Pork Chops with Spicy Pineapple Salsa

When I was in elementary school, my biggest fear was the day that our gym teacher would inevitably annouce that we were running “the mile.”

Running “the mile” was something that every elementary school kid was required to do, I assume, but for me, it was terrifying. I had never been into sports: every once in awhile I would sign up for soccer or swimming or tennis as an after school activity, but I always preferred writing or art or acting, and so my brushes with all things athletic were few and far between. Worst of all for me, who was “a little bit pudgy” (aka, the fat kid), was to run the mile in Central Park, from the park entrance on 91st street to the Jackie Kennedy plaque and back. Most kids could do it in about seven minutes, but I always lagged behind with the asthma kids, clocking in at around fourteen or fifteen.

When I finally reached high school and was rid of the dreaded mile, I was sure I would never run again. Sure, until a few months in, when crew season was over, and I realized that I actually wanted to exert some energy and take a run. The day I picked was a typical midwinter Massachusetts day: cloudy with a chance of sleet and snow, the sidewalks a mess of slush and black ice. I donned several layers, including a New York Yankees beanie and a pair of mirrored sunglasses, and off I went into the afternoon, dressed as the unabomber.

My first few years of running were forced: I hated rolling out of bed early, hated the feeling of lactic acid burning my legs and the cold air burning my lungs. I hated days when I convinced myself not to run and hated days when I actually went out and did it. I ran sporadically throughout high school and the summer before my first year of college, but by the time the Toronto winters had invaded, even more overwhelming than those I had braved in Massachusetts, I locked myself firmly indoors, glad to be rid of a habit that I had forced myself to keep for the past few years.

It’s funny how things change. Funny how, after weeks of rain and hail and clouds, we were finally greeted with a warm and pleasant day here in Paris, pleasant enough to allow me and my friend Matt to walk all the way from the Vietnamese restaurant where we had dinner in the 19th back to my home in the 5th. Pleasant enough so that when the last few blocks were interrupted by yet another downpour, I was able to keep smiling. Pleasant enough so that tonight, just as the sun was setting–that magical time of evening that we call dusk and the French call crepuscule, a much better word in my opinion–I tied on my running shoes and set out for a journey around my neighborhood.

I started running again a few weeks ago, slowly, considering the fact that I just dislocated my knee for the second time in so many months. I found a program on the Cool Running website many moons ago called Couch-to-5K, a program made for “runners” like me who want to turn their 15-minute stroll into a real run. Sometimes it’s hard, but mostly I love it. I’ve come a long way from staying up at night, wondering if tomorrow would be the dreaded mile day to actually looking forward to my runs, my time alone with my neighborhood, my feet pounding the pavement and blood pounding in my ears. Today, I moved up a level, moved to an even harder run, and I loved the feeling of finishing it, of catching my breath, of feeling what my body could accomplish after just a few short weeks.

Things change. The weather, our feelings, our dreams. Even our tastes. There was a time I never would have mixed sweet and salty, and there was a time I never would have eaten warm fruit. But I tasted that feta and watermelon salad, fresh and cool one summer, and I put a forkful of blueberry cobbler into my mouth and fell head over heels. You never know unless you try, sometimes again and again, how easy it is to fall in love.

Pork Chops with Spicy Pineapple Salsa (adapted from Bon Appétit)

1 can pineapple in chunks
1 tsp. powdered ginger
1 jalapeño pepper, halved
1-2 dried cayenne peppers
1 tsp. cumin
3/4 cup (or more) water
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 boneless pork loin chops, trimmed
1 large egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used the extra-crunchy ones from the grocery store, but you can also use panko)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon canola oil
cilantro (optional)

Heat the pineapple, jalapeño, cayenne, cumin, water and vinegar over medium heat until bubbles form. Reduce to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the pork chops.

Pound the pork chops between two sheets of plastic wrap until thin and even. Heat the canola oil over medium-high heat in a skillet.

Lay out three bowls: in one, place the flour, in another, the egg, beaten with a bit of water and the salt, and in another, the breadcrumbs. Dredge the pork chops first in the flour, then in the egg mixture, shaking off the excess, and lastly in the breadcrumbs. Fry the pork chops in the oil on both sides until crispy, about 1-2 minutes per side. Serve with the salsa, and garnish with the cilantro.

Note: The salsa, prepared this way, is quite spicy. I like it, but it may be too much for some. If you don’t like a lot of heat, remove the seeds from the jalapeño or only use half.