French Toast: The Blog is moving!

Yup, that's right. Check out our new location here: http://seklonsky.wordpress.com.

If I can get myself to post more often, I'll buy a domain and I'll be even more legit. Hmm, maybe I should get a camera, too.

Apple-Cider Caramelized Onions

I meant to post this a few months ago, but seeing that just posted a recipe for pork chops, I think including these onions (which would go GREAT with the previous post) is appropriate.

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I asked Jared to pick up a main course for dinner from the grocery. I didn't really care what it was, but when he brought home pork chops, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them: cover them in a sticky, spicy glaze and caramelized onions!

The process is simple, and the ingredients are probably in your pantry or fridge already.

Apple-Cider Quick Caramelized Onions

2 T. unsalted butter

1 Large Yellow or Brown Onion, sliced very thinly but in long pieces

1/4 c. Apple Cider Vinegar

2 T. granulated sugar

• Over low heat in a large saute pan, melt butter.
  
• When butter foam subsides, add onions and saute, stirring frequently. Add a pinch of kosher salt.
• After 8 - 10 minutes, the onions will begin to brown. At this stage, add half the apple cider vinegar. Scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck on brown bits.
  
• Continue to cook until all the liquid is gone and the onions again begin to stick to the bottom, about five minutes. Add the rest of the vinegar.
  
• Continue stirring and cooking the onions for another five minutes or so. The onions should be sticky and sweet. Serve...with almost anything.
  

Pork Chops in the Fall

Living in San Diego means that we don't get many clues for the changing of the seasons. Fall is just like any other month of the year: warm, clear, sunny. So instead of relying on the rain or changing leaves to tell me it's the fall, I change my cooking habits.

So for the first posting in a long time, here's a quick and simple way to enjoy the harvest season.

Marinated Pork Chops with Cranberry Sauce

For the cranberry sauce:
1 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 bag (12 oz) whole, fresh cranberries, rinsed
2 t. apple cider vinegar

2 t. cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ginger
2 t. thyme
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
1 T. kosher salt
1 t. black pepper
2 center cut, bone in pork chops, no more than 3/4" thick.

First, for the cranberries:

• The cranberry sauce recipe comes straight off the back of the bag, except I add a little apple cider vinegar at the end. You can omit it if you like or substitute a little orange or apple juice.
• Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 20-30 minutes until thick and all cranberries have popped.
  
• Cool for 10 minutes but keep warm.

Now the chops:

• Mix all ingredients in a bowl or ziplock bag.
• Add pork chops and toss with the marinade to coat evenly. Let rest for up to 4 hours, but at least 30 minutes. If you're going to marinate for more than an hour, place the chops in the refrigerator. Take them out to marinate on the counter an hour before you plan to cook them.
  
• Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet (cast iron is best) over medium heat. The oil should be very hot and shimmer in the pan. (You can add a small amount of pork fat to the pan and if it immediately begins to fry, you know the pan is ready)
• Add the pork chops to the pan and cook for about 6-8 minutes until the chops are nicely browned on the bottom. Turn over.
• Cook for another 4-6 minutes on the second side or until the chops are cooked through, but slightly pink in the middle.
• Allow the chops to rest for 5 minutes, then serve with cranberry sauce and applesauce.
  

Garden of Eden Organics

This week marked the first of my weekly deliveries for the next three months from Garden of Eden Organics. Thanks to a friend and colleague at UC San Diego, I've joined my first CSA -- Community Supported Agriculture.

In this week's box:

1 Lemon

1 Avocado

3 Honey Crisp Apples

3 Clementines

1 Bag of Baby Spinach

1 Bag of Baby Kale

1 Bunch Broccoli Leaves

1 Head Green Leaf Lettuce

1 Bunch Carrots

1 Bunch Red Beets

Tonight I made my first-ever meal, courtesy of my CSA Produce!

Poached Eggs over Broccoli Greens

Olive oil
1 medium clove of garlic, minced
1 t. kosher salt
1 bunch of broccoli leaves, cleaned and trimmed
2 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme
1 cup chicken broth
4 eggs
Zest of half a lemon
Parmiggiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
Black pepper, to taste

• Heat oil over medium heat in a large saute pan, add garlic and salt and sweat for 30 seconds to a minute. If you're using dried thyme, toss it in with the garlic. The hot oil will help release flavor into the final dish.
  
