Spicy Pork Chops With Herbed Roasted New Potatoes - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
5 cardamom pods, seeds removed and crushed (optional)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 (8 ounce) pork chops
14 ounces new potatoes, halved
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, or more if needed
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a bowl, stir together the garlic, cumin, ginger, cardamom seeds, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Spread the mixture on both sides of the pork chops, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (longer is better). Place the potatoes into a roasting dish, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil; sprinkle with the oregano, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
Roast the potatoes in the preheated oven until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, and pan-fry the pork chops until browned on both sides, the meat is no longer pink inside, and the juices run clear, 8 to 10 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a chop should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Transfer the pork chops into the roasting dish with the potatoes, and bake until the thermometer reads 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), about 10 more minutes. Serve chops with potatoes.