For a few months out of the year I’ll get the “cooking bug” and have a strong desire to make dishes that I have never tried before. Being an avid fan of television cooking shows, I have heard the term “parsnip purée” time and again, but I have never cooked it before. And so, when I caught the bug again this past year I decided to try my hand at a dish with parsnip purée paired with a pan roasted pork chop. To add a little color to the plate I also prepared some orange spinach and a balsamic vinegar reduction.

Pan Roasted Pork Chop & Parsnip Purée
Orange spinach and balsamic vinegar reduction

Parsnip Puree (4 servings)

• 1 pound parsnips, peeled and sliced
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 head of garlic cut in half
• 3-5 ounces of unsalted butter, softened
• Black Pepper
• Kosher salt

Fill pot with enough water to cover parsnips and season with a little salt. Place parsnips in the pot and cover. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook until the parsnips are tender, about 15 minutes. A small knife should go through easily without much resistance when done.

Combine cream, garlic cloves, and thyme in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Strain heavy cream after simmering and hold it on the side.
Drain the parsnips, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Put parsnips into a food processor with butter and a couple tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid. Begin to process slowly and gradually add the strained heavy cream mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste and continue to puree until smooth.

Orange Spinach (4 servings)

• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons of thinly sliced garlic
• 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 (10 ounce) bag of fresh spinach, remove stems and spun dry
• 1 tablespoon of grated orange zest
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper

Heat oil in a large sauté pan and add garlic. Stir garlic until browned. Add orange juice and cooked until reduced, about 30-45 seconds. Add the spinach and orange zest and sauté until spinach begins to wilt. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Pork Chops (4 servings)

• 4 one inch thick boneless pork chops
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. In an oven safe pan, heat olive oil. Season pork with salt and pepper. Add pork chops to the pan and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes per side. Place the pan in the oven for 10 minutes, or until chops reach 150 degrees internal temperature.

Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

• 2 cups of balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup sugar
• Kosher salt

Add balsamic vinegar to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add sugar, stir until dissolved. Reduce the balsamic vinegar to about half, more if you desire a more concentrated flavor. Add salt to taste.

Plating
Spoon a generous bed of parsnip puree into the center of four serving bowls. Place a layer of orange spinach on the parsnip puree. Gently place the pork chop atop the spinach. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar on the sides of the parsnip puree at the bottom of the plate.