Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops with Escarole & Apple Sauté
Toasting the whole spices and grinding them yourself is the key to this dish’s amazingly fragrant flavor.
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Choose a crisp, firm apple such as Braeburn or Fuji that will hold its shape when cooked with the slightly bitter greens. When prepping the escarole, trim just the very end of the root, keeping as much of the juicy white stem as possible – it’s the best part.
An apple a day: Apples are a rich source of polyphenols and contain a type of soluble fiber called pectins. Both pectins and polyphenols have been found in studies to help reduce LDL cholesterol levels (high levels of which are precursors to cardiovascular disease) and to aid in suppressing tumor growth.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp each fennel seeds and coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 4 6-oz boneless pork loin chops, trimmed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 Braeburn or Fuji apple, cored and cut into ½-inch wedges
- 2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1 bunch escarole (about 1 lb), trimmed and roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Preparation
- Heat a large sauté pan on medium-low. Add fennel and coriander and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a clean spice grinder and add 1/4 tsp salt and pepper; pulse until finely ground. (Alternatively, transfer to a cutting board and crush spices with the bottom of a saucepan.) Rub mixture all over pork.
- Mist same sauté pan with cooking spray and heat on medium-high. Add pork and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, undisturbed, until browned, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook, undisturbed, until just a hint of pink remains in centers and pork reaches 145°F when tested with an instant-read thermometer in thickest part, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Set aside.
- In same sauté pan, heat oil on medium. Add apple and sauté, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Gradually add escarole, tossing with tongs to wilt between additions. Stir in vinegar and remaining 1/4 tsp salt, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Serve with pork.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 pork chop and 1 cup escarole mixture
- Calories 314
- Carbohydrate Content 11 g
- Cholesterol Content 96 mg
- Fat Content 13 g
- Fiber Content 5 g
- Protein Content 37 g
- Saturated Fat Content 4 g
- Sodium Content 348 mg
- Sugar Content 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 1.5 g