Pork and Mindy

One of my all-time favorite simple summer dinners is grilled butterfly pork chops and asparagus. Yep, nothing tastes better than the other white meat and some fresh asparagus. I just throw the chops on the grill, and after tossing the green stalks with olive oil and salt, place them on the top rack on some foil and let them cook. When the meat is done, so is the veg. Like, I said, simple perfection. But only Michigan asparagus. Grown on the sandy shores of Lake Michigan in places like Hart (the asparagus capital of Michigan and home to the Asparagus Festival where a queen is crowned annually) and Shelby, Empire and Acme. Yes, Michigan asparagus is the finest you'll find, but it is in peril. Allow me to get on my soap box (or in this case, my vegetable crate) for a moment and warn of the dangers of the US anti-drug policy in Peru and how it is killing domestic asparagus. You see, our government is paying farmers in Peru to grow asparagus instead of heroin, and then floods the US market with the fruits (or vegetables) of their subsidized labor. Say Yes to Pure Michigan asparagus and leave the rest.

Perhaps the most bizarre TV spin-off ever was 1978s Mork and Mindy from of all shows, Happy Days. And that was BEFORE they jumped the shark. I know. Set in Boulder, Colorado, an innocent alien, Mork from Ork (Robin Williams) lands in the lap of Mindy (Pam Dawber). (As an aside, I never cared for Pam Dawber, even though she is a Michigan native, mostly because she's married to hunky Mark Harmon and in 1978 I wanted to marry Mark Harmon). Anyhow, Mork and Mindy become friends and his quirky behavior and rainbow suspenders seem to fit right in. And it's the 70s, so no one seems to question the fact that they are living together in a Three's Company kind of way.With catch phrases like Na-Nu, Na-Nu and Shazbot, the series altered the everyday vernacular of American society. Whoa, that was a little deep for show that eventually had our two protagonists marry and bare a child played by Jonathan Winters. Yeah, talk about shark jumping. This is Mork from Ork signing off.

The Recipe:

Boneless Butterfly Pork Chops, split
Asparagus (Michigan made preferably, in case your weren't paying attention)
Salt, to taste
Olive oil, to taste

Pre-heat  a gas grill on high for 10 minutes. Line the top rack with foil. Pat dry chops and salt them. Cut off ends of asparagus stalks and place in a wide, shallow bowl. Sprinkle with salt, drizzle with olive oil and toss with your hands. When is grill is heated, turn down to medium heat. Place chops directly over heat and asparagus on foil. Allow to cook for 20 minutes, turning once after 10 minutes. Kay-o.

If you like what you see here, like "In My Kitsch-en" on facebook