No marinade needed for Florentine pork chops
Despite how commonly recipes call for marinating meat, it’s rarely worth it. Marinades do a poor job of flavoring meat because the molecules of any flavorings, except for salt, are too big to penetrate the surface. Besides, you’re then left cooking wet meat, which inhibits flavorful browning.
That’s why we season meat before cooking, then sauce later, as in this one-pan Florentine pork chop recipe from our book “Tuesday Nights Mediterranean,” which features weeknight-friendly meals from the region. The recipe is an adaptation of a recipe for braciuole nella scamerita from Artusi’s “Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well,” a landmark Italian cookbook that was first published in 1891 and remains in print today.
We season the chops with oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper, later searing them in a skillet with a garlic-infused oil. The pork is sliced and served over a bed of lacinto kale that has been cooked with sliced red onion in a red wine reduction. The wine, balsamic vinegar and remaining garlic oil mix with the pork’s natural juices and moisture released by the vegetables for a delectable, minimalistic sauce.
The slices of toasted garlic used to flavor the oil add crispy bits of allium that contrast the silky greens, and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar brightens the dish. A final sprinkle of the pork’s seasoning mix adds another layer of flavor.
Whereas Artusi indicates cutlets from where the loin and leg meet, we call for boneless pork loin chops. Lacinato kale is sometimes sold as Tuscan or dinosaur kale.
And if you prefer to serve the chops whole, that’s fine. Either way, the chops will release flavorful juices as they rest — make sure to pour them over the pork and kale before serving.