Got Pinotage? Get cooking!

Monday, 8 July, 2013
Shante Hutton, wine.co.za
Let me not rattle off on how cold it has been or how the mornings make me want to sink further under my duvet. Instead, let's talk about the joys of drinking red wine when your toes no longer feel like they are connected to your feet.
Pinotage happens to be our Proud Mary this month and we're rolling through the days with this delicious, South African born, red wine that happens to pair delightfully with our chosen recipe.

Pork Chops with Cranberry Beans and Thyme
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 pork chops, each 8 oz. and 1 inch thick
4 slices pancetta or bacon
Sea salt and ground pepper
4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 shallot, minced
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups shelled fresh cranberry beans
1 Tbs. fresh thyme, minced
2 Tbs. tomato paste
2 Tbs. whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Directions
Working with 1 pork chop at a time, wrap a pancetta slice around the outer edge of each pork chop. Secure with a toothpick, season the chop with salt and pepper, and set aside. Repeat with remaining pork chops and pancetta.
 
In a saucepan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add garlic and shallot and sauté until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Add cranberry beans and thyme and simmer until beans burst, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and mustard and season well with salt and pepper. Turn off heat, but leave saucepan on burner to keep warm.
 
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil until shimmering. Sauté pork chops, turning once, until they are golden brown on both sides and pancetta is crispy, 4 to 6 minutes per side. If chops are browning too fast, reduce heat to medium.
 
Divide warm beans among individual plates, top each plate with a pork chop and sprinkle with parsley. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve at once with our selection of Pinotages.

Recipe taken, with thanks, from Taste William-Sonoma

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