One of my favorite summer meals is asparagus and pork chops cooked to perfection on the grill. It’s a fast and effortless meal that is perfect for summer weeknights.
Often I’m happy with nothing more than some salt and pepper; these ingredients are so good in their own right — especially when grilled — they really don’t need much. But when I’m feeling like something a little fancier, I turn to my lemon-truffle vinaigrette, which I affectionately call “truffle lemonade.”
The term was coined one spring when I was teaching a class in Atlanta. After demonstrating and serving the easy vinaigrette, one of my students perked up and said, “This is so good I want to drink it, just like lemonade!”
I’m not sure that I would want to drink it, but it is the perfect complement to grilled asparagus and pork. The mixture of sharp citrus and savory truffle oil is both delicate enough not to overwhelm, yet assertive enough to complement the smoky, caramelized flavors from the grill.