Fine Cooking (August 2010)
We had planned to tell you today about Tuesday's marathon session of canning tomatoes. But honestly, we're still reeling from the experience.
It was a slog (albeit a successful one). So while we're getting that post together, which will be the next thing we publish, we need some easy, summer fare that requires little time in the kitchen.
These Pork with Peach-Ginger Chutney are just the thing.
Forget about the pork here. In this recipe, it's all about the peach-ginger chutney.
Peaches are abundant right now in our area. When we pick some up at the farmers market, they're firm, ripe and wonderfully sweet. (One reader, Sarah, emailed us yesterday, in fact, about how she was buying peaches and freezing them, in anticipation of making a peach cake this January. When she's eating that peach cake in the dead of winter and the rest of us aren't, we're going to be sorry we didn't freeze some peaches too! Maybe we'll storm Sarah's house. Or, actually, maybe we'll just make a peach cake of our own.)
So back to the recipe: This chutney is a 20-minute, no-frills affair. Peach, ginger and thyme go into a saucepan with shallots, sugar and water. You cook it down until the peaches are nicely softened, discard the ginger and thyme and serve. It's just the right combo of sweet and savory and an excellent accompaniment for the pork.
The pork itself is fine. It's a standard pork chop, dredged in flour and then cooked in a skillet. If you'd rather grill your pork, that would be good, too.
But really, that's all beside the point, because it's all about the chutney. Give it a try -- we think you'll agree.
Pork Chops with Peach-Ginger Chutney
Fine Cooking (August 2010)
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2 medium peaches (about 3/4 lb.), peeled, pitted, and chopped
One 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 4 thick coins
1 large shallot, chopped
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 large sprig fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-1/4 oz. (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour
4 (3/4-inch-thick) boneless pork loin chops
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine the peaches, ginger, shallot, sugar, thyme sprig, a pinch each of salt and pepper, and 1 Tbs. water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the peaches have collapsed and released their juices, about 20 minutes; discard the ginger and thyme sprig. Cover and set aside.
Meanwhile, combine the flour, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a wide, shallow dish and stir to combine. Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge the chops in the flour mixture, shake off any excess, and transfer to a clean plate. Discard any remaining flour.
Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Arrange the pork chops in a single layer and cook, turning once, until deep golden-brown all over and cooked through, about 12 minutes total.
Mash the peach chutney with a potato masher until slightly chunky. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer the pork chops to plates, top with the chutney, and serve.
