“Pork and beans”

These little white beans are called purgatory beans

I originally published this recipe (I’d watched Gordon Ramsay demonstrate it on YouTube), four years ago almost to the day.

It was a bitingly cold February back in 2012.

My, what a difference four years makes!

We are eating this in a sunny courtyard with the first daffodil peeking round the corner, looking as surprised as we are.

Faux Printemps is all very well but one has to be a little anxious.

Jack Frost can be a patient fellow….

“Bonjour, Madam–deux cotes d’échine, s’il vous plait.”

Spare rib chops are tastier and less prone to dry out than loin chops–and they are the less expensive cut.

These two cost under 3€ (about $3.30 or £2.40).

“Elles sont trop cher, Madam!”

Our Lautrec Friday market pork butcher looked confused--until she heard the woman next to me laugh.

The rosemary needles take on a nice crunchiness and are worth eating, as is the garlic.

for 2

2 spare rib pork chops

Sprigs of rosemary and thyme

3/4 cloves of garlic–squashed, peeled and halved

olive oil

salt and pepper

heat the oven to 200C/400F

Dribble some olive oil and sprinkle some salt on a shallow oven tray.
Scatter over a couple of the cloves of garlic.
Place the chops on top.
Sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
Strip the rosemary needles from the stem over the chops.
Do the same with the thyme (not so easily done).
Dribble more olive oil over the tray.
Put it in the higher part of the oven for about 20 minutes.
(The cooking time depends on the thickness of the chops.)
Best to cut into them to check–the juices should run clear.

Filed under: Food, other sides to this life, Recipes Tagged: spare rib pork chops