Commentary by Ceci Martinez
This delicious dinner can be ready in a flash. Serve pork chops with Israeli couscous with spring roasted vegetables from your local farmers market. Accompanied with your favorite chutney and this dish will taste even better.
PORK CHOPS
Serves: 4 / Cook: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
4 bone-in pork chops (about 2 1/2 pounds) at room temperature
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper, cook in batches for about 7 to 9 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Using the same hot skillet add wine or balsamic vinegar to the drippings and add a dollop of mustard. Scrape over heat until you have a sauce.
ISRAELI COUSCOUS
Serves: 4 / Cook: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup roasted pine nuts
1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous
1/2 large cinnamon stick
1 dried bay leaf
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 salt
1/4 cup parsley, minced
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup raisins
Ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until golden. Add couscous, cinnamon and bay leaf and stir often until couscous browns slightly. Add broth and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, pine nuts, lemon zest, raisins and season with black pepper.
