MEAL OF THE MONTH: OCTOBER/NOVEMBER

Our new intern, Timothy's first task was to provide the recipe for this month's "Meal of The Month" feature.  Little did we remember how pitifully community college students eat.  Timothy's suggestion was a Dinty Moore Beef Stew with a Nacho Cheese Doritos crust.  Needless to say, we vetoed Timothy's selection and he is now in the corner eating it.  In its place is the following recipe, fit for normal human consumption!

Bakery Lane Soup Bowl's Famous Corn Chowder

Makes 10 Cups

1/2 cup or 2 oz diced salt pork or bacon
2 tbs butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 chopped celery
1 qt chicken stock
2 cups diced potatoes
6 cups fresh corn kernels (or three 10 oz packages of frozen kernel corn, thawed)
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the pork/bacon in the butter until crisp and browned.  Add onion and celery.  Cook until vegetables are crisp-tender.  Meanwhile, measure stock in soup pot.  Add potatoes and cook until just tender.

Puree two packages of frozen (or 4 cups if using fresh) corn, using a little of the hot stock while blending.  Add blended corn, remaining whole kernels, sauteed vegetables, and cream to soup pot.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Heat to serving temperature.  Yum, yum!

MEAL OF THE MONTH FOR JULY

Japanese Pork Cutlets

1 to 1 1/2 coarse bread crumbs such as panko
1 to 1 1/2 lbs pork chops or pork steak, 1/2 inch thick\
1 egg
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
1/2 shredded carrots
salad oil
salt and pepper to taste
Tonkatsu Sauce (See recipe below)

Tonkatsu Sauce:  Stir together 1/2 cup ketchup and 2 tablespoon each of Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce.

Set aside your bread crumbs and Tonkatsu Sauce.

Trim and discard fat and bones from pork.  Place meat between sheets of wax paper and pound with a mallet until the pork is a quarter inch thick.

Lightly beat egg with the water.  Next spread the bread crumbs on a piece of wax paper or cookie sheet.  Sprinkle each cutlet with salt and pepper to taste.  Dust each piece of meat with flour, shaking off any excess.  Dip cutlets into egg and press into crumbs to coat thickly all over.  Set aside for 10 minutes.

Using a wok or a covered saute pan, pour oil in to a depth of 1 1/2 inches and heat until the oil reaches a temperature of 360 F.

Add one or two cutlets at a time turning as needed until golden brown on both sides.  About 2 minutes or so. Drain briefly on paper towels.

In a separate pan, saute the the cabbage and carrots until lightly softened but still maintaining the crunch. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To plate the dish, spoon sauteed veggies onto a serving platter.  Next lay the pork cutlets over this.  Finish with a drizzle of Tonkatsu Sauce over the meat.  You can serve the remaining Tonkatsu Sauce in condiment cups for dipping.