Make Little Sparrow's Pork Chop

Pork Chop with Red Quinoa and Grilled Asparagus
Recipe Courtesy of Little Sparrow
Yield 4

Ingredients:

Brine
4 High quality Pork Chops, thick cut
½ cup Brown sugar
½ cup Kosher salt
2 tbsp whole black peppercorn
1 tbsp fennel seed
1 tbsp coriander seed
small pinch chili flakes
6 each star anise
1 gallon ice water, for brine

Quinoa
2 cups Red quinoa
1 large onion, small dice
5 cups vegetable stock

Tomatillo Sauce
2 pounds tomatillo
4 large cloves garlic, split in half, remove the germ.
1 bunch cilantro
1-2 jalapeno
4 each limes

Asparagus
4 bunches asparagus
1 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Pork Chops
1. Combine the sugar and salt together in a large plastic container (enough space to hold the chops and water together).
2. Toss all of the spices in a large pan and toast, add to the sugar/salt mix.
3. Add 2 cups of hot water to dissolve the mix.
4. Add the ice water and mix together.
5. Lastly add the chops and brine for 2 hours.
6. After the brine, rinse off the chops under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
7. Grill off the pork chops to desired temperature.

Quinoa
1. Saute onion in a small stock pot.
2. Add a pinch of salt, add all of the quinoa and saute for a minute.
3. Add the stock to the pot, add a pinch of salt, stir and then cover.
4. Turn the burner to high, once the pot starts to boil lower to a simmer.
5. Cook for 15 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat but leave covered for another 5 minutes.
7. Fluff the quinoa with a fork.

Tomatillo Sauce
1. Toss the tomatillos, ½ onion, garlic and jalapeno on the grill and char (can be done on a stovetop in a large dry saute pan).
2. Toss everything in a large bowl, and cover to steam.
3. Peel all of the skins off the tomatillos and jalapeno
4. Put the tomatillo, jalapeno, cilantro, onion, and garlic in a blender.
5. Blend till smooth.
6. Add lime juice and zest. Add salt to taste. No need to strain.
7. Add some of the tomatillo sauce to the quinoa.

Asparagus
1. Toss the asparagus with salt, pepper and olive oil. Grill.

To Plate:
1. Start with a scoop of the quinoa, top with the grilled asparagus, then add the chop on top.
2. Finish with some fresh lime juice and serve.