….went mmm, mmm, mmm….all the way down.

A Pork Chop fit for a King! (of any castle!)

You may be familiar with Veal Chop Parmesian..?  Or a variation thereof.   Well, though delicious in my opinion, veal does not appeal to everyone…  Not to mention, it can also be quite expensive…especially in comparison to pork.  This pork chop dish is a GREAT alternative, and still packs an amazing punch in the flavor department.  …and of course…no ifs, no ands…and NO butter!  ;D

Let’s roll Cookie 😉

What you’ll need:

• 1 bone-in ‘frenched‘ pork chop (per person)
• 7 (for good luck) small brussells sprouts (per person)
• 1 large vine ripened tomato
• 2 cloves garlic
• fresh basil
• olive oil
• 1 strip bacon
• chicken stock
• Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 lemon
• sea salt
• cracked black pepper
• 1 egg (per chop)
• corn meal
• panko bread crumbs

 

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Prep 1st!  Always…

1. Turn your oven to 375 to pre-heat.
2. Rinse your brussells sprouts and cut them each in half.
3. Crack your egg into a bowl and beat it.  Pour it into the center of a plate (with a lip, to avoid spilling)
4. Season each side of your pork chop with salt and pepper and place on a plate.  Flour the chop with cornmeal (dust both sides).
5. Chop your bacon strip into lardons.  Squeeze the juice from 1/2 a lemon into a ramekin.
6. Chop your tomato into cubes.  Leave much of the soft inside in your mix too, but try to extract the bulk on your seeds.  Put the diced tomato into a small-medium sauce pan.  If you do not have a garlic press, mince your garlic now and set aside.  (The pre-minced crap in a jar is for someone other than anybody reading this blog right now.  lol.  just sayin’  –> Use Fresh Garlic!)
7. Spread a generous layer of panko bread crumbs onto a clean plate.  Keep more panko crumbs readily available.

 

There!  And now you’re ready to cook…

Turn your tomatoes on to low/medium heat and season with salt and pepper.  Pour yourself a glass of sauvignon blanc and toast to….the good life 😉

Now, as the tomatoes begin to cook, mash (or fork) them in order to break them down (this is going to end up a sauce).  Stir for a bit until the tomatoes have broken down nicely.  Then add 1 clove of minced garlic and stir into the heated tomato mixture.  Then stir in a 1/2 cup of chicken stock and leave the mixture over the heat (just low to medium heat) to reduce.

At this point, put 3 tbsp of olive oil in a medium pan and set over medium heat.  Take your cornmeal dusted pork chop and dredge it (both sides) in the egg and then lay on one side into the panko crumbs.   Sprinkle more panko crumbs over the exposed egg wash side so that the chop is now covered in crumbs, as a breading.  I prefer to be generous with panko…it’s so light and really makes a great, light breaded crust.

Lay the chop into the pan with the now hot olive oil and wiggle the pan just a bit for a few seconds, as to avoid allowing the breaded chop to stick to the pan.  Check the underside of the chop in a couple minutes…as soon as it is golden brown (I prefer to let it get fairly dark…not burned of course, but closer to brown, not golden, I guess).  Once your desired color is there, flip it and wiggle it around again to both ensure the crumbs are all in contact with oil and also, again, to avoid sticking.  At this point, you will transfer the pan into the oven to finish cooking the chop (this second side of crumbs will achieve their color in the oven).

In a small pan, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and set your halved brussells sprouts (cut side down) into the oil…spread them out so there is just one layer of sprouts in the pan.  Sprinkle the bacon lardons over the top of the sprouts layer and set the pan over medium heat.

Return to your tomatoes, stir them and watch the liquid level.  If it is getting dry, you definitely need to add more stock and probably reduce your heat a bit.  At this point it should be reducing nicely but still have a way’s to go.

Once the brussells sprouts begin to brown on the underside (again, let them get some actual color…they are carmelizing, which means their natural sugars are cooking out and onto the surface…the flavor makers!).  When this happens, season them with salt and pepper and your lemon juice, cover and toss your mixture around to get it evenly dispursed and set back on the burner…reduce your heat to low and let sit.

Now add freshly chopped basil (2-3 large leaves) and 1/2 clove of garlic to the tomato mixture with a splash of white wine and stir.

At this point, grab a pot holder and pull your chop out of the oven and place it on the stove top.  Turn your oven off and then turn it to high broil.

Once your ‘sauce’ is a good consistency (think stew-ish, or super chunky tomato soup-ish), pour it over the chop.  Now grate whichever wonder, salty, Italian cheese mentioned above that you prefer generously over the sauce.  (Pot Holder!) Return your pan with the chop to the oven to broil and melt/brown the cheese top.

Shut off your brussells sprouts but leave covered to retain heat.

Check your chop and upon the desired color, pull it and plate it!   …and POUR it!  I recommend a fabulous Barolo with this one 😉

Buon Appetito