HERITAGE PORK CHOPS with peppercorn butter

This dish is a bit of a throwback to a style of cooking prevalent in the 1980’s that drew upon the revolutionary French style of Nouvelle Cuisine, that incorporated cross-cultural influences, in this case the then “exotic” pink peppercorns. Turns out, they’re not peppercorns at all, and are in fact a member of the cashew family. People with allergies to tree nuts cannot safely at them, so beware.

Remove the chops from their package. Lightly salt them on both sides and on the fatty edge. Either fry in a medium-hot cast iron skillet or grill for one minute on each side, turning regularly to ensure even cooking, while achieving a nicely browned crust. Cook to an internal temperature of 145º F/63º C. Rest for two minutes on a warm plate. Place a ¼-inch slice of peppercorn butter on top of each chop. Serve immediately while butter is melting over the chops. They go great with buttery mashed potatoes.

For wine, I suggest a Pinot noir (either French Burgundy of lighter American Pinot noir) or Provençal red such as Bandol).