Pork Chops with Apple Chutney and Roasted Sweet Potatoes

A classic dish, ever so slightly modernized. I love apples with savory pork products and make all sorts of variations on the apples and pork combo every fall. (Okay, 90% of this is apples sauteed in bacon lard, but whatever.) I realize that it's May, but it's supposed to snow tonight, so cold-weather food feels appropriate.

I've ordered the recipes for this meal in the order you should start preparing them. Sauce comes first, because it's easy to keep warm if it's done too early. Start by preheating your oven to 400.


Apple Chutney
Serves 4
I'll confess, I've never made this before, but I wanted to get apples and onions into one dish, so here's what I came up with.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 apples, cored and sliced*
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons plus one pinch sugar (I prefer brown, but white works too)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1. Heat the olive oil over low-medium heat in a medium saucepan while you dice the onions. Saute the onions with a pinch of sugar (to help them carmelize) until they are golden in color, stirring frequently.

2. Add the remaining ingredients, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring frequently until the apples are mushy, 20 minutes minimum, or up to 40 depending on how mushy you like your sauce.

*I personally like the texture of the skins, so I leave them on. Peel if you wish, but you're sacrificing flavor for texture.


Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Once the sauce is simmering, cut up 1 sweet potato per person. Toss in olive oil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Roast at 400 until tender, at least 20 minutes or up to 40.


Pork Chops

4 center-cut pork chops
salt and pepper
flour for dredging
2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil

Find the fattiest pork you can. If you must use supermarket pork, try marinating it for up to 4 hours in salted milk, as this will help make it tender.

Rub the pork with salt and pepper, dip it in milk, and dredge it in flour. Heat oil over high heat, then add the pork and cook until golden on both sides. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, turning once or twice, until it reaches an internal temperature of 140** and, if cut into, is slightly pink with clear-running juices.

**The FDA recommends cooking pork to 160, but don't listen to them unless you're pregnant, have a weakened immune system, or like extremely tough meat.


I finished off my meal with braised spinach.