Pan-Fried Pastured Pork Chops with Radish Leaf Pesto

This seems obvious, but how often do we start a meal with mediocre ingredients, then spend hours in the kitchen trying to makebrsomething extraordinary? Mediocre ingredients make mediocrebrmeals, and the best recipes in the world can’t save them.br

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You can make the most of your time in the kitchen by seekingbrout the best ingredients to begin your meals. Excellent ingredients need only a simple preparation to bring out the flavors ofbrthe dish. These recipes are a celebration of simplicity.br

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We began this meal with thin-cut pastured pork chops. The Iberian pork of Spain is renowned for its quality—the best chefs inbrthe world demand it. On our farm, we follow nearly to the letterbrthe Iberian technique by raising our heritage breed porkers onbrlush pasture, or on gardens planted with beans and turnips, thenbrfattening the porkers on acorns in the shade of our oak trees.brIberian farmers call the oak forests that feed their hogs dehesas.br

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The chops from these pastured porkers are intensely flavorful.brWe sautéed these beauties in a pan over medium heat with nothing but sea salt and crushed black pepper. The fat in the chopbrhelps develop a nice sear. Five minutes on each side, and they arebrready. This is as simple (and as delicious) as it gets.br

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We topped the chops with Radish Leaf Pesto. The season for rad-brishes ends in April, and the leaves grow bushy, green, and zesty.brThis pesto takes only minutes to make, but brings an incrediblebrfreshness and flavor to the chops, like ten green salads to everybrspoonful. We roasted a variety of the heirloom radishes, just 20brminutes in the oven, and each radish offers its own unique andbrearthy flavor.br

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For the salad, we featured nasturtium leaves and flowers.brNasturtiums are a particular delicacy—the leaves have a boldbrflavor, and the flowers taste of fruit. We layered the salad withbrfreshly picked beet greens, spinach, bibb lettuce, and topped thebrdish with nasturtium flowers. The homemade dressing featuresbrfreshly-picked green onions and dill.br

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These recipes are simple: the entire meal took roughly twentybrminutes to prepare. If you take the time to search out the bestbrartisan shops, farms, and fishmongers in The Bend, you willbrserve the best meals at your table. If you are going to spend abrlittle time in the kitchen, make it count.br

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You are extraordinary. Eat food that is extraordinary. You arebrworth it.br br br br

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Pan-Fried Pastured Pork Chop with Radish Leaf Pesto

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Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

brCook time: 15 minutesbrInactive Prep time: 5 minutesbr

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Ingredients:br

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2 tbsp olive oil
br4 pastured thin-cut pork chops (1⁄2brinch thick)
brSalt and pepper to tastebr

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Pesto:br

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4 cups Radish leaves, washed andbrstemmed
br1 cup whole almonds, roasted
br1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggianobr

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3 cloves garlic, peeled
br1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oilbr

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Sea salt to tastebr

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Directions:br

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Preheat pan on medium heat.brPat pork chops dry with a pa-brper towel. Season chops withbrsalt and pepper. Add porkbrchops to pan and cook forbrfive minutes on each side. Letbrchops rest for five minutes.brWhile your chops are cooking,brcombine the pesto ingredients into a food processor orbrblender. Pulse until ingredients are fully combined andbrhold together when pressedbrbetween two fingers.br

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Serve chop with a large table-brspoon of pesto spread on top,bror on the side. 

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Roasted Heirloom Radishes

Serves: 4br

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Prep Time: 2 minutesbr

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Ingredients:br

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1 lb assorted heirloom radishes, tops clipped,brrinsed
br2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
brSea salt to tastebr

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Directions:br

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Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place radishesbron baking sheet, slightly spaced apart,brdrizzle with EVOO and sea salt. Bake for 20brminutes.br

 

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Nasturtium Saladbrwith Dill Vinaigrettebr

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Serves: 6 side salads 

Prep time: 7 minutesbr

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Ingredients:
br6 cups salad greens (try Bibb or BlackseedbrSimpson lettuce, Bloomsdale spinach, andbrDetroit Dark Red beet greens)
brLeaves and flowers of 3 nasturtium plantsbr

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Vinaigrette:br

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1/4 cup fresh dill
br4 green onions, choppedbr1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oilbr1/3 cup red wine vinegar
br1 tsp local honey
brSea salt and pepper, to tastebr

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Directions:br

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On each salad plate, arrange one cup mixedbrsalad greens and several nasturtium leavesbrand blooms. In a medium bowl, combine allbrthe ingredients for the vinaigrette and whiskbrvigorously. Drizzle dressing on greens withbrsome freshly cracked peppercorns and enjoybrimmediately. 

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