Healthy Recipe, Pork Chop, Pear, and Bitter Lettuce Salad with Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette

This low-carb, main-dish salad has all the flavors of autumn and is a delicious and healthful way to satisfy a meat-craving in a hurry. The idea is inspired by a recipe in “Antoni Let’s Do Dinner” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $30), a trove of quick, stylish dinner ideas for busy people who take their fitness routines seriously. “Queer Eye” star Antoni Porowski does his version a little differently — using apples instead of pears, for instance — but the balance of flavors and textures is essentially the same: tart-sweet dressing and fruit to complement the pork, and hearty, peppery lettuces, and a sprinkle of toasty nuts (or sunflower or pumpkin seeds) for a burst of high-protein crunch. Use this as a canvas to create your own adaptations. Leftover roasted pork tenderloin slices could fill in for the pork chops if that’s more convenient. Serves 4 (about 2/3 cup dressing)

Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette

·         2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

·         1 tablespoon maple syrup

·         1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

·         2 tablespoons minced shallots

·         ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Salad

·         1½ pounds thin boneless pork chops (about ½ -inch-thick)

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (or any vegetable oil)

·         1 medium head radicchio, cored and leaves separated and torn (about 4 cups)

·         6 cups torn kale, woody stems and ribs removed

·         1 heart of romaine lettuce, sliced crosswise (about 2 cups)

·         2 ripe (but still somewhat firm) pears, halved, cored, and thinly sliced

·         ¼ cup chopped, toasted pecans

Instructions

1.      Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, syrup, mustard, and shallots. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to emulsify. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2.      Make the salad: Pat the pork chops dry and season both sides lightly with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.

3.      Add the pork chops (in batches if necessary) and cook 2-3 minutes until nicely browned; flip and cook on the other side until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5-10 minutes.

4.      Place the radicchio, kale, romaine, and sliced pears in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with the dressing.

5.      Thinly slice the pork chops and add to the salad bowl, along with the pecans. Toss and adjust seasoning as you like. Serve immediately.