Nichole’s Pan Seared Pork Chops with Cab-Sauv Reduction,
Hasselback Potatoes, and Dried Fruit and Nut Salad
Serves: 4-6, countertop-tabletop: about 1 hour (plus marinating time)
Ingredients for Pork Chops:
Dry Rub (see below)
1 ½ c. Lawry’s Steak ‘n’ Chop marinade (I didn’t measure, so this is approximate)
1 c. Cabernet Sauvignon (I opened a new bottle and enjoyed the rest with dinner!)
2 Tbsp EVOO (or “two turns of the pan” RR style)
Prep Pork Chops:
Before removing from packaging, sprinkle top of pork chops with marinade and press with fork so that it sticks
Prepare flat dish with about a cup of marinade (enough to cover the bottom and sides of the meat)
Place meat in desired dish for marinating, rubbed side down. Rub the top just as before, pressing down the seasonings and top with remaining marinade.
Let sit for at least 30 minutes. You can do this ahead of time and freeze at this point or sit overnight in the fridge…it really doesn’t matter. I stuck it in the fridge for about an hour before cooking anything else.
Dry Rub for Pork Chops:
1 Tbsp each (I used the palm of my hand RR style….no spoons, so this is approximate)
-Kosher Salt
-Brown Sugar
-Paprika
-Black Pepper
-Oregano
-Thyme
-Rosemary
-Cayenne Pepper (mine was not hot at all, but feel free to adjust this to your own liking!)
Mix all ingredients together and pour into an empty spice jar or container of your choosing. You will have leftovers and it’s a basic rub for red meat. I’m on my second jar. Love this stuff!
Preheat Oven to 450*
Ingredients for Potatoes:
4-6 Medium Potatoes (I used Russets)
½ tsp. refrigerated minced garlic (or 2 cloves fresh, minced)
2 Tbsp. butter, more if you like
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Prep/Cook Potatoes:
Wash potatoes and slice a tiny bit off of one side to give you a flat surface.
Flat side down, slice potatoes as you would to scallop, but without cutting through the bottom. Each slice should be a couple mm in width
Combine butter and garlic in small dish and melt in microwave
Brush over potatoes, allowing butter to run down into crevices
Place on non-stick cookie sheet or shallow pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper
Bake at 450* for about 40 minutes (Put your pan in with the short side facing the door so you can add your pork chops later!
When potatoes are done, the edges will be crispy and the flesh soft
Cook Pork Chops:
With about 20 minutes left on the potatoes, grab the pork chops out of the fridge and let them sit about 10 minutes to adjust to room temperature.
You’ll need a pan for your pork chops, so you may want to prep that right now. I rubbed butter on mine because it was closest to me…but use whatever you like for non-stick purposes!
With 10 minutes left on potatoes, heat a skillet and olive oil on high heat
Place only pork chops in skillet (reserve the marinade!)
Cook about 2-3 minutes per side, until browned and slightly seared (don’t focus too much on searing, just get them pretty)
Once seared, add pork chops to oven for remaining 10 minutes and don’t toss the skillet, yet!
While your oven is going, pour your reserved marinade into the pork chop abandoned skillet
Add wine and keep on high
Allow sauce to reduce during 10 minutes remaining on your oven timer.
Use a spatula during reduction to scrape any bits off of the bottom of your pan. You don’t have to skim these out, they are fantastic in the sauce!
Dried Fruit and Nut Salad
Ingredients (all approximated…sorry, I don’t measure anything!)
Salad greens for 4-6 people (I used spring mix and about 1 ½ c. per person)
1 c. Italian shredded cheese (I don’t always put cheese in this salad, it’s wonderful either way)
About a palm-full each: (these are always in my pantry for this very salad…it’s a staple around here)
Dried cranberries
Dried pomegranate
Golden raisins
Slivered Almonds
8-10 Tbsp. Kraft Light Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing (I actually measure this one! But I use a “big spoon” not an actual Tbsp. I feel healthy and naughty all at the same time!)
Toss ingredients in a bowl (with dressing!) I like to use my Tupperware with the lid on and shake it all about. I’m certain this makes salad taste 100x better than just topping with dressing right before I eat it!
Finish that sauce
Your reduction sauce should look a magnificent eggplant/burgundy color and be full of tiny little bubbles. Turn off the heat, transfer the sauce to something pretty for the table (I use a white ceramic creamer pitcher) and you’re good to go.
Ding!
Your chops and taters are done, so is your salad! Ask your hubby (or kids or room-mate, or whoever) to set the table and pour yourself a nice, healthy glass of wine and enjoy!
Notes:
1. Sorry I don’t measure a darn thing (except for my salad dressing!)
2. My wine of choice was 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon, my general rule is don’t cook with it if you won’t drink it and don’t spend more than $10 on a bottle of wine, but I think this one was closer to $15? I would also recommend Red Truck Cab Sauv (which you can find at Target!) and it’s under $10 for sure.
3.I’m a snail in the kitchen because I love the process of cooking. Surely, many people out there can make this meal much faster than I did. So, like my measuring…prep to table time is completely approximated.
Also, I need a photo for pinterest and forgot to take one of my food! But, here's the wine...and that's just as good.
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