Long Island Italian – Pork Chops with Peppers, Onions, and Mushrooms

I didn’t grow up eating much Italian food. As a kid, I was under the false impression that Italian restaurants only served spaghetti and meatballs; in my mind, nothing else was available. Then I grew up and moved to Long Island.

Italian food is the reigning cuisine on Long Island where residents of Italian heritage make up about a quarter of the population. It’s everywhere. There’s an Italian restaurant or pizza joint (most of which serve a full Italian menu) in practically every strip mall, and there are at least eight full service Italian restaurants (along with four pizza parlors) within two miles of my house. Every town also has an Italian pork store. But on Long Island, Italian food is not limited to Italian establishments. I used to dine at a massive Chinese buffet, and there were always a handful of Italian options. When my children went away to college and went to catered events, they kept looking for the penne a la vodka, chicken parmesan, baked ziti, and chicken marsala. On Long Island, when there’s a celebration, it is always Italian. I’ve even been served Italian food at weddings, bar mitzvahs, funerals, christenings, house parties, Thanksgiving, and other holidays.

Italian food on Long Island is not limited to restaurants; it’s grown in people’s gardens. When I began gardening in the early 1990s, a few years after moving to Long Island, my landlord Carmine laughed at me because I was growing curly parsley. “What are you growing that for? That’s for garnishing a plate, not eating.” He made me switch to a flat-leaf Italian variety. Carmine also taught me about broccoli rabe, which he grew in abundance in his expansive, beautiful garden. I had never heard of it. And figs are a big deal in Long Island gardens.

I’m not complaining. I love Italian food, and I’ve incorporated numerous dishes into my repertoire. I often start a meal with an antipasto, and bruschetta is one of my favorite appetizers. There’s usually a container of homemade roasted red peppers in my refrigerator, perfect for a pre-dinner snack. I love marinated mushrooms. I cook my father’s mussels with white wine, garlic, and parsley, the recipe for which he got from an old, Italian guy from whom he used to buy the shellfish. Pesto is one of my favorites, and it’s the one Italian dish I have made since I was young. I even learned how to prepare a proper red sauce and meatballs, taught by a friend who divulged her family recipe.

When friends and family come to visit from out of town, inevitably we go out for Italian food. The only problem is choosing among the many great options.

Pork Chops with Peppers, Onions, and Mushrooms

Sausage with peppers and onions, often tucked into a long hero or hoagie-type roll is classic Italian-American fare on Long Island. In fancier restaurants, you can sometimes order a seared pork chop prepared in a similar way, minus the roll. I assume one was the inspiration for the other, although I am not sure which came first. Some restaurants skip bell peppers and onions entirely and replace them solely with spicy cherry peppers. I keep the bell peppers and onions, but add cherry peppers, along with a splash of their vinegary liquid, to liven up each bite. I also add mushrooms, because they pair naturally with the rest of the dish and they soak up the flavor as they saturate in the spicy, tart, pan sauce. If you don’t like mushrooms, skip them. If spicy fare is not your game, leave out the cherry peppers and their juice, and add more wine or some chicken stock in its place. Either way, it will be delicious.

2 servings, about a half hour

2 bone-in, center cut pork chops, 1-inch thick

1½ tsp. kosher salt, divided

1½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper, divided

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and cut in wedges, pole to pole

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut in strips

4 oz. white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

4 whole, pickled, hot cherry peppers cut or broken apart, or ½ cup sliced

¼ cup liquid from cherry peppers

¼ to ½ cup dry white wine

½ tsp. dried oregano

1. Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with about ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper, on each side of each chop.
2. Heat a heavy skillet on high and add olive oil. When oil is very hot and just shimmering, lay in the pork chops. Sear the chops, flipping every couple of minutes with tongs so they form a nice crust but do not burn, until done, about 10 minutes total. Pork chops should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 ^oF, measured with an instant read thermometer. The meat will still be slightly pink inside. Remove the pork chops to a plate and cover with foil to allow them to rest and the juices to redistribute, while the remainder of the dish cooks.
3. Without cleaning or adding more oil, heat the skillet on high. When hot, scatter in the onions, red pepper, and mushrooms. Stir to combine and allow them to sit without stirring for a minute or two to sear the edges. Add the sliced garlic, stir, and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are beginning to wilt.
4. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper, along with the cherry peppers and their juice, ¼ cup white wine, and oregano. Stir to combine. Deglaze the pan by scraping up any stuck on browned bits (fond) with a wooden spoon. This fond will give the sauce robust flavor. Cook for another couple of minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the vegetables, adding more white wine if needed.
5. Smother the pork chops in cooked vegetables and sauce, and serve hot.

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