Smothered Pork Chops

Make sure to use low-sodium chicken broth in this recipe; regular chicken broth can result in an over seasoned sauce. Serve smothered chops with a starch to soak up the rich gravy. Simple egg noodles were the test kitchen favorite, but rice or mashed potatoes also taste great.

Serves 4

3 ounces bacon (about 3 slices), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
vegetable oil
4 bone-in, rib-end pork chops , 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
Ground black pepper
2 medium yellow onions , halved pole-to-pole and sliced thin (about 3 1/2 cups)
table salt
2 tablespoons water
2 medium cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves


1. Fry bacon in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in saucepan (you should have 2 tablespoons bacon fat; if not, supplement with vegetable oil). Reduce heat to medium-low and gradually whisk flour into fat until smooth. Cook, whisking frequently, until mixture is light brown, about the color of peanut butter, about 5 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth in slow, steady stream; increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, stirring occasionally; cover and set aside off heat.

2. Heat 1-tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until smoking, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, dry pork chops with paper towels and sprinkle with 1/2-teaspoon pepper. Brown chops in single layer until deep golden on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip chops and cook until browned on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chops to large plate and set aside.

3. Reduce heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon oil, onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and water to now-empty skillet. Using wooden spoon, scrape browned bits on pan bottom and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened and browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Return chops to skillet in single layer, covering chops with onions. Pour in warm sauce and any juices collected from pork; add bay leaves. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until pork is tender and paring knife inserted into chops meets very little resistance, about 30 minutes.

4. Transfer chops to warmed serving platter and tent with foil. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer sauce rapidly, stirring frequently, until thickened to gravy-like consistency, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves, stir in parsley, and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Cover chops with sauce, sprinkle with reserved bacon, and serve immediately.

Simon and Seaforts Egg Mustard Spinach Salad

What works great for this recipe is if you prepare it on plates ahead of time and then put it in the fridge, then the plates, salad and dressing are chilled when you serve it just like at the restaurant. Pour the dressing on when you serve. I also add thinly sliced red onions to to this. 3 eggs, hard boiled 1 1/2 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard (like French's) 3 tablespoons cider vinegar 3 tablespoons sugar 16 oz. fresh spinach 4 strips bacon 2 green onions, thinly sliced slivered almonds Cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1-2 tbls. of grease.Crumble bacon and set aside.Separate egg white from yolks. Mash yolks with fork and addmustard, vinegar, and sugar. Mix well and set aside. Chop eggwhites. Set aside.Cut or tear spinach into a salad bowl. Toss spinach with eggyolk dressing. Add bacon grease and toss again. Top with eggwhites, almonds, green onions and crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.

Cream and Currant Scones with Citrus Zest

Work the dough quickly, don't overmix, and put the dough rounds into
the heated oven as soon as possible. The process--from mixing to
pulling the finished scones out of the oven--shouldn't take more than
twenty minutes. Scones are best served warm and fresh with jam and
butter. This recipe can be doubled.

Makes 9-10 scones

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (1 to 2 tablespoons)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
grated zest from 1-2 oranges or lemons
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup dried currants


1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Sift first 6 ingredients into large bowl, or measure into workbowl
of a food processor fitted with steel blade; pulse until blended. With
pastry blender, 2 knives, or steel blade of a food processor, cut or
process butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal
with a few slightly larger butter lumps. Transfer to a medium bowl and
add currants.

3. Make a well in the center of mixture and pour in heavy cream and
eggs. Working quickly, blend ingredients together with a rubber
spatula into a soft, slightly wet dough. Turn dough onto a
well-floured work surface.

4. Quickly roll dough to 1/2 inch thick. Use a lightly greased and
floured 3-inch biscuit cutter to stamp dough with one decisive punch,
cutting close together to generate as few scraps as possible. Dip
cutter into flour as often as necessary to keep dough from sticking.
Push scraps of dough together so that edges join; firmly pinch edges
with fingertips to make a partial seal. Pat this remaining dough to
1/2 inch thick; continue to cut 3-inch rounds. Place dough rounds 1
1/2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake until scones are
lightly brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately.

STEP BY STEP: Making Wedge-Shaped Scones
1. Form the dough into a disk and cut the disk into eight pieces.
2. Use a one and one-half-inch diameter cookie cutter to cut out the
center of the circle.
3. Separate each of the sections and bake according to the directions
in the recipe.

Food - Simpson style

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