Salsa heats up quick pork linguine dish

Spicy tomato salsa perks up pork chops. This is a one-pot meal that takes only 15 minutes to cook.

If you keep these ingredients on hand, you won’t have to go to the market. Keep pork and peas in the freezer, fresh pasta in the fridge and salsa on the shelf. The parsley is optional, if you have it, fine, or leave it off.

This is also a great way to spice up leftover meats such as chicken, roast beef or turkey.

Just warm the meat in a skillet and add salsa on top.

Salsa Pork Scalloppini with Fresh Linguine

Makes: Two servings

3 cups water

1/4 pound fresh linguine

1 cup frozen peas

3 tsp olive oil, divided use

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pound boneless pork chops

3/4 cup chunky mild salsa

1/2 cup chopped parsley (optional)

Bring water to a boil in a large skillet over high heat. Add pasta and peas. Bring back to a boil for three minutes. Drain and remove to a bowl. Toss with 1 tsp oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Heat remaining 2 tsp oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and brown two minutes. Turn pork over and brown two minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste to the cooked side. Lower heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook five to six minutes. A meat thermometer should read 145 F.

Divide linguine between two plates. Place pork on the plates and spoon salsa on top. Sprinkle parsley over pork.

Per serving: 551 calories (22 percent from fat) 13.4 g fat (2.6 g saturated, 5.1 g monounsaturated), 96 mg cholesterol, 52 g protein, 55.5 g carbohydrates, 5.9 g fibre, 582 mg sodium.

Linda Gassenheimer is the author of Delicious One-Pot Dishes, featuring 60 recipes designed to be stewed, braised, slow-cooked or steamed, each in a single pot. Her website is dinnerinminutes.com.