2012: Hog Heaven

Every year we commit to confirming our New Year's Eve menu in advance.  Every year we find ourselves further and further from that goal, and this year we pushed it to the limit.

Like elected leaders in Washington approaching the "fiscal cliff" deadline without a plan, we, too, hurtled toward the New Year's Eve grocery shopping deadline with no resolution to our menu quandary.  We discussed Steak Diane, but when Vonnie returned from an advance run to Costco with news that the requisite beef would set us back $80, thus over a fiscal cliff of our own, we changed direction.

In the end, we found a solution close to both home (big fat pork chops in Tom and Linda's freezer) and heart (our trusty Julia Child cookbook, with "bien!" pencilled in the margin by the book's original owner, Tom's deceased brother Don).

With a snow-and-ice forecast for the end-of-year eve, the minimal extra shopping required was a blessing. And as we ushered in 2013, we proclaimed this year's feast as one of our finest ever, with less complication and far less cost.

Guess we're not like elected leaders in Washington after all.

As always, we began with appetizers, and changed it up just a bit, foregoing the cream cheese with raspberry jalapeno sauce and Tom's favorite shrimp dip in favor of stuffed mushrooms and artichoke squares.

Then on to the Julia-and-Donny-inspired main course: Cotes de Porc Poelees, or Casserole-Sauteed Pork Chops.  We paired the pork with two past favorites, a Spinach Pecan Salad and Julia's heart-stopping (literally)  Gratin Jurassian (Unbelievably Wonderful Scalloped Potatoes) and fresh green beans.

We repaired to the Clarkes' family room to sit by their new gas-log fire with kahula-laced coffee and a light chocolate mousse, and caught up on DVRd episodes of X Factor and Doc Martin.

When the clock struck 12, warm and toasty inside as the snow fell softly beyond, we toasted the new year and each other with midnight mimosas and agreed that the evening had been... well... bien.

Tres bien, in fact.

Artichoke Squares

#2 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 loaf thin white bread (like Pepperidge Farm)

Remove crusts and cut bread in four 1-inch squares.  Mix other ingredients and place on squares.  Freeze. Then bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Cotes de Porc Poelees

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

6 pork chops, cut 1 inch thick
3-4 Tablespoons rendered pork fat or cooing oil
2 Tablespoons of butter
Optional: 2 halved cloves garlic (we forgot to bring the garlic)
1/2 cup dry white wine, vermouth or beef stock


Marinade (per pound of pork) 
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme or sage (we used thyme)
1/8 teaspoon ground bay leaf
Pinch of allspice
1/2 clove garlic, mashed

Rub marinade on both sides of pork chops, marinate for at least 2 hours (6-12 hours is better). Turn them periodically.

Dry the pork chops on paper towels. In a heavy 10-12 inch fireproof casserole heat the fat or oil in the casserole until it is almost smoking, then brown the chops, 2 or 3 at a time, on each side for 3-4 minutes. As they are browned, transfer them to a side dish.

Add butter to the casserole and the optional garlic. Return shops, baste with the butter. Cover and heat until the meat is sizzling, then set in lower third of preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (we did 28 minutes and thought they were slightly overcooked). Turn and baste the chops once or twice. They are done when the meat juices run a clear yellow with no trace of rose.  Put chops on heated platter.

The chops will have rendered about 1/2 cup juices during their cooking. Add the 1/2 cup liquid (wine or stock) and boil rapidly until you have about 1/2 cup concentrated sauce. Pour over the chops and serve.