PORK CHOPS WITH PEPPERS AND CAPERS

PORK CHOPS WITH PEPPERS AND CAPERS image

Categories Pork

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

2 cups Water
1 cup Kosher Salt (plus more as needed)
1 cup Brown Sugar
12 Whole Black Peppercorns
4 Bay Leaves
4 quarts Cold Water
4 Pork Single-Bone Rib Chops (about 1 1/4 inches thick)
3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Red Bell Peppers (seeded and cut into thin strips)
3 Yellow Bell Peppers (seeded and cut into thin strips)
2 Red Onions (cut into 1/2 inch dice)
1/4 cup Gaeta Olives (pitted)
1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1 cup Dry White Wine
2 tablespoons Small Capers (with their brine)
8 Pickled Hot Cherry Peppers
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
4 Scallions (thinly sliced)

Steps:

Brine: In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups of Water, 1 cup of Salt, and the Brown Sugar and heat over high heat, stirring, until the Salt and Sugar dissolve. Pour the brine into a large, deep bowl or other container large enough to hold the Pork and the brine. Add the Peppercorns, Bay Leaves, and 4 quarts of Cold Water and stir to mix well. Make sure the brine is completely cool then add the Pork Chops. Cover and let stand for at least 2 hours, or refrigerate overnight. Do not brine the Pork for longer than 12 hours, or it will get a little pickled. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons of the Olive Oil over high heat until smoking. Add the Bell Peppers, Onions, Olives, and Red Pepper Flakes and cook, without stirring, for about 5 minutes or until the Peppers and Onions are slightly charred. Stir a couple of times and then cook for 5 minutes more. Add the Wine and Capers and bring to a boil. Add the Whole Pickled Cherry Peppers then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Season with Salt and Black Pepper, remove from the heat, and set aside. Heat a cast-iron or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Drain the Chops and pay dry with paper towels. Season both sides with Salt and Black Pepper. Brush the Chops with the remaining 1/4 cup of Olive Oil, place them into the skillet and cook, without moving them, for 6 minutes. Turn the Chops over and cook for 5 minutes more or until they register 135°F on a meat thermometer. Pour the Pepper mixture into the pan and over the Chops and bring to a sizzling boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, basting and moving the Pepper mixture to warm it through. Transfer the Chops to a platter, stir the Scallions into the Pepper mixture, and spoon the Pepper mixture over the Chops. Arrange 2 Cherry Peppers on top of each chop and serve.