Dukkah-Crusted Pork Chops with Roasted Cardamom Carrots

When we took a pizza and focaccia class last year, the instructor (the most awesome Chris French) introduced us to dukkah. In case you don't know, dukkah is an Egyptian nut-and-spice blend of almonds (or some other type of nut), sesame seeds, fennel seeds, coriander, anise seeds and kosher salt, and it is delicious. It imparts an exotically tasty flavor and crunchy coating to anything you put it in, and last week we put it on some pork chops. Holy Isis, were they good!

We dredged the chops first in flour, the in a beaten egg, then in the dukkah to make it stick better and pan-fried the chops in a skillet with a little oil and butter. We think cardamom proffers a mysterious flavor to dishes as well, so we roasted our side dish, carrots, in cardamom-infused butter. Sure, we haven't been A Couple in the Kitchen much lately (more like, a couple in the take-out lane), but this was a fabulous dinner that we've raved about, and craved, ever since.

Make the carrots first and put them in the oven. Wait about 15 minutes, then start the chops and both should come out around the same time.

We like the dukkah blend sold at Trader Joe's. 

Dukkah-Crusted Pork Chops 

serves two

Ingredients:

2 center-cut boneless pork chops

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup dukkah 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
pomegranate molasses (optional)

Coat pork chops (on both sides) first in flour, then in the beaten egg, then in the dukkah blend. Put aside in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet and pan-fry the pork chops until they are browned on both sides. Place the chops in a 350-degree oven and cook to desired temperature, about 10 minutes. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses if desired.

Roasted Cardamom Carrots

serves two

Ingredients:

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 whole cardamom pods

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cardamom pods and butter in a small saucepan and melt butter over low heat. Pour butter with cardamom pods over sliced carrots in a small baking dish. Place in oven and roast for 30-40 minutes, until tender.

Chris Food: Brussels Sprouts

Amy is away for the weekend. This means that while she is in the land of pedicures and facials I am left behind to install lighting, repair dressers, move firewood and, most important of them all, make Chris Food. For those of you that have read some earlier Chris Food posts you understand my glee. For those of you that don't understand, Chris Food is the stuff that I only get to make when Amy goes away. It is usually something a bit off the main stream (anchovies, chicken hearts, goat, squid) or way-too-close-to-being-healthy (sprouts, fish, asparagus, eggplant). Put simply, it's food that I can eat year round but Amy reserves for special occasions. Or never. Which ever comes first.

Today's recipe was inspired by the fact that I bought a pork loin to smoke and share with the neighbors until I found out that they are leaving for a week. Not one to waste food I improvised by slicing a couple of boneless chops from the loin, hit them with a mallet and 'Voila' - a dinner I would make again. It has a pretty simple prep (10 minutes) and can be served within 40 minutes.

Pan seared garlic-basil pork chops with brussels sprouts baked in seasoned ghee and macadamia nuts

Serves 2

Ingredients:

14 brussels sprouts
2 boneless pork chops (~1/2 thick)
1/2 cup of flour
3 tablespoons ghee
1 tablespoon olive oil (2)
1/4 teaspoon crushed basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I used Salemme pepper)
salt and papper to taste

Sprouts:
Preheat oven to 350. Remove outer layer then wash. Cut in half lengthwise. Put in baking dish (I used a cast iron pan) with oil, rosemary, macademia nuts and red pepper flakes, salt. Mix. Scatter ghee across top of mix and place in oven for 40 minutes. Stir ocasionally to coat. Sprouts are done when they begin to caramelize.

Pork chops:

Place chops on cutting board. Season both sides with garli powder, crushed basil, salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and pound with mallet or heavy pan. Flip and repeat until meat is 1/4" to 1/2" thick. (This will only take a couple of hits.) Thoroughly coat with flour. Place in hot frying pan with 2 tablespoons of oil. Let meat sit until it moves when pan is shaken. Flip. Continue cooking for half of original time.