I grew up in a kosher-style home and, though my love for prosciutto and lobster grew with age outside of the house, I rarely had the chance to cook pork and shellfish myself. Labor Day posed the perfect opportunity in my own (non-kosher) home to test the ultimate flavor-packed protein: pork chops. We succeeded without needing to fire up the oven or the grill. All we needed were a piping hot cast iron skillet, extra garlic, and a generous pinch of red pepper flakes. The outcome, paired with baked spaghetti squash with grated pecorino and French green beans, was unimaginably satisfying. If I hadn't yet stolen Alex's heart, Monday eve on the patio sealed the deal.
This boneless pork chop recipe is seasonally adaptive, allowing the heat and flavors to travel from summer to fall with comfort and creativity. If you aren't a pork person, sub for filet or chicken. I hope you love this one!
Makes 2 servings
1 tablespoon canola oil 2 pork chops, about 1-inch thick Sea salt and black pepper 1/2 tablespoon butter 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 shallot, thinly sliced 2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1. Take pork chops out of refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Sprinkle both sides with sea salt and black pepper.
2. Heat cast iron skillet with canola oil over medium high heat. Add pork to pan and leave, uninterrupted, for four minutes on each side. Then, add butter to pan and, once melted, use a spoon to pour over pork. Flip after 1 minute and repeat. Remove pork chops from pan and allow to rest on cutting board for 10 minutes.
3. Return the skillet back to the stove and turn heat to medium. Add garlic to existing butter/oil mixture and, when garlic is fragrant, add shallots and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook and stir until onions caramelize, approximately 10 minutes.
4. Add pork chops back to skillet and top each chop with shallots and garlic. Serve warm or at room temperature.
