Phil's International Flair | Seasoned Cooking

Welcome to Seasoned Cooking and to Phil's International Flair!

As I prepare for my first Alaska trip of this year, planned for the first week of July, I must take a few moments to present you with a new recipe that I created recently and found to be quite good.

I'll try to bring back some good recipes from the far north upon my return from Alaska. I will also be sure to publish a few good pictures next month from our "last frontier." Hopefully, fishing will be good, however the sonar count of king salmon in the Kenai River is at an historical low this year. In fact, Alaska Fish and Game imposed a no fishing restriction for kings this year from June 12 through July 1. The escapement goal is 7200 fish and the early run this year is predicted to be less than that. As of this writing, I'm hoping that the late run that begins July 1 will be better.

The recipe presented this month is from my yet to be published cookbook. Feel free to email me at with your comments, questions and requests.

Now, on to the recipe!

Pork Chops with Black Bean Sauce

This dish is a meal in itself. And, it has a great flavor!
The first step is to select the type of noodle you would like to use. I selected thin Chinese egg noodles, however you could also use rice noodle instead. I suppose you could even use spaghetti or vermicelli. Thin noodles cook quickly, so follow the directions on the package carefully for best results.

Black bean sauce comes in a variety of types and brands. I won't comment on brand, but I will say that I prefer the type with garlic. However, you can always add your own garlic to taste if you buy the type without garlic.

3 pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick
½ cup cream sherry
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. black bean sauce
1 Tbsp. ginger, slivered
1 Tbsp. corn starch
½ cup cold water
2 cups cooked noodles
2 cups bean sprouts
3 tbsp sesame oil
3 green onions, sliced diagonally
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 Tbsp. chopped cilantro for garnish

	Boil the noodles per directions, rinse with cold water and drain. For extra flavor, stir fry the cooked noodles in a wok or skillet with a little sesame oil, garlic and ginger for about 4 to 5 minutes.
	Place the noodles on a serving platter and top the noodles with bean sprouts and a sprinkling of the chopped cilantro.
Fry pork chops in a greased skillet over medium high heat until golden browned on both sides, approximately 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on the type of cookware you use and your stovetop.
	When the chops appear done, add the soy sauce to the skillet and turn the chops a few times until the sauce has coated them all. Now add the sherry and turn the chops again. Add the black bean sauce and stir it thoroughly into the liquid in the pan, turning the chops again during the process.
	Now, toss the sliced green onions into the pan on top of the chops. Stir and turn the chops again. Finally, remove the chops from the skillet and place on top of the noodles and sprouts in the serving dish. Using a slotted spoon, also remove the green onions and other solids from the sauce and arrange them on top of the chops.
Dissolve the corn starch in cold water and add to the liquid in the skillet, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat, and spoon the sauce over the chops on the serving dish. Garnish with additional chopped cilantro or green onion. Enjoy!

Yields: 3 servings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes