Cool herb salad and peanut-crusted pork chops a winning combination

Cool greens paired with a hot main dish is always a winning combination.

When sitting atop a rich protein, a salad — with its crispy lettuce and acidic dressing — seems to immediately bring balance to the plate.

You'll find this to be true in any number of classic dishes. Cheesy Gorgonzola and prosciutto pizza and crispy chicken Milanese are both delicious on their own, but when topped with a balsamic-coated arugula salad, they become memorable.

With today's Southeast Asian-inspired recipe, Peanut-Crusted Pork Chops with Chile-Herb Salad, we are taking the combination to the next level.

It starts with thick-cut pork chops (at least 1 ¼ inches thick) and an intensely flavorful marinade made with fish sauce, a Southeast Asian staple, fresh lime juice, brown sugar and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. The pork chops are pricked all over with a fork, which allows the mixture to infuse the meat more quickly.

The chops are then browned in a hot skillet, coated with a generous amount of chopped peanuts and popped in the oven to finish cooking.

While the pork is resting, allowing its juices to redistribute inside the chops, a quick, simple herb salad is tossed together.

This vibrant, lightly dressed herb salad is piled onto the peanuty pork chops, balancing out the richness with its citrusy, fresh flavor.

All you need to round out this meal is some plain steamed rice, which acts as the perfect backdrop for a dish already packed with a powerhouse of fresh flavors.

Serves 4.

Note: Inspired by the bright, balanced flavors of Southeast Asia, these moist, ultra-flavorful pork chops, topped with a hot chile-spiked fresh herb salad, are easy and impressive. Fish sauce can be found in the "international" section of most grocery stores. From Meredith Deeds.

Pork chops:

• 1/4 c. fish sauce (see Note)

• 3 tbsp. lime juice

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 4 bone-in pork rib chops (about 1 1/4-in. thick; 2 1/4 lb. total)

• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil

Salad:

• 1 tbsp. lime juice

• 1 tsp. fish sauce

• 1 tsp. sugar

• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced

• 3 c. cilantro, mint or parsley or a combination of all

• Lime wedges

Directions

To prepare the pork chops: Whisk brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and pepper in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Using a fork, pierce pork chops all over and place in a large zip-top bag. Add marinade and turn the bag a few times to coat. Marinate pork chops in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Arrange the pork chops in a single layer in the skillet (do this in 2 batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding). Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until browned. Turn and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet. Top each pork chop with some of the chopped peanuts. Bake for 12 to 18 minutes, or until pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Transfer to serving plates and let rest for 5 minutes.

To prepare the salad: In a medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, fish sauce and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the shallots and chile and toss to coat. Let sit for 2 minutes. Add herbs and toss to combine.

Place pork chops on serving plates. Top with herb salad and serve with lime wedges on the side.