Thursday, September 10, 2009

Grilled Ginger-Garlic Pork

It's that time of year. You get up in the morning and you're freezing. You put on jeans, a polo and a sweatshirt.

Then the problems start.

By 10:30 the skies are clear, there's no breeze, it's 80 degrees and you're schvitzing like an Airedale. It's shoulder season crablings. It's not summer, it's not autumn. It's both!

You can tell all the other people who keep roughly your schedule just by hanging out at a Starbucks around 1 PM. The early risers are wearing long everything - shirts, pants, socks. The late rising lay-abouts stroll in wearing shorts, t-shirts and flip flops. You don't need to ask who has a job and who doesn't: If you see knees, they're unemployed.

Well it's no different when it comes to cooking. This time of year I just can't decide what I want to make. I get up in the morning and that little bit of a chill has me thinking about cranking up the oven. Then the temp rises 30 degrees and I'm wondering how I'm gonna grill a pot roast? Today's recipe is one of those scrambling plays. Grilled Ginger-Garlic Pork has that vaguely Asian taste that I love so much. Augment it with Mustard Dipping Sauce and you have a nice little dinner, so drop the sweatshirt and enjoy...


Grilled Ginger-Garlic Pork
adapted from www.theotherwhitemeat.com (no, seriously)

4 boneless pork loin chops or pork cutlets

Marinade

1 medium onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 TBSP chopped parsley
1 TBSP grated ginger
1/4 cup red wine
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Dipping Sauce

1 TBSP dry mustard
5 TBSP soy sauce
3 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 cup minced green onions for garnish (optional)


Place all the marinade ingredients into a large re-sealable bag. Zip closed and shake well to mix. Add the pork, reseal and refrigerate at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.

Remove the pork from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Preheat your grill to medium-high.

When hot, grill the pork to desired doneness. Assuming a 1 inch thick chop, grill for 3 - 4 minutes per side. Set aside and loosely cover with a sheet of aluminum foil.

While the chops are resting, whisk together the dipping sauce ingredients in a medium bowl.

Slice the chops and drizzle with the dipping sauce and scatter with the minced green onions (optional).



There you go crablings. The first sorta, kinda fall-ish recipe in a while. Stay tuned, there'll be more coming.

Alrighty then, I'm outta here, until next time, remember you can do it you can cook.

2 comments:

recipes2share said...

great pork - know what you mean about the weather...love the nip in the air but what to wear...nearly passed out in the mall today, I ended up so warm - or was that the bank card?!

WineWizardBob said...

Ahhh, finally something I can work with.

If you can find 2006 Martin Ray Pinot Noir for 20 a bottle, this will be a perfect match. Pinot, pork,grilling and ginger have a special relationship, if you know what I mean.

Oregon Pinots work too, but skip the 2007 vintage, kinda weak and watery, but older ones are yummy.

If you feel like a white wine, Riesling works well, but Gewurztraminer is better with its bigger nose and weight. Both American, slightly sweeter, and Alsatian, not the dog, compliment this dish.

Is it sartorially correct to wear double layer socks, with shorts and a Hawaiian shirt?