Lately I’ve been experimenting with very simple flavors: a salad of arugula greens dressed with olive oil and herbs de provence; a pan-seared pork chop seasoned with only salt and pepper and finished in the oven; a roast chicken with rosemary, oregano, thyme; kale sauteed in olive oil or finished off with sesame oil. Easy recipes are the best, and simple flavors are elegant.
If you are just getting into cooking or want to improve your skills, no need to fancy everything up. Simple is best! Try this delicious sesame roasted fish recipe for another elegant and easy recipe option.
I tend toward bold flavors: lentil stew with curry and lots of garlic, chicken andouille sausage and chard; root vegetable stew with cumin and coconut milk (sounds weird, but it works); roasted fish with some kind of spice rub. But I have to tell you: sometimes just starting with a great piece of fresh organic meat, rubbing with salt and pepper, and searing or roasting allows the true flavor to come through. Simple is elegant and delicious.
Here is what I made tonight. Full disclosure: I don’t love pork, but I love experimenting with all kinds of food, even the items I don’t normally eat. I would complement this dish with kale or chard to add both color and nutrients (the base of many of my meals are dark, leafy greens). It turned out beautifully and was easy to prepare. Finish it off with a cinnamon baked apple and toasted walnuts for dessert.
Easy Recipe: Pork & Potatoes
You will need:
- Bone-in pork chop, room temperature, rubbed on both sides with sea salt and cracked pepper
- 3 or 4 red or yukon potatoes, cut into 4 wedges each
Perfectly roasted: creamy on the inside, golden crust on the outside.
You need to:
- Chop potatoes and toss with olive oil, oregano, thyme, (or whatever green herbs you have on hand) sea salt, pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, for about 45 minutes at 400.
- After about 30 minutes, heat a cast iron skillet coated with olive or coconut oil.
- Sear pork chop about 3 minutes each side, until lightly browned.
- Finish off in the oven for about 5-10 more minutes with the potatoes, until meat thermometer registers 165. Do not stick the thermometer straight down into the chop; rather, insert it lengthwise and away from the bone. Let rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Pull out the potatoes and plate everything.
Perfection!
Mary Vance is a Certified Nutrition Consultant and author specializing in digestive health. She combines a science-based approach with natural therapies to rebalance the body. In addition to her 1:1 coaching, she offers courses to help you heal your gut and improve your health. Mary lives in San Francisco and Lake Tahoe in Northern California. Read more about her coaching practice here and her background here.
