Thin boneless pork loin chops are one of the more effortless options in the meat case. Saute the chops and turn them in a simple pan sauce of toasted garlic, thyme, and roasted red pepper, finished with a little vinegar for tang. The dish has a Spanish feel. Cooking the pork properly is paramount. The chops don’t take long in the skillet and should be served a little pink, accompanied by roast potatoes.
Leftover garlicky chops are a nice building block for a warm salad. Roast apples and fennel until caramelized, toss with thin strips of the pork and serve over baby spinach and toasted walnuts dressed with a shallot vinaigrette. Add a crusty baguette and enjoy the achievement of simple, satisfying food.
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(For pork chops, pork salad)
12 thin (½-inch) boneless pork loin
chops (about 2¼ pounds)
1 bulb fresh fennel
6 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 shallot
3 cloves garlic
½ bunch fresh thyme
Few sprigs fresh parsley
1 sweet-firm apple (Fuji or Honeycrisp)
Salt and pepper
¾ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
⅓ cup dried cranberries
1 roasted red bell pepper from a can or jar
½ cup walnuts
Tony Rosenfeld can be reached at tonyrosenfeld87@gmail.com.