Rosemary Grilled Loin Chops

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This is a simple and elegant meal, flavorful enough for a special occasion and easy to create while chatting up guests. It starts with mini-red potatoes tossed in olive oil and salt and pepper, then roasted in the oven - super simple! As always the potatoes need to be pierced with a knife or fork a few times so that they don’t become little potato bombs while cooking.

The loin chops feature fresh rosemary and is the only extra ingredient used here. The rosemary’s pine-esque flavor helps give the chop a gourmet taste. I place the seasoned chops on the grill and left them alone for the first 7 minutes. This helped create the deep colored grill marks which adds to the presentation of the final dish. After one flip and a few more minutes the chops were done on the heat but I allowed them to rest for another ten minutes before serving, which helps keep all of the yummy goodness locked inside.

When finished, it’s all presented family style on a large plater that shouts “Time to eat.”

BEHIND THE BITES
I was surprised when this meal was finished. I was just creating a simple dinner and it turned out really elegant in flavor and presentation. One of the keys here is the grill marks on the chops. I oiled the grill before throwing them on and I think that really aided in giving them their golden-brown marks that made them look like they had been prepared in a restaurant. That, and the fact that I let them sit without moving or touching them for the first few minutes while they seared.

I love to use rosemary.

Once while I lived in New York I was visiting home and I made a batch of chops for a little party we were having for a late night snack. (Chops for a snack? yep, it was quite a party!) I used rosemary to flavor them and left the little leaves whole instead of mincing them up. I grilled the chops and put them out to everyone’s delight.

At one point my Aunt Roxie took a good look at the chop she was going to eating and yelled out with a sense of urgency “What the hell is this grass shit on the pork chop!”

Everyone stop pigging out and looked at me. I assured them that it was ok, and that it wasn’t grass, but rosemary, which was responsible for the wonderful flavor that the chops had. All was well after my explanation and everyone went back to their snack. Aunt Roxie did pick the little rosemary leaves from her chop before she ate it though.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Serves 4; 1 hour
2 lb Small red potatoes
2 lb Loin chops, boneless
2 Tbs Rosemary
fresh, minced
Olive oil, salt and pepper for seasoning

Bake Potatoes
In a roasting pan, toss potatoes in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Pierce potatoes several times with a fork or knife. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 45 minutes, or until cooked through.

Season, grill chops
Season pork chops with salt and pepper and sprinkle with rosemary. Sear on an oiled hot grill for 6 to 8 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes.

Finish
Place chops on a plater surrounded by potatoes and serve.

A Roast For Dinner Part 2: The Potatoes

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The potato side dish for my roasted pork dinner contains not only cheddar cheese but a little fresh rosemary as well. I love the taste of pork with rosemary, but I left it off the pork and incorporated it into the side. I leave fresh herbs off meat when I am roasting it for a long time in the oven. They seem to crisp up and burn when bathed in heat for such a long period. If I had choose to use rosemary on the roast, I would have used the dried version and probably incorporated it into the brine.

I leave the skin on the potatoes for nutrients and looks. (I always do when using red potatoes) I add butter for creaminess, and mash it all together. It is simple and comes together in about 25 minutes. It's a great compliment to the tender pork loin.

RELATED POSTS
Part 1: Perfectly Roasted Pork Loin
Part 3: Sweet Corn and Red Pepper Relish

Herb-Garlic Tortilla Chips and Fresh Guacamole

My favorite kind of tortilla chips are what is usually found at Mexican restaurants. They are made from corn or flour tortillas that are deep fried, seasoned according to the chef’s tastes and usually served with a salsa made at the establishment. It is the perfect start to any meal.

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The first party I ever catered, I started the meal with my own tortilla chips and fresh salsa. The chips alone received the most compliments. I think they were memorable because it stood out from the ordinary tortilla chip found anywhere from grocery stores to vending machines. The chip gave the entire meal a gourmet feel.

For this recipe, I make homemade tortilla chips and fresh guacamole. I start by infusing oil with fresh herbs and garlic, which imparts a unique and aromatic flavor into the corn tortilla chip when fried. I then season it with salt and fresh grated parmesan cheese. The unexpected flavor from the chip makes this snack impossible to stop eating – Not to mention, the tasty and fresh guacamole that goes with it.

BEHIND THIS BITE
I have had this recipe for a long time. I started writing my column a year-and-a-half ago and I usually challenge myself to create something new each week. It makes the job easy to use a treat I had created long ago. I saw the flavored-oil technique on the Food Network's Tyler's Ultimate, I think he used it for fish and chips. Somewhere a long the line I thought it would be a good way to flavor tortilla chips.

I have made these chips a number of times and I have never had leftovers.

The guacamole is something I picked up at a cooking class taught be Sue Torres, chef and owner of Suenos in New York City. It was the first cooking class I had ever taken and it was a ton of fun. I learned a lot about making fresh salsa as well as the guacamole. I highly recommend taking classes or attending demonstrations regardless of experience, there is always something more to learn.

My family requests the guacamole more than any other dish I make, it's always a hit. Seriously, my family tears into a platter of this stuff like werewolves on a veal farm.

I decided to create this for myself this week while enjoying an afternoon of football – and thought it was time to share it here.

Eat well, cook often ...