Recipe: Roasted Pork Chops with Pesto and Mango Salsa

This one of the comfort food I make whenever my son comes home from college. I use pork chops with a little fat as possible instead of none. The fat makes it moist and tasty. You may use the skinless variety if you wish. I use a turbo broiler when I make a small batch.

This dish is often paired with my Basil Garlic Pesto Recipe HERE, and the Mango Salsa Recipe HERE.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

For the dry spice rub, mix together

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (you may adjust the amount)
• Lots of cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 coriander
• 1/2 celery seed (if available)

• 800 grams or about 4-5 cuts of pork chops
• 2 tablespoons butter, cold

Procedure:

1. Rub the dry spice on both sides of the chops. Cover inside a ziplock bag and refrigerate overnight.
2. Arrange the chops in an ovenproof container. Drizzle with olive oil.
3. Cut the cold butter in small pieces and distribute evenly on top of the chops.
4. Cover the top with aluminum foil.
5. Turbo broil for 35 minutes.
6. Remove the aluminium foil and broil for another 10 minutes to brown the chops.
7. Serve with the pesto and salsa separately.

Your choice of pesto.

Or your choice of salsa.

Or both.

Happy Eats!

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Recipe:: Ripe Mango Salsa

This salsa is a perfect alternative to the usual gravies and sauces on meat, fish and poultry. It is also yummy as a dip and a dressing. In this recipe, instead of adding the usual raw onions which other people don't really like, I cooked them lightly with olive oil just to sweat them. I added roasted pimientos instead of red bell peppers so as not to overpower the salsa. The smoky flavor of the roasted pimientos goes well with the rest of the ingredients.

Preparation time: 30 - 45 minutes
Yields about a cup

Ingredients:

• 1 piece medium onion, diced
• 1 piece pimiento, roasted and diced
• 1 piece jalapeño, seeded and sliced thinly
• 1 piece ripe yellow mango, diced
• A handful of cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• A pinch of ground turmeric
• Pinch of salt (optional)

Procedure:

1. Sweat the onions in a tablespoon of olive oil just to release its sugars and remove the bitter taste, Set aside.
2. Broil the whole pimiento under the flame until the skin is charred.
   
3. Peel and remove the seeds and then dice them.
   
4. Add all the ingredients together in a glass bowl, drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
5. Store in an airtight container. This should last about a week or so in the fridge.

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