Pork Chops with Greek Polenta and Roasted Red Onions

Greek polenta is so delicious, you incorporate an egg yolk at the end that gives the polenta some body. Lemon juice gives it a brightness that makes you want to eat a lot of it. YUM. This might seem like a lot but don’t be scared, the timing works out well, and the polenta is hands off for most of the time, and so are the veggies. Simmering the pork chops in tomatoes and wine, insures a juicy and flavorful chop. You will love this meal I promise!!!!

Recipe by Tierney Larson/Polenta recipe adapted from “My Recipes”

Ingredients:

For the chops:

4 Bone-in Pork chops (I wrote this recipe for thick cut, if you want to use thin, see below*)

Kosher Salt

1 tbl paprika

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tbl canola oil

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

2 tbl tomato paste

1/2 cup of red wine, a cote du rhone or pinot noir is nice

2 sprigs of oregano

1 sprig of thyme

1 15oz can of crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup of roughly chopped castelvetrano olives

kosher salt

black pepper

For the Polenta

5 cups of chicken stock or low sodium vegetable broth

zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp kosher salt

1 egg yolk

2 tbl lemon juice

1 cup of polenta

1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese, or 2-4 oz goat cheese (to taste)

For the veggies:

2 red onions, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick half moons

1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends trimmed and the rest cut into thirds (about 1 inch long pieces)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 tbl white balsamic vinegar

2 tbl olive oil

Kosher salt

Black pepper

2 sprigs of thyme

3 sprigs of fresh oregano

For finishing (optional)

A sprinkling of chopped oregano leaves

Aleppo Pepper

Ok so…

*If using thin cut, follow the directions exactly except sear them only on the first side, then flip them over and let them sear for a few seconds on the other side and then remove them to rest on the plate before finishing them in the sauce.

Prep your pork:

Place the pork chops on a cutting board and pat dry with a paper towel. Then using a small knife, make 2-3 slits through the fat and the silver skin (thin shiny line running under the fat) so your pork chops don’t curl up when you sear them. Mix together the paprika and oregano in a small bowl, then rub the spices all over the chops. Season with kosher salt on all sides and let them sit to come to room temp while you make the polenta.

Make the Polenta:

Preheat your oven to 325F and bring the stock or broth up to a boil in a large pot that has a lid (you’ll be covering and putting it in the oven later). Once you’ve brought it to a boil, prepare a medium sized bowl with a kitchen towel underneath to prevent slippage, add the egg yolk and lemon juice. Using a ladle, ladle 1 cup of the boiling broth slowly into the egg and lemon juice while whisking constantly. Set aside.

Add the lemon zest and salt to the remaining (still boiling) broth and then slowly whisk in the polenta. It should come right back to a boil, when it does cover it and place in the oven for 20-25min, or until the liquid is absorbed and it’s a creamy texture. It might look a little separated, but give it a good whisk when it comes out and it will be fine. When you remove it from the oven, fold in the egg yolk and lemon mixture, and then the cheese. Taste and add a bit more salt if necessary. Cover to keep warm and set aside.

Put in the Veg. Bump the oven temp up to 425F, and toss the onions asparagus and garlic in the olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and spread out onto a sheet tray. Top with thyme and oregano sprigs. Place in the oven for 20 min.

Make the Pork:
While they’re cooking, preheat a cast iron skillet or heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. When hot add the oil. When the oil is shimmering and just starting to smoke, add in the chops. Sear on both sides for about 4 min or until golden brown, the paprika may start to burn if you leave it too long so make sure to check them now and then. Remove the not yet fully cooked chops and place on a plate to the side. To the same pan, add your garlic cloves and turn down the heat to medium. After 1 min add the tomato paste and a pinch of salt and stir so it doesn’t burn, until it turns a brick red color. Add the wine and oregano and thyme sprigs and let them simmer and the wine reduce for about 2 min. Then add the crushed tomatoes and olives. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, then nestle the pork chops into the sauce and let it simmer at a steady, but not boiling, simmer until the pork chops are cooked through, around 150F internal temp. It will take about 10-12 min depending on how thick (5-7 min if you have thin cut) your pork chops are.

Serving: zest some lemon over the vegetables, sprinkle the polenta with some Aleppo pepper and top everything with some chopped oregano. Enjoy!!!!