October, 2001
 
Joe Merchanthouse, of Richmond, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He is working for Ghyslain Chocolatier, Inc. in Union City, Indiana.

Joe put Norma to work helping him make these delicious dishes!


Three-Cheese Ravioli

Pasta sheets (available in most good grocery stores)
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup of marscapone cheese
1 cup of parmesan cheese
Pinch of nutmeg
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
Salt
2 tablespoons of butter
Beat 1 egg for use as egg wash

Mix cheese, nutmeg, basil and parsley. Place a tablespoon of cheese mixture on a pasta sheet. Form ravioli by brushing egg wash around edge of pasta and sealing with top pasta sheet. Place the ravioli in boiling salt water until it floats. Remove the ravioli from the boiling water and place in a hot pan of melted butter. Cook until it is light brown and serve.



Pork Chop Benenventana

3 1" thick pork chops
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of fennel seeds
3 cloves of chopped garlic
1 cup of good quality white wine
Flour for dusting pork chops
Salt and Pepper

Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Dredge the chops in flour and shake off excess. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Sear both sides of the pork chops until they are golden brown. Sprinkle fennel seeds and garlic on the chops and deglaze with white wine. Then finish cooking in 400 degree oven for 5 minutes and serve.



Celery & Red Onions Agrodolce

1 head celery
2 red onions
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Chop onions and celery. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the onions and celery and season with salt and pepper. After sweating the vegetables for 5 minutes add vinegar and sugar and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes until the liquid is reduced to half. Serve.