Chef Marcus Samuelsson's Big Ole Pork Chops with D.R Mangú
ingredients
Mangú
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 green plantains, peeled and chopped
- 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 small jalapeno chile, diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- ½ cup water
Pork Chops
- 4 (12-ounce) boneless pork chops
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ pound fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Juice of 2 limes
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- ¼ cup crabmeat
prep
For the Mangú:
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven set over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the plantains, sweet potato, garlic, jalapeno, salt, thyme, cumin, and chili powder. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until aromatic. Place the cloves and cinnamon stick in a sachet and add to the pot along with the coconut milk and water. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat and use a fork to mash.
For the Pork Chops:
Season the chops with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Set aside at room temperature. Cook the bacon in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Add the pork chops, garlic, and thyme to the pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side, or just until the chops are cooked through. Remove the chops to a plate and tent with foil. Add the tomatoes, turmeric, cumin, lime juice, and coconut milk to the pan and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the bacon and crabmeat
Recipe from “The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food: A Cookbook”:
"Patricia is this young kid who started working with us an intern when she was eighteen through Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), an organization that helps youth with careers in the culinary arts. Not two years later, she’s already a part of menu planning, coming up with things that makes my hair stand back. Patricia's acts as a young mentor to me, and sometimes I have to remind myself she’s not even twenty. She tells me what’s happening beyond food, but we also talk about what’s happening right now. She shows me modern food that comes from the Dominican Republic – this isn’t what her mom and auntie used to do. Also, she’s surrounded by a women-led kitchen, so she can see her progress around her. It’s a great environment for women and C-CAP alums and I love the back and forth. This recipe takes a pork chop, a New York restaurant staple, and brings it into Patricia’s kitchen, adding a twist with this take on Dominican mangú, which is essentially a mix of mashed up plantains with a little butter, salt, and coconut milk."
