Good Morning Monday and good morning friends! I hope you all had a peaceful weekend. It finally rained for us in Cape Town and we are thrilled. Spring is in the air and wild flowers are popping up all over the place and adorning the hillsides.
Today I continue with a recipes that includes fruit in the main meal. I love cooking with fruit especially during summer when it makes for a lighter alternative for the hot weather.
So, with spring and summer in sight I will share a typical weeks menu with you.
Monday: Pan Fried Salmon served with Raspberry Coleslaw.
Please click HERE for the post and the recipe which also includes an Avocado Soup that is quick and easy.
Tuesday: Smoked Pork Kasseler Chops with Paprika Pears.
This recipe, for those who asked, is not a substitute for the fig salad but an entirely different invention that I happened upon long before the fig phenomena was discovered. Pears can be tricky as fresh fruit, because they are only at their very best for about five minutes. They are either to hard or to soft or to this or that! So, if they are not quite ripe and your patience is wearing thin , this is a good way to use them. It happens to be one of my laziest one pan suppers and looks and tastes like work but hardly is.
Smoked Pork Kasslers Chops with Paprika Pears
1 Smoked Pork Kasseler Chop per person (or two depending on appetite!)
1 Pear per person or per chop
1 Large onion, peeled and sliced
Brown Sugar
Paprika
Balsamic Vinegar
Blue Cheese or your best Gorgonzola
Rocket Leaves or baby spinach
Dried Cranberries
In a large pan splash a little Olive oil and saute the onions adding a teaspoon of brown sugar until smoky brown and caramelised. please stir frequently over low heat, patience please! Remove to a plate.
To the same pan add the chops and fry gently.
Wash and slice the pears into quarters (or thinner if you prefer) and sprinkle with paprika.
Add to the pan and fry along with the chops taking care not to mush them ( they must look luscious!) if they are ripe. Add a splash of good balsamic vinegar towards the end of cooking and return the onions to the pan.
I can do some odd things whilst cooking, and one day I made this dish and came across some day old ciabatta bread, which I cubed and tossed into the pan after the balsamic vinegar went in! I regretted it the instant I did it but left it and yum it worked, as it soaked up the juices and crisped adding a nice crunch. Some madness clearly pays off on occasion!
To Serve. I add some baby spinach to a plate and then a chop and then pile the onions and pears on top of the chop.
Crumble over some blue cheese and you can add a dried cranberry or two if you feel inclined.
Any juices left in the pan can just be poured over the top.
I also use this as a salad to serve with spare ribs on the braai (BBQ) of course then minus the Kasseler Chops. They look amazing on a large flat white platter strewn with baby spinach and the pears nestled into the leaves with the onions scattered about and topped off with a crumbling of blue cheese.
This dish goes particularly well (as far as my tatebuds goes anyway) with a chardonnay like Fat Bastard and I particularly enjoyed Kanu's Chardonnay which for some reason is off the market. The colour was amazing and charmed the pears to pear...fection!
Wednesday: Choritzo Dish served with Avo Salad click HERE for the recipe.
Thursday: And, of course the piece de Resistance, for me anyway... Fig Salad. Find the recipe HERE
Friday: BBQ Ribs with Watermelon Salad. Click HERE for that post.
Today I continue with a recipes that includes fruit in the main meal. I love cooking with fruit especially during summer when it makes for a lighter alternative for the hot weather.
So, with spring and summer in sight I will share a typical weeks menu with you.
Monday: Pan Fried Salmon served with Raspberry Coleslaw.
Please click HERE for the post and the recipe which also includes an Avocado Soup that is quick and easy.
Tuesday: Smoked Pork Kasseler Chops with Paprika Pears.
This recipe, for those who asked, is not a substitute for the fig salad but an entirely different invention that I happened upon long before the fig phenomena was discovered. Pears can be tricky as fresh fruit, because they are only at their very best for about five minutes. They are either to hard or to soft or to this or that! So, if they are not quite ripe and your patience is wearing thin , this is a good way to use them. It happens to be one of my laziest one pan suppers and looks and tastes like work but hardly is.
Smoked Pork Kasslers Chops with Paprika Pears
1 Smoked Pork Kasseler Chop per person (or two depending on appetite!)
1 Pear per person or per chop
1 Large onion, peeled and sliced
Brown Sugar
Paprika
Balsamic Vinegar
Blue Cheese or your best Gorgonzola
Rocket Leaves or baby spinach
Dried Cranberries
In a large pan splash a little Olive oil and saute the onions adding a teaspoon of brown sugar until smoky brown and caramelised. please stir frequently over low heat, patience please! Remove to a plate.
To the same pan add the chops and fry gently.
Wash and slice the pears into quarters (or thinner if you prefer) and sprinkle with paprika.
Add to the pan and fry along with the chops taking care not to mush them ( they must look luscious!) if they are ripe. Add a splash of good balsamic vinegar towards the end of cooking and return the onions to the pan.
