Sautéed Pork Chops with Kale Salad
A honey-mustard vinaigrette lends bright flavors to both the meat and the salad. Unlike lettuce salads, which need to be served as soon as they are made, kale benefits from being prepared ahead.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. gluten-free Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. honey
- 1/2 cup plus 3 Tbs. olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 4 cups thinly sliced black kale leaves (about 14 stalks with
center ribs removed, from 1 large bunch) - 1 tart green apple such as pippin, cut into matchsticks
- 4 center-cut loin pork chops, each about 1 1/4 inches thick
- 4 tsp. minced fresh thyme
- 2 tsp. dried marjoram, crumbled
- 2 Tbs. minced shallot
- 1/2 cup dry vermouth
Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, mustard and honey. Gradually mix in 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. of the olive oil to make a dressing and season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine the kale and apple. Add 1/3 cup of the dressing and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Lightly season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the thyme and marjoram.
In a large, heavy fry pan over high heat, warm the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the pork chops and cook until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the meat feels firm but not hard when pressed and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chops registers 145°F, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Mound the kale on a platter and top with the pork chops. Let stand while you make the sauce.
Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the fat from the pan. Set the pan over medium heat, add the shallot and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the vermouth and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits on the pan bottom. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining dressing to make a sauce. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, spoon the sauce over the pork chops and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Cooks’ notes: To cut the kale efficiently, stack the leaves and cut them crosswise using a sharp knife. If you have leftover salad, don’t throw it away; surprisingly, it tastes good the next day. Sweet potatoes are a healthy gluten-free starch; serve them baked or mashed alongside this dish.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Weeknight Gluten Free, by Kristine Kidd (Weldon Owen, 2013).