Grilled Pork Chops with Rhubarb & Fig Compote

Grilled Pork Chops with Rhubarb Fig CompoteGrilled Pork Chops with Rhubarb Fig Compote

This was an idea that started as a salad, grew butterfly wings, and transformed into something magical.

On the first go around, the idea was very vague–“hmm…pork would taste good with rhubarb and dried fruit”.  I pounded out  pieces of pork tenderloin, gave them a quick sear, and topped them with an arugula salad dressed with a rhubarb vinaigrette and a smattering of dried figs and pecans.  The flavors were good but it just didn’t pack as much punch as I’d imagined.  I wanted amazing, not meh.

Thankfully, I spotted a recipe on another food website that made me decide to give these ingredients a second shot together.  It was lamb chops with rhubarb-raisin agrodoloce.  Excellent, it was basically the flavors I had imagined working so well together made into a dish that made more sense.  I combined my ingredients list with the method used in the recipe and came out with a winner.  Meh?  No way!  I got the “amazing” I’d been after.

[Read more…]

Raspberry-Rhubarb Quick Bread

Raspberry-Rhubarb Quick Bread with Cream Cheese GlazeI’ve got a smidge of a problem with my freezer.  You see, I put things in but they never come out.

That is, until they fall on my head as I’m trying to shove something else in there.

But after being assaulted by an almost year-old bag of frozen rhubarb, I decided it was time to take control of the situation.  Theoretically, rhubarb should be back in season within a month, so it would be silly to hang on to the bag I froze last spring.  Digging deeper, I discovered there were several bags of forgotten raspberries, as well.  Let’s put this frozen fruit to work and make a loaf of quick bread.

I love quick breads.  Who doesn’t?  There’s easy.  Forgiving.  You don’t have to break out the stand mixer.  Deliciously moist.  Hold up well for a few days.  I baked this loaf on Friday and I’m still, happily, eating it on Tuesday as I write this.

But, enough of my jibber-jabber.  This is supposed to be quick bread.  Let’s get it done.

[Read more…]