A laughably simple weeknight dish that packs a lot of flavor. Try to buy shoulder (rib) end pork chops, which will dry out less in the pan than others. Serve with a salad and a cooked vegetable or starch, like any of the mashed potato dishes on page 480. Other cuts of meat you can use here: bone-in chicken thighs (which will require more cooking) or pork medallions cut from the tenderloin (which will cook more quickly).

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　4 pork chops, each 6 to 8 ounces

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　2 tablespoons or more Dijon mustard

　　3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

　　

Step 1

Put a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper and smear them all over with mustard. Add the oil to the pan and, when it is hot, the chops.

　　

Step 2

Cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until nicely browned, then lower the heat and continue to cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through, another 10 minutes or so.

　　

Step 3

Transfer the chops to a plate and add 1/2 cup water (or stock) to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the water has incorporated any solids in the pan. When there are only a couple of tablespoons of liquid left, spoon it over the chops, garnish, and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.