Kickin' it up a notch!

I like Emeril, really I do. But usually I get bored watching his show because he doesn't often make things the average home cook can whip up on a week night. Also, his recipes usually have WAY too many ingredients for me. However, I was looking for a different pork chop recipe since they were on sale this weekend. I really like pork chops, but have yet to find a good solid go-to recipe.

I came across Emeril's Shake 'Em Up Pork Chops and knew it would be on my table this week. It does have a ton of ingredients, but you can sub some of them for things you are more likely to have on hand. Let me also say that I googled appropriate substitutions for masa harina and there really don't seem to be any. The closest thing seems to be corn meal, but no one really suggests using it since they are prepared differently. However, since it is just part of the coating of the chops here, I decided to make an executive decision and substitute it anyway.

This is a pretty time consuming recipe when you include the marinating time. I meant to put the chops in the marinade last night and they would just get an extra long soaking, but I was too tired after dinner and gave in to my body's need to lay down. So tonight I had to make the marinade and let the chops sit. I managed to wait the 2 hours (with a snack of course) but it was hard. I have to say it was worth it though. Man, those were some good pork chops!! This will definitely be my go-to recipe when frying chops. Taylor's comment? "These are the best pork chops I've ever had. They were even moist when I heated them up the next day as leftovers!"

To go with our chops we had sautéed potatoes with garlic and shallots. It is a take off of Dela's Leeky Potatoes. I had never sautéed the potatoes without parboiling them first. This way would have been way less time consuming except I didn't follow Dela's directions to keep the potatoes in a single layer in the pan. I had too many for a single layer and just threw them all in there. It was taking too long, so I ended up finishing them off in the oven. They tasted great though!!

Emeril's Shake 'Em Up Pork Chops
Source: Emeril Lagasse

1/2 cup dry white wine - I used chicken stock
1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons liquid concentrate crab and shrimp boil (recommended: Zatarain's)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
4 bone-in center-cut pork loin chops, about 12 ounces each
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup masa harina - I used corn meal
1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows
1/3 cup olive oil

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the wine, 1/4 cup of the oil, the crab boil, pepper, cayenne, garlic, and bay leaf. Add the pork chops and marinate, refrigerated, turning occasionally, for 2 to 4 hours.

In a clean, large plastic bag, combine the bread crumbs, masa harina, Parmesan, and Essence. Shake to mix.
Remove the pork chops from the marinade and shake to remove any excess. One at a time, add the chops to the dry mixture and shake until evenly coated. Remove, place on a large plate, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

In a large skillet or saute pan, heat the remaining 1/3 cup of oil over medium-high heat. Add the chops and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side.

Sautéed Potatoes with Garlic and Shallots
Source: Adapted from Dela’s Leeky Potatoes

3 large red potatoes
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon rosemary
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet. Stir in the red pepper flakes and the rosemary and heat for at least 5 minutes to infuse the oil. After about 3 minutes add the garlic and shallots. Wash your potatoes and cut a small piece off each end. Then cut them in half long ways and slice them into half moons. Make sure all your slices are about the same size so they will cook evenly. Crank the heat up to about medium and let the pan get a little smoky. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer and cook, tossing and stirring every few minutes until they are browned and fork tender.