I can do some odd things whilst cooking, and one day I made this dish and came across some day old ciabatta bread, which I cubed and tossed into the pan after the balsamic vinegar went in! I regretted it the instant I did it but left it and yum it worked, as it soaked up the juices and crisped adding a nice crunch. Some madness clearly pays off on occasion!
To Serve. I add some baby spinach to a plate and then a chop and then pile the onions and pears on top of the chop.
Crumble over some blue cheese and you can add a dried cranberry or two if you feel inclined.
Any juices left in the pan can just be poured over the top.
I also use this as a salad to serve with spare ribs on the braai (BBQ) of course then minus the Kasseler Chops. They look amazing on a large flat white platter strewn with baby spinach and the pears nestled into the leaves with the onions scattered about and topped off with a crumbling of blue cheese.
This dish goes particularly well (as far as my tatebuds goes anyway) with a chardonnay like Fat Bastard and I particularly enjoyed Kanu's Chardonnay which for some reason is off the market. The colour was amazing and charmed the pears to pear...fection!
Wednesday: Choritzo Dish served with Avo Salad click HERE for the recipe.
Thursday: And, of course the piece de Resistance, for me anyway... Fig Salad. Find the recipe HERE
Friday: BBQ Ribs with Watermelon Salad. Click HERE for that post.
That concludes all the fruity recipes and I do hope you have found one to try for those hot days of summer when you and the kitchen are not the best of friends and you need something quick and light before you plunge into the pool!
I will be joining:
Carrie for Amaze me Monday Here
Yvonne for On The Menu Monday at Stone Gable Here
SJ for Creative Bloggers at Homemaker on a Dime Here
Debbie Doo's blogging and Blabbing for the Newbie Party Here
Susan for Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch Here
Foody Friday at Designs by Gollam HERE
Happy Living
Veronica
xxx
images: my own and pintrest.
Thanks for stopping by! Now, lets have a chat in the comment box below! Your comments and ideas make my day and I love the input.
Hello! I clicked on your link at Amaze Me Monday because I am looking for recipes using pears. I have a pear tree in my yard that produces the best-tasting pears. Your recipe with the pork chops, onions, and pears looks delicious, especially when served over the bed of greens. I will give it a try this week. My recipe is #125.
ReplyDeleteJane, you are one lucky gal to have a pear tree!
ReplyDeleteVeronica
WOW that looks awesome. This must be the morning of pears. Another blog friend of mine just posted about her pear tree in her yard. I will have to let her know about your recipe. Thanks for sharing at the newbie party.
ReplyDeleteVeronica Everything looks so good.... You made me smile with your right on description of pears. So true. Will be trying the pork dish looks delectable.
ReplyDeleteVeronica, Everything looks amazing. I felt like I was looking at a magazine, picture perfect. I will definitely be trying more than one of your recipes.
ReplyDeleteVeronica, I love everything about this post, the photos, food, recipes, I never knew you could do so much with pears, I will be making another trip to the orchard in a month or so to stock up! Thanks for visiting me, and I am your newest follower. xo,
ReplyDeleteWow! This looks fantastic! Just love your blog! Will definitely give this a try! Thanks for visiting mine that I might repay the visit!
ReplyDeleteKathy
Hi Veronica,
ReplyDeleteYour photo's are awesome and I just love your recipes. Just stopping by from OTMM, thanks for sharing!
Miz Helen
You have a week of gorgeous meals ahead of you. If these dishes taste as good as they look your family is in for a real series of treats. I hope you have a great day. Blessings..Mary
ReplyDeleteThese seriously look amazing. I love fruity dishes.
ReplyDeleteOoooh, now you made me hungry! This looks delicious! Thanks for your sweet comment and have a lovely day!!!
ReplyDeleteLove, Kristin
Yum...so wish this was my dinner!!
ReplyDeleteThis looks amazingly yummy, Veronica. And your photos are terrific. No food-y magazine could look better than these!
ReplyDeleteHi Veronica,
ReplyDeleteOh, so delicious looking. The salmon looks amazing and all of the pictures should be in a magazine! Can you please come over and cook for me?
Marianne :)
I agree with Marianne, this looks like a magazine food article,, wow , so good,, just beautiful
ReplyDeleteIt looks delicious, and a wonderful way to use the pears..I must try this after I get some pears! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWow! This looks scrumptious! You have tickled my taste buds. Thanks for sharing. Have a great week!~Poppy
ReplyDeletehttp://withadashofcolor.blogspot.com/
The pork chop dish looks wonderful and delicious. The sweetness from the pears must be nice with the pork.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I'm hosting a little giveaway on my blog. Please stop by to enter if you're interested.
http://utry.it/2011/08/utryit-turns-one-more-macaronsoh.html
My husband and I LOVE salmon and cannot wait to try your salmon and raspberry slaw! Yum! Thank you so much for linking up at Savvy HomeMade Monday. We are partying again and I hope you will stop by! :)
ReplyDelete