Pork Chops with Hot Pepper Jelly and Orzo Mediterranean

A few weeks ago, a neighbor gave us a jar of hot pepper jelly.  She'd made a big batch for a nephew and then found this last jar.  It has good heat to go with the sweetness.  The plan was use it on some ribs but I kept forgetting about it. 

The pork chops were grilled to almost done then had a thick layer of the jelly smeared on them.  The pork chops got the usual pregrilling treatment, a sprinkle of salt and pepper with a dash of whiskey to add some flavor.  There are two keys to good pork.  The first is to use just enough seasoning to enhance the flavor of the pork but not overwhelm it.  The second is to not over cook the pork.  Pork is well cooked at 145 F and thus will stay moist and flavorful.

The Orzo Mediterranean came about last week as a way to use some of the tomatoes from the garden.  It comes together easily.  While we ate it hot,  the good wife and I both thought it would do well as a cold dish/salad.  I call is Mediterranean because ingredients come from all over the Mediterranean.  Last week we had it with Thessaly sausage and boiled okra.  Thessaly sausage is a lamb sausage from northern Greece.  Our was actually mutton since it was made from Rainbow the Ram.

Orzo Mediterranean, Boiled Okra, and Thessaly Sausage

Orzo Mediterranean

Orzo,
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
8 oz Feta cheese
2 - 3 oz olive oil
salt
pepper
Lebanese 7 spice
fennel seed
1 1/2 T Basil, minced
1 T Sage, minced
1 T Marjoram, minced
1 T Greek Oregano, minced

Cook orzo according to package directions or until desired doneness.  Pour olive oil in skillet and turn to medium heat.  Add the garlic and onions to the olive oil and sautee until translucent.  Add the tomatoes and mushrooms and continue to sautee.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, fennel seed, and the 7 spice.  When the orzo is done, use a strainer spoon to take out of the water and put into the skillet.  Once all the orzo is in the skillet, stir to mix everything up.  Keep stirring and simmering until a thickened sauce forms, you may need to add a bit more olive oil.  After it has come together, taste and adjust seasoning.  Add the fresh herbs (Basil, Sage, Marjoram, Greek Oregano) and stir.  Top with the Feta cheese and stir to combine.  Serve and enjoy.

Orzo Mediterranean, Pork Chop with Hot Pepper Jelly, Boiled Okra

The Lebanese 7 spice is probably the same a generic Arabic 7 spice and can be found in any store carrying Middle Eastern spices and foods.  I call it Lebanese because the store I get it and my olive oil from is owned and run by a Lebanese family.  There is familly still in Lebanon overseeing the olive groves and running the olive oil processing plant.

As you see, a little experimentation in the kitchen yields some excellent results.  I hope you give this recipe a try and do some experimentation of your own.

Uncle T