A Good Meal and a Little Dreaming...

If you're still not sure what to have for dinner tonight, let me help.

Last weekend I decided to poke through my old cooking magazines for some fresh culinary inspiration. I came across a recipe in an old issue of the Dutch Delicious and the picture alone prompted me to try it- it looked so appetizing! The recipe is for grilled pork chops served with green olives (how I love green olives!), cherry tomatoes, onions and tagliatelle. The flavors were a perfect combination- lemon and mustard and a little sprinkling of basil at the end. I served the meal with a bottle of wine purchased in Burgundy last summer- and speaking of French wines- next Saturday we are headed to Ardèche for another glorious two- week French vacation! I can already picture myself guzzling bottle after bottle of fantastic wine, talking to charming vignerons, wandering through wonderful markets and eating my body weight in warm baguettes with jambon cru! Can't wait!

But enough fantasizing for now. Let's get back to this amazing meal...

Here's the recipe:

Grilled Pork Chops with Olives and Pasta
Serves 4

-1 lemon, the rind grated and the juice pressed
-1 tbsp grainy mustard
-5 tbsps olive oil
-freshly ground pepper
-4 pork shoulders, or 4 thin entrecôtes
-300-500 g fresh tagliatelle
-2 cloves of garlic, sliced
-1 large onion, in thin sections
-400 g vine cherry tomatoes, halved
-150 g green olives, halved
-4 tbsps roughly chopped basil, plus extra for garnishing

Mix 2 tbsps of the lemon juice with the rind, mustard and 3 tbsps of the oil. Brush the marinade over the meat. Grind a good amount of pepper over the pork and grill the meat for 15- 20 minutes, 4-6 minutes if using entrecôtes. Turn them once and brush with more marinade. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Heat the rest of the oil in a big pan and saute the garlic and onions. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook while stirring for two minutes. Drain the pasta and add it, together with the olives, to the tomato- garlic mix. Stir in the basil and serve immediately with the meat. Garnish with more basil leaves.

How I Love To Work Hard!

Things have been busy lately. I spend my days dreaming up recipes, testing them, writing, answering emails about food, meeting up with interesting people, writing some more and eating. I adore my work but this jam-packed schedule of mine has pretty much forced me to live on quick meals these days- and man am I enjoying it!
Just look at my beautiful couscous salad made with grilled asparagus, a few tablespoons of capers, a handful or two of cherry tomatoes, some chopped parsley and a lemony vinaigrette. I threw it together in a matter of minutes! The salad was served with smoked, peppered mackerel and the meal was accompanied by a glass or two of white wine. Working hard never tasted so good!