Culinary Guides

Adobado is the smoky Mexican chile marinade behind these pork chops. The chops are cut thin, so they cook in about a minute a side over a hot grill and need watching closely. A raw relish of minced onion, cilantro, and lime cuts straight through the heat. Serve it all with rice, beans, and a fresh fruit salad.

Ingredients

For the marinade

• 4 Anaheim chiles (dried)
• 4 arbol chiles (dried)
• 2 teaspoons cumin seed
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the pork chops

• 8 bone-in ribeye (rib) pork chops, 1/4 inch thick

For the relish

• 1 1/2 cups white onion, minced
• 1 tablespoon serrano chile, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

Make the marinade

1. Stem the dried Anaheim and arbol chiles, shake out the seeds, and put the chiles in a small saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil, take off the heat, and let stand 20 minutes to soften, then drain.
2. Toast the cumin seed in a small skillet over medium heat until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Puree the softened chiles, toasted cumin, garlic, jalapeno, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt in a blender until thick and smooth.

Marinate and make the relish

1. Lay the pork chops in a shallow pan, pour the marinade over, and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight for deeper flavor.
2. Combine the minced onion, serrano, cilantro, salt, lime juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Set aside until serving.

Grill and serve

1. Prepare a hot fire in the grill or heat the broiler, and make sure the grates are clean and oiled.
2. Grill the chops over high heat, turning once, until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. They cook fast, so do not walk away.
3. Arrange the chops on a platter, spoon some relish over the top, and serve the rest on the side.

The chops taste best marinated overnight, and the relish can be made a few hours ahead. Just bring it back to room temperature before serving.

Grower's tip: cilantro bolts to seed the moment the weather warms, so sow it in cool spring and fall soil, cut it often, and resow every couple of weeks for a steady supply of leaves. Let a few plants flower and go to seed and you have your own coriander for the spice rack.

The heat and the fresh top both start in the garden. Grow a row of hot peppers to dry for the marinade, and keep cilantro and onions going for the relish.