Roasted Cumin Pork Chops w/Fresh Cherry Sauce and Brussel Sprouts with Red Pepper Flakes

I had never made pork chops before, but I wanted to make a nice dinner for my sister so I thought I'd experiment with something new. It actually didn't take that much time -as soon as I put the pork chops in the pan, I started on the sauce in one pan and the brussel sprouts in another. From start to finish, everything was done in under forty minutes.

Roasted Cumin Pork Chops:
2 tsp ground roasted cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
olive oil
2 pork chops

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine first five ingredients and two tbs olive oil in small bowl, creating a paste. Pat pork chops dry and apply the rub to each side. Heat two tbs olive oil in a large stainless steel pan. Place pork chops in pan, cooking each side 3 minutes. Transfer to shallow baking dish and bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand five minutes.

Brussel Sprouts
10-12 brussel sprouts
1 clove garlic, minced
olive oil
salt
red pepper flakes

Cut ends off of the sprouts, and halve them. Blanch for 3 minutes and drain. In saute pan, heat 2 tbs olive oil and add garlic. Brown for a minute, then add the sprouts. Salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Saute for 5-7 minutes, then remove from heat.

Cherry Sauce
1/2 cup cherries
1/4 cup red wine
1 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tbs water
pinch ground cardamom

Pit cherries. You can do it like I did -by hand- and have cherry juice running down your fingers, or you can invest in a cherry pitter and make life a bit easier. Apparently you can get one of these handy gadgets at my favorite housewares store, Williams-Sonoma:
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/oxo-olive-and-cherry-pitter/

Combine all ingredients in sauce pan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, smashing the cherries after about ten minutes.

The perfect bite. I'm a big fan of the perfect bite -one where all the flavors compliment each other and create a buzz of joy in your mouth. Here, the spices from the spicy, succulent pork, the sweet cherry and the peppery, crisp sprouts all came together for a great flavor combination.

Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic and Shaved Parmesan

I love my weekly farmer's market ritual because it continues to inspire me, to push me into unknown arenas. I grew up in a traditional Indian home, and certain foods were a mystery to me until I entered the world of college. Sure, I would hear about brussel sprouts, artichokes, asparagus, etc., but I had no idea what they tasted like, let alone how to cook them. It's amazing to me to look back at what I grew up eating and see the contrast with the wide breadth of foods I now enjoy.


This dish was inspired by a trip to the cafe Lemonade in Brentwood; I still haven't eaten there, but the array of colorful dishes in the display case looked delicious!

1 lb brussel sprouts
3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tsp crushed red pepper
balsamic vinegar
shaved parmesan
salt to taste

Boil brussel sprouts in salted water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Cut brussel sprouts in half. Heat oil in skillet and add garlic and brussel sprouts. Cook over high heat for 1 minute. Add crushed red pepper, 2 tbs balsamic vinegar, salt to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until browned and tender. Transfer to bowl.

Let cool for a few minutes, then toss with 1 tbs balsamic and shaved parmesan. Serve while still warm.