There is food that sustains us and then there are foods that make us happy, content and "primally" nourished. I don't eat food that has any labels or tags to read. I just eat the raw ingredient that has a little story to tell me quietly about how I should best cook it. Whether it be vegetable or fish or meat or grain looking at it inspires me to figure out how best to prepare it in this moment. Recipes are only a guideline. It is the cook's choice to have a little fun or a burst of creativity and I guess that depends on the ingredients in front of you and how deeply you react to them.
I have to admit I am a veal chop junkie and I am verbalizing it to the world! I LOVE VEAL CHOPS, HOPELESSLY!!! Whenever I say that, which is rarely I look around like I was talking about George W. Bush because everyone has a reaction to veal and I am sure that it isn't fifty fifty. Everyone has an opinion about how veal is raised. What about finding properly raised veal?...Hey, you either eat meat or you don't!
I don't eat anything that I don't know its origins and I cook it with proper reverence. Well back to veal chops. For me a dinner of veal chops can cut thick fog, silence a hectic day or make the sun shine in the dark of night, I love them that much! Using a simple or complex preparation it doesn't matter, it takes control of my kitchen.
The secret ingredients have a way of coming out of the back of my pantry and my best colorless dishes have a way of begging to be part of the veal chop presentation. I like the chops broiled, but best of all I love them grilled. At a searing hot temperature I grill to medium rare after marinating briefly with the simplest fresh cut rosemary, a fruity olive oil, garlic finely chopped and a small dribble of aged balsamic vinegar. That is my favorite! Last night I served them with pasta with a Gorgonzola sauce and quickly grilled asparagus, it was heavenly, restorative and energizing enough to live on the vapors for a whole other day or two. Plus it was quick and simple to make. My kind of meal...
Brenda's Gorgonzola Pasta
1 whole pint of the best all purpose cream
1/2 to 3/4 of a pound of gorgonzola
1 pound of fine Italian pasta, I prefer linguine
In a saucepan bring the cream to a simmer, look for steam coming from the surface. Take the pan off the heat and add all the gorgonzola cheese, I like to break it up into chucks and gently whisk. It should melt with the heat of the pan but don't worry it will finish the melting process when poured into the hot, drained pasta. Cook your best pasta in a copious amount of boiling water, drain well and add the gorgonzola sauce. Mix well add parsley. I serve the veal chop leaned up on the mound of cheesy pasta so the veal juices meld into the pasta....
And did I mention it is all ready to serve in 30 minutes?
Brenda Athanus runs a small gourmet food shop in Belgrade Lakes, Maine with her sister Tanya called the Green Spot.
The Green Spot
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