Simple Summer Dinner - Grilled Peaches and Pork Chops

             {Photo by: Randy Mayor}

When you live where it is 95 degrees on the very first day of June the idea of rushing home from work to slave in a hot kitchen is less than appealing.  But, when your a self-admitted food snob like myself you still want to eat something super yummy just minus the heat.  This most often means that Hubs and I will sip a cool beverage of choice {last night it was an Italian Orvieto} have a some nuts or olives and wait for the insane scorching sun to turn to dusk and then fire up the grill{charcoal of course!} and so it went last night but I wanted something a little sassy so after taking stock of what I had on hand I decided to make grilled peaches and pork chops over a light salad of fresh baby greens and red cabbage.  This dish was a perfect summer meal that required minimal prep and no cooking beyond the salad was done in my house!....and could be adjusted like I did to feed two or to feed a crowd.....Winner!

Ingredients:
2 bone in porch chops
2 peaches cut in halve and pits removed
2 Tbls good balsamic vinegar (divided)
Dash of olive oil
1 Tbls lime juice
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Salt and pepper

Wrap porch loosely in plastic wrap and give it a good beating to make it thinner...I use a sophisticated can of Campbell's soup for this ;) Mix together 1 tbl. balsamic, oil, lime juice, thyme, salt and pepper and then pour over pork chops in a plastic bag, let sit in fridge for about an hour.  Pour the remaining balsamic over the cut peach halves. After marinating these items are ready for the grill.  About 5 minutes per side on the pork (if using boneless this will probably be 3 or so) and about the same or a little less for the peaches is fine depending on how you like the texture.

While the pork marinates make a salad (the picture is arugula but I used baby greens and shredded some red cabbage because that is what I had on hand) I simply whisked some balsamic into some olive oil with salt, pepper and thyme to taste added the salad and mixed with my hands.

When ready to serve plate the salad (I sprinkled some fresh farmer cheese on it at this point) Pork chop to the side and slice the peaches to add on top. Bon appetite!

{Recipe adapted from a June 2005 edition of cooking light}