Sunny's Kitchen by Sunny Anderson Read Free Book Online Page B

cook the seasoned ground pork with a bit of oil, then add ½ pound of your favorite cooked pasta, a spoonful or two of the pasta water, and a sprinkle of your favorite cheese and stir to combine for a one-pot meal.

    Me at home cooking on my one day of leave during basic military training. (San Antonio, TX, 1993)

chopped chops and goat cheese sandwiches
    t his sandwich is great for special lunch guests or a nice lunch in the park. Whenever I have friends over for lunch I do either a scaled-down dinner or a salad or soup paired with a sandwich. This is tasty and just different enough to serve as a special sandwich for lunch. Even though I typically buy thicker chops for dinner, I also buy the thinner ones when I see them on sale. When marinated and chopped, thin chops are a great buy and go a long way. MAKES 4
    FOR THE CHOPS
    4 thin-cut pork chops
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE GOAT CHEESE SPREAD
    6 ounces goat cheese
    7 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves finely chopped
    3 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves finely chopped
    ¼ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
    ¼ cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
    2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
    Grated zest of 1 lemon
    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    8 slices of olive loaf or whole-grain bread, gently toasted
    2 cups chopped fresh spinach
    1 Marinate the chops. In a resealable plastic bag, combine the pork chops, oil, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a grind or two of pepper. Squeeze out as much air as possible, toss to fully coat the chops, and rest on the counter for at least 30 minutes, but no longer than 1 hour.
    2 Grill the chops. Heat a seasoned grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove the chops from the bag and shake off any excess marinade. Place on the grill and cook on one side until each chop easily releases from the grill without sticking, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook just 2 minutes more. Remove from the grill and allow to cool completely, then remove the meat from the bone and chop.
    3 Make the spread. In a small bowl, mix together the goat cheese, thyme, oregano, dried cranberries, walnuts, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    4 Assemble the sandwiches. Spread the cheese mixture on 4 pieces of the toasted bread and add the spinach and layer with 2 heaping spoonfuls of the chopped meat. Top each sandwich with another slice of toasted bread. Cut in half and serve.
     
    tips! Something simple like cutting the bread creatively can take your sandwich experience to a new level. After assembling the sandwiches, try cutting off the crusts to make squares. Then cut each one into 4 smaller squares. • Don’t count out lamb chops here; they are a great substitute for the pork.

korean fried dumplings
    i ate about a jillion of these dumplings, or yaki mandu, from various purveyors in a shopping and nightclub district of Seoul, South Korea, called Itaewon (“EAT-ay-won”). It was right outside the military base and the local haunt of many of my fellow military members on Yongsan army base. They took me to this Americanized district my first night in the country, and if it weren’t for the fried dumplings on a skewer on the way home, I might not have made it through the next day. It was definitely one of those times when you promise never to have a drink again. These were the perfect street food to introduce me to Korean flavors in a tiny package. At home I leave the skewers alone and add a dipping sauce, followed by a chug of beer (Korean beer if I have my act together). MAKES 35 TO 40
    FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE
    1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
    1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    ¼ cup soy sauce
    2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
    1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
FOR THE DUMPLINGS
    1 pound ground pork
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    ¼ cup shredded carrot (about 1 small)
    2 scallions, finely chopped (white and green parts)
    ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
    1 teaspoon hot