Pork Chops with Granny Smith Apples - 4 stars

this recipe was one of many that i ripped out a of magazine years ago, stuffed in a file to organize (someday! :) ), and never actually tried. pork chops are one of tony's favorite foods, and i never make them for some reason. they're so good too!

to make these, i sliced a pork tenderloin into ~ 1" thick slices. i dipped each in a bit of flour that was mixed with some cumin, salt & pepper. i let those sit for a few minutes while i pan seared granny smith apple halves in olive oil with salt and pepper. once those were done, i removed them from the pan and seared the pork chops in a bit more olive oil. i then removed those from the pan when they were done, and i deglazed the pan with a bit of chicken broth and champagne vinegar to make a sauce. it was so simple. the pork chops were tender and yummy, and the sweet crispness of the granny smith apples complimented them well. i made a spinach salad with fresh herbs, green onions, tomato and dried cranberry to go with the meal.



Pork Chops with Granny Smith Apples 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 6-ounce boneless pork loin chops, or one 1 ½-to 2-pound pork tenderloin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 small Granny Smith apples, halved
1/4 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons coarse grain mustard

Mix together the flour, cumin, salt, and pepper on a large plate. Lightly coat each piece of pork with the flour mixture; set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the apple halves with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the apples cut-side down about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the skillet, cover, and set aside.

Place the pork in the skillet, sprinkle with the parsley, and cook until the meat is golden brown and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes per side. While the pork is cooking, whisk together the broth and vinegar. Remove the pork from the skillet and set aside.

Pour the broth mixture into the skillet, stirring and scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened. Divide the pork among 4 plates and pour some pan sauce over each. Before serving, place an apple half and a dab of mustard on each plate.

Yield: Makes 4 servings