New York Style Cheesecake

Payday is almost here and that means Payday Cheesecake. This month I made a New York Style Cheesecake. I don't know if it is truly authentic New York style. That's just what the recipe title is.

The recipe is similar to other cheesecakes. Cream cheese and sugar are beaten together. Flour and lemon zest are then added. Eggs plus a couple egg yolks are then incorporated, one at a time. Finally, vanilla and heavy cream are added.

The batter is poured over a standard graham cracker crumb crust.

The oven is preheated to 500° and the cake bakes for 10 minutes. The temperature is reduced to 200° and the cake continues to bake for another 60 minutes.

When removed from the oven, the cheesecake will resemble a soufflé, puffed up over the top of the pan. The top will be a deep golden brown. It is allowed to cool for a couple hours, during which time it will settle back down into the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cooled completely.

I am serving this cheesecake au naturel, without any topping or other embellishment. Sometimes simple is best. And easiest.

Bon appétit!

Baked Polenta Slices

The impetus for this dish was one we have all confronted over the years: "Best if used by" dates. The tube of polenta in the cupboard was a couple weeks past the best if used by date. Well, the debate in my mind began. Is "best if used by" the same as an expiration date? It certainly wasn't the same as a "don't use after" date. It would be fine, I decided. But what to make?

I wanted something simple. Very simple. I decided to just slice the polenta and bake the slabs. That's it. In a nutshell. I sprayed a cookie sheet with olive oil. (The spray bottle is an ingenious little invention that uses air, hand-pumped into the bottle, to create the pressure to create the spray). I cut the roll of polenta into slices, approximately a third of an inch thick and placed them on the oiled cookie sheet. A quick spray of oil on the top, a little black pepper, and a sprig of rosemary, before going into a 450° oven for 10-15 minutes.

For the sauce, I drained a can of diced tomatoes and added some roughly chopped oregano, thyme and rosemary from my herb garden. (There was more rosemary than I needed, as it turned out). I added a spoonful of chopped garlic and about a pound of bay scallops that had been sitting in the freezer, minding their own business. Finally, I added about a half-cup of the generic pasta sauce we had sitting in the fridge. Just enough to bind the ingredients together. I let this cook on medium until it was heated through and bubbling a bit.

As a side, I steamed some pea pods I had picked earlier in the day. I added nothing to them. No salt, no pepper, no butter. Nothing. They were delicious!

Bon appétit!

Chimichurri Pork Chops with Quick Rice & Tomatoes

Sauteed pork with chimichurri sauce is a Latin favorite. Or so I've read. The sauce is fresh and zesty. And garlicky. 3 large cloves of peeled garlic are fed into a running food processor. Then with the processor stopped, 3/4 cup of flat-leaf parsley leaves are added. This is pulsed to mix with the garlic. Make sure not to let it run until the mixture is pulverized. You want it to be a little chunky. Then, a pinch of red pepper flakes, 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup water are added. This is processed, forming a thick sauce. Set this aside.

Heat a nonstick pan on high heat. Add 3/4 ponds of boneless pork chops and brown on one side for two minutes. Turn and brown the verso for two minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Or not. It's up to you. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan with a lid and continue to cook for approximately five minutes. Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness. It should read 160° when ready. Remove from the heat.

For the quick rice with tomatoes, boil a pot of water. Add a cup of rice and continue boiling, uncovered for about 10 minutes. The rice is ready when it has cooked through, but is not soft. Drain through a colander and return the rice to the pot. Add a can of diced tomatoes and mix well.

To serve, well, see the picture. I won't insult you Dear Reader, with the obvious.

Bon appétit!