Pork Chops with Balsamic Strawberry Salad and Pine Nut Orzo

I have never been a fan of pork chops unless they were of the Shake 'n Bake variety. As someone who now prides herself as a home cook, Shake 'n Bake just no longer cuts it (wink). That was when I came across this 30 Minute Meal and I thought the concept of a spinach salad served over a pan seared pork chop would definitely put that Shake 'n Bake to shame!

Ingredients:
1/2 pound orzo pasta
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 pint strawberries, quartered
1/2 cup basil leaves, torn
1 cup baby spinach leaves, sliced
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
4 slices prosciutto, sliced into 1/2-inch strips
Four 1-inch-thick pork chops
Pepper
3 tablespoons butter
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

The How to:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.

In a saucepan, boil the balsamic vinegar until reduced to 2-3 tablespoons, 5 minutes. In a bowl, toss the strawberries, basil and spinach with the balsamic glaze.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto strips and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Add another drizzle of EVOO to the skillet. Season the chops with salt and pepper and cook, turning once, until cooked through, 8 minutes.

In another large skillet, cook the butter over medium heat until brown, about 3 minutes. Add the pasta, cinnamon and nutmeg and toss; season with salt. Stir in the nuts.

Spoon the salad over the chops and top the orzo with the prosciutto.

The Verdict:
I have to admit that I was surprised by just how good the flavors of the spinach, strawberries and balsamic vinegar went together. I was skeptical. When I eat a salad it is usually romaine lettuce with bacon bits, so this was out of my comfort zone. It was very good. The Doc had his dry (of course) and was quite nauseated by the smell permeating the kitchen from the balsamic reduction. While it was great served over the pork I would have been happy to just eat the salad. The orzo was really great too. It was the hint of nutmeg and cinnamon that really did it for me. I omitted the prosciutto; I don't mind prosciutto but I am not a huge fan. This dish was one of the easiest 30 Minute Meals I have made to date but you wouldn't have known from the way it tasted. For those who don't consider themselves a great cook, it would be very hard to mess this one up!