Union Square Grill, Executive Chef Eric Hellner

4 each 2-oz 2-bone pork chops (purchase at your local meat market; ours is from Graham, Washington)

4 each smashed baked potatoes

1.5-cups cherry salsa (use a local in-season cherry like Bigfork)

Season pork chop well with salt and pepper. Place on grill over medium heat until an internal temp. of 145 degrees. This is medium well. You can cook longer if you desire a more done rack.

Bake off your potatoes at 350° for 40 minutes or until cooked through and light and fluffy. If you have bacon grease around, cover your potatoes in it (see tip). This will help the skin become crisp and impart flavor.

Place potatoes in a bowl and smash them lightly with butter, salt and pepper.

Divide potatoes equally among the plates. Place the pork chops against the potatoes and cover the pork with the salsa.

1/2 ounce fresh ginger, minced
2-1/4 ounces sugar
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
4 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 pound Bing cherries, pits removed
1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped 

Combine the ginger, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar in a heavy-duty saucepot.

Bring to a slow simmer over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook until a light syrupy consistency.

Add in the cherries and thyme and simmer for 2 minutes.

October 2007