Spanish Pork with Orange & Poppyseed Salad

Beat up sneakers. Ratty old jeans. The dog.

Old standbys, they're the things that make life reasonable. No matter how exotic you get, they're the things that remind you that life is best at it's simplest.

The dog had surgery this week. During his annual check-up they found a cyst on his back. No one is sure if it's a problem, but best to have it taken out and tested.

The dog. Suddenly everyone is nervous about the dog.

He spent a day wearing one of those plastic hoods; don't tell me dogs don't have emotions. The pooch was flat out embarrassed. I swear, on his walks he looked the other way every time we ran into someone. Stupid cone.

He also has this square patch shaved into his side. I keep telling people that we had a small nuclear device implanted. You know, for security.

When I took off the cone he curled up on my feet and hasn't been too far away since. Man's best friend.

If a dog is man's best friend then, delicious magazine, volume 5 issue 11, has to be CrabbyCook's best friend. It is the single greatest issue of a cooking magazine ever. I've never prepared as many recipes from a single magazine as I have from that one issue. Spanish Pork with Orange & Poppyseed Salad is a great meal, light subtle flavors and the meal looks drop dead gorgeous. What more do you need? Enjoy...

Spanish Pork with Orange & Poppyseed Salad

from delicious magazine, volume 5 issue 11 plus a few Crabby adjustments

4 pork loin chops

1 teaspoon cumin

1 TBSP smoked paprika

Zest & Juice of 1 orange

1/3 cup ketchup

1/3 cup maple syrup (the real stuff)

Orange & Poppyseed Salad

2 oranges

1 large, seedless English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced

1/4 cup cilantro leaves or other peppery green

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined and diced

1/3 cup champagne vinegar (white wine vinegar can be substituted)

1/2 cup olive oil

2 TBSP granulated sugar

2 TBSP poppyseeds

For the pork, combine the cumin, paprika, ketchup, orange zest, orange juice and maple syrup in a large zip top bag. Shake well to combine. Place the pork in the bag, seal and refrigerate at least 1 hour and preferably overnight.

For the salad. Zest the rind of one of the oranges and set aside in a small bowl.

Peel the oranges and remove the sections. Place into a large bowl along with the sliced cucumber and diced jalapeno. Set aside.

Combine the vinegar, oil, sugar and poppyseeds in a large glass jar. Shake well to combine. Set aside.

Remove the pork loin from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to grilling in order to bring it to room temperature.

Preheat your grill to medium high.

Grill the pork to desired doneness, about 5 - 6 minutes per side depending on the thickness.

Remove from the grill and allow them to rest.

While the pork is resting, divide the salad among four plates. Slice the pork chops and place atop the salad. Drizzle the orange poppyseed dressing over the plates and serve.

This is a great meal. My only complaint was that it needed a bit more heat, so consider adding additional hot peppers.

Alright, I'm off to walk the dog. Until next time remember, you can do it, you can cook.

Crispy Fennel, Radicchio & Carrot Salad

I like monkeys.

If I ever get into a position where I need to make a commercial for Crabby, it's going to have monkeys in it. Everyone loves monkeys, well except for those SOBs in the Wizard of Oz, I hate them. But those Super Bowl commercials are just hilarious.

But the truth is, monkeys aren't always your friends. Last Friday there was a story from Science magazine about rhesus (pronounced: Reese's) monkeys living longer, healthier lives if they consume fewer calories than normal monkeys.

Yup, eat 30% less than average and you'll live longer and be only 1/3 as likely to succumb to age-related diseases. This falls under the "Boy-It-Sure-Takes-A-Long-Time-To-Starve-To-Death" category of nutrition.

I understand that we all eat too much, but 30% fewer calories? The rule of thumb that I remember to maintain weight is to consume calories equivalent to 12 x your body weight. So a 200 pound male will need to eat 2400 calories. But in order to live a longer, healthier life, he'll be reduced to consuming 720 fewer calories for a total of 1680. In other words, drop a meal.

Drop. A. Meal.

