Dinner at my house is often a quick look to see what's in the fridge and then figuring out what might go well together. This time of year also includes a quick look in the garden, to see what I can pick. For the recipe below I pulled a red pepper and arugula. Summer cooking can be wonderful. You just need a protein you can throw on the grill and something fresh to put on top. Some of the other easy toppings I like to make are chimichurri with fresh herbs from the garden, pesto made from either basil or arugula or just a basic tomato salsa or bruschetta with all those fresh tomatoes you (I) have growing. The bruschetta tastes great on top of a grilled chicken breasts with some mozzarella. I marinated the pork chops below, but if you don't have time to marinate just season it up with some herbs and spices before grilling.
Ingredients 4 bone-in Pork chops 1 Tbsp Red wine vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp fresh Oregano 1 c Olive oil 1 Lime 1 large Red pepper 1 Mango, diced 1 c Arugula, chopped 2 Tbsp Cilantro. chopped Salt Pepper Olive Oil Instructions Start by marinating your pork chops. Whisk together your vinegar and mustard, then whisk in your olive oil and add fresh oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Throw your pork chops in the bowl and let sit for as long as you can. At least 30 minutes. Now you can throw together you salad, which you will put on top of your pork chops. Roast the red pepper either on your gas stove, under your broiler or on your grill. Once all the sides are charred, let it sit and cool under a kitchen towel. In a bowl combine your mango, arugula, cilantro, and the zest and juice of 1 lime. Once the red pepper is cooled, peel all of the charred skin off the pepper, clean out the seeds and then dice it up. Add it to the bowl of salad and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil, stir and taste. Adjust seasoning as needed. Preheat your grill with a medium-high heat. Once it is up to about 300 degrees, grill your pork. The amount of time you need to grill it will depend on the thickness of the chop. Thinner ones take about 3 minutes a side. Thicker ones will be about 5 -7 minutes a side. The internal temperature should be about 140 degrees. If your pork chops are thinner you may want two a person. Pull them off the grill and top with the salad. Delicious and fresh.