Dinner Thread - Sunday March 29 to Saturday April 4 2026

I had a couple of small lobster tails, so I supplemented them with a few shrimp. Mushrooms, spinach, a Pernod cream sauce, the usual aromatics and we had a seafood pasta.

I caught Judy licking her bowl.

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QSis said:
Tried that already - no dice. But thanks, Peep.

Lee
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Braised Tuscan Pork Chops

Ingredients
    • 4 thick pork chops
    • 1/2 cup olive oil
    • 4 plum tomatoes, chopped
    • 1 red or green bell pepper, finely chopped
    • 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
    • 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
    • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
    • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
    • 1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
Steps
    • Lay pork chops down on a large platter or clean work board.
    • Heat a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot add in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is very hot add in the pork chops (Use a large enough pan to fit all 4 pork chops comfortably)
    • Cook the pork chops until brown on both sides (about 5 minutes per side). Remove from pan and set aside covered with foil.
    • Reduce the temperature to medium in your sauté pan add in another 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.
    • Once hot add in the tomatoes, pepper, carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Set cook for 3 minutes; stirring often using a wooden spoon.
    • Add in salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, thyme and basil. Stir into the vegetables. Add the pork chops back into the pan and top with the sofrito. Pour in wine or broth then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
 
rickismom said:
That looks phenomenal!! What’s your recipe for the Pernod sauce? I’d like to make that! 😋
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I don’t really have a recipe. It’s just a quick pan sauce.

I lightly cooked the seafood and the mushrooms separately in butter in a skillet the. Took them each out and set aside. Lightly sweated the spinach in the same pan and set that aside.

Then I sautéed a handful of diced shallot until translucent. Deglazed the fond with Pernod (maybe 1/4-1/3 cup). Added tarragon (same flavor profile as Pernod) and a pinch of cayenne. Then added heavy cream- enough to make a sauce for all the pasta and seafood. Reduced it until it’s a sauce consistency. Then tossed in all the previously cooked items and the cooked pasta. Use pasta water as needed to finish.

The whole thing came together during the12 minutes it took to boil the pasta. I didn’t write it here, but I make sure to salt each layer as I cook it.
 
SilverSage said:
I don’t really have a recipe. It’s just a quick pan sauce.

I lightly cooked the seafood and the mushrooms separately in butter in a skillet the. Took them each out and set aside. Lightly sweated the spinach in the same pan and set that aside.

Then I sautéed a handful of diced shallot until translucent. Deglazed the fond with Pernod (maybe 1/4-1/3 cup). Added tarragon (same flavor profile as Pernod) and a pinch of cayenne. Then added heavy cream- enough to make a sauce for all the pasta and seafood. Reduced it until it’s a sauce consistency. Then tossed in all the previously cooked items and the cooked pasta. Use pasta water as needed to finish.

The whole thing came together during the12 minutes it took to boil the pasta. I didn’t write it here, but I make sure to salt each layer as I cook it.
Click to expand...
Thank you! 😊
 
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