Long, hot days of summer have driven me far, far away from my stove and oven, and the steamy air has robbed my brain of all but the very least creative ideas for meals. It has only been with the recent approach of fall’s cooler air and school starting again (when I can send one of my distractions off to distract others) that I’ve begun turning once again to my love of food.
That being said, the following pork chop recipe is simple to make yet has complex and layered flavors using things you likely already have on hand.
I prefer using loin chops for this recipe, butterflied or otherwise. The only caveat to using these chops in a pan-based cooking application is their tendency to quickly dry out. To avoid this, cook your pork chops until they are still slightly pink in the center (just a blush mind you) then pull them out. Don’t be squeamish, pink pork has long been safe and is vastly underrated.
Pork Chops with Tarragon and 
Tomato-Green Onion Relish
4 pork loin chops (the thicker the better)
2 tbsp dried tarragon
1 tbsp garlic powder
salt and fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced fine
1/2 cup diced fresh tomato
1/4 cup sliced green onions, white and green parts
1. Sprinkle the pork chops with the tarragon, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
2. Heat a pan large enough to hold the pork chops in one layer and add the butter and olive oil.
3. Add the pork chops and brown on medium high heat, turning once when they are lightly browned.
4. Remove the pork chops and add the wine and minced garlic to the pan and deglaze, reducing the wine by about half.
5. Put the chops back into the pan and cook on medium low heat until cooked through. Cover with a lid if the chops are thick.
6. Turn the heat off and top with the diced tomato and green onion. Cover with lid until ready to serve. Serve by drizzling the pan juices over the chops.
