Popular Recipes from our Newsletter
Our newsletter subscribers have shown an interest in the recipes we've included in the last few issues. So we thought we'd provide the recipes to everyone. Enjoy! (BTW: You can become a newsletter subscriber here; just scroll to the bottom of the page and enter your email.)
Cold Thai Noodle Salad
This cold noodle salad is designed to restore and refresh - yum!
1 lb ground pork
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14oz) package rice noodles
1/2 cup basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup mint leaves, packed
4 small cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/2 cup roasted peanuts (partially crushed)
2 limes, cut in wedges for serving
1 cup Thai peanut salad dressing
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
While waiting for the water to boil, cook the pork in a large pan over medium high heat, until cooked through and beginning to get crispy. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes until garlic is tender and fragrant.
Add the rice noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the instructions on the package. Rinse the cooked noodles in cold water, drain and place in a bowl with ½ a cup of Thai peanut dressing. Add the pork, cucumbers, mint, basil and roasted peanuts, toss. Serve with extra herbs and a drizzle of the salad dressing.
(Recipe from The Modern Proper)
New Ideas in S'Mores
If you find yourself bored with s'mores anytime this summer, change it up with one of these tips:
• No grahams? Use Oreos instead of graham crackers to make "S’moreos." Chocolate chip cookies or Rice Krispie treats can also be subbed.
• Delicious additions: Put a small spoonful of peanut butter under the chocolate (before you place the hot marshmallow). Or add a salty jolt of caramel over the hot marshmallow, then add the chocolate.
• Need to swap out the chocolate squares? Try a spoonful of chocolate hazelnut spread, or chocolate frosting. Cookie butter is another option if you can't have chocolate.
• No fire to toast your marshmallow? Use a dollop of marshmallow fluff instead.
Spaghetti al Limone with Asparagus
This recipe will have your dinner party wondering how you did it - but it's actually very simple!
1 lb. spaghetti
⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large bunch asparagus, trimmed, thinly sliced on a deep diagonal
4 garlic cloves, smashed
4 3"-long strips lemon zest
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
8 large basil leaves
2 lemons, halved
2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 cup), plus more for serving
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1½ cups pasta cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high until shimmering. Add asparagus, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until just beginning to take on color, about 1 minute. Add garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let sit until pasta is done.
Add pasta and basil to pot with asparagus mixture and return to medium-high heat. Squeeze juice from both lemons into pot and add 2 oz. Parmesan and 1 cup of the reserved pasta cooking liquid. Cook, tossing vigorously and adding more pasta cooking liquid if needed, until sauce is creamy and emulsified and pasta is coated, about 1 minute.
Taste and season with more salt if needed. Remove and discard garlic. Divide pasta among bowls, placing a lemon strip in each, and top with more Parmesan.
Rhubarb Custard Cake
Everyone makes rhubarb pie - try something a little different!
4 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter, cooled
More room-temperature butter for pan
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
¾ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1½ cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling
¼ cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. dark rum
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
13 oz. rhubarb stalks, halved lengthwise if thick
Butter and flour a 9"-diameter springform pan. Preheat oven to 350°.
Whisk baking powder, salt, and 1 cup all-purpose flour in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, egg yolk, and 1½ cups sugar in a large bowl until very pale and thick, about 1 minute. Whisk melted butter, sour cream, rum, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Whisk butter mixture into egg mixture just to combine. Add dry ingredients and fold in until batter is smooth; scrape into prepared pan. Chill 10 minutes to let batter set.
Arrange rhubarb over batter however you like, trimming as needed. Don’t press the fruit into the batter—just place over the top and let it rest on the surface. Sprinkle with more sugar and bake until cake is golden on top and browned around the sides, 45–55 minutes.
Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 10 minutes. Slide a knife around sides of cake to loosen and unmold. Slide directly onto rack and let cool completely.
Do Ahead: Cake can be baked 1 day ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
Garlic and Rosemary Pork Chop Brine
This easy pork chop brine comes together in about 10 minutes, and the rest of the process is almost entirely hands-off. Worth an extra step!
FOR THE BRINE:
• 4 cups water
• ¼ cup coarse kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1 bay leaf
FOR THE PORK CHOPS:
• 2-4 thick-cut bone-in pork chops (about 1 – 1 ½ inches thick)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
Combine all of the brine ingredients in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer and whisk to make sure that the salt is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow the brine to cool completely.
Add pork chops to the brine and refrigerate for 1-4 hours (for a quick brine, at least 30 minutes). If you're using thinner or boneless pork chops, you can brine for just 15-30 minutes.
Remove pork from refrigerator and let come to room temperature on the counter for about 20-30 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it’s very hot -- about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove pork from brine. Rinse under cold water; pat very dry with paper towels. Brush or rub each side of the pork chops with additional olive oil. The chops will be salty from the brine, so you shouldn’t need to add any more salt and pepper at this time.
Add chops to the hot skillet and cook until browned on both sides and a meat thermometer registers 145 degrees F (about 7-8 minutes per side). Smaller bone-in pork chops will cook in 5-6 minutes per side, so just keep an eye on them and use the thermometer to know when they’re done.
Transfer pork to a serving plate; pour pan juices over top. Let pork rest for a few minutes before serving.
For grilling: If you prefer to grill the brined pork chops, heat the grill to medium-high heat. Grill about 20-30 minutes for bone-in thick-cut chops.
For baking: Brown the chops in a skillet over high heat for about 2-3 minutes per side, then bake in a 400 degree F oven for 6-10 minutes (for thick-cut chops), or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
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