Spontaneous Creation

Where does creation come from? I’m not talking in the religious sense (at least not directly) but in the human sense. Where do we get our ideas? Particularly those that seem completely off-the-wall and yet aren’t?

I’ve long sense given up on the idea that I’m in any sense capable of original thought. For instance I once came up with the idea of being able to draw a user input screen on a computer (this was back in the days when most monitors were textual and not graphic). I spent over six months designing a program to design the screen and create the computer code to support it. About the time I finished a fellow named Dan Bricklin, who created one of the first spreadsheets, released his program doing the same thing. This wasn’t the first software idea I had several months too late.

This dish is wonderfully savory and edgy — not unlike a Reuben sandwich.

And there was the time I first added anchovy paste to marinara sauce. I thought the idea was brilliant, adding depth and richness to the sauce without altering the flavor. I subsequently learned it’s an old Italian trick. I even know why now (anchovies contain MSG and so heighten savory flavors).

Being a day late and ending up a dollar short pretty much sums up my creative abilities. So this recipe is probably nothing extraordinary. I was in the supermarket and picked up a package of boneless chops and wondered what I might do with them. This idea came to me. I’ve never seen such a thing before but I could taste it the moment I thought of it. In fact, I liked it so much I made it twice in a row.

Austrian Pork Chops
Serves 4.

4 boneless pork chops – 3/4″ thick
Salt and cracked pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 15 oz can chopped sauerkraut – well drained
2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
4 slices Jarlsburg

Heat oil over medium-high in a saute pan. Season chops generously with salt and pepper and brown well on both sides.

Mix sauerkraut with rosemary and spread chops generously with the mixture. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium low. Cook for about 10 minutes. Top chops and kraut with cheese, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Scoop up the kraut that fell into the pan and browned and use as a garnish on the chops.

This dish is wonderfully savory and edgy. Not unlike a Reuben sandwich, but not like one either – it evokes connections, but not memories for me. Try it with Brussels sprouts or broccoli on the side. And some potatoes roasted in lard wouldn’t be out of place.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | main dish | pork

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