 Sweet strawberries pair perfectly with pork; and flavorful couscous pilaf gives this dish Middle-Eastern flair. Photos courtesy California Strawberry Commission.
June 2009
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Strawberry Dinner Party
Page 2: Spicy Syrah-Glazed Pork Chops With Couscous Pilaf
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On the menu:
Spicy Syrah-Glazed Pork Chops With Couscous Pilaf
Cranberries may be the traditional fruit for pairing with meat, but this glaze made from strawberries and syrah is equally yummy. Plus, you can reserve some of your syrah glaze to pour over vanilla ice cream for a sophisticated dessert.
Yields 4 servings.
Couscous Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1-1/3 cups couscous
- 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 cups chicken stock
- Pinch of saffron threads
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup currants
- 2/3 cup dried apricots, diced
- 2/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
- 2/3 cup chopped pistachios
Preparation
- In medium skillet, sauté couscous in olive oil until golden; remove from heat.
- Heat chicken stock to a simmer with saffron threads and salt; pour over couscous.
- Cover and let stand about 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
- With a fork, fluff couscous and gently mix in currants, dried apricots, almonds and pistachios.
Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups syrah wine
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons star anise pods
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- Zest of half an orange, removed in strips with peeler
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 4 bone-in loin pork chops
- Salt and black pepper
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 cups fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
Preparation
- To make syrah glaze, in small nonreactive saucepan, combine wine, sugar, star anise, vanilla, orange zest, pepper flakes and frozen strawberries.
- Simmer over low heat until reduced to 3/4 cup. Strain into clean saucepan.
- Mix cornstarch and 1 teaspoon water; whisk into wine mixture. Simmer just until thickened.
- For pork chops, heat oven to 400°F.
- Season pork chops with salt and pepper. In ovenproof skillet, heat oil; sear pork chops on both sides. Transfer skillet to oven; bake chops about 15 minutes or until they are firm to the touch and register 145°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of a chop.
- Gently heat fresh strawberries in syrah glaze. Mound couscous pilaf on a platter or 4 plates; sprinkle with mint. Plate pork chops next to couscous; spoon strawberries and glaze over and around pork chops.
Continue to Page 3: Strawberry & Cucumber Salad
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Recipes courtesy California Strawberry Commission. Other materials
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