Page 18 - March & April

16 MYROUSESEVERYDAY MARCH | APRIL 2013
Some kids play ball with their Dads. Others ride bikes or read stories or
work in the yard. For us, we cooked. That’s the way it’s been since we
were small children and the way it will probably always be. Our high
quality, heart-to-heart time with our Dad has always come in the kitchen. And
that is why we though sharing this favorite Sunday dinner recipe here would be
a perfect Father’s Day tribute to him!
For us, family meals usually involved a lot of chopping, prepping, stirring and…
watching. In between dish washing and onion dicing, we would watch. What
ingredients went into the pot? At what temperature is that cooking? Why
did you do it that way instead of this way? Our endless questions were always
greeted with a smile and a precise, informative answer. We were learning con-
stantly just by being in the kitchen with our Dad, sucking up as much of his
seemingly endless culinary knowledge as our growing brains could absorb.
What we didn’t realize then but we can appreciate now
as adults is just how valuable this shared time was. In
those moments, he was not only teaching us the practi-
cal skill of meal preparation. He was instilling in us a
lifelong love for and appreciation of sharing food with
people close to us.
So, here is one of our favorite recipes for Smothered Pork
Chops we hope you can share with your Dad and other
loved ones this Father’s Day. When we started following
a Gluten Free diet, we had to alter our Dad’s original
recipe a bit. But, as you’ll see, the Gluten Free version is
just as flavorful and delicious as the traditional one.
Happy Cooking from our gluten free table to yours!
As Good As It Gets
SHARING FOOD & MEMORIES
ON FATHER’S DAY
Emeril Lagasse with his daughters, Jilly Lagasse and Jessie Lagasse Swanson.
RECIPE, try me!
Season both sides of each pork chop with several sprinkles
of Essence Seasoning, salt and pepper. In a large skillet over
medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and sear the chops for
2 to 4 minutes on each side, or until they begin to brown.
Remove the chops from the skillet and set aside. Lower the
heat to medium and add more olive oil until you estimate
that there is again about 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan.
Add the flour blend and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes,
stirring constantly so the roux doesn’t burn. The mixture
should turn the color of light peanut butter. Add the onion,
½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook another
5 minutes, or until the onions have softened and are coated
with the roux. Stir in the 2 2/3 cups of chicken stock until
the roux mixture has blended smoothly into the stock.
Return the pork chops to the skillet, along with the bay
leaf, and cover. Simmer on low heat for 30 to 45 minutes,
stirring the roux mixture occasionally. If the gravy becomes
too thick, add enough of the remaining chicken
stock to thin it out. If the gravy is too thin,
incorporate the cornstarch and water mixture
to thicken it up.After the chops have simmered
for 30 to 45 minutes, add the sliced sausage
and diced potatoes. Re-season the mixture, re-
cover, and simmer for an additional 10 to 15
minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.
Serve each chopwith a heaping pile of sausage and
potatoes along with a healthy spoonful of gravy.
*Recipe is excerpted from The gluten free
Table, which is available at local bookstores
and online at www.amazon.com.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
4 thin-cut pork chops
Emeril’s Original Essence Seasoning or
Cajun spice of your choice
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
for the roux
2 tablespoons gluten free all-purpose flour
blend (we’ve used Arrowhead Mills Gluten
Free All Purpose Baking Mix)
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (1½ cups)
3-3½ cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with
1 tablespoon water (optional)
1 pound gluten free smoked sausage,
like a Kielbasa, sliced
1 medium-sized potato, peeled and diced
(1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cups)
HOW TO PREP
Smothered Pork Chops*
FATHERS
DAY
by Jilly Lagasse and Jessie Lagasse Swanson