Pan Cooked Pork Chops with Cilantro Rice and Fresh Salsa

I had some unused ingredients from my Mango Jicama Salsa and some tomatoes in my kitchen, so this dinner started with the salsa. Then I decided to finally cook a couple pork chops I had in the freezer for a while and added the rice to round out the meal. I ate the salsa more like a side salad than a condiment.

Fresh Salsa

4 tomatoes, seeded, stemmed and chopped
2 thin slices of red onion, chopped fine
1 jalapeno, seeded, stemmed and minced
1/4 c chopped cilantro leaves
1 to 2 tsp tabasco sauce
juice from 1 lime
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp sugar

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix.
Set aside while preparing the rest of the meal.

Cilantro Rice

1 c rice
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped

Fill a medium stock pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Add salt, mix.
Add rice, stirring until water returns to a boil.
Boil rice until tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.
When rice is done, drain in a sieve.
Melt butter in empty, warm pan.
Add rice back to the pan and stir in the butter.
Sprinkle in cilantro and stir.

Pan Cooked Pork Chops

1 tbsp oil
2 boneless pork chops
adobo, to taste

Heat a cast iron pan over medium to medium high heat.
Sprinkle pork chops with adobo on both sides.
Add oil to hot pan.
Add pork chops and cook until browned well on one side.
Turn pork chops over and cook until done.

Garlic Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Cauliflower

Spring has arrived full force in Maine. Spring in Maine equals some beautiful, chilly days with lots of sun and many cloudy, very rainy cold days. The spring brings a renewed desire for fresh vegetables in my kitchen, but the cold days are also pushing me towards some warmer vegetables. Sunday was cold and rainy, so I opted for roasting some cauliflower I had purchased this week. The chicken is a typical flavor combination I use in my kitchen. I really just wanted the cauliflower, but thought I should get some protein since I've been exercising more regularly.

Garlic Rosemary Chicken

4 chicken thighs
1/2 c sliced red onion
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
4 sprigs rosemary
2 tsp oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a square baking dish, place the onion, garlic, and rosemary.
Lay the chicken thighs on top of the vegetables and herbs.
Rub each thigh with 1/2 tsp oil, then rub in salt and pepper.
Bake for 1 hour, or until done.

Roasted Cauliflower

1 large head cauliflower, washed and broken and cut into equal sized florets
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper (or to taste)

Place cauliflower in a large bowl.
Melt butter and mix with oil.
Pour butter/oil mixture over the cauliflower and toss to coat.
Pour into an even layer on a cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
When chicken has about 1/2 hour remaining to cook, place the cauliflower in the oven and roast until browned a bit.

Mango and Jicama Salsa

Having a party to attend last night, I made this salsa to bring. At first it is a bit crunchy, but as the night went on the jicama became softer and the flavors melded a bit better. I would suggest making this in the morning or the day before.

Mango and Jicama Salsa

2 ripe mangoes, peeled, flesh cut from the pit and diced fine
1 jicama, peeled and diced fine
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded, stemmed and minced
1/4 c red onion, diced fine
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
juice from 2 limes
2 tablespoons minced cilantro

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and allow to sit a few hours before serving. If you're unsure about the salt and sugar amounts, add the smaller amount and add more later should the salsa require it.