Culinary CacophonyPork Chop Salad

One of my favorite words (clearly, I have plenty) is cacophony. It means dissonance or disharmony. Looking at this salad, I’m sure that comes to mind, but it’s actually very harmonious. Sweet peaches, roasted corn, and tangy blue cheese play off juicy grilled pork for a late-summer salad that eats like a meal. And having something like this in the fridge to go to for lunch or dinner during the week is a huge help, since I don;t always have time to make something good.

I made a dressing for this, but didn’t actually use it until the next night when I served it over a bed of arugula. The olive oil, juice from the peaches and pork were actually enough when I served it plain.

INGREDIENTS

10 oz pork tenderloin or loin

1/4 cup olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

½ tsp lemon zest

to taste kosher salt & black pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon onion powder

2 cobs fresh corn roasted or grilled

2 peaches, ripe but firm, cut in half (I only used 3 halves because they were so large)

3 oz blue cheese, crumbled

4 small waxy potatoes

¼ cup toasted pine nuts

1/2 small red onion

Sugar snap peas - a large handful

Dressing - mix all.

3 tbsp olive oil

1½ tbsp white balsamic (or champagne vinegar)

1 tsp honey

½ tsp Dijon mustard

1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

to taste salt & pepper

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 450.

Mix the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt, pepper and spices in a medium sized bowl. Brush the pork with a bit of it. Rest 15–20 minutes at room temp.

I grilled the pork and peach halves just to get a little color. Set aside, don’t cook all the way through.

Cut the corn off the cob and put it in the bowl with the marinade.

Cube the potatoes and put them  in the bowl as well and mix until everything is coated.

Place the pork and peaches on top of the vegetables and roast for about 25-30 minutes.

Make the dressing if you plan to use this with greens.

While that’s roasting, in a non-stick pan, toast the pine nuts.

In a large bowl, cut the pork into small cubes. Do the same with the peaches. You don’t need to peel them but most of the skin will fall off as you cube them. Pour any pan drippings into the bowl.

Add the corn, potatoes, pine nuts, and the insides only of some snap peas.

Crumble the blue cheese and mix everything together.

You can eat it right away, but the longer it sits, the more the juices incorporate into everything.