Purple Green Beans with Black Garlic

During a last hurrah outing the Thursday before school started, Amy stopped by the Billings Forge Farmers Market in Hartford. Why did it have to be a "last hurrah"? Alas, this market is only open on Thursdays from 11 to 2, and that's pretty much prime school time, so we can never make it. But we have a soft spot for this particular market, because it is located in Frog Hollow, the Hartford neighborhood where Chris lived for ten years before we bought our house. 

During that time, Frog Hollow was in need of some revitalization, and the Billings Forge Community Works brought just that, transforming an old forge in an urban neighborhood into a true community force. Partnering with one of the best farm-to-table restaurants in Connecticut (and neighborhood employer), and consisting of a studio/community space, a teaching kitchen with a bakery/cafe, a community garden, apartments, and a youth program in addition to the market, the Works is doing a world of good. 

So, for the last time for a long time, Amy headed to the market before meeting friend Joanne for a grown-up lunch (also, for the last time for a long time). And she found something she had never seen before! Purple green beans! They turn green when you heat them! So here they are: purple green beans that we sauteed in ghee and tossed with black garlic for a delightfully interesting (and colorful) side dish made with odd ingredients. 

For information about the Billings Forge Farmers Market and all the great things happening at Billings Forge, go here or here. And stay tuned, because there is one other thing she bought at the market that she had never seen before, and we will tell you about it soon.

Purple Green Beans with Black Garlic

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon ghee

1 pound purple green beans

4 cloves black garlic, roughly chopped

Snip the ends of the beans and cut them in half. Melt ghee over high heat in a large saute pan. Toss in beans and allow to cook, untouched, for 4-5 minutes, until nicely seared. Add the garlic and toss. Cook another 4-5 minutes and serve hot. 

Chris Food: Brussels Sprouts

Amy is away for the weekend. This means that while she is in the land of pedicures and facials I am left behind to install lighting, repair dressers, move firewood and, most important of them all, make Chris Food. For those of you that have read some earlier Chris Food posts you understand my glee. For those of you that don't understand, Chris Food is the stuff that I only get to make when Amy goes away. It is usually something a bit off the main stream (anchovies, chicken hearts, goat, squid) or way-too-close-to-being-healthy (sprouts, fish, asparagus, eggplant). Put simply, it's food that I can eat year round but Amy reserves for special occasions. Or never. Which ever comes first.

Today's recipe was inspired by the fact that I bought a pork loin to smoke and share with the neighbors until I found out that they are leaving for a week. Not one to waste food I improvised by slicing a couple of boneless chops from the loin, hit them with a mallet and 'Voila' - a dinner I would make again. It has a pretty simple prep (10 minutes) and can be served within 40 minutes.

Pan seared garlic-basil pork chops with brussels sprouts baked in seasoned ghee and macadamia nuts

Serves 2

Ingredients:

14 brussels sprouts
2 boneless pork chops (~1/2 thick)
1/2 cup of flour
3 tablespoons ghee
1 tablespoon olive oil (2)
1/4 teaspoon crushed basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I used Salemme pepper)
salt and papper to taste

Sprouts:
Preheat oven to 350. Remove outer layer then wash. Cut in half lengthwise. Put in baking dish (I used a cast iron pan) with oil, rosemary, macademia nuts and red pepper flakes, salt. Mix. Scatter ghee across top of mix and place in oven for 40 minutes. Stir ocasionally to coat. Sprouts are done when they begin to caramelize.

Pork chops:

Place chops on cutting board. Season both sides with garli powder, crushed basil, salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and pound with mallet or heavy pan. Flip and repeat until meat is 1/4" to 1/2" thick. (This will only take a couple of hits.) Thoroughly coat with flour. Place in hot frying pan with 2 tablespoons of oil. Let meat sit until it moves when pan is shaken. Flip. Continue cooking for half of original time.