You'll live a longer, healthier life. Of course, the article didn't mention anything about a longer, hungrier, grouchier life.

Damn Monkeys!

My suggestion to you all is: Cook For Yourselves. We all get way too many calories from the crappy pre-made pre-packaged stuff we eat when we're in a hurry. Cooking for yourself can eliminate tons of fat from your diet and it will taste better too. But, if you're convinced of the efficacy of going 30% less, here's today's first recipe.

Take a large glass. Fill with Water. Drink. Repeat.

Hey, hey, hey, there goes lunch. Remember you can do it, you can drink water.

For those of you who need something a bit more substantial try this Crispy Fennel, Radicchio & Carrot Salad. This side dish has a nice mix of flavors and the breadcrumbs add an interesting texture, so pour yourself another glass of water and enjoy...

Crispy Fennel, Radicchio & Carrot Salad

from delicious magazine vol. 5 issue 11 with some help from Crabby & SSSal

2 ounces blanched slivered almonds

1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs

1 fennel bulb, fronds removed and reserved

2 large carrots

1 head radicchio

1 head endive

1 cup chopped pea pods

2 TBSP sherry vinegar

6 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt & Pepper to taste

Using a small saute pan over medium-high heat, toast the slivered almonds until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. Pay close attention and toss the almonds during the toasting process to avoid burning. Set aside and allow to cool.

Using a food processor or a sharp knife, thinly slice the fennel and carrots into wavy slices. Place the shavings into a bowl of ice water.

Using a knife, core the radicchio and endive and then roughly chop into bite sized pieces.

Slice the pea pods into bite sized chunks.

Place the chopped radicchio, endive and pea pods into a large salad bowl. Completely drain the fennel and carrot shavings and add to the salad.

Pour the vinegar, oil and mustard into a jar, close and shake well to combine. Adjust the seasonings.

Pour the dressing on the vegetables, add the breadcrumbs and almonds, mix well and serve immediately.

This is a very fresh and tasty salad. I have no idea how many calories there are in it, and I have no clue if monkeys will eat it, but you should. So eat up and remember, you can do it, you can cook.

Ricotta Salad with Tomatoes & Basil Oil

It's the crossword puzzle's fault.

Longtime Actress Eve: _ _ DE _

Newspapers are dying across the country.  The Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News publish every day but will only deliver to your home three times a week.

Darin hit, "Beyond  the  _ _ A"

The Rocky Mountain news in Denver has gone out of business after more than 150 years of publishing.

vision or gram intro:  _ _ LE

The crossword puzzle clues tell you everything you need to know about the future of newspapers.  

I know circulation is way down.  I know it's too expensive to keep up home delivery. I know that anyone under the age of 40 gets their news from television.  I know everyone under the age of 25 gets their news from the Internet. But c'mon.

When was the last time you even thought of the name Eve Arden? She was a RADIO star in the late '40s. The last thing most people remember her for was "The Mothers-In-Law" with Kaye Ballard back in 1969.  She died 19 years ago.

Intro to vision and gram? A telegram? When was the last time anyone you knew got a telegram? How many of you even know what a telegram is? Here's a hint: Telegram - a hand-delivered, walking email.

Newspapers aren't dying, their readers are.

The killer is I'm one of those readers. I love flipping through the pages and finding some obscure story I'll never see on the Internet.  I love yelling at the idiots who write the opinion columns. I love seeing the box score with the neighbor kid's name in it. I love a snowy Sunday morning, a hot cup of coffee, a bagel with cream cheese, the New York Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle and a pen. 

Oh yeah, a pen!

The times are changing and I'm starting to turn into the old guy who shakes his fist at the kids driving too fast. Getting old skool whether I want to or not.

Ricotta Salad with Tomatoes and Basil Oil originally called for purple basil and heirloom tomatoes (really old skool), both of which are nearly impossible to find this time of year. So instead, I'm using good old-fashioned green basil and cherry tomatoes. Later in the summer I'll try the original. If it's at all possible, use fresh ricotta cheese, it tastes like ice cream and adds a very tasty, subtle flavor. Enjoy...

