Hope the Coconut Cake becomes a favourite.
About the Easter main course…
I know everyone has family traditions.
But now safety is more important than what Great Grandma Gertrude served.
Think of this: you go to the store to get the traditional main course.
The big day comes.
You cook and serve it and infect everyone at the table with the virus you also got at the store.
Really, now is the time to let your head rule your heart.
Stay home and keep your loved ones and yourself safe.
To be honest, some members of the family won’t miss that dish.
Shop your freezer and pantry.
Pork chops or chicken or pasta, served with a bit of dash, will be just fine.
Sometimes fancy comes from the sauce.
If you have a jar of capers and some lemon juice in your pantry, you’re all set.
The nice tangy lemon caper sauce balances the sweetness of pork.
Butter adds richness and tones down the tartness.
The sauce will also go well with chicken.
Hint:
Don’t want to use white wine? No problem.
- Wine vinegar or lemon juice, diluted with water at a 1:1 ratio before adding to recipes, will work.
For a sweeter flavour try 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup vinegar and 1 tablespoon sugar.
- Pomegranate juice and Cranberry juice are less acidic than red wine.
Mix with a tablespoon of vinegar, for a stronger flavour.
- Because of its similar acidity and sweet taste ginger ale may replace white wine in cooking. It will also give a slightly ginger flavour to the sauce.
- Grape or apple or tomato juice can be used to replace wine at a 1:1 ratio in recipes.
- Chicken, beef and vegetable stock can replace the wine in recipes.
- Canned mushroom liquid can replace red wine in cooking, especially in savory dishes.
- If you don’t have any of these on hand, simply use water to replace wine in cooking.
if you don’t have lemon zest, use a bit more lemon juice, or lemon extract, for a stronger flavour.
Capers are pickled; so if there’s enough juice covering what’s left, they will keep well in the fridge.
This serves four, but if you’re a couple, the leftovers make a nice easy meal, too.
Pork Chops in Lemon Caper Sauce
Serves 4
Combine in a bowl
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Dry with paper towels
4 thick boneless pork chops, about 1-inch thick
Season on both sides with the salt mixture.
Finely chop an onion, enough to make 1 Tablespoon.
Mince 2 garlic cloves.
In a large frying pan place
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Heat the oil over medium high heat.
Add the chops to the pan and cook through, about 5-7 minutes per side.
Remove chops to a plate and cover to keep them warm.
Drain the fat from the skillet.
Add
2 Tablespoons butter
Heat until it sizzles.
Add
finely chopped onion
minced garlic cloves
Sauté for about a minute.
Sprinkle in
1 Tablespoon flour
Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Stir in
1 Cup dry white wine
1 1/2 Cups chicken stock
Raise the heat to high: bring the sauce to a boil, scraping the bits in the pan.
Reduce the heat to medium.
Simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
Stir in
2 Tablespoons drained capers
1 Tablespoon dried parsley or 2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Simmer for about 2 minutes.
Add
2 Tablespoons butter
Stir until it has melted, then place the chops back in the pan to heat through.
Serve with rice or pasta and a cooked vegetable.
~~~
Here are a few more recipes that use capers.
Maybe one of them will make use of what you have at home.
Happy Easter, everyone, and stay safe and well!
Meats and Poultry
Pasta and Sauce
Seafood
Fish and Marrows with Piquant Sauce, Maltese Style
Swordfish or Chicken Breast Rolls / Swordfish, Mackerel, Tuna and Shrimp
Carmela Soprano's Calamari Ripieni / Stuffed Squid in Tomato Sauce
Anna Sultana's Baccala alla Marinara / Baked Salt Cod, Maltese Style
Vegetables
