Dark Days Meal # 15: Smoked Pork Chops with Garlic Braised Carrots and Sweet Potato Fries

The Dark Days Challenge is on! Running until March 31, 2012 over 100 participants will be doing our best to cook and blog about one meal per week featuring SOLE (sustainable, organic, local, ethical) ingredients. Recaps will be hosted by the blog collective Not Dabbling in Normal where you can follow along with all of the other participants.

We didn't have a chance to visit any local winter markets last weekend due to our Florida getaway so I had to turn rely on what we hand on hand in our refrigerator, freezer, and pantry to prepare our Dark Days Meal for this week. I went with mustard rubbed smoked pork chops cooked in carbonated cider and garlic topped with our homemade beet relish, maple braised carrots and sweet potato fries with a kiss of honey.

Dinner portions were so big I ended up with a great
lunch sized portion as well!

The smoked pork chops were from John Crow Farm, while the Dragon Stout Mustard is from Pete & Jen's Backyard Birds, the cider is from Charlton Orchards, and the amazing beet relish is from our own stores. The carrots are from Winter Moon Farm, and included a hint of Maple from Cooks Farm & Bakery and Red Fire Farm garlic. The amazing white sweet potatoes are  also courtesy of Red Fire Farm and honey from Boston Honey Company.

We are nearing the home stretch on this years challenge with only a few meals left and lots of great frozen meat and pasta, canned sauces and relishes, and even a little bit of produce! Check back next week to see what we decide to cook up!