Sunday, June 14, 2009

Grilled Pork Chops - Pura Vida Style

OK, I don't know for sure if Costa Ricans eat pork chops this way, much less at all, but let's just say that these are at least inspired by Central American cuisine. I spent a summer in Costa Rica during college and we ate very simply (beans and rice, 2x a day) and never saw a bit of pork except for the piggies that ate the whey behind the Monteverde lecheria ("cheese makers").

Hints here that it could be from CR - cilantro!, lime juice, and lots of black beans and rice on the side. Could that be from almost any Central American country... well, yeah. But I really like CR, "pura vida" is the national slogan. C'mon!
Caveats:
  1. I only got to marinate this for 1 hour in the fridge, 2 hours would be best.
  2. Grilling the chops really makes them shine, but broiling works too.
  3. Side dishes of "black beans and rice" and a nice salad round it out.

Ingredients
  • 4 pork chops (ours were our own pastured, 1 inch thick lovelies)
  • 1/3 cup of good olive oil
  • 1/3 cup of lime juice
  • 1/4 cup of minced cilantro
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (not traditional, but our cayenne is too hot for the girls)
  • 1 teaspoon of sea salt
Steps
  1. Combine the oil, juice, cilantro, garlic, pepper, and salt in a tupperware container.
  2. Whisk the marinade together well.
  3. Add in the chops and place in the fridge. Set the timer for 2 hrs.
  4. Fire up the grill and grill the chops for 3-5 minutes per side. Sadly throw away the delicious smelling marinade - can't eat it nor grill with it.
  5. Remove and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

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