Herbal Essence.

Today’s post is a simple Grilled Chop with Mountain Herbs. The meat used is less important than the flavor of the herbs. When we first had it in a classic fortified hilltop town in rural Tuscany, the chef used a veal chop. We often use bone-in pork chops (as we did today) but it is also adaptable to beef or chicken breasts. (If you prefer thighs, you might need to roll and tie them.)

What are mountain herbs? If you are hiking in Tuscany, you are likely to come across wild fennel, rosemary, onion grass (aka chives), thyme, oregano, and berries from the juniper tree. We have used any combination of the above to make this dish but we always include juniper berries, an iconic flavor we both remember. Today, we chose fennel pollen, rosemary, chives, and juniper berries, along with handful of pine nuts added for body. Once stuffed, the chops get oiled, seasoned, and thrown on the grill. Simple, savory, and satisfying. I served a Gigondas Rosé with the chops — read more on the Provence WineZine.

~ David

Grilled Chops with Mountain Herbs

David Scott Allen, Cocoa & Lavender

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Ingredients

  

• 4 cups brine recipe in notes
• 4 1- inch thick bone-in pork chops trimmed
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 1/2 tablespoons snipped chives
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel pollen or ground fennel seed
• 8 juniper berries finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• additional extra virgin olive oil
• lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

 

• Place pork chops on a cutting board and, using a very sharp knife with the blade turned parallel to the board, cut a pocket into the fat side of the chop. Cut almost all the way to the bone, and be careful to leave about ¼-inch uncut on the two sides. Place pork in the brine for 1 hour. (see brine recipe at end)
• Place all remaining ingredients except the additional olive oil and lemon wedges in the bowl of a food processor or spice grinder, and process until finely ground and all herbs are well mixed together.
• Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry with paper towels inside and out. Divide the stuffing and gently spread into the pockets. Seal them by using trussing skewers or bamboo skewers.
• Set a gas grill at hottest setting. If using charcoal, keep the hot coals to one side. Rub the exterior of the chops with some olive oil and then season with salt and pepper (as the brine is salty, be cautious not to over-salt them at this stage). When grill is ready, place chops directly over heat to sear and immediately reduce heat to medium. (For charcoal move to indirect heat.) Grill 4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chops, or until done. Serve drizzled with olive oil with lemon wedges.

Notes

Serves 4.

To make a basic brine, mix 4 cups water, 4 tablespoons kosher salt, and three tablespoons sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. You can also include flavorings (herbs, spices, chiles), or use brown sugar instead of white sugar. Don’t brine too long or your meat will be too salty. I recommend brining for pork chops and chicken breasts — it keeps them from drying out on the grill.