What would you make with this main?
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Anonymous
| I’m making a new-to-me recipe this weekend, pork chops stuffed with pancetta and ricotta in a marinara sauce. I’m thinking I’ll do a Caesar salad, but I also need a vegetable and a carb. Off the top of my head, I’m thinking mashed potatoes or polenta for the carb. Roasted broccolini maybe for the veg? Hit me with your best suggestions. BTW this isn’t a meal for company, so no worries about trying something new. |
Anonymous
| I think polenta sounds great with that. |
Anonymous
+1 on the polenta. And make sure to add a good amount of Parmesan to it. I’m drooling at the thought of your meal. Hope it turns out fabulously! |
Anonymous
| OP can you post the pork chop recipe please? |
Anonymous
| How do you guys make your polenta? In little circles and grilled? |
Anonymous
I follow the method for creamy polenta on the back of the Bob’s Red Mill polenta bag (half water, half milk), making sure to add in some extra butter and Parmesan. It’s crazy good! |
Anonymous
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OP here Here’s the ingredients :
4 1½- to 2-inch-thick pork rib chops 2 tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil (plus more if necessary) 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 8 ⅛- to ¼-inch-thick pancetta slices, chopped into ½-inch squares 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 cups Classic Marinara 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat- leaf parsley |
Anonymous
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And the recipe:
PREHEAT Your oven to 500°E. Make a long and deep slit abou ½ inch from the bone in the meaty edge of each pork chop Use the tip of your knife to tunnel into the center of the meat, making a pocket for the stuffing. Set the chops aside Heat a stainless skillet over medium-high heat for 2 min-utes. Add the oil and the onions and cook for 2 to 3 min-utes, stirring often. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the onions until soft and sticky, another 8 to 10 mine utes, stirring often. Transfer the onions to a plate and set aside. Add the pancetta to the hot skillet and cook untlal sides are crisp and browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and transfer the pancetta to a plate. Set aside to cad. leaving the fat from the pancetta in the pan. Place the ricotta and thyme in a medium bowl. Stir the cooled pancetta, caramelized onions, and W is spoon of the salt into the ricotta until well blended. Stuff some of the mixture into each park chop so it is full but not spilling out. Heat your skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes and season both sides of the pork chops with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Add the pork chops to the skillet and sear until crispy and golden brown on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer the chops to a plate and drain off the fat in the skillet. Return the chops to the skillet and cover with the marinara sauce. Transfer the entire skillet to the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbly and the chops are completely cooked through, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately. |
Anonymous
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And finally, the marinara recipe that comes with (if you don’t want to use your own, or your usual):
CLASSIC MARINARA 2 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes packed in juice (not purée) ⅓ cup olive oil 20 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon kosher salt 20 whole fresh basil leaves Place the tomatoes and their juices in a large bowl. Using vour hands, squeeze and shred the tomatoes into small bits. Heat the oil and garlic in a soup pot over medium heat just until the garlic begins to toast, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and then stir in the tomatoes and salt. Cook until slightly thickened and the sauce has darkened, about 45 minutes, then stir in the basil. Taste for seasoning. |
Anonymous
I do this too, and it’s perfect every time. OP, just curious about why you feel you need both a salad and an additional vegetable dish? I’d do a lighter salad than Caesar since the entree is rich already, add the polenta, and call it a day. |
Anonymous
Thank you both, I’ll go with the polenta (this is OP) |
Anonymous
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I think creamy polenta with Parmesan sounds amazing.
But, honestly, given the richness of the main (which sounds amazing), I would rethink your menu a bit. You want the full plate to hit all the taste points, and you’re missing a brightness/acid element that will take your meal to the next level. I would do pork chops as described on top of creamy polenta, and pair that with a bright, lemony kale Cesar (dinosaur kale cut into ribbons and massaged with EVOO, lots of fresh lemon juice and zest, some anchovy paste, salt and pepper + some shaved part and maybe a small handful of dried currants). Then you’ll have all the pieces for a rockstar meal. |
Anonymous
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Agree the polenta is perfect.
Sounds so yummy. Have fun, OP! |
Anonymous
My logic was that I like Caesar salad paired with a marinara sauce, and it needed to be a relatively hearty salad to stand up to the pork chop - to my mind something light like a butter lettuce salad wouldn't pair well. What lighter salad would you suggest? |
Anonymous
| A pork chop stuffed with cheese and cheesy polenta sounds really heavy to me. I think the lemony kale Caesar salad a pp mentioned would be great, but I’d serve roasted potatoes as the carb. |