Recipes for Two | Fresh for Two

My Kind of Honey-Do List

6 May 2012

When Marcelo has a day off from work I don’t have usually have a big “Honey-Do” list for him. But I do gently “encourage” him to make dinner on these nights. I mean, it’s only fair! I can’t say he’s the most seasoned home chef, but give him a recipe and he can usually manage (Although he might require some help navigating the grocery aisles).

This past week I gave him a honey-do dinner assignment, and he picked this recipe, from Eatingwell.com. Pork chops are one of those dishes that always sound good, but we’re never sure how to prepare them just right. This recipe was simple and surprisingly delicious! We served it with a side of No Yolks egg noodles and steamed fresh veggies.

Creamy Pork Chops with Marsala Wine

Here’s the scoop on how my honey got dinner done!

Creamy Pork Chops with Marsala Wine (not to be mistaken for Marsala cooking wine)

Stuff You Need:

1/2 cup Marsala
2 teaspoons cornstarch (fun stuff we can talk about more at a later date)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 thin boneless pork loin chops* (see my note below)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 thin slices chopped prosciutto (you can also use bacon or thin-sliced ham)
1 onion, halved and sliced thin
3 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried (we like dried, more budget-friendly)
3 teaspoons chopped fresh chives, divided (wouldn’t go dried with these)
1 cup low-fat milk (we used skim, worked perfectly)

*Here’s a cheap-o hint: buy bone-in pork chops and remove the bone. They are significantly less expensive.

Putting Together Dinner

1. Combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the marsala wine in a bowl and set aside.

2. Put the flour in a flat dish. Season pork chops with salt and pepper and then dredge in the flour.

3. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skilled on medium-high heat. Reduce to medium and add the pork chops. Cook pork chops until browned on both sides (approx. 2 min each side), then transfer to plate.

4. Add the prosciutto to the pan and cook until browned. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Now add in the rest of the Marsala, the oregano and 1 1/2 teaspoons chives. Bring to boil and be sure to scrape all the yummy bits off the bottom and sides of pan.

5. Now add the milk and the cornstarch mixture that you set aside. Bring the heat down to simmering and cook until the sauce is thicker and reduced (about 5 minutes). Add the pork chops back in and coat both sides in sauce. Continue cooking 1-2 minutes.

Serve it Up

Serve the pork chops on egg noodles topped with extra sauce and a sprinkling of chopped chives (we forgot that part). Add a side of steamed veggies and enjoy!