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One food I always had trouble cooking was pork chops. They usually tasted good, but they never failed to be tougher than the soles of my shoes. After years of failed recipes, not to mention embarrassment, I finally took matters in hand and created this recipe.
Like all the menus posted here, this has been prepared many times for tough critics and has always been well received. Give it a try and, please, let me know how your critics respond.
Marinated Pork Chops Braised in White Wine
Boiled Potatoes
Steamed Asparagus
White Wine – Soave Bolla
Marinated Pork Chops Braised in White Wine
- 1 tsp. dried sage or 4 fresh leaves
- 1 tsp. dried rosemary or 5 fresh sprigs
- 1 tsp. dried thyme or 5 fresh sprigs
- 1 tsp. pressed or finely chopped garlic
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- Olive oil
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- 4 1 inch thick pork chops with or without bones
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp. chopped parsley fresh or dried – optional
Lay herbs into a glass dish large enough to hold the chops in one layer. Sprinkle garlic over the herbs. Carefully pour in about 1 cup olive oil into dish so as not to disturb the herbs. Grind pepper across the top. Lay the chops across the herb mixture. Add more olive oil until the chops are barely covered.
Marinade in the refrigerator for 2-5 hours. Turn the cops once during that time.
Remove dish from fridge 1 hour or a little less before cooking. The meat cooks better if it’s nearer room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 250 F°.
Add a little of the marinade to a medium size frying pan and heat on medium high until the oil shimmers. Add the chops and brown about 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Transfer the meat to an ovenproof plate. Pour off all but a thin film of oil, add ½ cup of wine and bring to a boil. Return the chops to the pan. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, basting with the pan juices occasionally, until they are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Return the meat to the ovenproof plate, cover, and set in oven while you finish the potatoes and asparagus.
Prepare the sauce just before serving dinner. Skim as much fat as you can from the braising liquid and pour in the remaining ¼ cup wine. Boil it over high heat, stirring and scraping in any browned bits that cling to the bottom and sides of the pan, until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy glaze.
Off the heat, swirl in the butter and parsley, pour over the pork chops and serve.
Boiled Potatoes
- 2 – 3 small red potatoes per person
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf or 1 tbsp. dried basil
- Tap water
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- Butter to taste
In a medium size saucepan add chicken stock and your preferred herb. Peel potatoes, rinse, slice in thirds, and then place into pot. Add tap water to cover the potatoes by about an inch or so. Too much water and the potatoes will be soggy. Not enough and they’ll be raw on the sections above the water.
Cover the pot and heat on medium until the potatoes come to a boil. Adjust the heat and/or the lid to maintain a decent boil, but not a hard one, until potatoes are fork tender. It takes about 15 minutes after they begin to boil.
Drain and return potatoes to pot. Discard bay leaf. Stir in butter and pepper before you serve.
Steamed Asparagus
- 1 bunch asparagus
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup dry vermouth
- Tap water
- 2 tbsp butter
- Metal vegetable steamer
Add chicken stock and dry vermouth to a medium size saucepan. Insert vegetable steamer. Carefully add tap water to just below the bottom holes.
Trim the stem end of the asparagus to fit your saucepan. Lay them in the pan and cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat, adjusting the heat to a strong simmer. In 4-5 minutes the asparagus should be crisp tender.
Lay asparagus in a serving bowl. Spread butter over them and serve.
Happy Cooking!
