Pork Chops & Almond Salsa Verde

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut the potatoes crosswise into 1/2-inch rounds. Place on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; turn to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 22 to 24 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile, finely chop the capers. Finely chop the almonds. Keeping half the rosemary sprigs whole, pick the leaves off the remaining stems, then finely chop the leaves. Peel 2 cloves of garlic. Leave 1 clove whole. Using a zester or the small side of a box grater, finely grate the remaining clove into a paste. Halve the zucchini lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Cut off and discard the stems of the peppers. Quarter lengthwise; remove the ribs and seeds, then thinly slice crosswise. Peel and thinly slice the shallot.

In a bowl, combine the chopped capers, chopped almonds, chopped rosemary, half the vinegar, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and as much of the garlic paste as you’d like. Season with salt and pepper.

Pat the pork dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned pork. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, or until browned. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the butter, whole garlic clove, and whole rosemary sprigs. Cook, frequently spooning the butter mixture over the pork, 3 to 4 minutes for medium (the center may still be slightly pink), or until coated and cooked to your desired degree of doneness.* Turn off the heat. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer the cooked pork to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes. Carefully remove and discard the garlic clove and rosemary from the pan. Pour any remaining butter from the pan into the bowl of salsa verde; stir to combine. 

*The USDA recommends a minimum safe cooking temperature of 145°F for pork.

In the pan of reserved fond, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced zucchini in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the sliced peppers and sliced shallot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened. Turn off the heat. Add the remaining vinegar (carefully, as the liquid may splatter) and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Slice the rested pork crosswise. Serve the sliced pork with the roasted potatoes and cooked vegetables. Top the pork with the salsa verde. Enjoy!