The Portuguese would have these with a vinegary salad of crisp lettuce and tomatoes, fried chips of potatoes and perhaps a dab of piri piri (African bird's eye chilli). I omit the salad, replace piri piri with tobasco or sambal oelek, and have the potatoes different: slicked in a little oil and baked in an oven preheated to 230 °C for a solid 35 minutes, to a burnished turn.

Ingredients

• Four 2cm thick pork chops
• 300ml red wine
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
• Zest of a lemon, thinly pared

Method

Mix everything but the pork chops in a shallow dish or Ziplock bag. Drop the chops in, massage and leave in the fridge overnight.

When you want to eat, heat the griddle over a medium flame till smoking. Dry the chops and brown them for a solid minute on both sides to get them tiger-striped. Then continue cooking them, turning frequently, for 5 - 6 more minutes. Rest on a sheet of foil for a good 10 minutes while you reduce the strained marinade in a saucepan to a flavoursome syrup. Tip in any juices on the foil, swirl, and dribble a touch on each plated chop.

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Grilled, Marinated Pork Chops
Stories and photos copyright © Bryan Koh, unless otherwise stated. Not to be reproduced without permission from the author.