Recipe: Adele’s Pea Salad and Pork Chops with Marmalade, Apple, Cherry, Cranberry Sauce by Charlie Abowd

We’re in June and here in our capital city, event season is underway!

It’s time to mark your calendars and get your tickets for our 10th annual Concert Under the Stars, A Benefit for The Greenhouse Project, taking place July 11 at the Brewery Arts Center.

Over the years, we have welcomed amazing talent to the stage and this year TGP presents Jefferson Starship, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and music legends.

Those of you who know me, know my love of the Grateful Dead, so you can imagine how excited I am that Midnight North, Terrapin Crossroads’ house band fronted by Grahame Lesh, son of Phil Lesh, opens the concert beginning at 6:30 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

This event is TGP’s biggest annual fundraiser, with all funds supporting the organization’s mission of agricultural education and growing fresh produce for those in our community who otherwise wouldn’t have access. The Greenhouse continues to expand its footprint, collaborating last year on the Foothill Garden located at Carson Tahoe Medical Center’s campus, and now plans to implement a community garden at Mills Park are taking shape.

The concert evening features a live auction, and there will be several food vendors and bars open offering a variety of food and beverage options.

Tickets, starting at $30, are available at www.carsoncitygreenhouse.org.

The Carson City Fair takes place July 25-29, with the Youth Livestock Auction featured Saturday, July 28, 5-7 p.m. The youth who are there selling their livestock projects are either affiliated with 4-H, FFA, or Grange, or are independent of any organization. Any youth in the state of Nevada, as well as any state that has a county that borders Nevada, may participate.

The community’s support by purchasing an animal at auction is priceless. Many of these young people use the proceeds to put in their college savings accounts and to purchase things they need. Others use the money to purchase breeding animals, becoming small-scale producers and business folks in their own right. Even more importantly, community support and participation encourages young people engaged in positive pursuits that foster qualities of responsibility, groundedness, leadership and connectedness to the environment and one another, all needed in a productive society.

Many of the dishes featured at Cafe at Adele’s feature product we’ve purchased at the auction, of which we’re proud supporters. Anyone can participate in the auction, either as an individual or as a group.

To register to buy an animal, simply arrive a few minutes early to get a buyer’s number. Those who know ahead of time that they’re looking for a certain species or want to represent a certain area, are asked to contact Lindsay Chichester, fair organizer, at 775-887-2252 or chichesterl@unce.unr.edu. She can connect buyers with growers so relationships can be established in advance. Fuji Park is located at 601 Old Clear Creek Road, Carson City.

This column is special because it features the most requested recipe in the history of the restaurant, Adele’s Pea Salad. Yep, I’m finally spilling the beans on this long-held family recipe and pairing it with tasty Pork Chops with Marmalade, Apple, Cherry, Cranberry Sauce. These recipes can be easily doubled or tripled to accommodate either an intimate dinner or a larger summer gathering.

I hope you find as much joy in creating these dishes as I. Now, let’s get cooking!

Adele’s Pea Salad

4-6 servings

2 cups frozen peas, thawed and rinsed (I recommend Trader Joe’s brand)

1/3 cup sweet red onion, chopped

1/3 cup Roma tomatoes, ripe but firm and deseeded (meaning gently squeeze the seeds and use only the tomato meat), chopped

1/3 cup crispy bacon bits (fresh, not pre-fab)

1 1/4 cup sour cream, drained

1 tablespoon lemon pepper

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon

Sea salt to taste

To drain sour cream, pour into a fine strainer. I line my strainer with cheese cloth and then place in the sour cream. Allow excess liquid to drain off for approximately 30 minutes.

Place all ingredients except the sour cream in a bowl and gently but thoroughly combine, as we want to avoid mashing the peas. Finally, gently fold in the sour cream. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Pork Chops with Marmalade, Apple, Cherry, Cranberry Sauce

Serves 4

Season 4 pork chops, cut 1-1 1/2 inches thick (hopefully from the pig you and/or your co-op bought at the auction!), with a rub of sea salt, fresh cracked pepper and a touch of cinnamon. Place on a pre-heated medium-to-medium-high barbecue. Be sure it’s not too hot. Grill for approximately eight minutes per side. Don’t over cook!

In an 8-inch saucepan place the following ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter, unsalted

2 tablespoons orange marmalade

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 1/2 cups apples (Granny Smith is best this time of year), peeled and diced

1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries

1/2 cup apple juice, unfiltered

Over medium-low heat, let ingredients simmer until reduced by 50 percent, approximately 10-15 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on it, stirring frequently as the sugars from the marmalade and syrup may cause it to burn.

When done, set aside in a serving bowl while you finish up the chops. The sauce can be served hot or room temperature. I don’t recommend cooking this the day before as it will become too coagulated.

Once the chops are grilled, plate individually and serve sauce on top or on the side, per preference. Of course, add a side of Adele’s Pea Salad and for a finishing touch, Cafe at Adele’s Somaliere Steve Sanchez recommends the Bonterra Chardonnay. This wine is created from 100 percent organic fruit, delivering crisp apple, cream and a touch of sweet spice followed by a clean lemon minerality (www.bonterra.com/winecategories/chardonnay/).

Chef Charlie Abowd co-owns Café at Adele’s with his wife Karen Abowd. At 1112 N. Carson St., Café at Adele’s is open daily at 8 a.m. for breakfast. Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. For information or to makes reservations, call 775-882-3353, or visit adelesrestaurantandlounge.com. For a growing compilation of Chef Charlie’s recipes, published at Adele’s website and in the Nevada Appeal, visit www.CharliesRecipes.com.