- 4 oz. fresh Korean peppers or other peppers of similar size and heat (like serranos or jalapeños)
- 4 cloves fresh garlic
- ⅓ c. miso
- ¼ c. maple syrup
- ¼ c. soy sauce
- 2 T. cooking fat of your choice (I used bacon fat), divided
- 2 large, bone-in pork chops
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
Remove the stems and roughly chop the Korean peppers into 1-inch pieces. Put the peppers in a food processor along with the garlic cloves and roughly chop them until they are a fine, yet chunky paste.
Add the miso, maple syrup, and soy sauce. Blend together until a paste forms.
Taste and adjust the flavor as needed. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the paste for the pork chops and place the rest of the paste in a small resealable jar and use with everything from stir-fries to cheese trays.
Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking fat over medium-high heat in a large, non-stick skillet. Add the pork chops and season the top side with salt and pepper; allow the chops to sear on one side for 4 minutes before carefully turning, seasoning again, and allowing them to cook for an additional 4 minutes.
Turn the chops once more and, using a brush, carefully coat the chops evenly with the reserved chili-garlic paste. Allow to cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the chops are fully cooked. Remove to a plate and keep warm.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking fat to the same skillet you cooked the chops in and warm over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms and sauté until tender and browned, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning before plating.
To plate, place a pork chop on a serving plate and arrange a generous amount of mushrooms on and around the chop. Serve immediately.
- Yields: 2 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes