” I have been following Chef Reed’s food for years. His love of southern flavors and attention to details is clear on every dish he puts out. Chef Reed and I set up a quick meeting about the possibility of us working together. That meeting turned into a two hour conversation about food, family, and our love for the industry as a whole. We left the meeting and I got a text later that day that said ” man this just feels right” I responded ” I couldn’t agree more. Lets do this” I am very excited about have Chef Reed Johnson as the executive Chef of Equus & Jack/ Black Rabbit ”
Jared Fox Matthews, Owner Equus,/Jack’s Bourbon Restaurant and Lounge/Black Rabbit
Chef Reed’s Country Ham Wrapped Pork Chop with Southern Style Braised Greens
For the Chop:
2 center cut bone in pork chops
6 slices of country ham
4 fresh sage leaves
Salt and pepper
For the Greens:
1 bunch of kale
1 bunch of collard greens
1 spanish onion julienned
1 t crushed red pepper
1 pint of ham broth
2 T butter
Salt and pepper
For the apple butter:
4 oz of Amish apple butter
2 oz Ballotin caramel turtle liquor
To Prepare the Chops:
Lay out your thin slices of ham with the edges overlapping slightly. Pat the chops dry with a towel and lightly season with salt and pepper. Before wrapping the chops with ham, apply one sage leaf to each side of the pork chop. Lay the chop down on the ham and wrap tightly to ensure coverage, it’s best if the ham overlaps all the way around. Get a saute pan very hot and add just a touch of cooking oil. Sear the chop pretty hard on one side. Have the oven preset to 350 degrees. After searing the chop on one side turn it over to sear the other side and pop the pan in the oven to cook until the chop is done. With a thermometer it should be 155 degrees in the center.
To Prepare the Greens:Pick both the collards and kale from the stem in bite size pieces and wash very well, i usually rinse 3 or 4 times to make sure all of the grit is gone. Julienne the onion in thin strips. In a hot saute pan add a touch of cooking oil and add the onion and the chili flakes and sweat about 2 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add all of your greens to begin to wilt them. After they begin to wilt add the ham broth and the liquor. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer for about 30 minutes until they are tender. Finish with a bit of butter.
For the Sauce:
Use the porkchop pan the chops were seared in with the heat off, If you want your sauce thicker you can add just a touch of the apple butter to thicken it. After the sauce has formed in the pan over medium heat add a bit of butter to richen the sauce.
To Plate: Pile your greens in the middle of the plate. Place chop leaning against the greens. Add a spoon full of the apple butter on top of the chop, then drizzle the sauce over the chop. Eat and Enjoy!!!
“Bluegrass Blinker”
2 oz Tito’s Vodka
1/2 lemon squeeze
Splash of blue curacao
Shake
Topped with Prosecco ( about an ounce )
Garnish w/ lemon twist
