When the fall season rolls around, I embrace the colors and the weather and bring them into my food dishes. I like them to be colorful with reds, yellows, browns and oranges, and I always add a little bite to them, just like a frosty autumn morning.
The recipe that pulls all this together is my Hay Bale Pork Chops. The reason I gave it this name is that you need to use thick, 2-by-4-inch pork chops..
It’s a very hearty dish for four, and nothing complements it more than sweet and spicy acorn squash, beer marinated mushrooms and onions, roasted rosemary red potatoes, and a fresh mixed green salad with tri-color peppers.
Before I head to the store, I always check to see what staples are home, and in this case, I had a fresh bag of greens, tri-colored mini peppers, tomatoes, butter, an onion, maple syrup and beer.
I begin at the butcher section of the grocery store, because it’s where I’ll find the thick cut chops. I grab four and head to produce to pick out my squash. Squash is plentiful this time of year, and they look so good and well-displayed in the stores. I see mountains of spaghetti, butternut, delacata, pumpkin, yellow and green zucchini squash, but I don’t get distracted.
I zero in on the acorn squash, with their deep, forest-green skins and pick up two. I’ll be cutting them in half, so two servings per squash. Finishing the shop will be two packages of small portobello mushrooms, a one-pound bag of red bliss potatoes and some fresh rosemary.
I’m home and ready to prep. The squash gets my attention first because they take the most time. I preheat the oven to 350 degrees. I bought large squashes, so I’ll need one hour of cooking time.
If you’ve never cut an acorn squash, you may be tempted to take out your chain saw. Do not panic. Just make sure you work with a sharp, heavy knife that is at least eight inches or larger.
Cut the squash in half down the stem and clean out the centers. I place one tablespoon of butter in each, then fill with Vermont maple syrup and sprinkle the edges with cayenne pepper. Then I put them in the oven.
Next, I wash the potatoes and chop them in half, then place them in a bowl with olive oil, salt and chopped rosemary. Lining them with foil, I put the potatoes flat-side down then wait about 15 minutes before putting them in with the squash.
I prep the chops next. In a shallow dish, I splash them with extra virgin olive oil, seasoned salt — I like Morton’s — onion powder and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper. I turn them over and do the other side. I set them aside and don’t put them in the fridge because I’ll be cooking them shortly. I go outside and light the grill on high for 10 minutes.
The mushrooms need to be cleaned and cut into thick slices. I slice a large onion the same way. I melt two to three tablespoons of butter and add mushrooms and onions. I then add salt and pepper and put the heat down to a simmer.
The mushrooms and onions will produce a lot of liquid, so watch periodically until the liquid is about half gone, and the vegetables are still getting soft. When this happens, it’s time to add the beer.
I prefer a light, hoppy beer, so I use a Founders All Day IPA. I pour half a can in with the remaining liquid, with just about 10 more minutes of cooking time.
It’s time to put the chops on. I reduce the heat to medium and cover the grill.
The salad is simple because I’m using a bagged mix green variety, which I put in my salad bowl and begin slicing the mini peppers in strips — julienne style. Starting from the center of the bowl, I place them carefully in a circle pointing outward.
I add halved red grape tomatoes, which make a popping addition to the arrangement. Lastly, I chop up a small amount of red onion and spread it loosely around the circled peppers and tomatoes.
For the dressing, I mix a quarter cup of olive oil, juice from a half squeezed lemon, a teaspoon of honey, a splash of red wine vinegar (balsamic is good too), onion powder, salt and pepper. I shake it well before adding it to the salad.
I turn the chops after 12 minutes and close the grill. The mushroom and onions come off the heat too. I’m alerted that the squash is almost done by the amazing, sweet aroma that fills my kitchen.
I open the oven, and the syrup is bubbling, the squash having turned a beautiful golden brown. The potatoes are slightly sizzling. I turn off the oven and let them sit inside until plate time.
After 12 more minutes, the chops have a perfect, dark-brown char on the outside, and the cooked dry rub has given them such a savory appearance. I like my chops medium, so a little pink is okay. I cook them an additional three minutes on each side to darken the pink but keep them moist.
I plate everyone with the mushrooms and onions first. I put a large spoonful down on one side, spread slightly. I add the chop over them and put a few more mushrooms on top. Next I add the squash and arrange the potatoes face up to cover the rest of the space. I toss the salad and serve on the side in bowls.
You know it’s fall when the food you serve is exactly like the weather outside.