Baked Pork Spare Rib Chops with Pears, Onions, Potatoes and Roquefort Butter

This is a complete meal. Pork Spare Rib Chops baked with onions, pears and potatoes topped with Roquefort butter and served with a watercress salad. It takes 1-2 hours for prep time, 30 minutes to 1 hour cooking time and serves a family of four.

I'm going to break down the ingredients as well as the directions for the Roquefort butter, the chops and salad.

Roquefort Butter:
3 oz butter at room temperature
2 oz Roquefort cheese, crumbled

Place both in a bowl and mash together, chill in freezer for 10 minutes then spoon onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Roll into a sausage shape, twist ends and refrigerate for 1 hour until firm.

Pork Spare Rib Chops:
1 lb 2oz waxy potatoes, cut into thick slices
8 sprigs fresh thyme
6 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper
2 red onions, cut into 8 wedges
6 small Asian or Conference pears, halved and cored
4 8 oz pork Spare Rib Chops
2 oz soft brown sugar

Preheat oven 390F. Place potato slices into a roasting pan with the thyme, drizzle with 1Tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat then place the onions, pears (cut side down) and chops on top. Drizzle the other Tablespoon of oil, season again and toss to coat. Place in oven cook 15 minutes then reduce heat to 375F. Turn chops and pears over, sprinkle brown sugar on pears return to oven and roast for another 30-40 minutes or until pork is golden brown, pears are carmelized and potatoes are tender.

Salad:
4 oz watercress
4 oz chicory
4 oz walnuts, toasted
1 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon creme de cassis (optional)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
6 Tablespoons walnut oil

Place watercress, chicory and walnuts in a bowl. In another bowl whisk together the vinegar, cassis and oils. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad, toss to coat.

To serve:
Spoon chops, potatoes, onions and pears on a plate. Slice some of the Roquefort butter on top of chops to melt. Serve with salad. Yum Yum.