Pan Seared Pork Chops with sautéed Chard, Polenta and a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

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Pan Seared Pork Chops with sautéed Chard, Polenta and a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Pan searing is a 2 step process that combines stove and oven cooking for a delicious pork chop that is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Since there are four steps to this recipe, let’s take them each step by step:

I.              Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil for cooking, plus 1 tablespoon
  • 1 slice stale whole grain bread, crust removed and cut into small pieces
  • 1/4 red onion, small diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 large roasted red pepper, drained, seeded and chopped
  • 1 large ripe vine tomato, coarsely chopped
  • 1 sprig rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • 1 generous teaspoon of honey
  • salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

 Heat some of the oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Saute the bread for 2-3 minutes until lightly brown and remove from pan and put into large food processor. Add more oil to pan. Saute onions 5-7 minutes until translucent. Add garlic, tomatoes, roasted red pepper and rosemary. Cook 3 minutes, then add to food processor with bread. Add vinegar and honey and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add almonds just before serving

II.             Creamy Polenta

Ingredients

  • 2  cups  1% low-fat milk
  • 2  cups  low sodium chicken broth
  • cup  dry polenta
  • 1/2  cup  (2 ounce) shaved fresh Parmesan cheese
  • salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

 Combine the milk and chicken broth in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce  heat to medium low, and gradually add the polenta, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cover and cook over for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Top the polenta with the parmesan cheese.

 III.           Wilted Swiss Chard

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Swiss chard
  • 1 clove thinly sliced garlic
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 ripe vine tomato, chopped
  • salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Separate the Swiss chard stem and leaves. (The leaves cook faster than the stems.) Rinse and drain each. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook 3 minutes. Add chard stems and 1/4 cup of the chicken broth. Stir, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add chard leaves, tomato and remaining chicken broth. Cover and cook for another 8 minutes, occasionally stirring. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

IV.           Pan Seared Pork Chops

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 center cut pork chops, 1 inch thick
  • salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in large saute pan. Season both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper. Sear pork chops 3 mins on each side, until well caramelized. Transfer pork chops to a baking sheet and roast in the oven until cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Internal temperature should be 145 degrees. Let rest out of oven 5 minutes before serving.

To serve: add 1 cup of polenta to center of a plate, top with a serving of swiss chard. Add pork chop and top with pepper sauce.

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