Southwestern Quinoa Salad, by Way of the Pantry

This oven-baked method will ensure your pork has a delicious crust and a perfectly cooked interior. Just follow these simple rules and prepare yourself to reconsider everything you know about this weeknight-friendly cut.

Pair this delicious dish with a risotto and a nice bottle of wine. This Italian favorite is easy to make and sure to impress your guests.

Ingredients

• 2 cups half and half
• 1/4 cup limoncello
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• 3 large eggs
• Unsalted butter, for buttering the casserole dish
• 5 cups challah (about 8 oz)

Directions

1In a small saucepan, combine the cloves with the cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon, and 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Add the fish, return to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and poach the fish until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Typically, bone-in pork chops are thicker than those with the bone removed. A thin pork chop is difficult to cook perfectly with this method, because of the hard sear you give both sides before it goes in the oven.

If a chop is too thin, by the time you’ve seared both sides, the thing is practically overcooked! Choosing a thick chop allows you to get a nice golden sear on both sides and a perfectly cooked tender center.

2Meanwhile, cover the potatoes with generously salted water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let them cool completely.

The goal of this initial sear is to get a golden, crisp crust on your chop without cooking the center. Let it cook a couple minutes undisturbed, then take a peek and see how that golden crust is forming.

When you’re happy with your sear, flip the chop and give it a chance to get golden on the other side.

3Add the potatoes to the bowl with the fish along with the bread crumbs, lime juice, cilantro, cumin, and chile, season with salt, and lightly mash the potatoes with the other ingredients until evenly combine.

Form the mixture into six 3-inch-wide, 3⁄4-inch-thick patties. The meat should be completely white all the way through.

4In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the patties and cook, flipping once, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer the fish patties to a serving platter and serve while hot with mint chutney on the side.

Typically, bone-in pork chops are thicker than those with the bone removed. A thin pork chop is difficult to cook perfectly with this method, because of the hard sear you give both sides before it goes in the oven.

If a chop is too thin, by the time you’ve seared both sides, the thing is practically overcooked! Choosing a thick chop allows you to get a nice golden sear on both sides and a perfectly cooked tender center.

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