Pork Chops with Carrot Top Chimichurri

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork chops
• 2 tbsp. butter, lard, or ghee
• 3 cloves garlic
  
• 1 small shallot (or onion), roughly chopped
• 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped 
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup packed carrot-top leaves
• 1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons packed fresh oregano leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Season pork chops with salt and pepper, and set aside. 
2. To make the chimichurri, pulse the garlic, shallot and jalapeno in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the olive oil, carrot tops, cilantro, vinegar and oregano and pulse until the herbs are roughly chopped. Season with salt and pepper.
   
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Melt lard, ghee, or butter in the pan. Add the pork chops and sear on each side, until browned. Turn off heat.
   
4. Put the pork chops in an oven-proof pan and place in the oven. Cook until the internal temperature reaches about 145 degrees F, about 20 minutes.
   
5. Spoon the carrot top chimichurri on top and serve.