Pork Chops with Orange Glaze & Green Beans with Almonds
Discovering new ways to prepare and enjoy the same foods I’ve loved since as far as I can remember is a passion. Pork Chops and Green Beans have been a normal staple on a dinner table since childhood. I recall my mother fixing these. Ours normally consisted of canned green beans and pork chops with just salt and pepper and broiled until well done. Occasionally we’d have fresh green beans from the farmers market if they were in season. But mom stuck with the basics, that’s what she was comfortable with.
I’m not the “stick to the basics”, or “color between the lines” type of person. I love to invent, sample and experience most new things. In some areas, I do stay between the lines, legal lines. But food ……….. well, thats a whole different arena.
This pork chop dinner doesn’t take too long. I think it took me about 40 minutes all together. The longest time was zesting half an orange and then rinsing and trimming the fresh green beans. Of course, if you don’t want to take the time with the fresh green beans, you can always use frozen prepared or canned. I choose to use fresh because I know there are no additives or hidden ingredients. As sparse as this serving looks, looks are fooling. This pork chop dinner is satisfying and filling.
Pork Chops with Orange Glaze and Green Beans with Almonds
Ingredients
- 2 Pork Chops – Bone in
- 1 Orange
- ½ Lemon – juiced
- ⅛ Cup Sliced Almonds
- ½ Pkg Fresh Rosemary Sprigs Small package
- 2 Garlic Cloves -peeled
- 1 LB Fresh Green Beans
- Black Pepper
- Salt
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 TBSP Honey
Instructions
- Preheat broiler and place rack about 6 inches from the top.
- Cut the orange in half.
- Using a zester or fine grater, zest the peel from one half of the orange into a medium bowl. Then juice this same half into the same medium bowl.
- Cut the remaining half of orange into wedges.
- Peel and mince the garlic cloves. Divide in half.
- Add 1/2 of the minced garlic along with 1 TBSP of honey, ¼ tsp salt, and ⅛ tsp pepper to the orange zest and orange juice in the medium bowl. Mix well.
- Wash and dry the fresh rosemary and then add it whole, to the medium bowl of Orange Glaze marinade.
- Add the pork chops to the marinade and turn to fully coat.
- Add the orange wedges into the marinade.
- Lightly coat a broil proof dish with about 1 tsp of olive oil and place the coated pork chops on it. Add the orange wedges to the dish along side the pork chops. Leave the rosemary spring in the marinade bowl.
- Spoon ½ of the marinade over the tops of the pork chops.
- Place the broil proof baking dish in the oven and broil for about 7-9 minutes. The tops of the pork chops should just be a golden color.
- Then flip the pork chops and orange wedges over. Spoon the remaining marinade over the tops of the pork chops. Add the rosemary sprigs to the dish and return the dish back to the oven and broil another 7-9 minutes until done.
- While the pork chops are in the oven, fill a medium sized saucepan about halfway with water. Cover and bring to a complete boil on the stove.
- Wash the fresh green beans and trim the ends.
- Add the green beans and a pinch of salt to the boiling water. Cook until bright green and tender crisp. About 2-3 minutes. (I like mine less crisp, so I cook my green beans for about 5 minutes).
- Drain the green beans and rinse under cold water.
- Place the green beans in another medium sized bowl.
- Add the remaining minced garlic, the juice from the 1/2 lemon, 1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, the almonds, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper to the green beans. Toss well.
- Serve the pork chops topped with broiled rosemary with the orange wedges and green beans.