Pork Chops & Apple Slaw with Creamy Polenta
Category
Entree, Main Course
Servings
3
Author:
zimmysnook
True story… I grew up eating “Pork Chops & Apple Sauce.” It was one of the meals my dad would cook when mom wasn’t home. Thin boneless pork chops, pan fried until they were cooked right through! Unfortunately, this process left them quite dry and out of necessity created the classic paring of pork chops & apple sauce, that when combined added some much-needed moisture back into the pork.
Fast forward to the present and we now know that you do not have to over cook pork before eating it. So, for this Father’s Day, I reimagined the classic pairing of pork and apples. Starting with thick juicy, pink in the center chops, served over creamy polenta, with baby kale and a slightly spicy apple fennel slaw. This is legitimately one of the best meals I have ever eaten. The variety of texture, the brightness of flavors and the tenderness of the chops are mouth-wateringly good together! I am salivating just thinking about it!
Ingredients
3 thick cut, frenched bone, pork chops (approximately 9 oz each chop)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tbsp unsalted butter
9 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 small apples, halved, cores removed (use multiple crisp varieties or your favorite)
1 small fennel bulb
1 large jalapeño
1 1/2 cup pickle juice, from an almost empty jar of pickles
Apple cider vinegar (enough to top off the mason jar)
1 tsp salt, plus extra for seasoning
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
3 tbsp crumbled stilton cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
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NanoBond Skillet
FOR THE PORK CHOPS:
FOR THE APPLE FENNEL SLAW:
FOR THE POLENTA:
4 cups water
PRODUCTS TO USE:
Directions
FOR THE APPLE FENNEL SLAW:
Pour the pickle juice into the clean 32oz mason jar.
Using a fine shredder on a V-shaped mandolin (alternatively, a coarse box grater, or coarse grater attachment on a food processor), carefully shred the apples until you have about 2 ½ cups.
Place the apples directly into the pickling liquid to keep them from browning.
Shred the fennel and jalapeño and add them to the jar. Top the jar off with apple cider vinegar. Close the lid and shake to combine all the ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use. Minimum 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
FOR THE POLENTA:
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat.
Add the salt, then whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the polenta thickens. The cornmeal should be tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, then add the butter, parmesan, and stilton cheese. Stir until the butter and cheeses have melted and are thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside until ready to serve.
FOR THE PORK CHOPS:
Season the pork chops liberally with salt and freshly ground pepper and let sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking.
Preheat half the grill on high heat and the other half on low heat.
Place a 12.5-inch NanoBond skillet over the low heat, then add the butter and thyme. Let the butter absorb the thyme flavor while you grill the chops (ensure the heat is low so the butter does not burn).
Place the chops over the high heat and grill for about 4 minutes total. Turn the chops 90° at 1 minute, flip at 2 minutes, turn again at 3 minutes, then add to the skillet with butter & thyme at 4 minutes.
Using a BBQ glove or oven mitt, move the hot pan over the high heat. When the butter begins to sizzle, spoon the butter and thyme over the pork chops to bath them in the hot butter. Continue to bath the chops for 3-5 minutes until the chops reach an internal temperature of 140°F-145°F (when cut into, the meat should be blushing pink in colour, not white). Remove to a plate and let rest.
Spoon the warm polenta onto platter. Add the pork chops on top of the polenta. Divide the kale equally between the chops (leaving any excess liquid in the bowl. Add a pile of the apple-fennel slaw, onto the corner of the chop and spilling onto the kale. Garnish with a few dill leaves and serve. The ideal bite combines a little of each of the ingredients.
English
French