Cilantro, Lime, and Habanero Marinated Pork Chops

This marinade is quite acidic, so it pairs nicely with pork.  The sauces on the back of the plate are guajillo salsa and some Mexican crema (I’ve been wanting to try this stuff out for a long time now, but could never find it – turns out its basically heavy cream , but more viscous. Goes good with potatoes though). I was inspired to do some swishy-swoopy plating stuff after reading this article. They didn’t look as fancypants as I was hoping, so I kept them in the background of the photos.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.fortheloveofcooking.net/2012/05/cilantro-lime-marinated-flank-steak.html

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped cilantro

1/3 cup lime juice

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

1 habanero, desseded and chopped

1 teaspoon salt

2 tbsp olive oil

2 or 3 pork chops

Method:

Roughly chop what  needs to be chopped, and combine in a blender. Give it a whirl, then taste and adjust for seasoning. Reserve half and refrigerate, and place the other half in a large Ziploc bag. Add the pork chops, and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Heat a oven-proof skillet over high. Remove the pork chops from the marinade, rinse off any excess and pat dry. Coat with canola oil, and give them a quick sear. Place the pan in the oven, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on thickness, until the pork reaches 145°F internally. Remove from the oven, let them rest for a few minutes, then serve with reserved marinade.