center cut pork chops (bone in) w/ pinot noir....YUM!
 

It's been nigh on impossible to keep up with the pm and email requests for more of my ultra-sophisticated food/wine reviews since my last installment. So i've decided that the people should get what they want......

Thin center-cut bone in pork chops sprinkled with salt/pepper and a dry italian herb mix (light to moderate, not a ton!) cooked to just done in a fry pan w/ butter. The taste was very good and very different from my usual Cavendar's Greek seasoning routine. I managed not to overcook them and this, for me, was an accomplishment.

Wine was Cartlidge & Browne Pinot Noir '06 at $13. To date i have had merlots, cabs, a zin and a zin mix but no Pinot Noir so i didn't know what to expect other than the guy at the wine store said it would be perfect for the chops. It is definitely a lighter wine than other reds i've had. virtually no 'heat' and very smooth or, at risk of being branded a nancy, silky on the palate. Very little finish. My wife, 'all wine tastes the same to me' actually called it 'tolerable'.

The chops had a 'delicate' flavor and the wine was perfect for them. That is, to me anyways, you got to enjoy both at the same time rather than tasting either pork or wine only.

I did try making a sauce in the pan after i removed the chops. i poured some of the wine in and stirred in beef broth (thought it was odd too but i swear i saw it somewhere on the net) and before it reduced much the flavor worked fairly nicely on the chops but once it had thickened a bit it was too beefy. i'll try again in a week or two.

Next bottle up is Les Grands Marechaux '05 which i believe is a heavy on the merlot mix from Bordeaux. Reading up on red wine i see lots of talk about '05 Bordeaux wines so i'm looking forward to see what this is all about. Not sure what to cook with it however.

Erik

Next time, peel core and slice an apple into 1/8" slices deglace the pan with 1 c. white wine. Simmer the apples until tender. Remove the apple, turn up the heat a bit and reduce the wine to a sauce consistancy. Sprinkle with a touch of tarragon.

Dan, forgive my ignorance but the sauce then is served over the apple slices and sprinkled with tarragon?

Dumb question but is this white wine sauce compatible with the pinot noir? i get the feeling it is but thought i'd ask anyways.

thanks!

Yuummmmm!!!

I serve the sauce over the chops. Sprinkle a touch of tarragon over the chps. Apples on the side. I usually don't use any type of breading on chops anymore. Saute in a liitle butter to start, then when just still slightly pink, hold them vertically with some tongs to sear the fat on the edge. I like mine with a hint of pink in the middle. I always have an open bottle of some sort of dry white wine for cooking. Hasn't really mattered that much, because the wine is more of a flavored 'solvent' if you will, to clean the pan. It mostly picks up the flavor of the burnt pan scrapings.
If the sauce is too thin, I use a little cornstach in cold water as a thickener. Adds a nice 'gloss' as well as slight thickening, without changing the taste.

yummy