Pork Chops And Padrón Chiles En Escabèche Recipes

MEXICAN CHILE PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan set over high heat, add 1 cup water, the agave, 2 tablespoons salt, the cumin, cracked black pepper, garlic, oregano, 2 of the anchos, 1 of the chipotles, 2 of the guajillos, the beer and limes. Cook, stirring, until the salt dissolves. Remove from the heat, add the ice, and stir until cool. Pour the brine into a large, resealable plastic bag and add the pork chops. Seal the bag and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
• Preheat the grill to high heat and wipe the grates down carefully with some oiled paper towels to clean and create a nonstick surface.
• In a dry skillet set over medium-high heat add the remaining 1 ancho, 2 chipotles and 1 guajillo chile. Cook the chiles until fragrant and lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes. Place the chiles in a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. In a small bowl, add the chile powder, cumin, granulated garlic, sugar, paprika, the remaining 1/2 tablespoon salt, the mustard and ground black pepper. Mix to combine, and set aside.
• Remove the pork chops from the brine, then pat dry and brush with the canola oil. Coat evenly all over with the spice rub. Grill the pork chops for 2 1/2 minutes. Rotate the chops 90 degrees and cook another 2 1/2 minutes to create crosshatch sear marks. Flip the chops over and repeat the same process on the second side. Move the chops to an area of the grill with medium heat and continue cooking until cooked through and an internal thermometer inserted in the chops reads 145 degrees F for medium doneness, 7 to 8 minutes. Rest the chops for 5 to 7 minutes for the juices to redistribute.
• Serve the pork chops with the Grilled Green Chile Sauce spooned over the top and garnish with Pico De Gallo.
• In a large bowl, add the hatch chiles, Anaheim chiles, jalapenos, poblanos, onions and scallions. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of the salt, and mix to coat. Grill the chiles, onions and scallions until charred, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set the scallions and onions aside; place the chiles in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and steam for 6 to 8 minutes. Once the chiles cool, carefully scrape away and discard the charred skin, then remove the stems and seeds, and roughly chop. In the bowl of a food processor, add the chiles, onions, scallions, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, the vinegar, garlic, lime juice, zest and cilantro. Process until smooth and bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in a bowl, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• In a small bowl add the tomatoes, lemon juice, jalapenos, celery juice, cilantro, oil, salt, garlic and onions. Mix to combine, then cover and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the excess liquid before serving.

PICKLE-BRINED PORK CHOPS WITH MUSHROOM ESCABECHE AND SMASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• For brining the pork chops: Combine the salt, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, lemon peels and parsley with 3 quarts water in a large pot or bowl and whisk together. Add the pork chops, cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning once halfway through. This may seem like a long time, but these are seriously big pork chops. Brining will make your pork so tender and flavor it throughout.
• For the smashed potatoes: Place the potatoes in large pot and cover with salted cold water. The potatoes will soak up that salt like pasta and it will make a big difference in flavor. Cover and bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes, and return them to the same pot, allowing them to dry. Melt the butter with the half-and-half in a small saucepot over low heat. Add to the potatoes along with the cream cheese and season with salt and pepper. Smash with a potato masher and set aside, keeping warm until ready to serve.
• For the mushroom escabeche: Heat the canola oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until lightly browned in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat and reserve. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepot over medium heat and saute the garlic and shallots until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar, chili flakes and lemon zest and juice. Bring to a simmer and then turn off the heat. Return the reserved mushrooms to the pot, toss to combine and absorb all of that flavor. Garnish with parsley.
• For preparing the pork chops: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Remove the chops from the brine and dry completely with paper towels. Drizzle with canola oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place the chops on the grill and sear until browned, 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Transfer to a sheet tray and finish cooking in the oven until an internal temperature reaches 135 to 140 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes.
• Serve the pork chops over the smashed potatoes and top with the mushrooms.

PORK CHOPS WITH CHILI SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the pork chops in a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Top with the onion, green pepper and chili sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 20-30 minutes or until meat juices run clear.

GRILLED PORK ESCABECHE

Steps:

• Heat a charcoal or gas grill (or preheat broiler) until fire is moderately hot. Meanwhile, combine all ingredients except pork (including a pinch of salt and at least 1/2 teaspoon pepper) in a medium saucepan with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer about 5 minutes, until onion softens. Pour into a deep platter large enough for pork.
• Sprinkle pork liberally with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides until nearly cooked through (150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted into meat), about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove pork, let cool a few minutes, then place in marinade.
• If time allows, marinate for a couple of hours (or overnight, refrigerated). Slice, and serve at room temperature, spooning marinade (with onion) over each slice. To serve more quickly, marinate at least 10 minutes, then cut pork into 1-inch slices, and marinate for 15 minutes before serving.