Seared Chicken & Mashed Potatoes

Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Separate the kale leaves from the stems; discard the stems, then roughly chop the leaves. Medium dice the potatoes. In a bowl, whisk together the sour cherry spread, half the vinegar or verjus, and 1/4 cup of water.

Add the diced potatoes and half the chopped garlic to the pot of boiling water. Cook 16 to 18 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Add the crème fraîche and a drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Using a fork or potato masher, mash to your desired consistency. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the remaining chopped garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened. Add the chopped kale and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add the remaining vinegar or verjus (carefully, as the liquid may splatter) and 1/4 cup of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the liquid has cooked off. Transfer to a bowl. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

Pat the pork dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned pork. Cook 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium (the center may still be slightly pink), or until browned and cooked to your desired degree of doneness.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate and let rest at least 5 minutes.

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

To the pan of reserved fond, add the sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook on medium-high, stirring constantly and scraping up any fond, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter until melted and combined. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the cooked pork with the mashed potatoes and cooked kale. Top the pork with the finished sauce. Enjoy!