This recipe from Nigella Lawson’s 2007 cook book Nigella Express truly shocked me with it’s deliciousness. Just a handful of ingredients and in 15 minutes you have a dinner worthy of a large check in a French bistro. I read more than one comment saying this might be their favorite recipe ever.
After a brief pounding, you sauté pork chops in a bit of garlic flavored oil , then deglaze the pan with hard cider and stir in the mustard and some cream. The flavor is divine. I had an ancient bottle of apple jack brandy way back in the cupboard (I haven’t moved in 37 years) and it now has a purpose for the foreseeable future. Even apple juice works here. Nigella likes to serve this with some gnocchi stirred into the pan sauce; also good. I’m sure a chicken breast would work here as well; but that apple and pork combination is a classic for good reason.
2 pork chops, about 1 pound total
2 tsp. garlic oil (or sauté a smashed clove of garlic in oil for a minute then remove)
1/2 cup hard cider ( I used apple brandy and am told apple juice works too)
1 Tbs. whole grain mustard
1/3 cup heavy cream
Cut the fat off the chops, and then bash them briefly but brutally with a rolling pin between two pieces of plastic wrap to make them thinner.
Heat the oil in the pan, and then cook the chops over a moderately high heat for about 5 minutes per side. Remove them to a warmed plate. Pour the cider into the pan, still over the heat, to deglaze the pan. Let it bubble away for a minute or two, then add the mustard and stir in the cream.
Let the sauce continue cooking for a few minutes before pouring over each plated pork chop. If you’re having gnocchi with, make sure you turn them in the pan to absorb any spare juices before adding them to your plates. Serves 2.
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