spiced rub for pork chops

Or really, I suppose you can use this on just about any pork-related product.  It's so good!  You don't need to buy the Northwood Fire mix if you have all of the components; just mix up your own version.  But it has just the right amount of smoke and heat in its prefab state, so makes the whole process easier.  Then we amped up the garlic and added extra salts to get a good crust going on the grill pan.  The smoked salt is just so divine, but the chocolate salt is key - gives a depth of flavor without adding a whole chocolate-y thing; just enough to get your tastebuds interested.

1/2 t Northwoods Fire seasoning mix (Penzey's mix of coarse flake salt, paprika, chipotle pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme, rosemary & garlic)
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t dry mustard
1/4 t ground cardamom
1/2 t smoked salt (from Golden Fig)
1 t chocolate salt (from Golden Fig)
1/2 t dried aleppo pepper

Makes enough to generously rub down 4 pork chops.

fig berry jam

I went to the Minnesota State Fair this weekend and watched a presentation by Laurie of Golden Fig - one of the best local foods purveyors (and manufacturers, actually) in the area.  She was showing simple recipes for fun, fresh food on a stick.  But what got me was the beautiful fresh figs she had - and they were on sale at Whole Foods.  I drove straight from the fair to pick up 2 pints to play around with.  Then I set about finding a recipe for fig jam.  

Two days later, I saw Laurie again at the St. Paul Farmer's Market taste testing some of her mixes and flavored sugars.  The cherry cardamom sugar caught my attention and voila!  The flavor components of my Fig Berry Jam were born. Thanks for 2x the inspiration, Laurie!

1.5 lbs fresh mission figs
1/4 lb dried cherries
1/2 c honey (get good, sweet, local honey - I used wildflower)
1/4 t cardamom
1/4 t white pepper
1/2 t kosher salt
zest and juice of 2 small lemons
3/4 c St Croix Valley raspberry infusion wine (I just happened to have this,  if you don't, just use red wine)
6 cardamom pods, cracked with the flat side of your knife
1 T amaretto

Heat 1/2c of the wine and the cardamom pods over medium-high heat until liquid is reduced by half or more. Strain out the seeds and pods; set reduction aside.

Wash & stem figs and chop into rough 1/2" pieces.  In a large stock pot or saucepan, mix together all ingredients except for the last 1/4 c raspberry wine and amaretto.  Bring to boil and reduce heat to maintain a nice bubbling simmer.  Cook 30-40 minutes until cherries are well plumped and figs are cooked through. Add remaining wine and amaretto just at the end.  Taste and re-season, if necessary.

Turn off heat and let mixture sit for 10 minutes.  Pour into food processor and pulse until you get the desired texture.  (I like mine with a bit of body, but pretty well pureed).

You can just bottle this up, can using the boiling process, or freeze.  Makes about 25-27oz of jam.

Trixie's tips:

• Enjoy with a cheese plate with goat cheese, manchego, marcona almonds and a pool of honey to smear on flatbread, crackers or toasted baguette.
• We also rolled about a tablespoon each jam and goat cheese into a crepe for brunch. Yum and yum.
• This will also stand in beautifully for your normal breakfast jam on toast.
• Lastly, warm this jam with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and serve over super dark chocolate ice cream.  Alternatively, crush a few meringue cookies, layer with this warm jam mixture and just a bit of heavy cream (whipped or not, doesn't matter).

cooking away

While spring is my favorite season (blooming flowers, first signs of local produce, and the hope of warm sunny days after months of snow), fall is my favorite cooking season.  Flush with veggies and starting to crave jeans & sweatshirts, I can't think of anything I want to do more than cook.

Beyond that, cooking is also my way of decompressing and dealing with my over-active brain.  The mindless chopping and peeling and fussing are the perfect balm for my anxiety.  Plus, I'm not so bad at it so the results tend to be as enjoyable as the process.

This weekend, full of summer and the fair and weddings and otherwise over-committed days, I found myself longing for my kitchen.  So I've spent the better part of the past 24 hours in full-on cooking, baking and exercising my kitchen modes.  Thankfully my better half is an avid and enthusiastic cleaner upper and is the organized, recovery to my cook-and-destroy.  So he's been a great partner in my maniacal cooking fest.  Plus, he loves food and loves to cook himself so he's a truly willing participant.

Other benefits of my weekend onslaught included inspiration for our Christmas gift planning (we're doing all-homemade gifts this year - together) and making productive use of the abundant farmer's market. But mostly it tweaked the creative side of my brain which, quite frankly, feels as if it's been dormant for a few weeks.  Rushing through life headlong gives me that "just subsisting" vibe.  And that makes me even more anxious.  Riff on this recipe.  Tweak that spice mix.  Dream up a delicious cocktail.  And enjoy it all with the one I love.  Cooking is just good therapy all around.

I'll be posting recipes as I get a few moments here (I actually wrote them down for a change!) and taking a break here and there to, well, eat.  Therapy you can devour.  Delicious.