Tropical Pork Chops

Tropical pork chops?  That sounds straight out of a housekeeping magazine from the 50s,  some gimmicky dish involving pineapple and toothpicks.  Instead, it's the perfect example of how to create a dish out of a craving and what you find in your freezer.

Here's the story:  One day I came home from work and I was hungry.  Hmmm, it's been a while since I've been to the grocery store.  Nothing immediately jumps out at me.  I could really go for some fruit, but...  I'm all out.  Open the freezer, stare, shuffle things around, stare some more...  Hey, frozen mango! But...  that's not really dinner.  Hey, pork chops!  Pork chops, then mango?  No.  Pork chops AND mango!  And hey!  Some leftover coconut milk from the best french toast I've ever made.  So, I went at it.

• Chop up an onion to sauté on medium heat.
• When it's starting to soften, add some mango and bell peppers.  Frozen mango is perfect for this.  The bell peppers would be better fresh.
• Scoot everything to the side and turn up the heat for a moment, then add a salted and peppered pork chop*.
• Let the meat sear a bit, then flip it over.
• Turn down the heat and add some coconut milk, stirring with the mango and veggies.
• Let the mix simmer until the pork chops are cooked through.
• Serve immediately, optionally on a bed of rice.

* Note that I used a boneless, thin cut pork chop.  These are great to have around because they defrost and cook quickly.  You could certainly use pork chops on the bone, but I would recommend cooking them separately first, then finishing it in the sauce as they will take much longer.

Enjoy!