Pickle-Brined Pork Chops with Mushroom Escabeche and Smashed Potatoes Recipe

Pickle-Brined Pork Chops with Mushroom Escabeche and Smashed Potatoes

Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4
Total Time: 1 day 1 hour 25 minutes
Active Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Pork Chop Brine:
3/4 cup kosher salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons peppercorns
2 dried bay leaves
6 garlic cloves, smashed
Peels from 1 lemon, removed with a vegetable peeler
1 bunch fresh parsley stems
4 bone-in pork chops, each about 2 inches thick and double-cut

Smashed Potatoes:
1 1/2 pounds small Yukon gold potatoes
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
Freshly cracked black pepper

Mushroom Escabeche:
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for cooking
3/4 pound hon shimeji mushrooms, cleaned and separated from the root (or cremini/shiitake as substitutes)
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Brine the pork chops: In a large pot or bowl, whisk together the salt, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, lemon peels, parsley stems, and 3 quarts of water. Add the pork chops, cover, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning once halfway through; this tenderizes and flavors the thick chops.
2. Prepare the smashed potatoes: Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with salted cold water. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to the pot to dry briefly. Warm the butter and half-and-half over low heat, then add to the potatoes with cream cheese. Season with salt and pepper, mash with a potato masher, and keep warm until serving.
3. Make the mushroom escabeche: Heat canola oil in a large saut pan over high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned in spots, about 2 to 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper and remove from heat. In a small saucepan, warm olive oil over medium heat and saut garlic and shallot until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add sherry vinegar, sugar, chili flakes, lemon zest, and juice; bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat. Return mushrooms to the pan and toss to coat. Stir in parsley and adjust seasoning.
4. Cook the pork chops: Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Heat a grill pan over high heat. Remove pork chops from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Drizzle with canola oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Sear chops in the grill pan until browned, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a sheet tray and finish in the oven until internal temperature reaches 135140F (5760C), about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Serve: Spoon smashed potatoes onto plates, top with pork chops, and finish with a generous portion of mushroom escabeche.

Note: Hon shimeji (brown beech) mushrooms are available at Asian markets or online; cremini or shiitake make good substitutes.

Recipe courtesy of Kelsey Nixon