Grilled pork chops with vinegar butter and baby arugula
Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 10 minutes Makes: 4 servings 4 well-trimmed pork chops, each about 8 ounces Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 large shallot, minced 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons cut into small pieces 1⁄4 cup zinfandel vinegar or other good-quality, strongly flavored red wine vinegar 1⁄2 cup dry red wine 1⁄2 cup good-quality chicken broth or stock, boiled in a small saucepan until reduced to about 1⁄4 cup 2 bunches baby arugula, tough stems removed, leaves rinsed under cold running water and patted dry
1. Heat a gas or charcoal grill for direct-heat cooking, with the fire directly under the cooking grid. 2. When the fire is hot, season the pork chops to taste on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill the chops until well-seared on both sides and cooked through but still juicy, 5 to 7 minutes per side, turning them only once. An instant read grilling thermometer inserted into the center of a chop should read about 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer the chops to a heated platter, cover with aluminum foil and keep warm. 3. As soon as the pork chops start grilling, prepare the sauce. Put the shallot and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Saute until the shallot begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the vinegar; stir and scrape with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan deposits. Raise the heat to high; cook until the vinegar reduces by half its volume, about 1 minute.
4. Stir in the wine and continue boiling until it reduces by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the reduced broth or stock and continue simmering the sauce until it is thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Reduce the heat to low and whisk the sauce continuously while adding the remaining butter pieces a little at a time, only adding more when those you’ve added are fully incorporated. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. 5. Arrange a bed of arugula leaves on each of four warmed dinner plates. Place a pork chop on top of each bed of arugula. Spoon the sauce over the chops and serve immediately. Nutrition information per serving: 531 calories, 37 g fat, 16 g saturated fat, 162 mg cholesterol, 2 g carbohydrates, 1 g sugar, 45 g protein, 117 mg sodium, 0 g fiber