Interesting and Easy Recipes

Here are some more interesting things to cook using ingredients that you can find in China.


~~~Citrus Pork Chops~~~


Ingredients:


rice-wine vinegar (white or yellow, not the dark)--up to 1/4 cup
juice from 5 or 6 fresh medium sized oranges (can also be OJ from the jug)--equal amount to vinegar up to 1/4 cup
vegetable oil--2 Tbsp
soy sauce--2Tbsp
2 cloves fresh garlic--minced
chili paste*--1 tsp.
4 pork chops**


Directions:


**First, you need to remove the skin from the pork chops. Pork in China is sold with the skin on and while this is great for frying or slow roasting the meat, it is not so great for marinating. To do this, take the tip of your knife and cut along the muscle. You can leave a little of the fat on if you like so long as all the skin is removed.


In a large bowl or big plastic zip-top bag, combine vinegar, orange juice, oil, soy sauce, garlic, and chili paste. Place pork chops in bowl or bag with and seal it up. refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. To cook, heat a large skillet or heavy pan over medium heat. Remove chops from marinade and place into hot pan. Sauté until browned. Turn once. This will take about 5-6 minutes per side for chops that are 1" thick. If your chops are thicker, it will take longer. Serve with rice.


To test your chops to see if they are done without using a thermometer, use a flat spatula or spoon and press down on the chop. if the juices that come out are clear, the chop is nearly done. If the juices are pink or cloudy, it is not done. Remember to let your chops rest for 5 minutes before cutting into them. This will help keep them moist while you are eating them.


* If you can't get chili paste, use chili oil instead of vegetable oil. You can also make a paste out of 1 tsp. chili oil mixed with a little flour, pinch of sugar, dash of salt, and mustard. If you don't like it too spicy, use less chili paste/oil. If you can't find chili oil, you can use fresh minced chili peppers.






~~~Easy Roasted Chicken or Game Hens~~~
(I ate this the other day with peas and couscous)


Note: you will need an oven for this one.


Ingredients:


Whole Chicken or Game Hen(s)
Butter--some cold and some melted for basting


Instructions:


Remove the head from the raw chicken by inserting your knife between the vertebrae of the neck about and inch from the shoulders and applying firm pressure. The neck and head should pop off fairly easily. Separate the skin on the breast from the muscle by inserting a finger between the skin and muscle at the neck and wiggling the finger around. be careful not to puncture the skin. When you have a nice pocket formed, place a wad of butter in it and let the skin close over the butter. Repeat this for both sides of the beast and on the back as well.


Pre-heat oven to 350 F (177 C). Baste bird with melted butter and place in a roasting pan (or on a spit if your oven comes with a rotisserie). Roast for 45 minutes or until bird is done. The internal temperature of the breast should read 155-160 F (68-72C). Remove the bird and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. While the bird is resting, the internal temperature will rise to around 162-165 F (72-74 C). Serve with your favorite veggies.


*Note: for extra flavor, you can add onions, garlic, or leeks to the butter. You can also salt and pepper the skin lightly. Lemon grass is also good, as is sage or rosemary if you can find it.