Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
4-6 bone-in pork chops, about 1 1/2 inches thick
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4-6 ears fresh corn on the cob scraped from the cobs (1 ear per person) or 1 bag frozen kernels (16 ounces), defrosted (about 3 cups)
1 cup diced baby potatoes (about 6 potatoes)
1/2 cup fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill and chives, finely chopped
1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
Directions
If you have the time, brine the chops by dissolving 1/3 cup kosher salt and 1/3 cup sugar in 1 cup of water at a low boil. Add to 2 quarts ice water along with 2 bay leaves and 1 teaspoon black peppercorns. Add a few sprigs of dill and parsley to the brine bag and refrigerate overnight. Pat dry and bring chops to room temperature. Heat the oven to 325°F with a baking sheet positioned on the center rack. Heat a cast iron skillet or other heavy pan over medium-high heat with a turn of the pan of oil. Season the chops with salt and pepper and brown well on both sides and the edges of the bone or any exposed fat. Transfer to a baking sheet in the oven to cook through, 5-6 minutes more. Add the butter to the same pan and add the onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper, then reduce the heat a bit. Add the potatoes and stir for 5 minutes. Puree half of the corn in a food processor. Add the remaining corn kernels to the pan along with the puree and cook to thicken up a bit; add the herbs. Just before serving, add the crème fraiche. Serve the chops on a plate topped with the creamed corn. This is one of many "Yum-o!" recipes – it's good and good for you. To find out more about Yum-o!, Rachael's nonprofit organization, visit www.yum-o.org.