Adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters
- 1 bunch flat leaf (Italian) parsley
- 1 lemon, preferably organic
- 3/4 lb. asparagus
- 3/4 lb. fresh green peas or sugar snap peas
- 3 spring onions
- 4 pork chops, 1/2-inch thick
- Fresh loaf of sourdough bread
Shopping List
- Black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Fine or coarse sea salt
- Garlic
- Unsalted butter
Pantry Items
- Bread knife
- Chef’s knife
- Heavy skillet
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Nonstick fry pan
- Paring knife
- Tongs
- Wooden spoons
- Zester or Microplane
Tools
- Wine: Côtes de Blaye (sort of a baby Bordeaux)
- Dessert: Blueberries and lemon sorbet
Suggestions
- When you walk in the door
- Get out Pantry Items
- Get out Tools
- Assemble the ingredients
- Don’t refrigerate the pork chops
- Open the wine
- Prep
- Wash and pat dry the parsley, pluck 1 cup leaves.
- Peel and coarsely chop 1 clove of garlic.
- Zest the lemon.
- Snap the root end off the asparagus and rinse well.
- Slice the asparagus on a diagonal into 1/8 – 1/4 inch slices. If the tips are very thick, slice in half lengthwise otherwise, leave whole.
- Shell the peas if they’re in the shell or, if you’re using sugar snap peas, trim the ends and slice on the diagonal into thin slices.
- Trim, peel, and slice the spring onions.
- Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Start Cooking
- First things first – set the table. You can even slice the bread and put it on the table, with the wine. This one is FAST.
- Put 1 tbsp. olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the pork chops and cook them for about 5 minutes.
- While the pork chops are browning, put 2 tbsps. butter in a frying pan over medium heat, and add the onions.
- Cook the onions, stirring once in a while, until they are soft which will take 4 -5 minutes
- Check the pork chops – they should be nice and brown, and it’s time to turn them. Cook them for another 4-5 minutes. They should still be slightly pink in the center, so they’re juicy and tender.
- Add the asparagus to the onions, along with the peas and ½ cup of water. Stir everything, season with salt, and cook until the vegetables are tender, 4-5 minutes.
- The pork chops are now cooked, so you can transfer them to a platter.
- Mince the lemon zest, garlic, and ½ cup of the parsley together. Strew this over the pork chops.
- Mince the remaining ½ cup parsley and add it to the vegetables, along with 1 tbsp. butter. Swirl the pan around, check the seasoning, and transfer the vegetables to a serving dish.
- You did it – dinner is ready!
