Cocoa-Crusted Pork Rib Chops with Vermont Cheddar Farfalle
This is a different twist on a pork rib chops-with ginger beer. The pork was coated prior to cooking with a spice mixture consisting of cocoa powder, paprika, crushed fennel seeds, sea salt, and cayenne pepper. The pork was seared first, and then finished in the oven. The skillet used to sear the pork was de-glazed, and then mixed with cream to make a sauce for the pork that was used later. Sweet Potatoes with rosemary were used as a topping.
Ingredient List:
fennel seed
sea salt
cocoa powder
paprika
cayenne pepper
pork rib chops
EV Olive Oil
sweet potatoes
fresh rosemary
Jamaican Ginger Beer
brown sugar
light cream
butter
flour
chicken broth
whole milk
garlic cloves
dry mustard
Cabot Vermont Cheddar Cheese
Farfelle Pasta
To make Pork Rib Chops:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Combine 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons cocoa powder, a bit of cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon paprika. Use a flat surface to grind up the fennel seeds a bit.
3. Pat the rib chops dry, and then coat both sides well with the spice mixture.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan, and sear pork five minutes on a side at medium heat. Reserve pan drippings for later.
5. Spray a cooking dish, then place rib chops in flat dish and cook in oven for 25 minutes.
6. Let rib chops rest at least five minutes.
7. Clean, skin, Chop, and slice some sweet potatoes. Good luck. Following the lengthwise grain seems to help. Use a very sharp knife. Watch your fingers.
8. Transfer the sweet potato pieces to a mixing bowl and coat with two tablespoons olive oil. Add 2 tablespoons minced Rosemary leaves, and toss again.
9. Spread sweet potatoes out on a cookie sheet coated with aluminum foil-then salt as desired.
10. Bake sweet potatoes at 350F for 15 minutes, using a spoon to mix/flip them at that point. Then cook them for another 15 minutes until done.
11. Using the pan drippings you reserved earlier, add 1/2 cup ginger beer. Stir the bits in the pan well with the beer, then add a tablespoon of brown sugar. Simmer this liquid on medium heat for about 20 minutes, or until mixture becomes sticky.
12. Reduce heat to low and whisk in 3/4 cup cream. Continue to cook 5 minutes.
13. Spoon sauce onto plate and place rib chop on top of sauce. Top with Sweet Potatoes and serve with Farfalle.
To make Vermont Cheddar Farfalle.
0. mince two fresh garlic cloves. set aside.
1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Heat a large pot of water with salt and some olive oil.
3. In a saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter on medium heat. Add 1/4 cup flour and stir well. Mixture will clump a bit. Cook for about 2 minutes.
3. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and keep stirring.
4. Reduce heat to medium low, and add 1/4 cup ginger beer and one cup whole milk. Bring the mixture back to a simmer.
5. Add the garlic pieces, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, some cayenne pepper, and some sea salt-then mix well.
6. Grate two cups Vermont Cheddar Cheese and add to the saucepan. Stir well to incorporate. Make sure the cheese melts-it should easily.
7. Remove the pan from heat, cover and set aside.
8. When the water boils, cook the pasta 7 minutes until done-stirring occasionally.
9. Drain, but do not rinse, pasta and return to large pan. Mix farfalle with cheese mixture and stir well to combine.
10. Grease a large casserole dish and transfer farfalle mixture from saucepan to dish. Flatten out well, and then grate some addtional Vermont cheddar across the top of the dish.
11. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
.
