Spectacular Way With Pork Chops

DEAR SOS: Il Gazebo in Glendale serves wonderful pork chops with tomato sauce. I’d love to have the recipe.

--JANET

DEAR JANET: The sauteed pork chops are butterflied with the bone intact and placed over the tomato sauce for an impressive presentation.

IL GAZEBO PORK CHOPS WITH TOMATO SAUCE

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

4 (6-ounce) rib pork chops

Salt, pepper

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 fresh sage leaves

10 to 12 black Italian olives, pitted and crushed

2 teaspoons capers

4 plum tomatoes, diced

1 cup pureed tomatoes or tomato sauce

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried

Heat olive oil and butter in large skillet over medium heat until butter melts. Add pork chops. Cook until browned on both sides. Reduce heat, cover and cook over low heat 6 to 7 minutes or until pork chops are done. (If skillet is not large enough, cook chops in batches.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Add wine and broth to skillet, scraping up brown bits from bottom of pan. Bring to vigorous boil and boil until reduced to glaze. Add garlic, sage, olives and capers.

Cover and simmer over low heat 6 to 7 minutes or until garlic is tender. Add diced tomatoes, pureed tomatoes, oregano and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Butterfly cooked pork chops, leaving bone intact. Return chops to pan and heat through. Serve butterflied pork chops in center of plate with tomato sauce. Makes 4 servings.

DEAR SOS: My nephew was served peanut butter cake with his lunch at school and he wondered if I knew how to make the cake. Do you have a recipe?

--CATHY

DEAR CATHY: Your nephew may be referring to peanut butter crunch, a cookie confection that has been served in city schools for years.

CITY SCHOOL PEANUT BUTTER CRUNCH

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups light corn syrup

3 cups peanut butter, warmed

1 1/4 (12-ounce) package cornflakes

Combine sugar and syrup in saucepan. Bring to fast boil, stirring constantly. Do not overcook. Remove from heat and add warm peanut butter. Stir until well mixed. Pour over cornflakes.

Mix well, working quickly. (It’s best to have some help with this stage of operation as quickness is essential.) Pour into well-greased 15 1/2x10 1/2-inch pan, pressing lightly. Cut into squares. Makes about 24 squares.

DEAR SOS: I can’t find a recipe for Cumberland Sauce in any of my cookbooks. I’m told that the recipe contains currant jelly, citrus and Madeira.

--H.R.J.

DEAR H.R.J.: This old-fashioned sauce is probably of British origin and can be served hot or cold over baked ham.

CUMBERLAND SAUCE

1 cup currant jelly

1 (6-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate

1/4 cup Madeira or Sherry

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Mash jelly with fork and gradually stir in undiluted orange juice concentrate, Madeira, mustard, ginger and hot pepper sauce. Mix well. Serve with hot or cold sliced ham. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Note: Sauce may be heated, if desired.