Pork Chops With Fresh Peaches and Basil |
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Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes |
Ready In: 35 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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From Chicago Tribune. A touch of bacon deepens the savoriness, while a hint of fresh basil is a welcome surprise . My husband smoked a couple pounds of bacon in the 'Little Chief' Smoker a few weeks ago and we tried it with this recipe, giving the dish another dimension of flavor. Any fresh stone fruit will work in this dish including nectarines, plums, apricots, etc. I used local bacon and pork chops, wine, peaches and basil. Ingredients:
2 slices bacon |
4 pork chops (can use boneless if you prefer) |
salt, to taste |
fresh cracked black pepper |
3/4 cup dry white wine |
3 -4 fresh peaches, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes (recipe did not indicate to peel the peaches but i did) |
6 -8 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (*fresh* basil only!) |
Directions:
1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Set aside to drain on a paper towel. Once cooled, crumble the bacon.
2. Wipe away most of the bacon grease from the skillet. Note: you can use cooking oil instead to brown the chops if you prefer. Be sure to use an oil with a high smoke point. Season the chops with salt and pepper. Don't season with too much salt because remember bacon is salty.
3. Heat the skillet again on medium-high heat. Cook the chops 5 minutes both sides, turning them once. If the pork chops are extra thick, you may need to finish them in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
4. Remove the chops from the skillet and keep warm.
5. Add wine to the skillet, scraping up the bottom with a flat spatula to loosen the cooked brown bits. Reduce mixture slightly; about 2 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to medium then add peaches to the skillet, season with (salt) and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring until warmed through and [slightly] softened, approximately 5 minutes. Don't overcook the peaches or they will turn too mushy.
7. Transfer the pork chops to a serving platter, top with the peaches, crumbled bacon and fresh basil ribbons.
8. Serving suggestion: the pork chops were served with plain grits cooked in chicken broth, steamed summer squash including yellow squash and zucchini, Fried Green Tomatoes and a platter of lemon cucumber and icicle radishes with a splash of rice vinegar.
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