Tamarind Glazed Pork Chops with Mole Cream

Ingredients

1/2 shelled pumpkin seeds
1/4 shelled pistachio nuts
1/4 cup roasted pine nuts
3 tablespoons tamarind paste
1/4 cup roasted, peeled, and chopped Poblano pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons dark cane or corn syrup
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 clove garlic chopped
3 tablespoons dark molasses
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons water
Fresh black pepper
Essence
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 double cut pork chops (about 14 ounces each)
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and roasted, keep warm

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a food processor, combine the seeds, nuts, 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, roasted pepper, chili powder, cumin, salt, 1 tablespoon dark cane syrup, vinegar and olive oil. Puree until creamy, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Turn the sauce into a saucepan. Whisk in the chicken stock and cream. Bring the sauce up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm. Makes about 2 to 2 1/2 cups.

In a food processor, puree the remaining tamarind paste, garlic, remaining cane syrup, molasses, ketchup, water, pepper, and 1 tablespoon Essence. Puree until pasty. Makes 3/4 cup. Season each chop with Essence. In a large saute pan, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chops and sear for 5 minutes on each side and 2 minutes on the fat edge. Place the pan in the oven and roast the chops about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. To assemble, spoon the sweet potatoes in the center of each plate. Lay each chop in the center of the potatoes. Spoon the mole sauce over each chop. Drizzle tamarind paste over each chop.

Yield: 4 main course servings