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1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

1 green cubanelle or Italian frying pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

2 teaspoons minced oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Place them between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to ¼-inch thickness using the smooth side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy saucepan—or have your butcher do this for you. Set aside.

Heat a large, high-sided skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Swirl in 1 tablespoon olive oil, then add the chops and brown on both sides, turning once, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, then add the onion and both peppers. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add the oregano and sugar; cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the wine or vermouth, bring to a boil, and scrape up any browned bits on the pan’s bottom. Boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Return the chops and any accumulated juices to the pan. Stir in the vinegar; then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook, basting occasionally, for 2 minutes.

Variation: If you can’t find a cubanelle or Italian frying pepper, substitute 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped, and add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes with the oregano.

Boneless Pork Cutlets with a Mustard Maple Cream Sauce

A light cream sauce gently enhances the sweetness of both the maple syrup and the pork, all balanced by a touch of mustard. Makes 4 servings

Four 6-to 8-ounce boneless center-cut pork loin chops

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 medium shallots, halved and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard

1½ tablespoons maple syrup

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup heavy cream

Season the chops with the salt and pepper. Set them between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to ¼-inch thickness using the smooth side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy saucepan. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large, high-sided skillet or sauté pan set over medium heat. Slip the chops into the pan and brown evenly on both sides, about 3 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add the shallots; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the mustard and maple syrup until smooth, then stir in the wine. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the pan’s bottom. Boil for 30 seconds, then pour in the cream.

Return the chops and any accumulated juices to the pan. Baste with the sauce and cook for 1 minute at a full boil. Serve at once.

Variations: Add 2 garlic cloves, minced, with the shallots.

Substitute Dijon mustard for the coarse-grained mustard.

Grate nutmeg over the dish before serving.

Panfried Bone-In Pork Chops

Although they require slightly more preparation than boneless chops, bone-in pork chops offer more flavor because the bone infuses the meat. Look for either rib chops (an eye of meat under a rib bone) or loin chops (the pork equivalent of a T-bone steak). Trim off the outer periphery of fat. Makes 4 servings (see Note)

¼ cup canola oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 large egg whites, at room temperature

1½ cups dried bread crumbs

Four 6- or 7-ounce, ½-inch-thick bone-in rib or loin pork chops, all peripheral fat trimmed

Pour the canola oil into a large, high-sided skillet, then set it over medium-high heat until the oil has ripples across its surface.

Meanwhile, mix the flour, salt, thyme, and pepper on a plate. Whisk the egg whites in a shallow soup plate or a pie plate until foamy. Finally, spread the bread crumbs on another plate.

Dip a pork chop into the flour, coating it on both sides; then dip it into the egg white to moisten both sides thoroughly. Finally, dredge both sides in the bread crumbs and slip into the hot