Pork Scallopine with Spicy Cherry-Pepper Sauce
A very meaty chile pepper that is great to add heat to hot pepper jelly or relish. It can also be stuffed or chopped and used in fresh salsas.
In Italy these first are pickled in vinegar brine then stuffed with ingredients like provolone cheese and prosciutto ham. After being stuffed they are marinated with herbs and olive oil.
Ingredients:
1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried sage
8 (1/2-inch-thick) boneless pork chops, pounded 1/4 inch thick
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
4-6 jarred hot cherry peppers —stemmed, quartered and seeded, plus 2 tsp. vinegar from the jar
12 oz. jar fire-roasted red or yellow bell peppers, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 scallion, white and light green parts only, very finely chopped
Instructions:
1. In a bowl, combine the salt, pepper and sage and sprinkle all over the pork.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1-1/2 Tbsp. of the olive oil. Add 4 of the scallopine to the skillet and cook over high heat until they are lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a plate and repeat with the remaining olive oil and pork.
3. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp of fat from the skillet and add the garlic. Cook over moderate heat for 1 minute, then add the wine and the cherry-pepper vinegar. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook the sauce until it just begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Add the cherry peppers and roasted peppers and cook until warmed through. Add the pork and any accumulated juices and cook until hot, 1 minute longer. Transfer to plates, sprinkle with the scallion and serve.
Yields 4 servings.
Recipe from Food and Wine Magazine, November 2003.