We both agreed that this was absolutely the most delicious smoked pork we had ever had – in any form. I’d say it was almost entirely about the virtue of the supplier, Flying Pigs Farm, but I would also have to add that, over time, I’ve learned a little about how to best enjoy this wonderful butchers’ creation.

It’s also astonishingly easy to do. To put it as simply as possible, find the best smoked pork chops you can (like Flying Pigs Farm or Millport Dairy in the Union Square Greenmarket, Ottomanelli’s on Bleecker Street in the West Village, Schaller & Weber on Second Avenue and 86th Street, Dickson Farm Stand in the Chelsea Market) and some good pre-packaged sauerkraut (in a jar or plastic bag), and you’re already halfway there.

There are almost an infinite number of dishes to accompany this classic, although only a very few are classics themselves. Last night I went with the non-classics, but I stuck with a classic wine.

• * one 16-ounce glass jar of sauerkraut (simply cabbage and salt) from Millport Dairy Farm, drained and very well-rinsed in several changes of cold water, drained once again and placed inside an enameled cast iron oval covered pot with one chopped sweet yellow onion from Norwich Meadows Farm, one cored, peeled, chopped  ‘Ashmead’s Kernel’ apple from Samascott Orchards, one cup of an Oregon (Illinois Valley) white, Foris Wine Shop Dry Gewürztraminer 20168, 9 smashed whole juniper berries, and about the same number of whole black peppercorns, a little salt, and a tablespoon of olive oil, all brought to a boil, simmered over a low flame, stirring occasionally, for less than half an hour, covered, and then uncovered for 20 or 25 minutes more, and near the end of that time joined by two 9-ounce smoked pork chops from Flying Pigs Farm that had been thoroughly dried and then briefly seared on both sides inside an enameled cast iron pan with a little olive oil and butter, slightly buried in the sauerkraut where they were heated for 10 or 15 minutes, the chops and sauerkraut then arranged on 2 plates
• * a small amount of wild cress from Lani’s Farm, dressed with olive oil, Maldon salt, and freshly-ground black pepper
• * most of 2 bunches of French breakfast radishes from Eckerton Hill Farm, all that remained from two earlier meals where some had been used as simple crudités, washed, the green stems and little white ‘tails’ removed tossed in a bowl with a little, olive oil, a pinch of dried golden habanada pepper, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, then roasted for 20 to 25 minutes or so, at 375º, inside a medium Pampered Chef unglazed pan
• * the wine was spot on for this meal, a German (Pfalz) white, Friedrich Becker Pinot Blanc 2013, that had remained from a purchase some time ago from our very-much-missed former neighborhood wine shop, Appellation Wine & Spirits
• the music was Francesco Maria Veracini‘s 1735 London opera, ‘Adriano In Siria‘, Fabio Biondi conducting the ensemble, Europa Galante

I really think the approach I used here, and have used many times before, is the best way to treat a good pork chop – or two – and, as with the best recipes, its simplicity makes it possible to invent any number of variations.

Last night however there were no twists, not even a last-minute fresh herb, really (this time I saved my futzing for the vegetables).

• two 8-ounce bone-in loin pork chops from Flying Pig Farm, thoroughly dried, seasoned with salt and pepper and seared quickly in a heavy enameled cast-iron pan before half of a local sweet lemon from Fantastic Gardens of Long Island was squeezed over the top (which was then left in the pan between them, cut side down), the chops placed in a 425º oven for about 14 minutes (flipped halfway through, the lemon squeezed over them once again and replaced), removed from the oven and place on plates, the small amount (this time) of juices left in the pan spooned over them
• micro snow pea shoots from Windfall Farms arranged to the side

I had picked up a small bundle of ‘French breakfast radishes’ two days before Friday’s dinner, when I decided to serve their greens, wilted, while they were still fresh. Because I love sautéed or roasted radishes, of any kind, I didn’t look any further for a vegetable to accompany the pork. Once I had pulled the roots and greens from the crisper however I realized there wasn’t really much of either, so I added a small parsley root and a few scallions to the mix.

• one small parsley root [petroselinum crispum tuberosum] from Norwich Meadow Farm, scrubbed, trimmed, and diced, sautéed in a little more than a total of a tablespoon of olive oil and butter inside a large enameled cast iron pot until almost softened, then 2 garlic cloves, halved, from Tamarack Hollow Farm and a small bunch of ‘French breakfast’ radishes from Eckerton Hill Farm, cleaned and scrubbed, added to the pot and cooked until they had softened, but just before that time 3 thin scallions from Norwich Meadows Farm, sliced, added to the mix, followed by the washed radish greens, the vegetables seasoned with salt and pepper, and a little Washington State riesling added and stirred in for a minute or two before being served
• the wine was a Spanish (Rioja) white, Real Rubio Blanco, Rioja 2014
• the music was the fantastic album, ‘Gisela May: Brecht Songs by Hanns Eisler and Paul Dessau‘

This was the first fully-prepared meal I have been able (allowed) to put on the table since cutting off the tip of my index finger in a kitchen accident on the 7th, and I relished every bit of it.

In preparation, I went to the Greenmarket the day before, fairly late, as I had only to pick up a vegetable; I already had everything else I would need for the next day, whether I ended up deciding on meat (frozen Greenmarket pork) or fish (frozen Greenmarket crab cakes).

I picked one of the last fresh bunches of greens, purple mustard, reminding myself how good it was to still be able to enjoy such a treat near the end of December.

The meal, I had decided, should still be pretty simple, since I would be wearing a latex glove on my right hand to protect a bandage. In fact, like the one I had pulled off two days before, it could actually have been assembled with that hand behind my back. I’m just glad I didn’t have to.

