Time: 1 hour
Feeds: 2-3 people
Ingredients:
For potatoes:
- 1 lb baby Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 3 tbsp olive oil
For pork chops:
- 4-5 pork chops (I try to get the ones that are about 3/4-1 inch thick as the really thick ones can be tricky to cook and the thin ones dry out really quickly)
- Salt, to taste
- Garlic powder, to taste
- Onion powder, to taste
- Paprika, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
For pan sauce:
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tbsp dry vermouth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions:
For potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is preheating, add the potatoes to a medium sauce pan and cover with water. Put on the stove and bring to a boil. Let the potatoes boil for about 5-10 minutes depending on their size. You want them to be par boiled and not all the way cooked.
Once boiled, drain in a colander and run the potatoes under cold water to cool enough that they’re easier to handle. Cut the potatoes into quarters (or whatever makes sense given their size) and put them on a sheet tray. Add the olive oil to the potatoes and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Give everything a good toss to ensure the seasoning is well dispersed. Shake into a single layer and make sure the pieces aren’t stuck together.
Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, shaking once at the half way point, until the potatoes are nicely crispy and browned.
For pork chops: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter and olive oil until starting to sizzle. While the skillet is heating, you should season the pork chops with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. I didn’t include measurements for these spices above because it really is going to be up to your tastes as well as the size of the pork chops. Thicker one can handle a bit more seasoning than the thinner ones.
Add the pork chops to the skillet and continue cooking until they reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees. You should flip the pork chops every 2-3 minutes so you can get an even cook on them. Be sure to actually temp your meat instead of just guessing. An instant read thermometer is your best friend and a kitchen tool that will be used over and over again. Once these have come to temp, set aside on a plate until the pan sauce is complete.
For pan sauce: Add the mushrooms to the same pan that the pork chops were cooked in with the juices and remaining olive oil and butter. Once the mushrooms have softened slightly, add the vermouth to deglaze the pan. Continue cooking to reduce the vermouth and once it’s reduced at least by half, add the heavy cream. Simmer until the sauce is thickened to the consistency that you like!
Notes: For this dinner, I also made a quick veggie side to go with the pork chops. I quartered a pound of Brussels sprouts and combined them with about a cup of pre diced butternut squash. I seasoned these with salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and red pepper flakes and tossed them in olive oil. I then threw them into a preheated air fryer at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, pausing at a couple points to shake them around. Once the Brussels sprouts and squash are done cooking, add them to a bowl and drizzle over balsamic glaze, tossing so everything gets coated.