Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Get Real Meals (21 page)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Trim the very end off of the broccoli stems. With a peeler or a paring knife, remove the thick fibrous outer layer of the broccoli stems all the way up to within an inch of where the broccoli shoots off into its florets. Cut the broccoli lengthwise into large spears. On a baking sheet, toss the broccoli spears with the garlic, salt, pepper, and a generous drizzle of EVOO. Place the broccoli in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. The florets become brown and crispy and a little nutty tasting. YUMMO!

While the broccoli is roasting, preheat a large skillet over high heat with 2 tablespoons of EVOO (twice around the pan). Liberally season the pork chops with salt and pepper and sear on both sides for 2 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove the chops from the skillet and reserve. Add the butter to the pork skillet, add the onion, thyme, sliced apple, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onion and apples are tender. Add the chicken stock and bring up to a simmer. Add the pork chops back to the pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes longer, or until the chops are cooked through. Add the parsley and lemon juice to the chops and stir to distribute.

Serve the chops topped with the spiced-apple pan sauce alongside the roasted broccoli spears.

4
SERVINGS

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Place the pork tenderloins on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Cut 3 slits into each loin a few inches apart. Nest the cloves of garlic into the slits. Slather the pork with a healthy drizzle of EVOO and use your hands to coat the pork. Strap leaves of sage across each piece of pork. Wrap the tenderloins in prosciutto, covering the pork entirely. Drizzle again with EVOO. Roast the pork for 25 minutes. While the pork roasts, prepare the salad.

Combine the greens and mushrooms in a salad bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine the minced shallot with the vinegar, lemon juice, and thyme. Let stand for 15 minutes. (Nice place for a red wine
break here. Even Atkins himself had a glass now and again.) Stream about ¼ cup of EVOO into the dressing while whisking to emulsify it. Toss the salad with the dressing.

To serve, pile the salad onto plates. Slice the tenderloins on an angle, ½-inch slices, and arrange the sliced pork atop the salad.

4
SERVINGS

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons of the EVOO, the mustard, garlic, and half the lemon juice and reserve. Toss the tenderloins
in the lemon mixture. Place the tenderloins on a nonstick baking sheet with a rim. Season them with salt and pepper and roast for 25 minutes, then remove and let rest.

While the pork is roasting, preheat a medium-size skillet with the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and thyme and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the sliced beets and the reserved beet juice, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 more minutes, or until the beets are warmed through.

Meanwhile, in a salad bowl combine the chicory, lemon zest, the remaining lemon juice, the basil, and parsley. Transfer the warm beets to the salad bowl and toss to combine and wilt the chicory.

Slice the pork thin on an angle. Serve the sliced pork with the warm beets and chicory alongside. Top the warm vegetables with goat cheese crumbles.

4
SERVINGS

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Place the tenderloins on a nonstick baking sheet with a rim. Combine the chili powder and cumin in a small bowl. Rub the seasoning mixture into the tenderloins, coating them completely. Season with some salt and pepper and then drizzle the tenderloins with EVOO, just enough to coat. Roast for 25 minutes. Allow the meat to rest. While the pork is roasting, prepare the black bean and jicama salad.

In a small bowl combine the lime juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk in about 4 tablespoons EVOO. With a paring knife, peel
the light brown skin from the jicama. Slice it into ¼-inch-thick disks, stack the disks up, then cut into ¼-inch-wide strips and reserve. Cut all around the circumference of the ripe avocado, lengthwise and down to the pit. Twist and separate the halved fruit. Remove the pit with a spoon, then scoop the flesh out in one piece from both halves. Chop the avocado into bite-size pieces. In a salad bowl combine the jicama, avocado chunks, red onion, cucumber, black beans, cilantro, and parsley. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

Slice the pork on an angle into ½-inch-thick slices. Serve the sliced pork with the salad piled on top.

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SERVINGS

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO (twice around the pan). Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 3 minutes. Add the garlic, onion, and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add the cabbage, salt, and pepper, toss to combine, then add ¼ cup of the cider vinegar, the raisins, and the chicken stock. Turn down the heat to medium and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the cabbage is cooking, heat another large skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Liberally season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Add the chops and cook for 5 minutes on each side.

For the mustard butter, in a small bowl combine the soft butter, grainy mustard, chopped parsley, and a splash of cider vinegar. Top each chop with a heaping tablespoon of the mustard butter and serve alongside the bacon-braised cabbage.