So, you’re in the mood for some great food and secretly you want to astonish your friends with your culinary expertise. Unfortunately for you, burning spaghetti might just be the best meal you’ve made in years. Your friends know you have Papa John’s on speed dial and the girlfriend has scarfed down enough of your hamburger helper that you somehow have screwed up time and time again to know that cooking just might not be your thing. Because we want you to succeed in all your endeavors, especially anything related to this fine magazine, I found four of my favorite dishes from four of my favorite places to eat and got the recipes to save you from yourself.

Mantia’s, one of my truly favorite lunch and dinner spots, located at Poplar and St. Nick provided the recipe for their great salad, the Oriental Chicken Salad. Everyone who has read this magazine or knows me personally, they know I swear by Ronnie Grisanti & Sons as my favorite meal in town. Chef Judd Grisanti provided me with the recipe to their fantastic Scallop appetizer that combines two of my culinary needs- scallops and Gorgonzola cheese. Tsunami, one of Memphis’ top two or three restaurants and one of the best places in town to take a date, provided the unbelievable Pork Chop recipe. And finally, Ernie Mellor at Hog Wild, a great catering company, let me use his Key Lime Cheesecake recipe. As always, enjoy and let everyone revel in your culinary expertise.

Mantia’s (Alyce Mantia)
Salad
Oriental Chicken Salad

Use a large handful of Salad mix with a light topping of Spring Mix.
6 Mandarin sections.
Sprinkle a little shaved Red Onion.
Top with 3 oz of sliced Chicken breast.
Drizzle 3-4 tbsp of Toasted Sesame dressing
Place a small handful of Chinese noodles.
Top with minced Parsley.

Serves 1

Ronnie Grisanti & Sons (Chef Judd Grisanti)
Appetizer
Scallop Special

Get some grilled Crustini.
Sear off some scallops and remove from pan.
Saute some red onions, wilted spinach and tomatoes with a little Butter Garlic and Olive Oil.
Place the sauteed vegetables over the crustini and then place the scallops on top.

For the sauce-
2 cup White Wine
4 shallots thinly sliced
2 cup of cream
1 cup of fresh Gorgonzola- grated
put all ingredients into a pot and bring to a simmer. When the cheese has melted, the sauce is done.

Serves 3

Tsunami (Chef Ben Smith)
Entrée (Reprinted from The Tsunami Cookbook, available here)
Asian Brined Double Cut Pork Chops with Peach Chutney

6 thick pork chops, 2 bones each
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced thin
2 1/2 lb. Ripe peaches, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup champagne vinegar
1/2 cup light brown sugar

To make brine, bring water(2 qts), salt(1/2 lb- Kosher), suger(1 tbsp), star anise pods (3), and peppercorns(1 tbsp whole black) to a boil. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Removen from heat, cool, and add green onions and ginger slices. Submerge pork chops in brine. Place in refrigerator, covered, for three days.

To make chutney, sauté the onions briefly in oil in a nonreactive sauce pan. Add ginger, garlic, and jalapeno and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add peaches and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, stirring. Add vinegar and sugar, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until peaches are quite soft, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool.

Remove pork chops from brine, rinse them in cold water, and discard the brine. Since no further seasoning is necessary, place the pork chops directly onto a medium-hot grill and cook to medium doneness. Serve with a generous helping of peach chutney.

Serves 6

Hog Wild BBQ (Ernie Mellor)
Dessert
Key Lime Cheesecake

1 Cup Bread Crumbs
1 Cup Gram Cracker Crumbs
4 Tbl. Margarine - Melted
1 Tbl. Nutmeg
1 Cup Sugar
4 oz. Key Lime Juice
2 Tbl. Fresh Lime Peel - Grated
16 oz. Cream Cheese - Tempered
6 Each Egg Yolks
2 Each Egg Whites

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine bread crumbs, gram cracker crumbs, melted margarine and nutmeg into mixing bowl.
Press crumb mixture into 4” deep _-Pan – Create crust with hands – working crumbs 2/3 up the side of pan – Set aside.
Temper cream cheese – when soft place in mixing bowl – mix on low speed for 3 minutes.
Add egg yolks to cream cheese, key lime cheese, sugar, lime peel, and egg whites.
Mix until smooth.
Place cream cheese mixture into 4” crusted pan – Even out top of cheesecake.
Place in convection oven – bake @ 350 degrees for 1 hour – until knife comes out clean when placed in center of cake.
When done – remove – let cool on baking rack.
Cut in square pieces – top with whip cream, mint leaf and lime wedge.

Serves 10