Cammie's Pork Chops and Jungle Rice

I got these recipes together from my friend Cammie. She got them from her sister-in-law who is a gourmet chef, and I love them! Everyone who I make it for always asks for the recipe! I usually serve this with glazed baby carrots.

Cammie's Pork Chops

4 good quality boneless pork chops, about 1" thick (I'm not sure what they're called, but they're all one shade and just have a ribbon of fat around the outside...they are not the kind that are marbled with fat)
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. cumin
1 t. salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 T. real butter
1 T. canola oil
1/2 c. chicken or vegetable broth
1 t. sugar

-combine cinnamon, cumin, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish
-rinse pork chops and pat dry with a paper towel (important to pat dry!)
-press all sides of the pork chops into the spices and rub to coat thoroughly. Make sure to press the spices into the meat.
-refrigerate pork chops 1-2 hours
-remove pork from fridge and heat butter and oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it turns nut brown
-Add pork and brown one minute on each side. Reduce heat and cover and cook until done, turning once. Do NOT over cook the pork. It will still look SLIGHTLY pink when you remove it from the heat...it continues to cook as it rests.
-Remove pork from the pan to a plate. Pour oil out of the pan, but do NOT scrape out all of the drippings. Return pan to heat and add broth. Cook broth over high heat while scraping the bottom of the pan. You want it to come to a boil and then boil it for several minutes until it reduces to a syrupy texture. After it is boiling for a few minutes, add any juice that has accumulated on the plate with the pork. Once the broth has reduced to a syrupy texture, quickly stir in the sugar, for just a second, just until it is dissolved. Put the individual pork chops on plates and spoon the reduction sauce over them.


Jungle Rice

I ALWAYS TRIPLE THIS RECIPE because then it uses almost a whole can of coconut milk, and it freezes really well. I just divide the left overs into freezer ziploc bags. When I want it again, I thaw it slightly and then put it in a glass bowl with a lid and sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of water and microwave, covered, until heated through.

Not sure why this is called jungle rice, but it has a very rich, exotic flavor...almost a thai flavor...seriously yummy and addictive.

1 c. white rice (the original recipe calls for basmati, but I actually like it better with just regular white rice)
2 t. canola oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced (use FRESH garlic, not the jarred stuff for this one...it makes a big difference!)
1 1/2 t. fresh ginger root, finely minced (again, FRESH, not the dried stuff...I tried to substitute once, and YUCK!)
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. coconut milk
1 t. dried basil
1 t. dried cilantro or 1 T. fresh cilantro, finely minced
1 t. salt
1/4-1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

-Preheat oven to 350
-Rinse rice in a sieve until water runs clear. Drain.
-Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat till hot. Add garlic and ginger and saute about 2 minutes. Add rice and saute just until grains are coated lightly and evenly with the oil...about 1 minute.
-Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
-Once it comes to a full boil, cover the rice and transfer it to the oven. If you are using a pot that can go in the oven, this is easy...if not, transfer the rice to a glass oven dish sprayed with pam, and cover tightly with foil.
-bake 15 minutes, stir rice, then bake for 15 more minutes. FYI, I usually start cooking my pork chops about the time I stir the rice.