Whether or not you’re traveling to an exotic beach this season, it’s always nice to channel the island life at home in the summer and shake off that hamburger and hot dog rut from all the outdoor BBQs you’ll be attending. That pineapple marinated pork chops recipe does just that in little time and with minimal preparation, no outdoor grill needed for us city dwellers, though I’m sure it would be as fantastic over coals.
On top of giving the dish its light Caribbean flavor, few people know that marinating meat in pineapple juice actually tenderizes it, the juice’s enzymes attacking the muscles. You end up with a flavorful and super tender pork chop, ready to be grilled and topped with the basil butter for a luscious kick.
Pineapple Marinated Pork Chops with Roasted Parsnips
Recipe translated from Cuisine Revisité
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 3hrs
Makes 4 servings
Pork
4 pork chops with bone
1/2 pineapple (juice obtained with a food processor)
100ml extra virgin olive oil
50g unsalted butter
4 unpeeled garlic cloves, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
Basil butter
1 bunch fresh basil, leaves plucked
250g unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, diced
10 peppercorns, crushed
5 drops Tabasco sauce
Parsnips
8 parsnips, peeled and cut into 4 along the length
25g unsalted butter
25ml extra virgin olive oil
3 bay leaves, torn
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
Salt and pepper to taste
In a bowl, mix the pineapple juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the pork chops and marinate for about 2 hours.
Blanch the basil for 10 seconds in boiling water and immediately transfer to an ice bath (bowl of cold water with ice cubes). Drain well. Put all of the basil butter ingredients into a food processor and mix well until the basil is pureed and the butter is green. Cover with a plastic wrap and mold into a cylinder. Wrap in aluminum and freeze for about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 400ºF (205ºC) and put the parsnips on a baking sheet, adding the seasonings and roasting in the oven until tender and nicely colored.
Lower the oven to 375ºF (190ºC), remove the pork chops from the marinade and the basil butter from the freezer. In a pan, melt the butter for the pork chops and cook them until nicely browned before finishing them in the oven for about 5 minutes.
Let rest for a few minutes before serving, topped with a slice of basil butter alongside the parsnips.
