Roasted Poblano Pork Chops

This is a "south of the border" version of smothered pork chops that I concocted for dinner last night to use up some roasted poblanos that I had on hand. For those who are not familiar, poblanos are dark green peppers that can be found in most US grocery stores, usually nearby jalapeno and serrano chilis. They are flavorful and pretty mild as far as heat goes. They bear no resemblance, in my opinion, to green bell peppers and I would not endorse substituting green bell peppers in this dish.

Poblanos can be roasted in the same manner as a bell pepper. That is, poke a small air hole in the top by stabbing the pepper with the tip of a knife close to the stem. Place on a broiler pan, and char the skin on all sides under an oven broiler. The skins should darken and bubble up. Watch them carefully. Remove from oven and turn with tongs to get them evenly charred. The peppers can also be placed on an outdoor grill to char. I have even used the gas burner on my stove for this operation. Once charred, place the poblanos in a brown paper bag to sweat. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, their peels can be easily removed by hand.

To make the pork chops:

1. Peel, stem and remove the seeds of 2-3 poblanos and slice into strips. Slice one red onion into half moons and chop 2-3 cloves of garlic.

2. Pound the pork chops to about 1/2 inch thickness to tenderize and insure quick, even cooking. It is easiest to place the chop between some plastic wrap when pounding. Season chops liberally with salt.


3. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of canola oil and a splash of olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. When oil shimmers but does not quite smoke, add chops. Do not crowd the pan or the chops will steam and not brown up nicely.

4. Allow the chops to brown on one side without moving and then flip and brown the other side. (If by any chance the pork chops stick, that means the oil was not hot enough.)

5. Transfer browned chops to a plate and set aside. If there is an excessive amount of oil in the skillet, remove all but 2-3 tablespoons. Add the sliced onions to the pan and reduce heat so that the onions sizzle but do not burn. Cook the onions stirring occasionally until they are softened and beginning to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Clear a space in the middle of the pan and add the poblano strips and continue to cook until they begin to brown up, about 3 minutes. Once the poblanos begin to brown, add in the chopped garlic and cook for another minute.

6. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of floor over the vegetables in the skillet. Stir to incorporate and cook off the floury taste for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk or stir in 1- 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock and bring to a gentle boil to thicken slightly. Add additional chicken stock, as necessary.

7. Return pork chops and any accumulated juices to the pan. Push the chops down into the sauce and adjust heat to a simmer. Once simmering, you may add in a handful of chopped cilantro, if so desired.

8. Continue to simmer the chops for 15-20 minutes or until they are completely cooked and the flavors have incorporated. Do not allow the chops to boil. Taste sauce and add salt and/or pepper, as desired. Plate chops on heated serving platter.

This dish is really good with mashed sweet potatoes, as the sweetness of the potatoes is a good foil for the slight heat of the poblanos. Of course, the sauce would be good on rice too.