Parmesan pork chops with quick polenta and garlic butter veggies

Peter Timbs Meats’ butcher and owner, Chris Timbs, and chef and Avenues food reviewer Sam Parish have collaborated to deliver seasonal recipes showcasing the butcher’s top-quality meat. 

This crisp crumbed pork on a bed of cheesy polenta is a dish of satisfying textures and flavours, perfect for the winter dinner table. 

SERVES 4 | PREP 5 MINUTES | COOKING 25 MINUTES 

¼ cup (60ml) olive oil 

4 Parmesan crumbed Peter Timbs pork chops

300g button mushrooms, halved (bigger ones quartered)

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

A few sprigs of thyme

50g butter

1 large bunch of spinach, stems removed, washed 

Juice of 1 lemon, plus extra wedges to serve 

Quick polenta 

2 cups (500ml) chicken stock 

2 cups (500ml) milk

1 cup instant polenta

100g feta cheese 

Finely grated zest 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 190°C fan forced. 

Line a baking tray with baking paper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add pork chops and turn to coat. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the tray, turn the chops, and add mushrooms. Return to oven for a further 10–12 minutes or until pork is just cooked through and mushrooms are turning slightly golden. (Pork is fine to be light pink inside.)

Meanwhile, to make the polenta, place stock and milk in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, then, while whisking, slowly add the polenta. Stir for one minute until smooth and beginning to thicken, then turn off the heat. Add feta and zest and season to taste. Set aside in a warm place. 

For the garlic butter veggies, heat the remaining oil in a frypan over high heat.

Add garlic and thyme and cook for 2–3 minutes or until turning golden and aromatic. Add butter, par-roasted mushrooms, and spinach (spinach will seem too big for the pan but will wilt fast) and cook, turning for two minutes or until spinach is just wilted. Remove from heat, stir through lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. 

Divide the polenta between plates and top with vegetables and pork chops. Serve with extra lemon wedges.