What a beautiful day at the market. The sun was shining and the air was just right. There was a lot of great stuff at the market this week: Asian pears, eggplant, goat cheese, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms just to name a few of things available. For my first Meal from the Market my goal is to introduce you to a few of the local products that farmers, ranchers, and producers around Austin and Central Texas bring to the table with a simple, family-style approach to serving.
With that in mind, autumn is approaching in Austin and we are starting to see some new items appearing and the menu this week will feature one of those: Asian pears. Fall approaching also means summer is coming to an end so we are going to be saying “bye” to some favorites soon: green beans and tomatoes will also be making a showing this week. Last but certainly not least, in the center of the plate, we have some very tasty Berkshire pork chops. Full disclosure: You will be seeing a lot of the Berkshire pork, not only is it extremely tasty, I am lucky enough to be the son of the people that raise those pigs and bring them to market. Check them out at PeachCreekFarms.com. Let’s get started.
Asian Pear Clafoutis |
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The Asian pear is a crisp pear with a juicy flesh and thin skin with a late summer to early fall season. When I bit into one of these it was crunchy and dripping with juice. To prepare this pear for the clafoutis we will need to poach it ahead of time to soften it up. For this we will be using Pear Poaching liquid. |
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Start by combining the sugar, water, and cinnamon and bringing to a boil. While you are waiting, peel and core the pears. A standard vegetable peeler and melon-baller work well for this; use the melon-baller to scoop out the core. |
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When the liquid comes to a rapid boil reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to let the flavor of the cinnamon permeate the water. I had enough pears that I needed to do two batches so I added half the pears at this point and returned my pot to a boil. Careful, this stuff will boil over if you do not stir occasionally. |
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Once the pears had cooked long enough that I could easily poke the tip of a knife into them, about 5 minutes, I removed the first batch and returned the pot to a boil and then adding the second half, repeating the previous steps. |
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When all the pears were finished I added 2 cups of water to the poaching liquid for 2 reasons: to cool it down slightly and to provide enough to cover all the pears with liquid. I then poured this over the pears and refrigerated them. |
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For the next part of the clafoutis we need to make the batter. First, combine all of your dry ingredients in one bowl... |
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...and all your wet ingredients in another, mixing well. |
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Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until there are no lumps remaining. |
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Remove the pear halves that you will be using for the clafoutis, reserving some for a later use, and drain them well on paper towels, patting any excess moisture from the flesh. |
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Arrange the pears in the dish you will be using to bake in. |
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Pour the batter over the pears and bake at 425° F for about 20 minutes or until puffed and slightly browned.This dessert is best served on the hot side of warm and should be made as close to serving time as possible. |
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Take the remaining pears and dice them into small pieces. Shortly before serving, saute the pears in a little bit of butter until just hot. |
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The assembled parts of the dessert: the clafoutis, sauteed pears, and whipped cream. You might also want to get some powdered sugar and some mint for garnish. |
Berkshire Pork Chops with Rosemary-Balsamic marinade |
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Berkshire pork has an outstanding flavor on its own. We're going to use a simple balsamic vinaigrette made with rosemary instead of basil or oregano. Garlic would be a great addition to this recipe but alas, I had none. Mix up the marinade and place your pork in a container deep enought o hold them and the marinade. |
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Pour the marinade over the chops, turning them to coat evenly. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. |
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Heat a pan with 1-2 tablespoons of canola or other oil over medium-high heat until the oil is hot and add the chops. Reduce the heat to prevent burning and cook until blood is coming out of the bones in multiple places. |
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Flip the chops and cook until done, 165°F according to most health regulations. I prefer mine a bit less cooked than that but never less than 145°F. |
Green Beans with tomato concassè |
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Tomato concassè is one of those things that sounds harder to prepare than it really is. Step one: core the tomato and score it on the bottom with an X. |
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Bring a pot of water deep enough to cover the tomato to a rapid boil. Place the tomato into the water. |
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Take the tomato out when the skin starts to peel away. |
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Place the tomato in a bowl of ice water and let stand for five to ten minutes. |
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Remove the tomato and peel away the skin. You should be able to remove almost all of it with your fingers. Use a pairing knife if needed to help with any stubborn spots. |
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Quarter the tomatoes... |
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...and remove the seeds. Discard the seeds or use for another purpose. Cut the flesh into the desired size, for our uses about 1/2-inch. |
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Prepare the green beans by pinching off the stem with your fingers. Then slice the green beans into 2-inch pieces at an angle. |
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Bring a pot of water to a rapid boil. Add the green beans, cooking in batches if needed so as not to overload the pot. |
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As the beans are cooking melt a few tablespoons of butter in a saute pan and add some minced garlic, cooking until just fragrant. Add the tomato concasse and cook for 2 minutes. |
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Add the green beans right to the pan and toss well until combined. Alternatley, you could mix the tomatoes and green beans in a bowl. |
Sweet Potato Cakes |
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Potato cakes are awesome and tasty and can be made out of any kind of potato that you can shred. For this recipe you must move fairly quickly because some oxydation (graying) of the potato will occur as the potato sits exposed to the air. |
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Combine all the ingredients for the cakes in a bowl.. |
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...and mix well. |
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Heat about 1/4 of a cup canola or other oil in a 9-inch pan until hot. Place a dollop of potato mix in the pan and flatten with a spatula, shaping if necessary. |
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Pan-fry the cakes until golden brown on one side and then flip being careful not splatter any oil. |
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When the cakes have finished cooking, remove them to a paper-towel lined plate or baking pan and drain off any excess cooking oil. |
The Meal |
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Family-style is the way to go with this meal. Cut the sweet potato cakes in half and arrange on a platter. Place the pork chops along side. Serve the green beans in a separate bowl. |
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For the dessert, place a scoop of the clafoutis on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Top the clafoutis with the hot sauteed pears and a dollop of whipped cream. Garnish and serve immediately. |
Recipes used in this meal: