Sunday Rewind: Getting to the Root of Ginger

Ginger Pan-Fried Pork Chops….- Originally posted April 22, 2012

As The Rantings of an Amateur Chef has been going since February of 2012, there are quite a few readers that have joined along the way. In an effort to bring back some great recipes that they may have missed, I will dedicate Sundays to re-posting a favorite that is at least two years old. I hope you enjoy! – The Ranting Chef

I started making stir fry for the first time when I was in high school. My default was really pretty simple: cubed chicken, diced onions and peppers, broccoli, some soy sauce, garlic and ginger. It was easy, predictable and tasted pretty good. I generally used granulated garlic, but occasionally would tackle a clove of the stuff. Not having learned the easy way to peel it (using the flat part of your knife, break it open and the peel comes right off), I spent way too much time working to get the skin of the clove off.

Ginger, on the other hand, was always that powdered stuff in the spice aisle. In fact, I never knew what ginger root looked like until my mid 20s. The first time I saw ginger root, I honestly didn’t know what to do with it. After some trial and error, and a little cookbook learning (this was before the Internet became popular), I found my way around the root. What I found was that fresh chopped ginger is so much better than the powdered stuff. I rarely cook with the powdered stuff anymore.

A great looking and tasting pork chop.

A small number of ingredients.

Add the onion, garlic and ginger.

Simmer.

I served this with a side of Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

Ginger Pan-Fried Pork Chops

Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins | Servings: 4 | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 4 center cut boneless pork chops
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped red onion
• 1/4 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger root
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Rosemary sprigs for garnish

Directions:

1) Heat oil under high heat until almost smoking.

2) Season both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper and add to the pan.

3) Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and continue to sear pork for about 2 minutes on each side to brown.

4) Turn chops over, add the wine and lemon juice, and simmer, covered, until the liquid is reduced, about 6 minutes more, and remove from heat. Serve with liquid on top and garnish.

If all the liquid has evaporated, add a few tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan.

Source: Eating Stella Style