By New Year's Eve and then 2022. I stand at the edge of it and take stock: the book is real and coming; the channel is at 340,000 subscribers and growing; the workshops have reached more than 700 individual participants; the Provo pantry serves sixty families a month; I have eleven regular private lesson clients; Ethan comes home in nine months. And I turn forty in May.
Forty. I've been rotating around it all year. My therapist says I'm approaching it with unusual equanimity. I told her that I looked at what I've built in my thirties and it's hard to feel anything but grateful for the decade. She said, "That's not how most people experience turning forty." I said, "Maybe I should be more conflicted about it." She said, "Don't manufacture conflict just to be normal." Good advice.
Black-eyed peas for luck. Gary's skepticism and participation in equal measure, the same as every January 1st. Noah, nine, said he'd read about the tradition online and found three competing theories about its origin and presented them at the dinner table with the specific enthusiasm of someone who has done research and is ready to share it. The table listened. We ate the peas. We entered the year on our own terms.
2022. My forties. Ethan coming home. The book. Whatever else is coming that I don't know about yet. The year will have its shape eventually. Right now it's just possibility, first morning, clean page.
We always do black-eyed peas on January 1st—that part is non-negotiable—but the main dish is where I get to play. Pork has been a New Year’s tradition in so many cultures because pigs root forward, and that felt exactly right for a year I was entering with this much anticipation. The chimichurri is bright and herby and alive, which is honestly how I felt standing at that edge: grateful, grounded, and ready to move. It was the kind of meal that deserved to be eaten slowly, around a table where someone nine years old has already done his research.
Pork Chops with Chimichurri
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork chops (about 1 inch thick, roughly 8 oz each)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Chimichurri:
- 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, packed
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, packed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the chimichurri. Combine parsley, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse several times until finely chopped. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until the sauce comes together but still has some texture. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside at room temperature so the flavors can bloom while you cook the chops.
- Season the pork chops. Pat chops dry with paper towels—this is the key to a good sear. Rub both sides with olive oil, then season evenly with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- Sear over high heat. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat until very hot, about 2 minutes. Add the pork chops and cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes per side, until a deep golden-brown crust forms and the internal temperature reaches 145°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Rest the meat. Transfer chops to a cutting board and let them rest 5 minutes. This keeps them juicy—don’t skip it.
- Serve. Plate the pork chops and spoon chimichurri generously over the top. Pass extra sauce at the table.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 480 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 34g | Carbs: 3g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 520mg