Makes 4 servings
SERVING SIZE: 1 pork chop and about ¾ cup slaw
PER SERVING: Calories 370; Total Fat 15 g (Sat Fat 3 g, Mono Fat 8 g, Poly Fat 3 g); Protein 38 g; Carb 22 g; Fiber 3 g; Cholesterol 80 mg; Sodium 590 mg; Total Sugar 14 g (Added Sugar 9 g)
EXCELLENT SOURCE OF: magnesium, manganese, niacin, phosphorous, potassium, protein, riboflavin, selenium, thiamine, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K, zinc
GOOD SOURCE OF: copper, fiber, iron, pantothenic acid
Here, juicy pork chops are slathered with a honey-mustard mixture and cooked on a rack on top of a sheet pan full of colorful roasted slaw—red cabbage, onion, and carrots—which has been doused in a sweet-tart dressing. A finishing toss of toasted pumpkin seeds adds a delightful nutty crunch and unexpected flavor. The idea to include the pumpkin seeds came to me after a visit to Vienna, Austria, where I learned they often drizzle their vegetables with a dark, deeply flavorful toasted pumpkin seed oil. I came home with a bottle and have been enamored with the vegetable–pumpkin seed pairing ever since. I typically warm a loaf of crusty, dark rye bread in the oven, while everything is roasting, to serve with this dish.
¼ cup hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
6 cups lightly packed, thinly sliced red cabbage
1 small onion, sliced thinly into half-moons
2 medium-size carrots, shredded into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons plus ¼ teaspoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
4 bone-in pork loin chops, 1 inch thick (about 10 ounces each)
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the pumpkin seeds on a dry sheet pan and toast in the oven until they are fragrant, about 3 minutes, then transfer them to a plate.
2. Place the cabbage, onion, and carrots on the same sheet pan, drizzle with the oil, 3 tablespoons of the vinegar, 1 tablespoon of the honey, and the salt and pepper. Use tongs to toss to coat. (Don’t forget the pan may still be a bit hot.)
3. Stir together the mustard with the remaining tablespoon of the honey and ¼ teaspoon of the vinegar in a small bowl. Place a rack that fits into the sheet pan on top of the vegetables. Place the pork chops on the rack and brush the mustard mixture generously onto both sides of the pork chops.
4. Roast in the middle of the oven until the vegetables have softened and the pork reaches an internal temperature of 135°F, 20 to 25 minutes. Then, transfer the whole vegetable and pork setup to the top rack in the oven and broil on HIGH for 2 minutes, then flip the chops over and continue to broil until the chops are cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F and have a nice char on the outside, and the vegetables have softened further and begin to brown along the edges of the pan, 2 to 4 minutes more, or longer if you like the pork more well done.
5. Transfer the pork to serving plates. Remove the rack from the top of the sheet pan and toss the pumpkin seeds with the vegetables. Serve the warm slaw alongside the pork.
The dish will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and may be served warm or at room temperature.