Pork Chops w/ endive & squashed potatoes

Hello, hello, hello! So, last night...as the time to make dinner rolled around, I lacked all motivation to even shuffle into the kitchen...until I remembered those pork chops. Which pork chops, you ask? Those would be the chops in my refrigerator that I HAD to use or risk them going bad (everybody's had that kind, right????). So, I threw some red potatoes in some heavily salted water to boil, carmelized some gorgeous endive, then seasoned those chops and cooked them in my trusty cast-iron skillet. I don't actually have much of a story to go with this post...but if you don't know by now...I love photographs of food (well, photography in general)! Cooking is my therapy. Remember that lack of motivation...motivation restored!! I love the kitchen :)

Seasoned Chops w/ endive & squashed taters

by girlichef

Let's start with the chops:

Pork Chops, thin cut, bone-in- as many as you need

Vintage Merlot Sea Salt (or your favorite)

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Italian Seasoning

Garlic Powder

Butter

White wine- 1/2 c.

broth/stock- 1 c.

cornstarch & cold water slurry

Put a large, heavy pan over med-high heat. Once hot, add a pat of butter. Once melted, add a couple of chops. Do not crowd them or they will not brown (just simmer in their juices). Once first side is browned, flip and repeat on other side, until heated through.

Transfer cooked chops to plate in a warm spot & tent with foil.

Add more butter as needed and repeat until all chops are cooked. Once all chops are done cooking, deglaze the pan with 1/2 c. of white wine while stirring and scraping all the yummy fond off bottom of pan. Let cook down for a minute. Add 1 c. broth/stock. Slowly stir in a little bit of the cornstarch slurry at a time until thickened to your liking...careful, it doesn't take much!

Endive:

Endive- as many as you like

butter - 1 Tbs.

salt & pepper

white wine vinegar

stock/broth- ~1 c.

Wash endive and cut in half. Heat a pan large enough to hold all endive over medium heat. Once hot, add butter. Once bubbly, add endive, cut side down. Let endive carmelize before turning over. Once you flip it, add salt & pepper and stock. Turn heat to low, partially cover and let simmer until all liquid is absorbed and endive is tender, ~10 minutes. Potatoes:

small red potatoes

salt

butter

While everything else is cooking, boil some small red potatoes in heavily salted water until tender. Be careful not to overcook as you don't want them falling apart. Drain potatoes and let them cool until you are able to handle them comfortably.

Place potatoes on a cutting board and squash them with a hard, flat surface (I used a measuring cup). Heat some butter in a pan and add squashed potatoes. Brown on each side. You probably will not need to season these since the water was heavy with salt when cooking. Serve all!