Pork Chops with Vinegar and Peppers (CATKTV)

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup table salt, plus more to taste
• 4 (8-10 ounce) bone-in rib loin pork chops, 1/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat
• Ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
• 2 anchovy fillets, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1 medium sprig fresh rosemary
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar, plus 2 tablespoons to finish the sauce (optional)
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves [Didn't have this on hand at the time though I do now after the next recipe I'll blog about]

Dissolve sugar and salt in 2 quarts water.  Brine chops in fridge for 30 minutes.

Mise en place.

Browned chops.

Cook onion until just beginning to soften.  Do the same with the peppers added in with anchovies and rosemary.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant.

Add water and vinegar and reduce.

Nestle in the pork chops and cook in a 400 degree oven until center of chops registers 140 to 145 degrees.

Swirl butter into the sauce and peppers.

Another punchy, vinegar-infused Italian this though this time enriched with butter.  Pork chops were quite moist.

Didn't do a side dish, but I had salad and a bit of the Tuscan stew still on hand.

Paprika Peppers or Lesco (HCEV)

I don't typically cook pasta these days, but I've cooked two new pasta dishes that I'll totally make again the future. Given the Mark Bittman variations I used the dish should be called Smoked-Paprika Peppers with Sour Cream.

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika [I use Pimenton Picante, which is probably the opposite of sweet paprika]
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 medium bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
• 4 roma tomatoes (drained canned are fine), cored and chopped
• 1 cup sour cream [I just used what was left over in the tub from Beef Stroganoff]

Mise en place


Cook onions and garlic until soft for only a couple minutes.


Adding the paprika and salt and pepper. You cook this over low heat without disturbing it for five minutes. And cover it but I forgot that part at this stage.


Added the peppers and went through the same procedure but remembering the lid.


Ditto with the tomatoes.


Really tasty, but probably too short in protein to be considered a whole meal. From the first few bites, I knew I would make this again.