Recipe: Greek Pork Chops with Zucchini and Feta (Melissa d'Arabian)

GREEK PORK CHOPS WITH ZUCCHINI AND FETA
"Thin-cut bone-in lean pork rib chops cook in minutes and offer a hearty, meaty richness that can be extra satisfying. A pantry spice blend of dried oregano, thyme, and paprika seasons the chops, and the browned bits left in the pan later flavor the zucchini as it sautes. Choose chops that don't have striations of fat in the meat; if they have a large fat cap, simply trim it off before cooking."



FOR THE PORK CHOPS:
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 (1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick) lean bone-in pork rib chops
1 tablespoon canola oil

FOR THE ZUCCHINI:
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (basil, mint, or oregano is great, too)
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup finely crumbled feta cheese (about 2 ounces)

TO SEASON AND COOK THE PORK CHOPS:
Stir together the oregano, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set the pork chops on a cutting board and season both sides of each chop with the spice blend.

Heat a large skillet over high heat for 1 minute. Add the canola oil, and once it shimmers, add the chops. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, without moving the chops, until they are nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chops and cook on the other side until browned and the centers resist light pressure, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

TO COOK THE ZUCCHINI:
Add the zucchini to the skillet with the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini softens, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the herbs, then transfer the zucchini to a medium bowl. Stir in the tomato, olive oil, and lemon juice, then sprinkle with the feta cheese.

Divide the zucchini among 4 plates and serve with the pork chops.

Makes 4 servings

PER SERVING: Calories 252; Protein 28g; Dietary Fiber 2g; Sugars 3g; Total Fat 13g

Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Source: Supermarket Healthy by Melissa d'Arabian