Za'atar Pork Chop and Spinach Portobello for 1

Za'atar Pork Chop
Za'atar Spice Mixture
1/4 cup sumac
2 Tbs dry oregano
2 Tbs dry marjoram
2 Tbs toasted sesame seed
1 tsp salt

Pork chop
Bone in pork chop about 3/4 of an inch thick
Vegetable oil, pepper


Spinach Portobello
1 large portobello
1 small bunch spinach
1 small leek
Goat cheese
3 stock cubes or 1/3 cup chicken stock
Balsamic, olive oil, salt, pepper

All recipes my own.

For the Za'atar, have a friend travel to Turkey and bring you back fresh, vacuum sealed sumac (thanks Sarah!) Or, if this isn't possible, order it, or find it in a specialty spice retailer. :)

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until fragrant and mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Generously pat the mixture all over the pork and pepper on both sides. Heat the vegetable oil to just shy of medium high and sear the meat for about 4 or 5 minutes. Flip, lower the heat and cover for another 4 or 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate to rest.

Meanwhile, for the mushroom, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. De-rib the mushroom by scraping it with a spoon and de-stem. Rub the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper on the inside of the cap and roast for 15 minutes.

Clean and stem the spinach, thinly slice the leeks. Heat the stock in a pan large enough to hold all the vegetables until simmering. Blanch them until bright and wilted, drain. Pile all the vegetables into the mushroom cap and top with goat cheese. Return the mushroom to the oven for another 15 minutes to brown.