Spiced Pork Chop with Mixed Greens Recipe

Servings: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 day

Ingredients

for the pork chops:
2 (8-ounce|227-gram) pork rib chops (bone-in if possible)
2 tablespoons fennel seeds, coarsely ground
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, coarsely ground
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, coarsely ground
1 tablespoon aleppo pepper flakes
1 tablespoon New Mexico chili flakes (or other semi-mild chili flakes)
1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt

for the toum:
1 ½ ounces|42 grams egg whites
⅓ ounce|9 ml fresh lemon juice
2 ½ grams garlic, finely grated
1 ½ grams kosher salt
4 ¼ ounces|120 ml canola oil

for the salad:
12 each small spring onions, green tops trimmed to about 3" long, then split in half lengthwise
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
12 shishito or padron peppers
1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

for the greens:
2 small handfuls of mixed baby greens (kale, mustard greens, arugula)
1 lemon, halved
olive oil, to taste
kosher salt, to taste

to cook the pork:
kosher salt
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral cooking oil

Directions

1. Prepare the pork: Mix everything but the salt in a small bowl until well combined. Season the chops all over and generously with the mixture. Better if done the day before. Reserve the salt to season later.
2. Make the toum: In a small food processor, buzz up the egg whites, lemon juice and salt until light and fluffy. In a steady stream, drizzle in the canola oil. The mixture should resemble a very light mayonnaise. Set aside in the fridge. Can be made one day in advance.
3. Make the salad: Heat oven to 400°F|200°C. In a large bowl, toss the trimmed onions with the olive oil and salt and then lay out tightly, but in one layer on a sheet tray. Roast in the oven until blistered and charred in some parts, but not burnt or papery. About 10-12 minutes. Set aside.
4. Char the peppers over a grill or with a blowtorch (leave them tender, don't steam them), then peel and chop into ¼-inch thick pieces with as many seeds removed as possible without going too crazy. Toss them with the spring onions, the olive oil and the champagne vinegar. Set the mix aside.
5. Heat the oven to 300°F. Get a skillet pan hot and rub the pork with the grapeseed oil and the salt that was set aside. Once the pan is slightly smokey, add the chops and sear them, flipping every minute or so until somewhat charred and golden in color. Try not to burn the spices. About 4 minutes. Once the chops are nicely browned, place them on a sheet tray with a rack and roast in the 300°F oven until an internal temp of 130-135°F is reached. Set aside to rest about 10-15 mins.
6. To serve: Warm a few plates. Place the greens in a bowl and season to taste with a bit of lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Slice the pork into ½-inch thick slabs and arrange onto warm plates (½ chop per plate). Add a few spoonfuls of toum to each dish, then spread the spring onions and peppers around the dish. Top with the dressed greens.

Get recipes like this and more in the Munchies Recipes newsletter. Sign up here.