FRESH SHIITAKE MUSHROOM
AND ONION TART

Pastry for 9-inch one-crust pie
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups thinly sliced Maui onions
  or other sweet onions
3 cups sliced fresh shiitake
  mushrooms (or any combination
  of wild mushrooms)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  or 1 teaspoon crushed dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat oven to 450[degrees]F. Press pastry into
9-inch tart pan. Top with piece of foil;
fill with baking weights or dry beans
to weight down crust and prevent
bubbles as it bakes. Bake about 5
minutes. Remove foil with weights.
(Beans can be reused as baking
weights.) Heat butter in large skillet
over medium heat. Saute onions and
mushrooms, in batches if needed,
until tender and liquid evaporates.
Stir in parsley, basil and pepper.
Spoon mixture into crust. Reduce
oven temperature to 350[degrees]F. Bake 25
minutes. To serve, cut into wedges.
Makes 8 servings.

ORANGE, JICAMA
AND CILANTRO SALAD

3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
6 navel oranges
2 medium-size jicama
  (1 1/2 pounds total)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 small head Bibb or
  butterhead lettuce

Optional garnish: cilantro leaves
In small bowl, whisk together vinegar,
cumin, sugar, salt (if desired)
and pepper until sugar dissolves;
whisk in oil. Cut peel and pith from
oranges. Halve oranges lengthwise,
then cut them crosswise into slices,
Into large bowl, transfer oranges and
accumulated juices. Peel and cut jicama
into 1/4-inch-thick sticks, about 3
inches long. Add to oranges with
cilantro. Drizzle dressing; gently toss
to mix and coat. Serve on bed of lettuce
leaves; garnish with cilantro
leaves, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

PLUM SALSA PORK CHOPS

4 medium-size red or black plums, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 medium-size mango, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 small red onion, chopped fine (about 1/4 cup) 1 to 2 medium-size jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped fine
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 (1-inch-thick) boneless pork chops (about 6 ounces each), trimmed of visible fat

Make the salsa: In a medium-size bowl, mix the plums, mango, onion, jalapenos, cilantro, lime juice, coriander, and salt until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to use. In a small bowl, mix the coriander, paprika, salt, and pepper until blended. Rub the mixture over the pork chops. Wrap airtight and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Heat a gas grill to medium-high, prepare a charcoal fire, or heat a broiler. Place the chops on a lightly oiled grill rack or broiler-pan rack. Grill or broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat source for about 10 minutes, turning once, until browned on both sides. Transfer the pork chops to serving plates and serve right away with the plum salsa alongside. Yield: 4 servings

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHEESECAKE