One Pan, Two Plates (14 page)

3.
Quickly add the pork cutlets to the hot pan and brown on the first side for 2 minutes. Turn and brown the second side for another 2 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

4.
Again working quickly, add the remaining 1 tbsp butter, the yellow onion, carrot, ¼ tsp salt, and a sprinkle of pepper to the hot pan and sauté until the onion begins to soften, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and figs and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1 minute, then add the green onion, couscous, peas, and pistachios. Stir to moisten all of the couscous. Cover tightly and remove the pan from the heat. Allow the couscous to steam and absorb the broth until tender, about 4 minutes. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and stir it in. Taste the couscous and season with more salt and pepper if it needs it.

5.
Arrange the pork cutlets on two warmed plates and top with the crispy sage leaves. Mound the couscous and vegetables on the side. Serve hot.

it’s that easy:
Couscous is easy to pair up with endless main course options because it’s a blank canvas. Just add flavors that you like: nuts, dried fruits, roasted vegetables, herbs, spices, and any broth can be incorporated into the couscous base. Once you become acquainted with this tender, tiny pasta, you’ll think of all kinds of ways to make it interesting.

extra hungry?
A green salad of romaine lettuce with tomato, cucumber, a squirt of lemon, a glug of olive oil, and few shavings of Parmesan would round out this fall meal very nicely.

in the glass:
My preference for reds comes out in this one—especially when it’s so easy to find an affordable Côtes du Rhône to open up on a Tuesday night. In my humble opinion, Côtes du Rhône makes every night a party, and an inexpensive bottling from E. Guigal or Parallèle 45 makes any meal just that much more special.

Sautéed Pork Chops

with
SWEET POTATO, APPLE,
and
MUSTARD SAUCE

The classic combination of tender pork, tart apples, and cider-braised sweet potatoes is a textbook meal for chilly days, especially when you’re really hungry. You’ll be amazed how easy it is to pull this hearty meal together; even the cider-based mustard sauce is a snap to prepare.

........

START TO FINISH
40 minutes

...

HANDS-ON TIME
25 minutes

...

serves 2

........

½ cup/120 ml apple cider or juice, plus more if needed

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Salt

2 boneless, center-cut loin pork chops, about ¾ in/2 cm thick

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium sweet potato, about ½ lb/225 g, peeled and very thinly sliced

1 Braeburn, Gala, or other sweet-tart apple, cored and thinly sliced

1 shallot, minced

1 tsp Dijon mustard, smooth or whole-grain (see “It’s that easy”)

2 tsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1.
Combine the cider, cinnamon and ¼ tsp salt in a cup. Set aside.

2.
Pat the pork chops dry and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.

3.
Heat a 12-in/30.5-cm skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the seasoned pork chops to the pan and cook until lightly browned on the first side, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until browned on the second side, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the pork chops to a plate. (They will not be cooked through at this point.)

4.
Add the sweet potato, apple, shallot, cider mixture, and a grind or two of pepper to the hot pan. Bring it all to a simmer, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low or low—the pan should bubble, but not too aggressively. Cook the potato mixture until a fork easily pierces the partially cooked potato but there is still some resistance, about 10 minutes.

5.
Return the pork chops to the pan (along with any juices accumulated on the plate) and nestle them into the potatoes and apples. Cover and cook until the meat is cooked through and the potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

6.
Transfer the pork chops, potatoes, and apples to two warmed plates. There should be some liquid remaining in the pan to serve as a base for the sauce. (If the potatoes have absorbed all of the liquid, add 2 to 3 tbsp cider to the pan and heat it briefly over medium heat.) Stir the mustard into the pan juices with a fork. Taste the sauce and add more pepper if it needs it.

7.
Spoon the sauce over the meat and vegetables, sprinkle the parsley over the top, and serve hot.

it’s that easy:
Pardon me, but, do you have any Grey Poupon? If not, get some, or purchase one of the many exceptional whole-grain mustards on the grocery shelves these days—they have more “pow!” than the smooth Dijon style. Pommery Moutarde de Meaux is the gold standard, having been “served at the tables of French kings since 1632,” which probably makes it good enough for the rest of us.

extra hungry?
Add steam-in-the-bag peas for a welcome splash of green on the plate.

in the glass:
A medium-dry Riesling will complement the sweet pork and apples, as would a tall, cold glass of Belgian-style wheat ale such as Blue Moon.

Herb-Rubbed Pork

with
HONEY-LIME ROASTED SWEET POTATOES, CAULIFLOWER,
and
MAJOR GREY’S CHUTNEY

Pork tenderloin is indeed tender as well as juicy and flavorful when cooked just until rosy and pink in the center. Especially so when rubbed with herbes de Provence, an herb blend from, you guessed it, Provence. Thyme, rosemary, basil, fennel, and marjoram are the main flavors, so if you can’t find it just blend up a mixture of your own. The lime-and-honey-glazed sweet potatoes and cauliflower are addictive when paired with the pork and Major Grey’s, the beloved mango-based chutney.

........

START TO FINISH
40 minutes

...

HANDS-ON TIME
20 minutes

...

serves 2

........

10 oz/280 g pork tenderloin, trimmed (see “It’s that easy”) and cut in half lengthwise (so it cooks faster)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp dried herbes de Provence or a mixture of equal parts dried thyme, rosemary, fennel, marjoram, and basil

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 medium sweet potato, about ½ lb/225 g, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut crosswise into slices about ⅛ in/3 mm thick

2 cups/200 g thinly sliced cauliflower florets

¼ cup/40 g raisins

2 tbsp dry white wine or chicken broth

Major Grey’s chutney for serving

2 tsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1.
Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C/gas 7.

2.
Season the tenderloin with salt and pepper and rub it all over with 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Sprinkle the herbes de Provence all over the pork and press to help stick to the meat. In a small bowl, stir together the honey, lime juice, and cinnamon. Set the pork and the glaze aside.

3.
Heat a 12-in/30.5-cm ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the sweet potato and cauliflower, ½ tsp salt, and a few grinds of pepper and toss the vegetables to coat them with the oil and seasoning. Drizzle in the honey mixture and toss the vegetables to coat them evenly. They should begin to sizzle.

4.
Transfer the vegetables to the oven and roast for 7 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and stir in the raisins (the vegetables won’t be tender yet). Lay the tenderloin pieces on top of the vegetables and return the skillet to the oven until the tenderloin is medium-rare, about 15 minutes—it should still be rosy in the center, and an instant-read thermometer will read 145°F/60°C when inserted into the thickest part. Remove the skillet from the oven (be careful, as the handle will be blazing hot). Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest for 3 or 4 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute before carving. Meanwhile, place the skillet over medium-high heat and add the wine. Cook, stirring up the vegetables, until the wine reduces a little, 1 or 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

5.
Cut the tenderloin crosswise on the diagonal into slices about 1 in/2.5 cm thick. Arrange the slices on two warmed plates and pile the vegetables and a scoop of chutney on the side. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve hot.

it’s that easy:
Pork tenderloins are often sold with the tough, sinewy covering called “silver skin” still attached, and it must be removed before cooking. To do so, cut under the edge of the rubbery translucent outer layer with the tip of a sharp knife and slice down just between the sinew and meat to slice away the tough part. Try not to lose too much meat in the process, but don’t worry—you definitely get better at it with practice. Or ask your butcher to do it for you.

extra hungry?
Just add warm cornbread from your local bakery with softened sweet butter.

in the glass:
How about an easy-to-drink Albariño from Spain. This white varietal is inexpensive, light, and fruity . . . a perfect pairing with this pork and sweet potato dish.

Spicy Pork Stir-Fry

with
LIME, CASHEWS,
and
NOODLES