Sunday, December 4, 2011

Seared Pork Chops with Prosciutto, Mushrooms, and Wine



Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons olive oil (just enough to lightly coat a nonstick pan)
2 boneless pork chops, about 3/4 to 1 inch thick (neither the super thin scallopini ones nor the crazy double cut ones)
salt and pepper for seasoning
1 cup Cremini mushrooms, large ones quartered and small ones halved
1/2 cup white wine (or just enough to create a super shallow pool for the chops to sit in)
5-6 fresh sage leaves
3 slices prosciutto, folded in half length-wise and snipped into lardon (little strips) with kitchen shears
splash chicken stock
small pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter
handful chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Directions:
Season both sides of the chops with salt and pepper and set aside. Add the oil to a large nonstick skillet and bring over medium heat. Let heat through for a couple minutes or until the oil moves freely in the pan when tilted then carefully add the chops, leaving them alone for a couple of minutes to brown. Once you have a golden sear, flip to the other side and add in the mushrooms distributing evenly around the pan (they all need contact with the heat and oil - don't let any sit on the chops at this point.)

Stir the mushrooms occasionally around the pan while the pork browns on the second side. After 2 minutes, pour in the white wine and bring to a simmer over medium/high heat. Once simmering, add in the sage leaves, prosciutto, a splash of stock and nutmeg. Let simmer another minute, then remove the chops and set aside while you finish the sauce. Basically you want the amount of moisture to reduce a little and the prosciutto to continue to infuse its flavor for a bit longer without over cooking your chops.

Once the liquid has reduced a little (careful though to not let the pan dry out or you won't have a sauce!) - lower the heat to its lowest setting and remove from the heat a second while you stir in the butter and a teensy bit more of salt and pepper (if you're salt sensitive check it before adding.) Add the chops back into the pan, scoop some of the sauce/mushrooms/prosciutto over the chops, garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley and serve.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Sounds delicious, my friend.. again, oh how I wish I was at least your neighbor :)

StephenC said...

Nice!

lisa is cooking said...

A wine sauce makes such a difference in a dish. And, I love the sage and mushrooms here too. Sounds like you had a great meal!

Rachelle said...

um yummmm!