Are you a fan of kale? I've always loved this leafy green vegetable. When I was a child we had it regularly, usually with hamburger steak and mashed potatoes. I often mixed my kale and mashed potatoes together, in a truly "child friendly" manner. It made my parents cringe but at least I was eating my veggies!
As an adult, I still love kale and buy it regularly at the grocery. Usually I wash, trim and boil it in a saucepan, then add a little salt and pepper and some lean bacon bits in lieu of the bacon grease my mother used when I was a child. I discard the stems in my compost heap.
Imagine my surprise when I opened the compost bin one day this spring and found two kale plants growing up toward the thin shaft of light coming in! I carefully dug the plants, which had rooted from those discarded stems, and transplanted them into the little garden area I'd planted with my granddaughter, Lilly. The plants took off and I now have my own fresh kale.
When I saw this recipe in Country Living Magazine, one of my favorite subscriptions, I couldn't wait to try it. However, I had to make a few changes. Here's the original:
Here's the way I fixed the dish:
Sauteed Pork Chops with Kale
(Victoria Chancellor version)
In a large skillet, heat about 2 T. olive oil or a good vegetable oil, like canola
3 medium "sirloin cut" boneless pork chops (Note: These were on sale at Target but you could use any type of pork chops. If you use thick chops, however, make sure to increase cooking time.)
1/4 c. (approx.) chopped or thinly sliced onion
2 cloves garlic
Salt & pepper to taste (I also used some Old Bay Seasoning just because I like it!)
Approx. 2 cups or more kale, washed and trimmed
Add kale to about 1 to 1 1/2 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until just tender while you are preparing the pork chops.
Add seasoned pork chops to hot oil in skillet and brown on both sides. Add onions and garlic and continue to saute until onions are transparent. (Do not overcook garlic.) Drain kale and add to skillet. Saute kale with pork chops until fully cooked/wilted.
I served my dinner with Appaloosa Beans, a novelty type of dried beans I soaked and cooked. (They were very similar to Black-Eyed Peas.) Also, I served cornbread, with blueberry pie and vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Note: If you don't like kale, you could use fresh spinach or another green leafy vegetable.
I prepared this meal while I should have been finishing my July, 2011 Harlequin American Romance, The Texan and the Cowgirl, so I'm really glad my husband enjoyed it! I hope you like it, too. Best wishes for a wonderful October.
6 comments:
Victoria--your recipe sounds wonderful--I haven't had pork chops in forever--will have to try this one.
Marin
Thanks, Marin. We don't have pork chops often but always enjoy them when I think of buying them! (And then there's the kale! ) If you come up with your own variation, please post it.
P.S. I meant to add a photo of Lilly working in our little garden, but I forgot. I don't think I can add that later, can I?
I don't like kale, but do like spinach, so will try the recipe. I love pork chops.
I love Kale! Thanks for sharing the recipe, definitely going to try it.
Estella, if you use fresh spinach, I'd suggest not cooking it first. Just add it to the skillet and it will wilt almost immediately. I hope it turns out great. Let me know, please!
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