Pork Chops with Quick Ginger-Peach Chutney

Serves 4

Pan IconWHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Pork is perfect for pairing with sweet fruit, and peaches are a great summertime choice. While jarred chutneys are fine, we use fresh peaches in this recipe to make a full-flavored chutney that is sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy—and best of all, it takes mere minutes to make. This simple recipe requires just one skillet; we cook the pork chops first, then set them aside to make the peach chutney. Mincing the ginger instead of grating it adds a nice textural component to the chutney. Ripe but still firm peaches will hold some of their shape throughout cooking, resulting in an appealingly chunky chutney. Though we like fresh peaches in this recipe, a 1-pound bag of frozen peaches can be substituted.

4

(8- to 10-ounce) bone-in pork rib or center-cut chops, ¾ to 1 inch thick, trimmed

Salt and pepper

2

tablespoons vegetable oil

1

red onion, chopped fine

1¼

pounds ripe peaches, peeled, halved, pitted, and chopped

2

jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine

2

tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1/3

cup packed brown sugar

¼

cup cider vinegar

¼

teaspoon ground cardamom

1. Cut 2 slits, about 2 inches apart, through outer layer of fat and silverskin on each chop. Pat pork chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chops and cook until well browned and chops register 145 degrees, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil.

2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and onion to now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add peaches and cook until soft but still intact, about 4 minutes. Add jalapeños and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in sugar, vinegar, and cardamom and simmer until liquid is very thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with chops.