Sunday Supper: Pork Chops With Potatoes and Vinegar Peppers

Simple pan-fried pork chops are finished in the oven with herbaceous, Vesuvio-style potatoes. When served alongside pickled, Italian-style peppers, it's a match made in heaven.

The trick to a winning dish is in the timing. The potatoes take a while to cook, so start them well in advance. After browning the chops, set the pan aside; you'll use it later to prepare the peppers since they benefit from the meat's residual browning. Of course, you can skip this step and simply toss the peppers and their pickling liquid with the pork and potatoes and finish cooking everything in the oven.

I'd suggest watching the moisture level during the roasting process. You may need to add another pour of olive oil or a squirt of lemon, so have extras of both on hand. The goal is to create a light pan sauce. You may use fresh herbs in this dish; however, the concentrated flavor from dried ones works best.

Note: Take care not to overcook the pork. You want to remove it from the oven just before it's "done." This way it finishes to a rosy pink while it rests.