We Nuyoricans love chuletas. What we call pork chops. It’s in our DNA. Mainly, we like them fried with some Spanish yellow rice on the side. Yet once in a while we like to spruce them up. Like in Chulera con Melocotón, or Fried Pork Chops with Peaches. Yes, peaches, and by that, I mean canned peaches. If you can get fresh peaches, more power to you. But this is the dead of winter and, you know what, the canned variety is okay when the snow out there is piling up and you’re not vacationing in San Juan.

This is an easy enough recipe with a minimum of fuss. And it will satisfy any appetite, young or old.  This time we paired the pork chops with steam potatoes. Also, in recent years some folks got into the habit of adding amaretto to the chuletas. Amaretto is the sweet Italian liqueur from Sarona. On the other hand, others prefer Grand Marnier. This is optional. Some cooks like to make the dish sweeter. If that’s your preference, go for it.

Added note: Frying pork chops till they’re done is, as they said, relative.  It depends on the thickness of the meat and the heat of the pan. Thin pork chops will take 2-3 minutes to brown. Thick pork chops about may take 5-6 minutes to brown.

CHULETAS CON MELOCOTÓN
(Pork Chops with Peaches)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup flour
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
4 loin pork chops
|3 tablespoons olive oil
1 can (16-oz.) sliced peaches, drained
1/4 cup amaretto (optional)

Instructions:

  1. In a plate, combine flour, salt, pepper, oregano and thyme.
  2. Dip pork chops in mixture, coating both sides.
  3. Heat oil in a large skillet or frypan over moderate heat. Asd chops and cook until golden brown. Cover, lower heat and simmer 20 minutes.
  4. Add peaches and amaretto, if using. Cover and cook an additional 20 minutes or until tender.
    Yield: 4 servings.