Ricotta Salad with Tomatoes & Basil Oil

from delicious magazine, volume 5 issue 11 with a Crabby alteration

Basil Oil

1 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 pound cherry tomatoes

4 ounces fresh ricotta cheese

1/2 cup black or nicoise olives, pitted and chopped

1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 1/2 lemon

For the basil oil: 

In a large jar,  combine the finely chopped basil with the extra virgin olive oil (it is important to use the highest quality oil you have).  Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Seal the jar and shake to combine. Taste the oil and adjust the seasoning.  Set aside.

For the Salad:

Place the cherry tomatoes on a large platter. Spoon small dollops of the fresh ricotta over the tomatoes. (Use a small melon baller to approximate the size of your tomatoes.)

Scatter the chopped olives atop the tomatoes and cheese. Drizzle the salad with the basil oil.

Scatter the lemon zest over the salad and then sprinkle with the lemon juice.  At this point you may need to add more salt/pepper, depending on the saltiness of the ricotta. Garnish the salad with basil leaves.  

Serve immediately.

Very, very simple.  Very, very tasty. Try this salad and you'll be amazed how great it tastes. Well I'm off to finish one of those newfangled Sudoku puzzles. Until next time, remember you can do it, you can cook.

P.S. Bobby Darin had a hit in 1959 with "Beyond the Sea". Great song, fair movie. See if you can download it from Netflix .

Fennel & Olive Salad with Mint and Basil

I review all comments before they go up on the site.  Why?  Well, you'll have to trust me on this one, but suffice it to say that if you write and publish anything, and I do mean anything, someone in the internet world will think they have a right to complain.  

People complain about my using veal. They complain about my using the wrong kinds of fish. They grouse about how much fat is in the recipes. They whine that there isn't enough fat in the recipes.  They kvetch and me using words like kvetch.

Here's one thing I've learned: Somewhere in the world, there's someone who hates everything.

"Why do you cook so much fish? I hate fish!  Except for that, I love your sight, keep up the good work."

"I can't stand broccoli, it smells like my sneakers after a hard day.  Don't make anymore please."

"Why do you use so many exotic ingredients? I live in Upper-Lower-Outer Borneo and it's impossible to find food."

The internet's a squirrely place. 

Well, here's the bad news.  It's my site and I'll fry if I want to, fry if I want to...

One of the biggest complaint generators is fennel.  

"Gawd, I hate fennel. It tastes like licorice; I can't stand licorice."

No it doesn't! In my experience most of the licorice flavor is in the fronds not the main bulb. The flavor seems to intensify if you cook it, but left raw it's got a subtle light flavor that's actually very refreshing.  Kind of like the lemongrass I've been obsessing over lately.

So get over yourselves and try some.  This recipe tastes more of lemons and olives than fennel anyway.  Better still, the recipe is as simple as it gets; it's not cooking, it's slicing and stirring. Fennel & Olive Salad has a lot of flavors going on, BUT NOT LICORICE!  I promise it won't hurt.  I guarantee you will enjoy...

Fennel & Olive Salad with Mint and Basil

from delicious magazine, volume 5 issue 11

2 teaspoons lemon marmalade

Juice of 1 lemon

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1 TBSP red wine vinegar

4 ounces pitted black or Nicoise olives, roughly chopped

1 chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

20 basil leaves, thinly sliced

20 mint leaves, thinly sliced

Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar and lemon marmalade in a large bowl. Stir well.

Add the olives, chile pepper and shaved fennel to the bowl.  Toss well to combine (use your fingers, it works better and it's always fun to play with your food).

Adjust seasoning - be careful, depending on how briny the olives are you may not need to add any salt.

Reserve the herbs as a garnish, sprinkle on just before serving, otherwise the acids in the dressing will turn them black.

Another simple dish by the Crab!  This dish has a pungent, tangy flavor, so serve it with a simple main course.  Bring it along the next time you're invited to a picnic or dinner party. People will think you're an adventurous cook and you might even convert someone into a culinary risk-taker.

See ya next time crablings. Remember, you can do it, you can cook.