TBK Cooks- Pork chops and Garlicky Broccoli

   

                    My Pork chop with garlicky broccoli, peas and new potatoes

I first found this recipe back in April 2021 during Ramadan when I was given a Low Carb diet challenge by Chester. When I first read the recipe I  thought the Pork chops had to be cooked in an oven but more recently ( In July) I realised they cold be fried so I decided to try the recipe. You can read about the Low Carb diet challenge by clicking the link below:

Low Carb diet challenge

According to the Pork Chop and garlicky broccoli recipe ( Link below) :

"A little Parmesan in the pork chops' crunchy coating makes it extra-flavorful. The broccoli is simple yet special--try it alongside just about anything you're cooking, but it pairs perfectly with the pork here for a satisfying healthy dinner ready in just 30 minutes."

Pork Chops with Garlicky Broccoli recipe

I agree with the author- it was an amazing taste combination and easy to cook- even in a one pot kitchen.

In Bahrain most of the Pork you buy is frozen so I bought three pork steaks ( no bones) and defrosted them. When my friend Ronnie came for his day off, knowing how Pinoys love Pork, I decided to prepare the dish in advance and then just reheat it in the Microwave. I was supposed to collect him at 10 am then he put this back as he was summonsed to the Jasmi's head office for a meeting with "HR" about his impending contract renewal. He said he would call me when he was done to collect him ( I nearly gave him a taxi number but when I discovered he was at Seef and I needed to go to the bank there I decided to collect him myself). He called and I told him to meet me at the bank at Seef Mall but he sent a location for a restaurant over the road . When I got there he asked me to take his friend to The Dasman Centre ( opposite direction to the bank and a 15 minute journey each way) so the bank trip was delayed again!

After a day taking his royal highness around Bahrain as he chatted away in Tagalog to his friends and , I later discovered broadcast our journey on Facebook live, we headed for home. I told him it would take 5 mins to heat the dinner ( Too late for lunch by then as it was maybe 3 pm) . He said he was very tired and was going to lie down and I prepared and served the meal and cleared and laid the table. 

                               Just waiting for the broccoli to cook

Then I heard the snoring, and as he had been on night shift the night before , I realised he would not wake up for 5- 7 hours so I threw his in the bin ( sorry Max) and ate alone.

The sleeping beauty, too tired to eat the food I had spent hours preparing.

So that's the story, here is the recipe!

Pork chops and Garlicky Broccoli

Preparation : 30 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

680 grams Broccoli with stems, trimmed and cut into spears ( the original recipe said one and a half pounds and I wasted valuable time in Alosra Juffair trying to ask Mrs. Google on my mobile how many grams that was!)

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup panko breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
¼ cup whole-wheat flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 (4 ounce) ( 113 grams) boneless pork chops, trimmed
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 sprig Chopped fresh thyme for garnish

                                The flour for coating the pork ( see below)

Method ( adapted for one pot cooking!)

Toss broccoli with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a frying pan and spread in an even layer. Fry, stirring often, until charred in spots, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

  

                                Cooking the Broccoli

Meanwhile, combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a shallow dish. Place flour in another shallow dish and egg in a third shallow dish. Sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt, then dredge in the flour, shaking off excess; dip in the egg, letting excess drip off; and coat with the breadcrumb mixture

The beaten egg and the breadcrumbs with the parmesan

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning once, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 145 degrees F, about 6 minutes total. (If the pork is browning too quickly, reduce heat to medium.) Transfer to a plate and drizzle with lemon juice. 

                                   Cooking the coated pork

Wipe the pan clean. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over low heat, stirring, until the garlic is sizzling, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Drizzle over the reserved broccoli and toss to coat. Serve the pork and broccoli with more Parmesan and thyme, if desired.

                                The finished Broccoli

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Pork Chop And 1 Cup Broccoli

Per Serving: 

543 calories; protein 34.2g; carbohydrates 20.5g; dietary fiber 5.5g; sugars 3.2g; fat 37.4g; saturated fat 8.9g; cholesterol 120.6mg; vitamin a iu 1257.2IU; vitamin c 153.3mg; folate 114.7mcg; calcium 161.9mg; iron 2.5mg; magnesium 66.2mg; potassium 924.8mg; sodium 724.6mg. 

Hope you enjoy the recipe. As I write this and add the photos I took on the day I made it I realise it must be a very sleep inducing dish. This was Rew while I was preparing the food the morning before Ronnie came:

                       Rew asleep on the sofa at 10. 30 am!

The second funny story is that as this was one of the last dishes I cooked before I left Bahrain ( on vacation!) and as I had to go to Awali with Ronnie to collect some printing, I decided to take a bag of partly open sauces, herbs, curry powder and the remaining Breadcrumbs to Miss Andrea as a thank you gift for doing all my printing  ( my printer is in Palawan) . Unfortunately I must not have put the top properly on the breadcrumbs as by the time we reached Awali the breadcrumbs had escaped , filling the bag- sorry Miss A. I am sure she will make some lovely food with my leftovers!

Personally I am looking forward to 3 months without having to cook or wash up on my vacation, after 6 weeks of preparing 3 meals a day during lockdown.

I will update you on my travels in a future blog

Until then, Ingat Palagi, and Kita kits