By Margaux Laskey, The New York Times
I know it sounds silly, but I’ve always been a little intimidated by the idea of cooking pork chops on the stovetop. It just seems so finicky: You have to get the pan really hot for a nice sear, but not so hot that the exterior burns and you end up with an uncooked center, which means you have to babysit the pan. Not to mention the splatter and the mess. Give me instead a foolproof pork shoulder roast or a tenderloin that I can slide into the oven and ignore for a little while.
Ali Slagle’s most recent recipe — skillet pork chops with buttered corn — has forced me to reconsider my stance. With 10 highly rated pork chop recipes on New York Times Cooking, she knows what she’s doing, and her technique is easy and foolproof. Yes, there might be a little mess, but nothing that a splatter screen can’t mitigate.
1. Skillet Pork Chops With Buttered Corn
Bronzed pork chops basted with butter, rosemary and shallot, plus corn plumped in the rendered drippings and browning butter — it doesn’t get better than this. Flipping the pork chops often helps them cook evenly but not overcook, while the splash of butter and aromatics adds a layer of juiciness and aroma. Corn goes into the skillet, sweetening in the heat and soaking up all that savory flavor. While this is great with fresh corn, you can also use 2 cups of frozen, unthawed kernels. Serve alongside tomatoes vinaigrette, roasted potatoes or an arugula salad.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 2 to 3 servings
Total time: About 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 (1- to 1 1/2-inch-thick) bone-in pork chops (10 to 12 ounces each), patted dry
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (such as grapeseed)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- Kernels from 2 ears of corn
Preparation
1. Season the pork all over with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add the oil and pork chops to the skillet. Cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the pork registers around 130 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and the juices run clear, 8 to 12 minutes.
2. Add the butter, rosemary sprigs and shallot. Reduce heat to medium-low. If your chops have a fat cap, using tongs, stack both chops on top of each other, then grab both chops together and hold upright to sear the fat caps until crisp, about 1 minute.
3. Return the chops to the pan, then tilt the pan and baste the pork by spooning the melting butter and drippings over top for 1 minute. Transfer the pork chops and rosemary to a cutting board to rest; leave the butter and shallot in the skillet.
4. If the shallots are not yet softened, stir until they are, just a minute or two. Add corn and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring just once or twice and scraping up browned bits, until tender and golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve the pork chops with the corn.
2. Provençal Greens Soup
In France, this simple, nutritious soup is made with wild greens that you might forage on an afternoon’s walk, such as nettles, watercress and dandelion greens. If you must use one green, make it Swiss chard. The soup can be prepared through step 1 several hours before serving.
By Martha Rose Shulman
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: About 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 leeks, cut in half lengthwise, sliced, rinsed of dirt and drained on paper towels
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- Kosher salt
- 6 cups chopped greens (leaves only), such as Swiss chard, dandelion greens, watercress and beet greens
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 large eggs
- 4 thick slices country bread, toasted and rubbed with a cut clove of garlic
- Grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)
Preparation
1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat, and add the leeks. Cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the greens, and stir until they begin to wilt. Add 1 1/2 quarts water (6 cups) and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the greens are very tender and the broth sweet. Add pepper, and taste and adjust seasoning.
2. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Making sure that the soup is not boiling, whisk a ladle of it into the beaten eggs. Take the soup off the heat, and stir in the tempered eggs. Brush the garlic croutons with olive oil, and place one or two in each bowl. Ladle in the soup, sprinkle on some Parmesan if desired and serve.
3. Slow-Cooker Whole Chicken
A whole chicken cooked in the slow cooker pays off beautifully for very minimal effort. The only thing you’ll need to account for is the time it takes to cook, which is all hands off. Turmeric and paprika do a lot of heavy lifting here, giving the chicken a subtle smoky flavor and vibrant color. Feel free to add any other aromatics and herbs that you like. The slow cooking ensures that you end up with tender, juicy meat. And there are endless options for how you serve and use the chicken: Carve and serve along with the carrots, onion and a bowl of its jus, or use the chicken meat in sandwiches, tacos or salads. The chicken skin is not meant to be crispy in this preparation (although you could transfer the chicken to an oven-safe dish and give it a quick blast under the broiler). This recipe leaves you with the gift of a rich and tasty broth, which can be used later for soup.
