One is the hungriest number

Cooking interesting food for one can be a challenge.  For about half the year, my true love and I live an ocean apart as her job takes her to the U.K.  When she’s home, I love cooking for her, experimenting with new foods and techniques, and sharing the experience of lunch and dinner.  For the rest of the year, though, the only one I can share my food with is Samantha, one of our parrots.  She’s the one on the left.  Alex, on the right, is a vegan and doesn’t like to share much of anything.  In any event, sharing with a parrot is not the same thing at all with sharing with your true love.

There’s another issue about cooking for one, though, and that’s ingredient management. Many of the ingredients that you find in grocery stores or markets just aren’t packaged in reasonable portions for one person and this creates problems.  For example, I like eggplant quite a bit but unless I make a puree, I’m going to run out of ideas on how to use up the whole eggplant before it goes off.  The same thing is true with cauliflower, most squashes, and, depending on how its packaged, broccoli.

That doesn’t even begin to address the problems with proteins.  Have you ever tried to get one 6 oz portion of tuna?  Or swordfish?  or a good cut of steak?  One of the stores where I shop I’ve established enough of a relationship with the fish staff that they’ll accommodate my needs but it isn’t easy.  With beef or pork, unless it is pre-packaged in small quantities it’s impossible to get small enough portions.  An alternative is to buy multiple small portions and freeze the extras, but that doesn’t always work very well.  It seems OK with pork and chicken, but not with most fish or beef.

However, I refuse to settle for take out, frozen, or restaurants and I do try to be as creative as I can when cooking for myself.  Here’s an example of a meal I made the other night.  It took about 30 minutes to make, was delicious, produced almost no leftovers and required no special purchases.  It is a boneless pork chop prepared a la Normandie, steamed broccoli, and a stuffed tomato.

Since it would take the longest to cook, I started with the tomato.  Pre-heating the oven to 425°, I sliced off the top (about 1/2″ down) and scooped out the interior into a small mixing bowl.  I added breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, lots of parsley, salt, and pepper and then stuffed that into the tomato.  The tomato goes in the oven and stays there until you are ready to plate.

Next comes the pork chop. I should add that this is one of those cases where I had to buy four boneless chops and freeze three, but with pork that works.  Dry and season the chop and then peel and core an apple.  Take two 1/2″ slices off the top and then cut the apple in half.  Dice one half into 1/2″ dice and eat the other half.  Heat some butter in a skillet to medium high then sear the chop for about 90 seconds on each side.  Take off the heat, add some apple cider and place the two apple slices in the middle of the skillet.  Place the pork on top of the skillet, cover, and put back on the heat on medium low.  In 10-12 minutes, the pork will be done.

While the pork is cooking, cut up some broccoli florets and add to a small saucepan with about 1/2″ of water and cover.  Turn the heat to high and cook for about 5-6 minutes until the broccoli is bright green.  I can do this because one of my local groceries sells individual broccoli crowns and I can usually find one that’s a suitable size.

While the broccoli is cooking, chop up your shallot and measure out flour and butter.  Once the pork is done, set it aside, covered.  Deglaze the skillet with a little dry white wine, mashing up the apple slices as you go.  Add the shallots and butter, raise the heat, and then add the flour after a minute or two.  When everything starts thickening up, add the diced apple, stir a couple of times, and now you’re read to plate (if you’re really adventurous, you could add some calvados brandy).  Spoon some of the apple/shallot mixture over the pork, take the tomato out of the oven, and sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice or your favorite vinegar over the broccoli.

Recipe – Normandy style pork chops

The Normandy feature is the apples.  The Normandy area of northwest France is famous for using apples in their cooking and this approach to pork is one of their classics.  Bone-in and double-thick pork chops can also be used, but cooking times should be adjusted accordingly.

Ingredients

1 boneless pork chop (6 oz)

1 apple, peeled, cored, and divided – two 1/2″ slices off the top, half of what’s left 1/2″ diced, remaining eaten

1 shallot, diced

1/4 cup apple cider or apple juice

2 tbl butter, divided

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tsp flour

1 tbl Calvados brandy

Salt and pepper

Directions

Dry and season the pork.  Heat 1 tbl butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Sear the pork for 90 seconds on each side and remove from heat.  Add apple slices in the middle of the skillet and place the pork on top of the slices.  Add apple juice and return to medium low heat for 10-12 minutes until the pork is done.  Remove the pork and deglaze the pan with the wine, mashing the apple slices in the process.  Add the shallots and the remaining butter and cook on medium high for 2-3 minutes until the liquid begins to reduce.  Add the flour and stir to thicken.  Add the brandy and diced apple, stir to get the apples hot.  Spoon over the pork and serve.

Stuffed tomatoes

Ingredients

1 large ripe tomato

1 tbl bread crumbs

1 tbl grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp capers

2 tbl chopped parsley

Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°.  Slice the top 1/2″ or so off the tomato.  Scoop out the inside and place in a small mixing bowl.  Add the other ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Stuff the tomato with the mixture – not too firmly.  Place in the oven and cook for at least 20 minutes or more.  The longer you cook it, the softer the tomato will be.