In an effort to use up items that have been in the freezer for a while, I grabbed a bag of pork loin chops that I'd picked up at Costco several months ago. If you've seen them in the meat case there - or anywhere else for that matter - you know what I'm talking about when I say they're thick. One pork chop can easily feed two average people, and you can't buy just one or two, or even a four-pack, at stores like Costco or Sam's Club the way you can at traditional grocery stores such as Food City and Publix.
I came home with at least a dozen of these pork loin chops and have been looking for different ways to serve them ever since.
After pounding the daylights out of the chops, reducing them to about a half-inch thickness, I found a recipe in The New York Times that is now among my favorites.
The Dijon cream sauce would go well with chicken, too, but there's something about the marriage of Dijon mustard and pork that's made in culinary heaven.
Pork Chops With Dijon Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 pork loin chops, pounded to about a 1/2-inch thickness
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (or more, to taste)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
Melt butter in the oil in a large deep skillet over high heat. Season chops with salt and pepper, and add them, browning well, 2 or 3 minutes a side, reducing the heat slightly if chops brown too quickly.
Remove chops to a platter, and pour off most of the fat. Add onions, and cook over medium-high heat until softened, about 1 minute. Add wine, and bring to a boil, scraping brown bits off the bottom. Stir in the stock, and return chops to the pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer, cover and cook until chops are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the chops to a warm platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Raise the heat, and boil pan juices to reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Add cream, and boil 2 minutes more, until sauce reduces a bit and thickens. Remove from the heat, and whisk in mustard and the parsley, if using. Taste and add more mustard if desired. Spoon sauce over the chops, and serve.
New Eats at Carrabba's
Carrabba's Italian Grill has a new menu that's brought back some old favorites, such as its amazing Eggplant Parmesan and Four-Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms. They've also introduced some new dishes, like a 16-ounce Tuscan-Grilled Rib-Eye. But the one I can't wait to try is Rigatoni Martino, pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and Parmesan cheese in a creamy tomato sauce topped with ricotta and scallions.
Hungry yet? Carrabba's is at 2040 Hamilton Place Blvd., and if you're hesitant to dine in, get it to go or have it delivered.
Email Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.
Anne Braly