Pork Chops with Sugar-Roasted Peaches, Fennel, and Cheddar Grits

I would have wanted this dish to be better as it took two days to make.  It was good, but that is the only praise I can give it.  I found this recipe in Fine Cooking, Aug/Sept.  It is from Chef Bill Taibe who owns LaFarm Restaurant in Westport CN.  Jim served a fabulous Pinot Noir from Gainey Vineyard.  I really enjoyed it. 

I chose to make the Sugar-Roasted Peaches the day before as there was so much to do for the meal itself. 

Ingredients:

2 slices thick-cut bacon

4 ripe semi-firm medium peaches halved and pitted

2 t raw sugar, such as demerara or turbinado

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 large sprigs fresh summer savory, thyme or rosemary (I used rosemary)

Directions:

1.      Cook the bacon in a 12” cast-iron skillet over medium heat, flipping occasionally, until crisp, 5-8 minutes. 

2.      Drain on a paper plate.  Pour the bacon fat from the skillet into a small heatproof bowl, leaving a slick of fat in the skillet; you’ll need 4 t reserved fat.

3.      Raise the heat under the skillet to medium high.

4.      Sprinkle the cut sides of the peaches evenly with the sugar and a tiny pinch each of salt and pepper. 

5.      Arrange the peaches in the skillet cut side down and tuck the herbs around them. 

6.      Tear the bacon slices in quarters and tuck the pieces around the peaches.  Drizzle 2 t of the reserved bacon fat evenly over the peaches and let them cook undisturbed until the cut sides begin to brown, about 5 minutes. 

7.      Sprinkle the uncut sides of the peaches with a tiny pinch of salt, then transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the peaches are just tender, about 10 minutes.

8.      Flip the peaches, drizzle with 2 t more of the reserved bacon fat, and continue to roast until they’re tender but not falling apart, about 5 minutes more. 

9.      Enjoy the bacon as a cook’s treat, discard the herbs. 

Now I am ready to make the dinner dish that had a very attractive photo in the magazine.  This dish consists of two separate dishes.  Start the grits first as the directions in terms of time is way off base. 

Ingredients for the Grits:   

3C lower-salt chicken broth

1 C whole milk

1 C stone-ground white or yellow grits (I used yellow Anson Mills grits)

3 oz. coarsely grated sharp Cheddar

6T unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

¼ C finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

7 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1.      In a 4-qt. saucepan, bring the broth and milk to a boil over medium-high heat.  Add the grits in a steady stream, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.  Turn the heat to low and stir occasionally for 90 minutes. 

2.      About half way, add 1 t salt and ½ C water.  (These directions are completely different than the 15 minutes in his recipe.  He must be using instant grits.)

3.      When the grits are finished, stir in the butter, then the cheeses and hot sauce.  Add plenty of pepper and keep warm while you finish the pork chops. 

Ingredients for the Pork Chops and Fennel:

4 thick bone-in-center-cut pork chops (1 ½” thick; about 3#.)

2 t ground fennel seed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2T canola oil

6T unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and divided

4 large sprigs rosemary

1 small fennel bulb (10 oz), trimmed, halved lengthwise, cored and cut crosswise into ¼” pieces (about 1 3/4C)

4 Sugar-Roasted Peach halves, quartered

Directions:

1.      Heat the oven to 450 degrees. 

2.      Season the pork chops on both sides with the ground fennel and a generous amount of salt and pepper, pressing the seasonings into the chops to help them adhere. 

3.      Heat the oil and 2T butter in a 12” ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. 

4.      Add the herb sprigs and toss to coat with the fat. 

5.      Arrange the chops in the skillet and cook undisturbed until deep golden-brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. 

6.      Flip the chops and cook until the other side is deep golden-brown, about 4 minutes more. 

7.      Transfer the chops to a cutting board. (they will not be fully cooked)

8.      Melt 2 T of butter in the skillet over medium heat.  Add the fennel and toss well to coat. 

9.      Return the chops to the skillet and nestle them and the peaches into the fennel. 

10.  Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chip reads 145 degrees, about 6 minutes.  Mine took about 10 minutes. 

11.  Top each chop with ½ T of the remaining butter and let the chops rest on a plate for at least 5 minutes. 

12.  Serve with the grits, fennel, peaches, a drizzle of pan juices and a fine grind of black pepper.

It was good, but I expected more.  The peaches did not live up to their billing.  I thought the cooking method for the fennel made it greasy.  I also thought the pork chops were tough.  Jim liked the meal as it had meat in it.  Afterwards we sat in the newly finished wine room to finish the wine.  Perfect evening even if the meal was not all I expected.