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Quick, easy and delicious, Pan Seared Pork Chops with Dandelion Greens and Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette taste like a gourmet meal.
Aside from bacon, I’m not a huge fan of pork. I’m much more of a beef guy. Also really big into fish, in case you were wondering. Setting my carnal preferences aside, the folks at RealFoodToronto.com, which is the grocery delivery service offered by The Healthy Butcher, carry some of the absolute best pork products you can find in Toronto. In fact, I’m going to venture a guess that it’s about as good as you can get anywhere in the world. They carry heritage breed pork, Berkshire and Tamworth, and the animals are raised on a happy, local, Ontario farm. By happy I mean free of antibiotics, hormones, and allowed to pasture year-round. Believe me when I say that you can taste the difference. You may already know that I am a huge fan of their grass-fed beef, which I used in my YouTube recipe on How to Cook the Best Steak. If you want to take a break from beef, this Pork chop will hit the spot.
I love these bone-in, centre-cut loin chop with the fat cap still in tact. Maximum flavour at a very reasonable price. Especially considering the quality and size of the chop. You can have a look at their website for the different prices but it was low enough that I decided to order two.
This pork is very rich in flavour, partly because of the bone and amazing fat cap. Look at that thing. It’s a crescent moon of all things right in this world. If you’re looking for something to pair the meat with, try dandelion greens. They are bitter and cut through the rich, fattiness of the pork. You’ll want something to counteract the bitterness of the greens though. I like to make a really simple vinaigrette with maple syrup and whole-grain mustard. The grains of the mustard also give a really nice texture.
If you go to Big Crow in Toronto, you may come across a similar dish. A few years back I had a spectacular BBQ pork belly with dandelion greens and honey mustard. This dish is my riff on the flavour combination. Sadly the dish is no longer on their rotating menu. So if you work at Big Crow and are reading this, please put it back on the menu.
This is also my first time cooking with my brand new Hestan Nanobond Stainless Steel Skillet. The generous folks at Hestan very kindly sent me this pan. It’s still too early to give the skillet a fair review but I can tell you that it worked wonders with this recipe. Very responsive, even heat distribution, comfortable handle and superior non-stick capabilities. It will be very interesting to see how this pan performs after a month or two. I will be sure to follow-up with a separate review of the pan after I have a chance to cook some more with it.
Pan Seared Pork Chop with Dandelion Greens and Maple-Mustard Greens
Ingredients
For the Maple Mustard Vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- 1 clove garlic , finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon organic maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
For the Pork Chop and Dandelion Greens
- 1 14-ounce centre-cut pork loin chop
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 bunch dandelion greens, cut in half and lower stems removed
Instructions
For the Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette:
- In a mason jar, combine the mustard, maple syrup, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Seal the top of the jar and shake to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as required. Can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
For the Pork Chop and Dandelion Greens:
- Heat a skillet or grill over medium-high heat. Pat pork chop dry with paper towel, drizzle with 1 tablespoon avocado oil and season both sides with salt, pepper and paprika.
- Drizzle one tablespoon of avocado oil into the pan and carefully add the pork chop by laying it away from you to avoid oil splatter. If using a grill, place the chops over direct heat. Cook the pork for 4-5 minutes per side (depending on thickness), or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chops reaches 145F – use a meat thermometer for accuracy. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 8 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add dandelion greens to the skillet. If the skillet is dry, add 1 tbsp avocado oil. Season the greens with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook greens for 3-4 minutes while stirring constantly. If using a grill, season the greens with avocado oil, salt and pepper before grilling over direct heat until wilted and slightly charred, around 4 minutes.
- Transfer the dandelion greens to a serving platter along with the pork chops. Drizzle everything with the Maple-Mustard and enjoy!
About the Author
Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
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