• Add broccoli leaves and fresh thyme and toss with the oil
  
• Once the broccoli leaves have wilted slightly, add the chicken broth, reduce heat to medium-low and cover.
  
• Allow the broccoli leaves to braise in the broth, tossing every 2 or 3 minutes. 
  
• The broccoli leaves will take about 15 minutes to become tender, but may be as long as 25 minutes.

• Meanwhile, bring 3-4 inches of water to a boil, add 1 T. kosher salt and a dash or two of distilled white or white wine vinegar.
  
• Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and give the water a stir so that it spins slowly
  
• Crack eggs into a custard cup or small bowl, and drop one-at-a-time into the water.
  
• Cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on your desired level of doneness.

• To serve, place poached eggs on top of a bed of braised broccoli leaves.
  
• Grate fresh lemon zest and parmiggiano-reggiano cheese, to taste.
  

La Frittata

I didn't really have much inspiration for dinner tonight. It needed to be quick (I got home at 8:15 pm), it needed to be delicious (obviously), and it needed to be blog worthy (no quesadilla tonight, kids!).

It hit me: a frittata. Not only are they incredibly easy to make, you can use whatever is in your refrigerator at the time. 

Tonight we ate a broccoli and parmigiano-reggiano frittata with browned sweet onions and garlic. Here's the recipe:

1.5 cups broccoli stems, steamed and chopped into small-ish pieces.

0.5 cup thinly sliced brown or yellow (vidalia work, too) onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 eggs

1 dash of water

3 T. milk

Salt and pepper to taste

0.5 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

• Pre-heat your broiler.
  
• Heat a non-stick, oven safe pan over medium heat. 
  
• Add a small amount of olive oil or butter and saute onions until soft, add garlic and continue to cook until soft and aromatic. 
  
• Add salt and pepper and continue to cook for 30 seconds. 
  
• Add cooked broccoli and cook until heated through. Spread mixture around pan to form an even layer on bottom. Turn heat down to medium-low.
  
• In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, water, salt and pepper until well mixed.
  
• Pour prepared eggs over the broccoli, onions, and garlic. Tilt and rotate the pan to ensure the eggs are evenly distributed over the other ingredients.
  
• Don't stir the eggs. Allow them to cook until 2/3 of the way done. Remove from the heat. Add cheese over the mixture evenly.
  
• Place the eggs under the broiler until eggs are fully cooked.
  
• Invert the frittata on a place, and slice into wedges.
  

Enjoy! Great for brunch, too! You can serve frittata hot, cold, reheated, however you please!

Eat Here: Pinkberry in Hillcrest

Pinkberry Hillcrest
3795 4th Ave, San Diego CA 92103
(619) 260-9106



Yes, I enjoy trendy hip frozen yogurt. But this frozen yogurt really is quite delicious. And the staff is really fun. They gave me free blueberries just for dancing in line.

My recommendation is to just get fresh fruit on top of plain yogurt. It's absolutely perfect. Enjoy!

Seth

Visiting the Parents: Lunch

Yes, I know. I've been very bad at updating this little blog of mine. Easter was how many months ago? 

I am up in the North Bay visiting my parents and family for the weekend. A quick lunch was in order, and here's what we cooked up.

Mixed Berry Salad

Spinach with lemon garlic vinaigrette

Grilled cheese with cheddar and Reggiano

I am sure you were expecting something a bit more gourmet, but frankly there is hardly a better lunch out there.

The berries were simple: sliced strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and mango (for fun). Toss them together and walk away for five minutes.

Here's the vinaigrette recipe:

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, halved

1 tsp. dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 tsp. each fresh thyme and rosemary

1/2 cup good extra virgin olive oil

Mix the first five ingredients together in a bowl or mason jar. While whisking continuously, add olive oil. If you're using a mason jar, add half the oil, shake vigorously, then add the second half and repeat.

When you're plating your salad, toss a few pinches of fresh herbs (or in this case a mixture of cayenne pepper, thyme, and paprika) on top along with fresh cracked pepper.

The grilled cheese was a simple mix of sliced cheddar and grated Reggiano. I grill my sandwiches on cast iron (the best) to a dark brown.

Enjoy! More updates to come, I promise.