SMOTHERED PORK CHOPS

Now that the world is waking up to the curative and slimming powers of dietary fat, Andrea Chesman’s instructive manual The Fat Kitchen should take its rightful place in any serious cookbook collection. Freshly made home-cured lard, tallow and schmaltz deliver flavour and satiety. Get started with this classic Louisiana-style pork chop.

3 cups (750 mL) water

1/4 cup (60 mL) fine sea salt 1/4 cup (60 mL) firmly packed light brown sugar

2 cups (500 mL) ice cubes

3 bay leaves

1 tsp (5 mL) allspice berries

1 tsp (5 mL) black peppercorns 4 bone-in pork chops, 3/4 to 1 inch thick

Seasoned flour

1/2 cup (125 mL) unbleached allpurpose ■ flour

2 tsp (10 mL) fine sea salt 2 tsp (10 mL) garlic powder 1 tsp (5 mL) onion powder

1 tsp (5 mL) smoked paprika 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground white pepper

Gravy

1/2 cup (100 g) any animal fat ( lard is recommended)

2 onions, thinly sliced

2 cups (500 mL) pork or chicken broth

1/2 cup (125 mL) buttermilk

1. Stir 1 cup (250 mL) water with salt and sugar in a glass vessel. Microwave just until the salt and sugar dissolve. Stir in 2 cups water, ice cubes, bay leaves, allspice, and peppercorns, and cool to 45°F (7 C) or lower. Put pork chops in a glass baking dish, add brine and cover dish. Refrigerate for about 2 hours. Discard the brine, and pat the chops dry. 2. Combine flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and black and white pepper in a shallow bowl. Dredge each chop in the flour. Set the chops on a wire rack and reserve the excess seasoned flour.

3. Melt fat in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the fat is hot, brown chops on each side for about 3 minutes. Set aside.

4. To make gravy, reduce heat to medium, add onions and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add reserved seasoned flour to the skillet and cook until the flour is toasted to a golden brown, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in the buttermilk. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Return chops to skillet and simmer just until the chops are cooked through, 5 to 15 minutes.

Makes: 4 servings