• two thick 9-ounce pork chops from Tamworth pigs from Grazin’ Angus Acres (heritage Tamworth pigs), thoroughly dried, seasoned with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, seared quickly on both sides inside a very hot, heavy enameled cast-iron pan, 2 pieces of a floral-scented heatless orange habanada pepper from Norwich Meadows Farm that I had dried this fall, placed on the top surfaces before half of a sweet local lemon from Fantastic Gardens of Long Island was squeezed over them, after which the lemon was left on the surface of the pan between the chops, which were then placed in a 425º oven for about 14 minutes (flipped halfway through, the lemon squeezed over the top once again and once again replaced in the pan), the finished chops removed from the oven and arranged on 2 plates, some pea shoots/sprouts from Windfall Farms arranged around them, some of the pan juices poured over the top of the chops, the remainder poured into a sauce boat for use at the table
• purple mustard greens (well, at least the pot liquor was purple-ish) from Norwich Meadows Farms, wilted in a little live oil in which one clove of  garlic from Stokes Farm, halved, had been allowed to sweat, seasoned with salt and pepper and finished on the plates with a drizzle of olive oil
• pickled red beets from Millport Dairy Farm

 

• the wine was a California (Sonoma) white, Scott Peterson Rumpus California Sauvignon Blanc 2015, from Naked Wines
• the music was Boris Ivanovich Tischenko’s Symphony No. 8, and his Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Orchestra, with soloists Mila Shkirtil, Mezzo-Soprano; Chingiz Osmanov, Violin; and Nikolai Mazhara, Piano, with the St. Petersburg State Symphony, Edward Serov conducting

It was cool that night, so I had no hesitation in firing up the oven to cook some lemon pork chops. The recipe is a favorite, normally enjoyed only in cool weather, and we’ve enjoyed these dark red (‘black’) cherry tomatoes before, but this variety of sweet peppers was new to me.

The peppers were Juicy, sweet, with a distinctive taste, and an oddly chewy texture – not at all unpleasant. I’m thinking they look surprisingly like egg noodles in the picture above, as they did on the table. For more clarification I thought I’d add an image of what they looked like as they finished cooking, but here they may look even more like noodles, maybe Spätzle.

• two 7-ounce bone-in loin pork chops from Flying Pig Farm, thoroughly dried, seasoned with salt and pepper and seared quickly in a heavy enameled cast-iron pan before half of a lemon was squeezed over the top (then left in the pan between them, cut side down), the chops placed in a 425º oven for about 14 minutes (flipped halfway through, when the lemon was squeezed over them once again and replaced between them), removed from the oven, sprinkled with micro beets from Two Guys from Woodbridge, the luscious pan drippings, by then mixed with tomato juices [see below], spooned over the top
• sweet heirloom orange peppers, described by the farmers as from southern France, from Campo Rosso Farm, sautéed in a large enameled cast iron pan until beginning to caramelize, joined part of the way through by some a small red Calabrian pepper, also from Campo Rosso Farm, and 2 red scallions from Norwich Meadows Farm, chopped, sprinkled with chopped oregano from Stokes Farm, finished with a bit of balsamic vinegar, the vegetables stirred to mix with it and the herb, before being arranged on the plates, some of the green parts of the scallions, chopped, tossed on top
• half a dozen or so halved black cherry tomatoes from Berried Treasures Farm, tossed into the pan in which the chops had cooked just after they were placed on the plates, stirred into the pan juices, the heat softening the tomatoes before they were removed to the plates and sprinkled with some torn New York CIty basil leaves from Gotham Greens via Whole Foods
• the wine was an Italian (Marche) white, Pievalta, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore, 2014
• the music was Q2 Music, streaming, part of their Shostakovich 24-hour marathon

This turned out to be a pretty sturdy meal for the first day of May, but the temperature never got much above 50º, so it wasn’t very far out of line with the real weather. In fact, I was able to use a 450º oven to cook 2 of the 3 items on the plates and still not really heat up the kitchen.

• two 8-ounce bone-in loin pork chops from Flying Pig Farm, thoroughly dried, seasoned with salt and pepper and seared quickly in a heavy enameled cast-iron pan before half of an organic lemon was squeezed over the top and left in the pan between the chops, when they were placed in a 425º oven for about 14 minutes (flipped halfway through, the lemon squeezed over them once again and replaced between them), removed from the oven, sprinkled with micro beets from Two Guys from Woodbridge, the luscious pan juices spooned over the top
• Ozette potatoes from Mountain Sweet Berry Farm, halved lengthwise, tossed with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary leaves from Stokes Farm, roasted at 425º for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through, browned, and a bit crispy on the edges, and, as they emerged from the oven, drizzled with a little chopped spring garlic, the green parts only, from Bodhitree Farms (softened earlier in a little olive oil over a low flame), then finished with chopped parsley from Eataly
• twelve ounces of fairly thick asparagus from Phillips Farm, trimmed, the stems peeled, tossed in a couple of tablespoons of butter, about a tablespoon of olive oil, and 5 branches of thyme, inside a large enameled cast-iron pan, then sautéed over medium high heat, frequently rolling or turning them in the mix of butter, oil, and herb until crisp-tender and beginning to brown (about 8 to 10 minutes), finished with a sprinkling of Maldon salt and freshly-ground Telicherry peppercorns
• the wine was a California (Lodi) white, S & A Verdelho Lodi 2015, by Sarah Wuethrich and Ana Diogo
• the music was Nicolas Bacri’s ‘Les Quatre Saisons‘, performed by the Orchestre Victor Hugo Franche Comté