Day 16: Roasted Pork Chops with Polenta

To kick off week four—the home stretch—we have Stephanie Sisco, editorial assistant in our home department. Stephanie works on a lot of our product stories and road tests, and also worked on our upcoming holiday gift guide.

This Roasted Pork Chops with Polenta recipe proves that even the simplest list of ingredients has the power to create an incredibly delicious meal.

 

 

The pork is seasoned minimally with salt and pepper which allows the roasted tomatoes to take center stage in flavoring the pork chops. Adding the gruyere to the polenta gives a hint of sharpness that perfectly balances the white wine and roasted tomato sauce. (Well, it's not really a sauce. It is more like the "au jus of pork"—something to add a bit of moisture to the meat and polenta.)

 

 

I have to admit, I did not own a stove-to-oven pan before trying out this recipe. However, it will become a staple among my cooking tools from here on out. Who doesn't enjoy one less pan to clean up? It also allows you to keep the juices and flavor from the initial searing of the pork chops and combine them with the wine and tomato sauce. 

 

 

At first, I was a tad skeptical that the meal would take only 25 minutes to cook. However, the recipe proved true, and I never felt rushed throughout the process. I would recommend serving the polenta topped with the pork chop and pouring the sauce from the pan and the roasted tomatoes over top. To add some greenery to the plate, I chose to serve my meal with broiled asparagus on the side. Now it's time to try the recipe for yourself. Enjoy!

 

 

Have you tried this recipe? Let us know how you liked it in the comments, and share your photos by following @RealSimpleFood on Twitter and using the hashtag #OctDinner.