Summer is for the salads and this summer pork salad is at the top of my list. Seared pork chops, butter lettuce, corn, peaches, avocado, mini biscuit croutons, and a lemon basil dressing. It is fresh and bright and will be on my weekly rotation for a while.
Connor loves pork chops and is always hyped when we have them for dinner. He is studying for the bar this summer, which means he is studying 10+ hours per day on campus. I made this salad for him the other day and brought it to him on campus and you can see his reaction here.
summer produce in this summer pork salad
- fresh corn: For this salad I leave the corn raw. I think it is so good raw — its so sweet and is so crisp! I love it.
- fresh peaches: I think peaches should be eaten every day while they are in season. A perfectly ripe peach can transform a meal and it definitely shines through in this dish
- avocado: We love avocados. They make any salad better.
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summer pork salad
ingredients
mini biscuits
- 1 cup flour 130 grams
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup butter cold
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp milk
pork chops
- 1 lb pork chops
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp butter room temp
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp dried parsley
lemon basil dressing
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 1/2 cup olive oil
other
- 4 cups butter lettuce (or any green)
- 2 ears of corn
- 1 peach
- 1 avocado
instructions
mini biscuits
- Begin by making the biscuits. Preheat the oven to 425F. In a medium bowl add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Mix until combined.
- Cut the butter into small pieces and add it to the dry ingredients. Use your hands to break the butter into smaller pieces, about the size of a pea. Add the milk and stir until just combined.
- Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. The dough will be very shaggy. Roll the dough into a 1/2" thick large rectangle. Cut the dough into 1 inch squares. Brush each square with whisked egg (optional).
- Transfer the squares to a lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown.
pork chops
- While the biscuits cook, make the pork chops. Pat each pork chop dry and drizzle on 1/2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the remaining olive oil to a cast iron skillet over high heat.
- When the oil is hot, add the pork chops and sear on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to the oven (with the biscuits) until the internal temp reaches 145F.
- Combine the butter, garlic, parsley. When the pork has finished, transfer to a cutting board and add 1/2 tbsp of garlic butter to each one. Slice the pork chops into thin strips.
lemon basil dressing
- To prepare the dressing, add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
other
- Add the butter lettuce to a large bowl and add as much dressing as you would like. Toss to combine.
- Slice the corn of each ear. Cut the peach into thin slices. Cut the avocado into thin slices.
- To assemble, add the butter lettuce to a bowl. Top with the corn, peaches, avocado, sliced pork, and mini biscuits. Add extra dressing (if you'd like) and enjoy!
*This* is the type of salad content summer needs! I made this recipe for dinner the other night, and it was divine. The dressing is very reminiscent of pesto which is drinkable in my opinion. And corn, peaches, and avocado are just a trifecta. The biscuit croutons were surprisingly easy to make and rise a lot in the oven. I appreciate all the details with this recipe. Even the pork has an herb butter! I did a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and added some fresh chives on top. Yum! Definitely make!
yay!! lauren i’m so glad you loved this one. the biscuit croutons really belong on every salad, imo. and i agree with you that this dressing is very, very drinkable.