By Naz Deravian
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: About 4 to 8 hours
Ingredients
- 1 whole (4- to 5-pound) chicken, trimmed of excess fat
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
- 6 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pot
- 1 large onion (any variety), cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1 large carrot, peeled and quartered lengthwise
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Preparation
1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season it generously all over (inside the cavity as well) with 5 to 7 teaspoons of salt, depending on the weight of your bird, and about 2 teaspoons of pepper. If your chicken is smaller than 4 pounds, reduce salt to 3 1/2 to 4 teaspoons. (This can be done up to 24 hours in advance and the chicken kept in the refrigerator, uncovered. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.) Place half of the garlic cloves inside the cavity of the chicken.
2. Drizzle the bottom of a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange the onion slices in a single layer, and place the carrot sticks on top to create a rack for the chicken to rest on. Place the chicken on top of the carrot sticks, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle the paprika and turmeric all over the top and sides of the chicken, including the nooks and crannies of the wings and the legs. Scatter the remaining garlic around the sides. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thick part of the thigh reads 155 to 165 degrees.
Tips
If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can replicate similar results in the oven: Use a 6-quart Dutch oven (or similar oven-safe pot) and drizzle in 1/4 cup water around the sides of the chicken (the slow cooker method does not need water). Slow roast, covered, at 300 degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thick part of the thigh reads 155 to 165 degrees.
4. Crispy Cheddar Chicken Tacos
These quick tacos use leftover or store-bought rotisserie chicken, and have a satisfying crispy cheddar frico called a costra (crust) that is common both in taquerias in the northern half of Mexico and in the southwestern United States. In some taquerias, you can order a taco using only the costra as the shell without a tortilla. In this recipe, the tortilla and costra are layered together to wrap a simple but delicious shredded chicken and chipotle filling.
By Rick A. Martínez
Yield: 8 tacos
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (lengthwise, from root to stem end)
- 1 cup hot water (tap water is fine)
- Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken, warmed
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 6 ounces medium cheddar, Monterey Jack or queso Chihuahua, grated
- 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- Sliced avocado, salsa and lime wedges, for serving
Preparation
1. Set an oven rack in the middle position; heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, stir the onion, hot water and 1 teaspoon salt until the salt has dissolved. Let sit for 5 minutes. This will soften the onion and lessen any bitter or harsh flavors. Rinse the onion under cold water and drain. In the same bowl, toss the onion with the oregano, lime juice, orange juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt; reserve.
3. In a separate bowl, quickly toss together the chicken, peppers and adobo sauce, making sure the chicken is completely coated. Season with salt. Cover and keep warm.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat (do not use foil, or the cheese might stick). Arrange cheese in 8 equal mounds on the prepared baking sheet. Spread each mound evenly to about 3 inches wide, and space at least 1 inch apart. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and deep golden brown in spots and around the edges, about 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and place 1 tortilla over each cheese crust and return to the oven to heat the tortillas, about 2 minutes.
5. Use tongs to carefully remove each tortilla with its costra, flipping each one onto a plate so that the cheese is facing up. Top with chicken, onions, avocado, salsa and a squeeze of lime.
5. Elaine’s Fettuccine Alfredo
This recipe came to The New York Times in a 2004 article about Elaine Kaufman, the founder and proprietress of the famed New York restaurant and celebrity hot spot that bore her name and where this dish was served. There is nothing fancy or complicated about it — itap glorified macaroni and cheese, really — but it is delicious and deeply satisfying. (Fun fact: Jackie O. was a fan.) — Alex Witchel
Recipe from Elaine Kaufman
Adapted by Alex Witchel
Yield: 6 servings
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- Salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 pound fresh fettuccine
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation
1. Bring 6 quarts generously salted water to a boil.
2. While the water heats, melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; saute until fragrant and sizzling, about 2 minutes. Whisk the cream with the egg yolk in a bowl until blended; pour into the garlic butter. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir until hot but not boiling. Keep warm over low heat.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta, partially covered, until al dente. (The pasta will float when itap done.) Drain in a colander, shaking out excess water, but reserve a little cooking water. Pour hot pasta into the cream mixture and toss to coat (still over low heat). Add the cheese and keep tossing gently until cream is mostly absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. If sauce is absorbed too much, toss with a little pasta water. Serve in warm bowls.
This article originally appeared in .
