Ingredients

• 1/2 cup black peppercorns
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 1/2 cups ice
• 4 bone-in pork chops, pounded to 1/4-inch thick
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon mustard seed
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups diced green cabbage
• 2 cups diced green tomatoes
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 dried bay leaf
• Salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as necessary

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Instructions

1. For the pork chop brine: In a saucepan, combine the peppercorns, salt, bay leaves, chili flakes and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove the brine from the heat and add the ice to cool it down.
2. Place the pork chops in a baking dish and pour the cooled brine over them. Let the pork chops sit in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the dish.
3. For the sweet potatoes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. On a baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with the oil, brown sugar and some salt and pepper. Roast the potatoes until tender and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.
5. For the chow-chow: In a large saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, salt and 1/2 cup water to a boil. Add the mustard seed, turmeric and crushed red pepper flakes and stir. Add the cabbage, tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the relish is thick and saucy, 15 to 20 minutes.
6. To cook the pork chops: Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Place the egg and panko in separate shallow bowls. One at a time, dip the pork chops first in the egg and then in the panko to coat both sides.
7. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the pork chops in batches, adding more oil as needed, until crispy, browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
8. Serve the pork chops topped with the chow-chow and the sweet potatoes on the side.