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Double Bone-in Kurobuta Pork Chops

with winter salad of apples, chestnuts, and pomegranate, and roasted cauliflower puree and blueberry jus

Created by Chef Joe Bonavita Jr. of 50 Ocean in Delray Beach.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 double bone-in Kurobuta pork chops (14 ounces each)
• 4 green apples, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 cup chestnuts, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 cups baby arugula
• 2 heads of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 12 ounces heavy cream
• 8 ounces butter
• 1 ounce salt
• 1/2 ounce extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion cut into large dice
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into large dice
• 1 leek – white part only
• 4 ounces port wine
• 20 ounces chicken stock
• 1 whole cinnamon stick
• 16 ounces fresh, whole blueberries

Pork Chops

Season with salt and pepper, and grill until cooked to medium. About 6 minutes each side.

Winter Salad

Roast the sliced apples in butter until tender. While warm, add to mixing bowl with arugula, pomegranate seeds, and chestnuts. Mix together until arugula is slightly wilted.

Cauliflower Puree

Roast cauliflower until golden brown. While roasting, warm heavy cream. Once cauliflower is cooked, add to blender with cream. Blend on high while slowly adding 4 ounces butter. Season with salt.

Blueberry Jus

In heavy, 1 1/2-quart saucepan over moderate heat, heat olive oil until hot, but not smoking. Add onion, carrot and leek, and sauté until softened and lightly golden (about 10 minutes).

Add port wine and blueberries, raise heat to high and bring to boil. Lower heat to moderately high and simmer vigorously uncovered, until liquid has been reduced by two-thirds (4 to 5 minutes).

Add chicken stock and cinnamon stick, raise heat to high, and bring to boil.

Reduce heat to moderately high and simmer until mixture is thick enough to lightly coat back of spoon (30 to 45 minutes). Pour through fine mesh strainer into small, clean saucepan. Cover and keep warm.

Plating

For plating, spoon some of the cauliflower puree onto the middle of the plate. Lay pork chop on angle over puree with t-bones pointing to edge of plate, or cut chop in half so you can stand one chop up with bone in the air and the other pork slice laying down. Spoon warm winter salad next to chop and over some of meat. To finish, drizzle blueberry jus around plate.