Ingredients

Hickory-smoked Pork Chops:

• 2 cups milk
• Rosemary sprigs
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Hickory smoking chips
• Salt and pepper
• 3 medium pork chops
• Garlic and Bleu Cheese Mashed Potatoes, recipe follows
• Caramelized Pears, recipe follows
• Onion Straws, recipe follows
• Smoked Baby Portobello Mushroom, recipe follows
• Roasted Red Pepper, recipe follows

Directions

Yukon Gold, Garlic and Bleu Cheese Mashed Potatoes:

Yukon gold potatoes, approximately 2 pounds, cubed

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 cup milk

1 cup chicken stock

Bleu cheese, to taste

Salt and pepper

In a large pot, add the potatoes. Cover with water and bring to a rolling boil. Boil the potatoes until they are soft. Drain the water from the pot and place the potatoes in a medium sized bowl. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mash together until you reach the desired creaminess. Set aside.

Caramelized Pears:

2 pears, sliced

1 cup apple juice concentrate

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 clove garlic, chopped

In a medium sized saute pan, combine all of the ingredients over medium heat and saute until the pears soften and the sauce thickens. Set aside.

Onion Straws:

1/4 cup milk

Olive oil, 2 tablespoons

Salt and pepper

1 Vidalia onion, sliced

All-purpose flour, for dredging

Vegetable oil, for frying

In a medium sized bowl, combine milk, oil, salt and pepper. Slice an onion into long strips and place them into the milk mixture. Shake off any excess liquid, and then dredge the onion strips in flour. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a medium sized saute pan. Place the dredged onions into the saute pan and cook until they are brown and slightly crispy. Set aside.

Roasted Red Pepper:

1 red pepper, whole

Olive oil, for rubbing

Thoroughly clean the skin of the red bell pepper. Rub olive oil lightly over the entire surface of the skin. Place the whole pepper on an open flame and roast it until the skin is blackened. Remove the pepper from the flame and rub the charred skin with a towel. Once the skin is removed, slice the pepper into thin strips and serve with the pork chops.

Steamed Baby Portobello Mushroom:

1 baby portobello mushroom, whole

1 garlic clove, chopped

Olive oil, for rubbing

Salt and pepper

Thoroughly clean the skin of the baby mushroom. Rub the entire surface generously with garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste. Place the whole mushroom into a steamer and allow it to steam for approximately 20 minutes, or until tender. Remove the mushroom from the steamer and slice into strips. Serve with the pork chops.