A dash of love

Yesterday I was suddenly invaded with the spirit of inspiration. And it didn’t hit me in the way that it usually does (through art, music, design). This time I was suddenly inspired to create flavors and textures in a meal that my man could savor. What better way to express love than through the most carnal of senses...taste. I began to dream up the perfect meal. This is what I made - Pork chops with an orange, mint, and sage glaze, topped with fresh pear compote. The side that I made was mashed cauliflower with sage and goat cheese. The sage really complimented both the cauliflower and the pork, and tied the meal together beautifully. All of the flavors were unexpectedly harmonious, which is what I was hoping for. If a meal is made really well, every bite tastes a little like love. I think that this is because love is exactly that - traits that are each unique, but when combined thoughtfully they are surprisingly harmonious.

The glaze - add fresh squeezed orange juice, lemon juice, chopped sage and mint and bring to a boil. Add corn starch to thicken.

The pear compote - Dice the pear. Add nutmeg and butter. Fry in a pan until soft (but not too soft - it’s the freshness of the pear that really compliments the heavy glaze).

The mashed cauliflower - Heat up the oil and add the chopped sage. Cook just long enough for the flavor of the sage to release into the oil, but don’t burn the sage. Turn off the burner *pretty much* 30 seconds after the sage is in the pan.

Blanch (don’t steam) the cauliflower. Add the sage oil to the cauliflower and mash. Don’t puree - the texture of the cauliflower really adds to the experience, and preserves the strong flavor. Add the goat cheese and mash it until the goat cheese blends in completely. No lumps.

I put the mashed cauliflower in a glass casserole dish and baked it with the pork chops for ten minutes. Baking it makes the top a little crispy, and the extra heat allows the flavors to mingle.

The pork chops should be cooked for 20 minutes at 425 degrees. spoon the glaze on thickly and cook for ten minutes. Then turn and do the same thing. Cook on broil for the last five minutes. Top with the pear compote.

Most importantly, do all of this with a lot of love. It really adds to the flavor of the dish. Everything tastes, looks, and feels better with an open heart.

I think that my man would agree with me. At least, I’m assuming that because of the seemingly uncontollable joyful sounds that he was making as he consumed the meal! Sometimes it’s hard to express feelings in words. So it’s lovely that art, music, and even food can sometimes express the unspeakable.