Adhoc Systems

Yields 4
Takes 45M

From The Tomato Festival Cookbook by Lawerence Davis-Hollander. The notes say that it works particularly well as an accompaniment to oily fish, such as mackerel and salmon, and on pork, ham, or duck.

• 2 cups granulated white/organic evaporated cane sugar
• 3 cups red wine vinegar
• 20 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 4-8 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed
• 20 black peppercorns
• zest and juice of 2 oranges
• zest and juice of 2 lemons

Yields 4
Takes 30M

Leftover veal piccata will keep in the refrigerator for three or four days, if well wrapped. To reheat, place it in a low oven (300 F) with the sauce on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Add some more stock to cover, and cover with foil. Reheat for about 15 to 20 minutes until completely hot.

To freeze leftover veal piccata, separate the veal from the sauce if at all possible. Store the sauce in a zip-close bag or a freezer-safe jar, and the veal, well-wrapped, in a zip-close freezer bag.

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt (to taste)
• Freshly ground white pepper (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons high-heat vegetable oil (e.g., safflower, sunflower, peanut, grapeseed)
• 8 (2-ounce) veal cutlets (pounded flat)
• 1 cup veal stock (or chicken stock)
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley (finely chopped)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste
• 1/2 lemon, sliced for garnish

Yields 4
Takes 1H

To minimize the risk of the buttermilk separating, add it later. Add the chicken broth to the onion-and-flour mixture and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until thickened and reduced. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the water and buttermilk and then add the pork chops and continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes as directed. Make sure to keep the heat low once you've added the buttermilk.

This delicious variation on the gravy is very easy to make:

• Add 2 cups of any sliced mushrooms of your liking—such as baby bella, white, portobello, or cremini—at the same time as you add the onions to the pan.
• Let the onions caramelize and the mushrooms brown.
• Add a splash of sherry before proceeding with the subsequent steps.

Smothered pork chops with onion gravy over rice is a hearty meal that doesn't need much in the way of sides. Nonetheless, here are a few side dish ideas that complement the savory flavors of the dish:

• Bread: Cornbread and corn muffins are always tasty partners with anything that features pork. Substitute with French or sourdough bread for a milder flavor, or make garlic bread for a pungent punch.
• Veggies: Serve with cooked green vegetables or legumes like broccoli, mustard greens, peas, green beans, or lima beans. Or make a salad dressed in a citrusy vinaigrette.
• Pasta: Try our creamy baked macaroni and cheese, or serve with a simple spaghetti aglio e olio.
• Rice: This delicious mushroom risotto beautifully enhances the onion flavor in the gravy.
• Wine: Try pinot noir or shiraz for a satisfying pairing.

• 4 large pork chops, 1 1/2 inches thick; about 2 pounds
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups cooked white rice

Takes 10M

Per The Old Farmer's Almanac, you could replace the molasses with maple syrup, honey, or another sweetener or just cut back on the sweetener. Start with less—as you can always add more. Switchel shouldn’t coat your mouth; it should taste refreshing. Another idea is to add a teaspoon of fresh lemon or lime juice for zing.

• 1 gallon water
• 1-1/2 cups molasses
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

Yields 6
Takes 6H 35M

• 4–5 fresh tomatoes, cut in half horizontally and squeezed to remove seeds and excess juices, and chopped into 1-inch pieces (yield approximately 3 cups)
• 1 partially-baked 9-inch pie crust (see instructions here) – baked for about 8-minutes in a 450 degree F. oven
• 1/2 cup finely diced sweet Vidalia onion (about 1/2 a medium onion)
• 1/4 cup finely sliced basil (8 leaves)
• 2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (or other cheeses of your choice)
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Cholula Hot Sauce
• A generous pinch of kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Yields 2
Takes 17M

• 2 center-cut, bone-in pork chops, 1 ½ – 2 inches thick
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1–2 tablespoons olive oil

Yields 4
Takes 30M

• 4 bone-in pork chops, 1-1/2 inch thick
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tsp Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 6 tbsp Butter
• 2 lbs Crimini mushrooms, tough ends removed, cut in half
• 3 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup Dry white wine
• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp Fresh thyme, minced
• 1 Lemon
• 2 tbsp Fresh chives

Yields 4
Takes 30min

• 7 cups diced watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and pepper
• Pinch of cayenne
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
• 2 cups diced honeydew melon or cantaloupe, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 cups diced cucumber, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons snipped chives
• Handful of small basil leaves
• Handful of small mint leaves
• Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
• Pinch of flaky salt such as Maldon or fleur de sel (optional)

Yields 8
Takes 50M

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage links
• 3 pints cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium-large onion, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
• 4 large cloves of garlic, sliced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 can (about 16 ounces each) white beans, undrained

Yields 8
Takes 55M

• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 small zucchini, chopped
• 2 medium yellow squash, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 soft taco-size (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 4 cups shredded Colby jack cheese
• 1 medium jalapeno pepper (or 2 if desired), minced
• 1 16-oz can pinto beans, drained
• 3 eggs
• 1-1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 teaspoon dry or prepared mustard

Yields 6
Takes 1H 50M

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 pound chicken thighs, chopped
• 12 ounces andouille, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• 1/2 cup peanut oil or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium celery stalk, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup okra
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 tablespoons chopped parsley + more for garnishing
• 1 tablespoon filé powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups white rice

Yields 7
Takes 1H

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 small onions chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2-3 serrano peppers, chopped
• 2-3 jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound andouille sausage, chopped
• 3-4 tomatoes, chopped – about a pound
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cup white rice
• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 teaspoons spicy Cajun seasoning
• chopped parsley for garnish
• your favorite hot sauce for serving