I love lemons and lemon juice on just about anything. But if you’ve never grilled a lemon, you’re missing out on a really interesting flavor. It tastes actually a bit closer to lemongrass than lemon, but a little smoky and sweet. The tartness that’s left is a nice counterpart to the silky sweetness of the cabbage and the richness of the pork.
Cabbage
INGREDIENTS
6 cups red cabbage chopped
1-2 apples, peeled and sliced
½ onion slivered
¼ cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
⅓ cup water (may need more)
⅛ teaspoon cloves
salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and cover.
Cook covered for at least 90 minutes, until cabbage is soft and dark purple, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pork Chops
2 Lemons
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
salt
fresh ground pepper
olive oil
METHOD
Completely zest the 2 lemons and set aside.
On a large plate, sprinkle half the zest, half the garlic and a little salt & pepper.
Place the pork chops on top of the plate and cover with the rest of the zest, garlic and a bit of salt and pepper. Press into the pork.
Heat the oven to 350.
For the zested lemons, heat the grill or cast iron pan to high and lightly oil the cut sides of a couple of lemon halves. Place the halves on the grill, cut side down until they brown, a couple of minutes.
Using the same pan (if you’re not grilling) as you used for the lemons, Sear the chops on medium high on one side, for about 2 minutes.
Turn them over and place the pan in the oven.
My chops were about 1.75 inches thick so I cooked them for 30 minutes. Depending upon the thickness of your chops, start at 15 minutes and cook until the internal temperature of the chop reaches 145 degrees.
Let rest 5 to 10 minutes.
Squirt a bit of charred lemon juice on top of the chop before serving.
Because of the lemon in this dish, I wouldn’t serve a Pinot Noir with it but a good sauvignon/semillon blend is perfect. Try the Snake & Herring Perfect Day Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, 2018