry if it isn’t cooked through). Cook the mushrooms in the remaining fat with the heat still on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

3.
Add the kale stems and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to brown, 3 or 4 minutes. Turn the heat to medium and add the garlic, hot pepper, kale leaves, salt, and pepper; stir and cook for about 1 minute. Return the sausage to the pan and add the stock or water. Raise the heat to high and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste and ladle into bowls, topping with the reserved mushrooms.

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

TIME: 40 MINUTES

CASSOULET IN FORTY
minutes or less is heresy, of course, but even “real” cassoulet was designed as a bean stew containing whatever meat, preferably fatty and flavorful, was available to throw in. That’s the spirit here, too.

Although the pork tenderloin need not be browned before further cooking, the sausage benefits from a quick browning, definitely worth the five-minute effort. If you can get duck confit, just brown it lightly on both sides, adding both it and its fat to the stew in place of the duck breast.

1.
Combine the tomato and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and add the beans; bring to a boil again, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles regularly but not furiously. Cook for about 20 minutes, adding the liquid when the mixture becomes thick. Add the salt and cayenne when the beans are tender and flavorful.

2.
Meanwhile, put the sausage in a skillet and turn the heat to medium-high; brown on both sides, turning only once or twice. Add the sausage to the tomato-bean mixture, along with the pork. Raise the heat a bit if necessary to keep a simmer going. Stir the beans occasionally so the pork chunks cook evenly.

3.
Cut a ½-inch cross-hatch pattern in the skin side of the duck breast, right down to the fat layer. Put the breast in the same skillet as the sausage, skin side down, and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook until nicely browned, pouring any rendered duck fat and juices into the bean mixture. Turn the duck and brown the meat side, then crisp up the skin side again for a minute or so, once more pouring any juice into the beans. Total cooking time for the breast will be 6 to 8 minutes.

4.
To serve, carve the sausage and duck breast into serving pieces and put on each of 4 or 6 plates. Top with beans and pork.

VARIATION

An optional additional step (which is not particularly time consuming and certainly not at all difficult) that will give the dish the look of a traditional cassoulet: In step 4, combine the cut-up duck (or the browned duck confit if you were able to substitute it) with the beans and pork in a shallow baking dish. Finish the dish by toasting some bread crumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper, in the fat remaining from browning the duck. Sprinkle these on top of the stew, then run under the broiler to brown just before serving.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 45 MINUTES

THIS PREPARATION RESULTS
in ribs that are dark, glossy, and so tender that just a tug of the teeth will pull the meat off the bone.

1.
Put a large skillet that can hold the ribs in one layer over high heat and add the ribs and ½ cup of water. Boil, turning the ribs occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, then reduce the heat to medium and brown the ribs in their own fat, turning occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds by putting them in a small skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally until they brown slightly and begin to pop.

2.
Add the garlic and half the sesame seeds and stir; cook for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, ginger, soy sauce, half the sesame oil, and another ¼ cup of water; turn the heat to medium-high, and cook, turning occasionally, until the liquid is thick and dark. If the ribs are tender at this point, they’re ready. If not, add another ¼ cup of water and repeat the process.