i’m a bit too obsessed with baked doritos. i know i’m late to this party as they’ve been out for some time now (years?) but i’m only recently discovering them in all of their cheesy awesomeness. i love them so much in fact that when james was making me my poached egg this morning, i asked that he crush some baked doritos on top. he also added a bit of grated parm and a dollop of chimichurri. so. good.
Papas Arrugadas, Canarian wrinkly potatoes.
I think of myself as a foodie most of the time, but I admit that I’ve become quite jaded with the concept of a celebrity chef restaurant. The general public is gladly lapping up the fame food craze,but I find myself wondering how a person who calls themselves a chef can appear in multiple television series, run several different food properties (often in different states) and still find the time to ever get dirty in a kitchen. When you add in the rampant trend jumping of middle-end dining, you can quickly become disappointed with almost any dining experience. When’s the last time you saw a menu without some kind of miso-glazed sea bass or a shaved fennel salad?
That being said, I’ve got to give credit to Jose Andres and his restaurant Jaleo for introducing me to Papas Arrugadas, an unexpectedly unique and simple side dish you should try today.
Chimichurri is a traditional Argentinian marinade/sauce that is usually paired with steak but this herbacious sauce is a wonderful accompaniment to pork as well.
For Porkchops
Preheat your oven to 400 and get an oven safe skillet going over medium – high heat. Season your pork chops with salt and pepper. Once the pan is hot, add in your oil and chops and allow to sear for 2 mins without moving them around. Flip and cook the other side 1 minute. Place the pan in the oven and cook an additional 5- 8 minutes depending on the thickness of your chops. Internal temperature for pork should be 160. You can take it out at about 150 though as it will continue to carry over. Let the meat rest before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute.
For Chimichurri
To make the chimichurri, add parsley, cilantro, basil, mint, oregano, 1/2 salt, 1/4 pepper, red pepper flakes and garlic to food processor. Pulse to combine. Add red wine vinegar and turn food processor on. While food processor is running, stream in your olive oil through the top opening. Mixture will loosen up quite a bit. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
To serve, slice your pork on a bias and serve with a generous spoonful of the chimichurri. Pair with a side salad like our Italian Spinach Salad and enjoy!