Recipes
Grilled Teriyaki Pork Chops with Pineapple Mango Relish
For marinade:
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 garlic cloves, chopped fine
2-inch piece fresh gingerroot, peeled and chopped fine
6 (1-inch) thick rib pork chops, bones Frenched by butcher, if desired
Marinade: In a saucepan combine marinade ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cool marinade completely. Put chops in a large resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over them. Seal bag, pressing out excess air, and set in a shallow dish. Marinate meat, chilled, turning bag once or twice, overnight. Pour marinade into a saucepan and boil 5 minutes. Grill chops on an oiled rack set about 4 inches over glowing coals 7 to 8 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through, basting with marinade during last 5 minutes of cooking.
Pineapple Mango Relish:
2 cups finely diced fresh pineapple
1 cup finely diced fresh mango
1/2 cup finely diced Maui, Vidalia, or other sweet onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small fresh hot green chili such as a serrano or Thai chili, seeded and
minced (wear rubber gloves)
2 tablespoons shredded mint leaves
In a bowl combine all ingredients with salt to taste and let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Relish may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
Grilled Lamb Chops with Garlic, Olive Oil, Fresh Thyme, Grilled Lemons
1/2 cup Greek olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for lemons
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1/4 cup thyme leaves, roughly chopped
2 racks of lamb, 8 chops each, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 lemons, cut in 1/2 crosswise
Sprigs oregano and dill, for garnish
Whisk together oil, garlic and thyme in a shallow large baking dish. Add the chops and turn to coat. Cover and marinate for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in the refrigerator. Remove the chops from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling. Heat grill to high and grill the chops for 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium doneness. Remove and rest for 2 minutes. Slice into individual chops. Brush the cut side of the lemons with the oil and grill, cut side down on high for 1 minute. Turn lemons 45 degrees to make hatch marks and remove. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the platter of chops. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with fresh sprigs of oregano and dill. Serve the remaining grilled lemons on the platter with the chops.
Grilled Steak with Garlic and Hot Pepper Marinade with Roasted Tomatoes with Cabrales Blue Cheese
Marinade:
2 cups olive oil
1 head garlic cloves, smashed
2 red bell pepper, roasted, quartered, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 yellow bell pepper, roasted, quartered, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 poblano pepper, roasted, quartered, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup parsley, coarsely chopped
4 whole New Mexico red chiles, coarsely chopped
4 whole ancho chiles, coarsely chopped
Steaks:
8 New York strip steaks, 10 ounces each
Garlic and Hot Pepper Marinade
Salt and pepper
Roasted Tomatoes with Cabrales Blue Cheese:
16 plum tomatoes, halved
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup crumbled Cabrales blue cheese
For the Marinade:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
For the steaks:
Place the steaks in a large shallow baking dish. Pour 1/2 of the marinade over the steaks and turn to coat. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight. Cover the remaining marinade and place in the refrigerator. One hour before cooking the steaks, remove marinade from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. Heat a grill pan over high heat until smoking or heat up an outdoor grill Remove steaks from the marinade, discard marinade, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill for 4 minutes on each side for medium rare doneness. Use the other 1/2 of the marinade to serve with the steaks.
For the Roasted Tomatoes:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place tomatoes in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast until soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. During last 5 minutes of cooking sprinkle the blue cheese over the tomatoes.
Lemon Curd Trifle with Fresh Berries
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
4 lemons, zested and juiced
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut in chunks
1 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved lengthwise
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 pint fresh blackberries
2 cups sweetened whipped cream
1 prepared lemon pound cake, sliced
1/4 cup Lemoncello or Grand Marnier liqueur (optional)
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
To make the lemon curd:
Bring a pot of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Combine the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a metal or glass heat-resistant bowl and whisk until smooth. Set the bowl over the simmering water, without letting the bottom touch, and continue to whisk. Keep working-out that arm and whisk it vigorously for a good 10 minutes, until the curd has doubled in volume and is very thick and yellow. Don't let it boil. Remove the bowl from heat and whisk in the butter, a couple of chunks at a time, until melted. Refrigerate until the custard is cold and firm.
To build the trifle:
Put the berries in a mixing bowl and toss them together so they are evenly distributed. Fold the whipped cream into the chilled lemon curd to lighten it up into a mousse. Line a glass trifle bowl with pieces of pound cake to fit. Drizzle or brush the cake with the Lemoncello, spoon a layer of the lemon curd over the cake, and then a layer of mixed berries. Repeat the layers until the ingredients are used up, the last layer looks best if it's the berries. Chill before serving. Garnish with fresh mint. |
Mechant's Wine Sale 
It's July and it's time to celebrate our independence...our independence from routine. One of the great things about America is its diversity. America is a melting pot, an amalgamation of cultures, ethnicities, personalities, and tastes. Rather than focus solely on American wines this July, we will be highlighting a geographically diverse assortment of wines for your summer enjoyment.
2004 Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc - $15.99
2004 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc - $16.99
2002 Pares Balta Mas Petit - $11.99
Marietta California Old Vine Red Lot Number 36 - $11.99
2001 Lurton Mas Janeil Cotes du Roussillon-Villages Red - $13.99
2004 Woop Woop Shiraz - $11.99