The other white meat, dressed in orange
Orange-glazed Pork Chops
Serves 4
A new collection from Canadian Living magazine, 150 Essential Beef, Pork and Lamb Recipes (Transcontinental Books, $29.95), starts with an explanation of basic cuts of meat, from expensive through economical, and goes on to offer welltested recipes for each meat.
If pork chops are among your regular dishes and you’re interested in varying your preparation of the mild-tasting meat, this recipe is an easy one. It can also be used for chicken breasts or thighs. Serve with your choice of green vegetable and potatoes or rice. 4 bone-in pork chops, 1 3/4 pounds (800 g) total Pinch each of salt and freshly ground pepper 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root 1 cup chicken stock 1/2 cup orange juice Hazelnut green beans (see note below)
Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper. In a large non-stick fry- ing pan, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium heat. Cook pork until juices run clear when meat is pierced with a fork but just a hint of pink remains, from 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
Drain fat from the pan. Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil over medium heat and cook garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken stock and orange juice and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring often, until mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon, about 6 minutes.
Return pork and any juices to the pan and cook, turning chops once, until glazed with sauce, about 2 minutes. Serve with beans. For hazelnut green beans: Cook 1 pound (500 g) fresh, trimmed green beans in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 clove minced garlic, a pinch each of salt and pepper, and 1/3 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts.