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Sauteed Pork Chops
Served with Sunburst Lentils
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Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes Total time: 40 minutes |
- 1 lemon
- 2 limes, preferably organic
- 2 oranges
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 1-inch fresh ginger
- 1 bunch flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
- 2 cups small orange lentils
- 1 lb. bacon, preferably nitrite-free
- 4 good-sized pork chops, preferably organic
- 1 crusty loaf of whole grain bread
Shopping List
- Black pepper
- Garlic
- Hot paprika
- Sea salt
Pantry Items
- Bread knife
- Chef’s knife
- Heavy skillet
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Medium saucepan
- Mixing bowls
- Nonstick fry pan
- Paring knife
- Slotted spoon
- Small saucepan
- Spatula
- Strainer
- Tongs
- Vegetable Peeler
- Whisk
- Wooden spoons
Tools
- Wine: Pinot Noir
- Dessert: Apple or Pear Crumble
- If you have leftover lentils, they’re delicious the next day warmed up.
Suggestions
- When you walk in the door
- Don’t refrigerate the pork
- Put the bacon in the freezer
- Get out Pantry Items
- Get out Tools
- Assemble the ingredients
- Open the wine
- Prep
- Rinse and check the lentils for stones. Put them in the medium saucepan with 6 cups water.
- Squeeze half the lemon – you need 2 tbsps. juice - through your fingers into a large bowl.
- Squeeze 1 lime – you need 2 tbsps. juice – and put it in the bowl.
- Squeeze the orange– you need 1/4 cup juice – through your fingers and put it in the bowl.
- Thinly slice the second lime.
- Peel and dice the onion.
- Peel and mince 1 garlic clove.
- Seed and dice the bell pepper.
- Cut the jalapeno in half. Mince ½ the pepper. If you like heat, keep the seeds.
- Peel and mince the ginger.
- Rinse and pat dry the parsley. Pluck 1 cup leaves.
- Make short stacks of the bacon slices. Cut the slices into thin cross-wise strips.
- Start Cooking
- Put the lentils over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the lentils are crisp/tender, about 5 minutes. Watch them and test them often – you don’t want them mushy.
- Mince the parsley. Put a bowl over it, to keep its flavor from flying away.
- Check the lentils. When they’re cooked, drain and put them into a large bowl.
- Put the bacon in the nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, for 7-8 minutes until it’s golden.
- While the bacon is cooking, set the table and pour yourself a glass of wine.
- Whisk 1/4 tsp. hot paprika into the citrus juices.
- Using the slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan and put it with the lentils.
- Put the pan back over medium heat and add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, garlic and ginger and cook until the onion is transparent, about 15 minutes. You need to stir this often.
- While the veggies are cooking, put 1 tbsp. olive oil in the heavy skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, put the chops in the pan and cook until they’re golden, about 5 minutes.
- Check and stir the veggies.
- Slice the bread.
- Flip the chops, salt and sprinkle them with hot paprika and cook, covered, until they are lightly pink in the center, 5-7 more minutes.
- Whisk the parsley into the citrus juices. Pour over the lentils and toss gently.
- When the pork chops are cooked, transfer them to a platter. Garnish with parsley sprigs.
- When the veggies are cooked, transfer them and the bacon fat to the lentils and toss very gently until everything is combined.
- Taste the lentils and garnish with the lime slices.
- Dinner is ready – take everything to the table. Don’t forget the wine and bread!
