Get ready:

• 1lb sweet Italian sausage, sliced into chunks
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tsp dried Oregano leaves
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 Tsp turmeric
• 1 1/2 cup medium grain rice
• 3 cups chicken stock
• salt and pepper

Now Let’s Play:

Heat up 2 Tbsp olive oil in a 12 inch cast iron skillet. Brown sausage chunks on all sides in batches. Set aside. Add onion slices. minced garlic, and pepper slices into the skillet. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes over medium high heat. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil, the rest of the seasoning and rice (plus 1 tsp of salt). Saute for a minute or two while stirring continuously. Add chicken stock and bring to broil. Tuck sausage chunks back into the mixture evenly throughout the pan.  Turn down the heat and simmer till all the liquid has been absorbed. Serve immediately (about 4-6 people).

After-play thoughts:

I like to think this is a adopted American version of the classic Spanish dish. It uses ingredients that are very easy to find, even though couple of challenges still exist. First, the dishes has to be seasoned before it’s done cooking. Seasoning after cooking is completed will destroy the presentation and also the ingredients would not absorb the flavor intended. I always season when ingredients are in raw stage due to the latter reason, but if you are the opposite of me, practice is the only solution. Second,  the amount of liquid used is not always the same. Depending on where you live, what’s the whether like, how much heat is retained in the skillet, and etc., liquid amount needed varies. Solution? Have 1 more cup chicken stock standing by. Two most common situations where require extra liquid are if there is too much of crust forming at bottom or if rice is not quite cooked through yet. However, in the case of the first situation , in addition to adding a bit more liquid in that area, you may want to consider turning down the heat, or even removing the pan from the heat.

• 4 1-inch thick center-cut pork chops
• 2 Tsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 2 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 cups beef broth
• salt & pepper

Now let’s play:

Season both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper. Heat up the oil in a large saute pan (12 inch recommended) at high heat. Sear the pork chops on both sides till golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Set the pork chops aside. Then heat down to medium. Saute diced onion with a pinch of salt for 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. Add carrots and celery, and saute for 5 minutes. Add pepper, thyme, chili powder, and saute for 2 minutes. Add red wine. Scrap off the brown bites at the bottom of the pan, if any. Add back the pork chops. Add beef stock, and bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve immediately over rice (4 servings).

After-play thoughts:
If you don’t have a skillet large enough, you can sear the pork chops in batch and rest them in a roast pan; saute the vegetables in red wine and pour over the pork chops; add beef broth till the pork chops mostly immersed; cover tightly and bake in 350F oven for 25 minutes.