Greek Style Pork

My infatuation with the Greek theme continues with this dinner I will highlight today.  This dinner was highlighted by the fresh veggies that Shells has brought home from the farmer's market.  Asparagus, purple eggplant, yellow squash and zucchini made up the base for this plate which was topped off with a pork chop.

For the pork I used a dry rub of greek seasoning on the chop and then sliced each one open towards the bone.  I stuffed the chops with some slices of Halloumi and then grilled them over medium-high heat until they were cooked through.  I topped them with a bit of Tzatziki sauce, try it and enjoy!

Greek Cheese Fries

This year I got Sunday Ticket and ended a 14 year tradition of watching Chicago Bears games at Buffalo Wild Wings when in Richmond.  After 14 years of Coors Light, wings and fries every Sunday, I've been trying all sorts of different snacks this year.

For the game a couple of weeks ago Shells asked me to do something Greek, so I went with Greek style lamb fries.

Greek Style Lamb Fries:

2/3 lb lamb shoulder, boneless

1/3 cup crumbled feta

2/3 cup shredded Halloumi cheese

3 tbsp Tzatziki sauce

1 tbsp diced mint

Ore-ida Waffle Fries (about 25 fries, enough to cover the plate in 1 layer)

1/2 tbsp Greek seasoning mixed with 1 tbsp olive oil

Season the lamb with the seasoning by rubbing the oil mixture all over the lamb.  Preheat the oven to 350F and roast the lamb, wrapped in foil, for about 1.5 hours.  Remove the lamb, raise the oven temperature to 425F, transfer to a new plate and cover.  Once the oven comes to temperature, cook the fries per the instructions, removing from the oven about 5 minutes before they are done.

While the fries are cooking, shave and/or roughly chop the lamb.  Layer the fries on an oven proof plate and then top with the Halloumi cheese, lamb and feta.  Return to oven for 10 minutes to melt the cheese (or until fries start to blacken on the edges).  

Top with Tzatziki sauce and mint, serve and enjoy!  Oh, and watch the hot plate!

The Wife Makes Plum Upside Down Cake

A few weeks back I was making my weekly farmer's market run.  I saw some beautiful fresh fruit and felt the urge to do some baking.  

Thanks to Epicurious I was able to find a Plum Upside Down cake recipe while I was browsing the market.  

Ingredients

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed golden brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

6 large plums, halved, pitted, each half cut into 6 wedges

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup milk

Lightly sweetened whipped cream

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir 6 tablespoons butter, brown sugar and honey in heavy medium skillet over low heat until butter melts and sugar and honey blend in, forming thick, smooth sauce. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Arrange plums in overlapping concentric circles atop sauce.
• Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat remaining 6 tablespoons butter in large bowl until light. Add sugar and beat until creamy. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in extracts. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, mixing just until blended. Spoon batter evenly over plums. Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool in pan 30 minutes.
• Using knife, cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Place platter atop cake pan. Invert cake; place platter on work surface. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently lift off pan. Serve cake warm with whipped cream.

Hints

I followed the recipe pretty closely.  My pan did not have 2 inch sides but it still came out perfectly fine.  Definitely serve warm and I served with ice cream instead of whipped cream.