Vietnamese Carrot & Radish Pickles

These sweet-and-sour pickles are a wonderful accompaniment to many dishes, and are an especially nice contrast to meat-heavy or fried main dishes. I also like to add them to salads, sandwiches, and even instant noodles. You can also make them with red radishes, which turns out beautiful and zingier than if you use daikon. These are best made at least an hour ahead, and they stay good for several weeks in the fridge.

For 1 lb combined peeled carrots and radish:

1 lb. carrots and radish, julienned
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/3 c. rice vinegar
2 heaping Tbsp. brown sugar

After cutting the carrots and radishes, toss them with the salt and allow them to sit for 10 minutes. Drain the excess liquid and gently squeeze out the rest. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar and pour this mixture over the carrots and radishes. Allow to sit for at least one hour before serving. Can be stored in a clean container in the fridge for several weeks.

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Thick-cut Pork Chops

These intimidating chops were actually pretty easy to cook. They're called an "Iowa Chop", and they're just a thick-cut, bone-in, center-cut chop. I've discovered that the secret to juicy pork chops is to start with a cold pan and obsessively checking the temperature . I find they're best just under 160 degrees. Pork Chops 2 1-lb. Iowa Chops 2-3 Tbsp. salt 2 Tbsp. white pepper 2 Tbsp. dried sage 2 Tbsp. Smoked (or regular) paprika 3 Tbsp. oil Sauce (optional): 1/2 c. chicken broth 1/2 c. white wine (I used Pinot Grigio) 2 Tbsp. corn starch 1 tsp. white pepper 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 1/4 c. cold water Preheat the oven to 350. Pat the chops dry with some paper towel. Sprinkle them liberally with the salt and spices and allow them to warm up to room temperature while you start the quinoa and chop the cauliflower. Place the oil in your pan, but do not pre-heat the pan. Add the chops to the pan and place them on the stove. Heat the pan up to medium, turning the chop

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