For Christmas, my dad bought me this countertop hydroponic garden that can grow herbs and small vegetables.
Knowing me, I thought nothing would grow. I’ve been known to kill just about every plant I’ve ever owned. Even a fern. A FERN. Something that’s virtually unkillable.
So, I followed the instructions and took it with a grain of salt. Ain’t no way anything is growing in my kitchen, right?
Wrong.
I’m now up to my ears in mint and dill. I guess there are worse problems to have, but I can’t prune the stuff and eat it quick enough. The mint is a full-blown bush right now. It’s got vines going out to my counter and nearby toaster. Mint is hard for me to make into stuff, so it keeps getting bigger and bigger—almost killing my curly parsley and basil.
The dill is another wild creature. It shoots up quick. It was the first herb to grow and it looks like it will outlive all the others. I can prune it pretty quickly because I love dill—I’ve used it in my eggs and fish and more.
Back to the mint. I’ve got a big mint problem on my hands and don’t know what to do with it. I tried to use a bunch of it for this herby mustard, and was able to cull a little bit of the bush back.
The pork here is simple. Boring, if you will. I wanted the most flavor to be packed into the herby mustard. The pork is just the vehicle in which to get that mustard to your mouth. It’s divine.
You can stuff the mustard with whatever fresh herbs you choose. I went with mint, basil, and parsley. It would also be good with a thyme-dill combo.
Enjoy!
Pork Chops with Herby Mustard
Thick, juicy pork chops with an herby mustard packed full of mint, basil and parsley.
Ingredients
For the pork chops:
- 4 thick-cut, bone-in pork chops
- 3 TBS. lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 TBS. rosemary
- salt & pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 TBS. olive oil
For the mustard:
- 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- 1 TBS. white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 1/2 cup fresh mint
Directions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup olive oil. Dredge pork chops in marinade, turning to coat. Let pork chops sit in marinade at room temperature for about an hour.
- Meanwhile, make the herby mustard: in a food processor, blend together parsley, basil, mint and mustard. Slowly add vinegar and pulse until well combined. Place into a resealable bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large cast-iron or oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Shake excess marinade off of pork chops and sear on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Add pan to oven and let pork roast for 10-15 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees. Let meat rest for 10 minutes on the counter before serving with herby mustard.
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup olive oil. Dredge pork chops in marinade, turning to coat. Let pork chops sit in marinade at room temperature for about an hour.
Meanwhile, make the herby mustard: in a food processor, blend together parsley, basil, mint and mustard. Slowly add vinegar and pulse until well combined. Place into a resealable bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large cast-iron or oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Shake excess marinade off of pork chops and sear on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Add pan to oven and let pork roast for 10-15 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees. Let meat rest for 10 minutes on the counter before serving with herby mustard.
