Ah, delectable pork. The tremendously useful animal, in its use as a domesticated food source, dates back to China, in 4900 B.C. -- pork fried rice, anyone?
From there, this little piggy went to Europe, and eventually came along with Christopher Columbus on his voyage to Cuba. Hernando de Soto brought 13 pigs to Tampa Bay, Fla., in 1539, and so began our love affair with all things pork.
My all-time culinary hero, Thomas Keller (of French Laundry fame), writes so beautifully on the topic of pork in his book, "Bouchon." You're hardly sure if what you're reading is romance or food literature, but if you don't have a better appreciation for pork after you've read it, well, then you're probably a vegetarian.
Most any chef will enthusiastically nod in accordance when asked about the tremendous value of pork in the kitchen, especially the fat.
Thanks to the pigs' insatiable appetite and lackadaisical disposition, fat is easy to come by -- and delicious, at that. No animal fat can compare with the glossy, supple and flavorful qualities that are exclusive to the chubby pig.
Fortunately, though, there are also plenty of leaner options that make pork a suitable dinner option. Bone-in pork chops are a staple among the regime of all American chops, and rightly so.
They soak up flavor ideally, hold up to a variety of cooking methods and plate up regally.
This spicy chop recipe, arched over a pile of smoky, cheesy grits, is inherently Southern. I love recipes from Southern Living Magazine, and this is exemplary of one of the fine dinner ideas I've found there.
The recipe calls for grilling the chops on a barbeque, but I'm a total wimp when it's cold, so I cooked them inside on a grill pan seasoned with a bit of olive oil. Suit yourself.
Amanda De Jager Friedman owns the Piano Caffe in Merced.
Recipe: Grilled maple chipotle pork chops in smoked gouda grits
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can
6 (1 1/4-inch-thick) bone-in pork loin chops
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Preparation
Whisk together first four ingredients and set aside.
Sprinkle pork chops evenly with salt and pepper.
Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 155°, turning once. Baste with half of barbecue sauce mixture the last five minutes of cooking or when meat thermometer registers 145°.
Spoon Smoked Gouda Grits evenly onto six serving plates; top each with a pork chop and drizzle evenly with remaining barbecue sauce mixture.
Smoked Gouda Grits
Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 cups uncooked quick-cooking grits
1 2/3 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Preparation
Bring first four ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Cover, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, five minutes or until thickened. Add cheese and butter, stirring until melted.
-- Southern Living, July 2004
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