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MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

1 tablespoon peanut oil

12 ounces pork tenderloin, cut into bite-size cubes

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon fish sauce (nuoc mam)

½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

¼ teaspoon white pepper

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup diagonally cut, 2-inch pieces of scallions

1 head butter lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

¼ cup fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (see note)

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then film it with the oil. Add the pork and cook until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, cook the sugar and water together over medium-high heat until the sugar caramelizes, about 5 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce, chicken broth, white pepper, and cinnamon. Pour over pork and toss to mix. Add the scallions. Cover and steam 3 to 5 minutes.

Toss lettuce with rice vinegar, basil, and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add the cooked pork mixture. Divide between two plates and serve at once.

Nutritional Analysis: 349 calories, FAT 17 g, PROTEIN 38 g, CARB 8 g, FIBER 3 g, CHOL 118 mg, IRON 3 mg, SODIUM 1,027 mg, CALC 53 mg

Cooking Lesson

Cutting herbs or leafy green vegetables into chiffonade yields great flavor and is really easy to do. Make a stack of leaves, then roll them up like a cigar. Using a sharp chef’s knife with the point held against the cutting board, cut fine slices, and you’ll have gorgeous chiffonade. No bruising of the herb, just opening it up for maximum flavor.

Sesame-Glazed Pork Chops on a Bed of Cauliflower

Look to the Far East for great flavor profiles. Buy small jars of sesame seeds and sesame oil and keep them in the refrigerator or freezer to prevent them from going rancid. Always taste first if you’ve had them awhile. The sharp, bitter taste of old oils is unmistakable.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Two 6-ounce center-cut pork chops, about 1-inch thick

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly milled black pepper

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth

½ teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 cups cauliflorets

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Film the pan with the sesame oil. Brown the chops on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Sprinkle the chops with the sesame seeds and cook 1 more minute. Add chicken broth, sugar, vinegar, and mustard and whisk together in the pan. Cover the pan, reduce the heat, and cook about 20 minutes, or until the chops are tender.

Meanwhile, steam the cauliflower in the microwave with a couple of tablespoons of water on high (100 percent power) until tender, about 7 minutes. Alternatively, boil in a saucepan of water for 10 minutes. Drain.

To serve, make a bed of cauliflower, then top with chops. Spoon the sauce over all.

Nutritional Analysis: 353 calories, FAT 14 g, PROTEIN 48 g, CARB 10 g, FIBER 4 g, CHOL 131 mg, IRON 3 mg. SODIUM 894 mg, CALC 79 mg

Cooking Lesson

Browning meat in a pan and then completing the cooking in a liquid is known as braising. It is not necessary or desirable to overcook the pork. Brown it well, then add the sauce ingredients, cover, and cook until just barely tender. The meat should still be slightly pink at the center.

Bitter Greens with Prosciutto, Feta, and Dried Apricots

Taking the bitter with the sweet has long been one surefire trail to tabletop nirvana. Toss bitter greens with vinaigrette, then top with salty sweet prosciutto, feta, and sweet apricots. A pot of tea, a friend—it’s lunch.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Preparation time: 10 minutes

4 cups mixed bitter greens (such as escarole, endive, beet greens, radicchio)

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto cut into bite-size pieces

2 ounces feta cheese, cubed