Wednesday's Chow - Cook Lover's Basket

Have a cook in the family?  Here's a gift just from them at Brenda Novak’s 8th Annual Auction for Diabetes Cure: Cooking Gift Basket.

“The winner of this auction will receive a collection of cookbooks, from cookies to easy weekday recipes to Cordon Bubba’s Texas yummies to Victorian-era treats to The All American Cowboy Cookbook (300 recipes from the world’s greatest cowboy’s). Also included is the romance anthology “Recipe for Love” (dozens of romances and recipes), and Anna Kathryn Lanier’s “A Gift Beyond All Measure” ebook, with bonus cookbook.”

And just yesterday, I bought a new cookbook for this basket: GOOD HOUSEKEEPING GRILLING-More Than 120 Perfect Year-Round Recipes.  And to whet your appetite, here's a recipe from the new addition to the basket!

FENNEL-ORANGE PORK CHOPS WITH GRILLED VEGETABLES

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel

4 pork rib or loin chops, 1 inch thick, (about 6 ounces each), trimmed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 heads radicchio di Traviso (about 4 ounces each), each cut lengthwise in half, 

    or 1 large round radicchio (about 8 ounces) cut into 8 wedges

2 large heads Belgian endive (about 5 ounces each), cut lengthwise into quarters

Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium heat.

In mortar with pestle or in sip-tight plastic bag with rolling pin, crush fennel seeds with thyme, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir orange peel into fennel-seed mixture. With hand, rub both sides of pork chops with mixture.

In medium bowl, mix oil, vinegar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Add radicchio and endive to bowl and gently toss to mix.

Place pork chops on hot grill rack and grill 5 minutes. Turn chops and add vegetables to grill. Grill until chops have just a heat of pink color in center and vegetables are browned, 5 to 7 minutes.  

Bid on the Cook's Lover Basket HERE.