Drinkable? Really?? Fuck. Yes. This sauce will haunt your dreams, soothe your soul, and make angels weep tears of joy. Ok…maybe not tears of joy, but it will have you sipping it way more than just to taste while it cooks!
Ingredients:
- 2 boneless pork chops
- A hearty dash of smoked paprika
- Salt & pepper (to taste) aka S&P
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 5-6 garlic cloves, grated (use a microplane, otherwise just dice as finely as possibly)
- 8 oz mushrooms
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 8 oz spinach, torn into pieces
- ½ tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1-2 tsp cayenne pepper (depending on your heat tolerance, or you can omit)
- ½ cup grated fresh parmesan or pecorino romano cheese
- Pasta (anything with grooves…rotini, farfalle, penne…)
Steps:
- Cook the pasta to the box directions, then set aside
- In a large, wide brimmed skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat
- Pat the pork chops dry, then season liberally with the paprika and S&P
- Once the skillet is hot, sear the chops until browned on each side – roughly 3-5 minutes per side, depending on size…keep in mind these will continue to cook while we build the sauce, so don’t cook them until ‘perfectly done’
- Remove the chops and set aside on a plate (no paper towel – we want the juices to collect)
- Return the skillet to the heat, reducing to medium, and add in the butter
- Scrape up any browned bits from the pan bottom, and then when the butter is melted add the mushrooms, garlic, onion, and remaining seasonings (Italian and cayenne)
- Mix until everything is incorporated and the pan becomes exceptionally fragrant and the onions begin to lose color, but before the garlic goes brown – about a minute or two
- Pour in the stock and heavy cream and continue to mix
- Bring this to a gentle boil, then reduce to a fine simmer and cook until slightly reduced – 3-5 minutes
- Mix in the spinach and parmesan / pecorino, and continue cooking until the spinach wilts and the cheese is fully melted – about 1 minute
- Bring heat back to medium, then re-add the pork chops and allow them to reheat for about 1-2 minutes
- Taste and season again with S&P if needed
- To prep a plate, add the pasta first, then add the pork chop and spoon the sauce over both. If you mix the pasta in with the sauce right away, it will absorb all of the sauce within the hour and isn’t nearly as good for leftovers – do store any plain pasta leftovers separate from the sauce for the same reason 😊
- Enjoy!
Honey Badger's Kitchen 