Skip to main content

CIDER-DIJON PORK CHOPS WITH ROASTED SWEET POTATOES & APPLES



This was the first time that we had this meal. It turned out delish and will be making it again. Easy to prepare and with the rocket and goat cheese salad it was the perfect Saturday night's dinner.

INGREDIENTS
Pork
4 boneless pork loin chops (each about 220g & 2.5cm thick)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup apple cider or apple juice
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
30g unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces

Vegetables and apples
500g red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise into eighths
3 Pink Lady or Fuji apples, cored and cut lengthwise into eighths
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and cut lengthwise into eighths
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, cut into 2.5cm pieces
2 Tbsp olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper


METHOD
Preheat the oven to 230°C.
Remove the pork from the fridge and let stand at room temperature while the oven preheats.
Prepare all the roasting ingredients.


To cook the vegetables and apples:
In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes, apples and fennel with the olive oil to coat. 


Lay a large baking tray with baking paper and spread the vegetables and apples on it. Add the rosemary. Season with sea salt and pepper.


Roast, turning the ingredients over halfway through, for about 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are nicely browned and tender.


Meanwhile, cook the pork:
Season the pork with salt and pepper.
Heat a large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, then add the chops to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and barely pink when pierced in the centre with the tip of a small sharp knife.


Transfer to a platter (reserving the frying pan) and let stand for 5 minutes.
Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of the oil from the pan, leaving the brown bits in the pan.
Return the pan to medium-low heat, add the apple cider and bring to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.
Whisk in the mustard and simmer for about 2 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter to slightly thicken the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


Divide the sweet potato mixture among four dinner plates. Place a pork chop alongside the vegetables on each plate.
Drizzle with the pan sauce and serve.
Accompany with a good green salad such as Goat cheese & Rocket Salad. Recipe here.


Serves 4

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

TOMATO CARPACCIO WITH SPRING ONION & GINGER SALSA

There is only one trick to this salad: the tomatoes must be ripe! The rest is easy and it is so delicious, you will want to make it many times. It would be a fantastic side dish to accompany any recipe. It is exceptionally good. INGREDIENTS 3cm piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 3 spring onions, very finely sliced 40ml sunflower or olive oil 2 tsp good quality sherry vinegar 400g (beef) tomatoes (2-3 depending on size) sliced 2mm thick 1 small green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 1 1/2 Tbsp finely shredded coriander 1 Tbsp olive oil flaked sea salt METHOD: Put the ginger and 1/2 teaspoon of flaked salt into a pestle and mortar and crush to a fine paste.  Transfer to a bowl with the spring onions and stir to combine. Put the oil into a small pan and place on a low heat until just warm: you don't want it to heat too much.  Pour over the spring onions and add 1 teaspoon of vinegar. Stir together and set aside. Chop the chili and shred the

SLOW-BAKED LAMB SHOULDER

This is a lamb recipe that is so delicious you are going to make it more than once. A favourite of friends and family. I like to accompany with a couscous salad with feta and almonds and a yoghurt and bean dip . Recipes in this blog. INGREDIENTS 1.8 - 2.2 kg lamb shoulder, with or without the bone 2 tsp sea salt flakes 8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 6 sprigs rosemary, stripped and leaves chopped 1 Tbsp black peppercorns 100ml extra virgin olive oil zest and juice of 1 lemon 3 Tbsp dried oregano 100ml white wine vinegar METHOD: Preheat the oven to 150°C (fan-forced). Trim extra fat from lamb.  If you using a shoulder with the bone, make small incisions on the skin. Grind the salt, garlic, rosemary and peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or small food processor. Add the olive oil, lemon zest and juice and dried oregano. If using a boned shoulder, open out the lamb. Massage the marinade into the lamb. Make sure it goes into the small incisions. Place t

TOFU MEATBALL KORMA

Tonight's meal is the Ottolenghi's Korma Feast. Gosh it was delicious 😋 ! I have been super tired with work and haven't felt much like cooking. We have not been eating very well in the last couple of weeks.... But tonight we really had a great meal even though I had to spend hours in the kitchen 🙄 . But it was worth it 😁 . Tofu meatball korma & Spicy berbere ratatouille with Olive oil flatbreads . All made from scratch. Just superb! The tofu meatballs are just amazing. I have leftover tofu and will make a batch and freeze them for another day. I can eat them just with no sauce or any other sauce. They would be lovely with some tomato base sauce or any curry sauce. But even with a side vegetable dish or salad.  My husband thought that they were made with mince meat!!  Yum yum! Ingredients ½ red onion, thinly sliced (60g) 2 tbsp lemon juice 40g cashews 20g blanched almonds 6 cardamom pods, shells discarded and seeds removed 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp coriander seeds

THE BEST ONION GRATIN

I love this recipe. I have to stop myself for not eating more than I need. It goes really well as part of a baked dinner. When you try it, you'd want to make it again and again. 😍😋💚  Ingredients 4 medium red onions, peeled and quartered olive oil sea salt & freshly ground black pepper 8 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced a small wineglass of white wine 4 Tbsp crème fraîche 50g gruyère cheese, grated 50g parmesan cheese, grated Preparation Preheat the oven to 200°C. Break the onion quarters apart to give you little 'petals'.  Place these in an earthenware oven dish.  Drizzle with a couple of glugs of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss in your thyme and garlic.  Mix up well, add your white wine.  Cover with a double layer of tinfoil, wrap tightly and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes, then remove the dish from the oven, take the tinfoil off and pop the dish back in the ove

ROAST CABBAGE WITH PECORINO

This is the first time I cooked this recipe and it is amazing!! We had leftovers and served warmed the following day for lunch with family members and they all wanted the recipe. It is just a very different way to eat cabbage and it is scrumptious. From Ottolenghi's cookbook 'Simple'. INGREDIENTS 120ml olive oil 2 lemons: finely grate the zest to get 2 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp lemon juice 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 cabbage (sweetheart, pointed cabbage or other), cut lengthways into eighths a small handful of parsley or tarragon leaves, roughly chopped 30g of pecorino or parmesan cheese, shaved salt and black pepper METHOD: Preheat oven to 220°C. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the oil, lemon zest, garlic, 1/4 tsp salt and a good grind of pepper. Set aside 2 Tbsp. Arrange the cabbage on a parchment-lined tray and brush with the oil mixture. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are crisp and golden-brown. Transfer the c