This week on Thursday Food‘s menu board is chicken marsala from Butcher Block and balsamic glazed pork chops with peach salsa from Weber’s Time to Grill by Jamie Purviance.

A reminder, too, that Weber grills are now available at Butcher Block and that you can get your free-range, hormone-free, farm-raised chicken at Butcher Block.

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour)

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black cracked pepper

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally to make 4 fillets

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

For marsala sauce:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter as needed

8 ounces (250 g) brown or cremini mushrooms, sliced

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup dry marsala wine

1 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth (or stock)

3/4 cup heavy cream (thickened cream, evaporated milk, or half and half may also be used)

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Method:

Mix the flour, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and shake off excess.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch pan or skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry two of the chicken breasts until golden-brown on both sides (about 3 to 4 minutes per side). Transfer to a warm plate, tent with foil, and keep warm. Repeat the same with the remaining two chicken breasts.

In the same pan with the remaining pan grease leftover from the chicken, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the mushrooms and for 2-3 minutes until browned, scraping away at any of the leftover chicken bits off the bottom of the pan.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Pour in the marsala and the broth and simmer until reduced by half and starting to thicken (about 10-15 minutes).

Pour in the cream and return the chicken back into the sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens (about 3 minutes). Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately. (The sauce will continue to thicken off the heat.)

Serve over cooked angel hair pasta (or your pasta of choice), rice, potatoes, cauliflower rice, or zucchini noodles if desired.

Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops With Peach Salsa

Ingredients:

4 bone-in pork chops, each (10 to 12 ounces) and about (1 inch) thick

Extra-virgin olive oil

1½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For glaze

½ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For salsa

2 medium, ripe but firm, peaches, pitted, diced, about (2 cups)

1 small red bell pepper, seeded, diced, about (1 cup)

½ small red onion, finely chopped, about (¼ cup)

1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded, finely chopped

2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon lime juice

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:

In a small saucepan combine all of the glaze ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the glaze is reduced by about half and syrupy in consistency, 10 to 12 minutes.

In a bowl combine all of the salsa ingredients.

Brush the pork chops on both sides with the oil and season evenly with salt and pepper. Allow the chops to stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling.

Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350°F to 450°F).

Place the chops on the grill over direct medium heat. Baste the chops with the glaze and grill, with the lid closed, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre of the pork chop registers 145°F (or your preferred doneness), 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness, turning once or twice and basting occasionally. Remove from the grill, and rest at room temperature, indoors, for 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve the pork chops warm with the salsa.