Sunday Forward — Mediterranean Herbs · Week 1
Pork with Apples & Onions
Seared chops, caramelized apples, cream & mustard pan sauce — finished in a hot oven
Pork + Fruit
Pan Sauce
450°F
Oven Temp
25 min
Active Time
~40 min
Total Time
4
Serves
Medium
Difficulty
What You'll Need
Protein
Bone-In Pork Chops
¾-inch thick
4
Produce
Onion
Sliced
1 medium
Produce
Granny Smith Apples
Cut into ½-inch wedges
2
Liquid
Chicken Broth
½ cup
Dairy
Heavy Cream
1 cup
Sauce
Grainy or Dijon Mustard
2–3 tbsp
Acid
Champagne Vinegar
1–2 tbsp
Herb
Fresh Thyme
A few sprigs
a few sprigs
Season
Salt and Black Pepper
to taste
Fat
Neutral Oil or Butter
For searing
for searing
Method
0 of 17 steps complete — click a step to check it off
Sear the Pork
1Sear
Preheat & Season
Preheat oven to 450°F. Pat pork chops dry and season well with salt and pepper on both sides.
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2Sear
Sear the Chops
Heat oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Sear chops 5–6 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
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Build the Sauce
3Sauce
Brown the Apples & Onions
In the same pan over medium heat, sauté onions and apples for 6–8 minutes, until they are browned and the apples have softened. Remove from pan.
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4Sauce
Deglaze with Broth
Add chicken broth to the pan and deglaze, scraping up any browned bits. Let it simmer for 2 minutes.
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5Sauce
Add Cream & Thyme
Add cream and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Simmer for 2 minutes more.
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6Sauce
Finish with Mustard & Vinegar
Remove from heat. Stir in mustard and 1–2 tbsp champagne vinegar. Taste and adjust — the sauce should be rich, bright, and just a little sharp.
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Finish in the Oven
7Oven
Return the Chops
Return pork chops to the pan. Spoon sauce over the top, then arrange the apples and onions on and around the chops.
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8Oven
Roast
Transfer to the 450°F oven and roast for 8 minutes.
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9Serve
Rest & Serve
Remove from oven. Let rest 5 minutes before serving — this is non-negotiable for juicy chops.
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Cook's Note
Grainy mustard gives this sauce a little texture and a subtler heat — Dijon makes it smoother and sharper. Either works; use what you have. And don't skip the rest. Five minutes is all it takes.
Rustic to Refined
The Kitchen · Night Two
Two preparations that take this plate somewhere quieter and more composed — optional, but worth the extra hour.
Soubise — Silky Onion Cream, Spoon Beneath the Chop as the Base
Produce
Onions
Thinly sliced
2
Fat
Unsalted Butter
2 tbsp
Dairy
Heavy Cream
1½ cups
Herb
Fresh Thyme
A few sprigs plus about 1 tbsp finely chopped leaves
a few sprigs
Season
Salt
To taste
to taste
S1Cook
Sweat the Onions
Cook the onions in butter over medium-low heat until very soft. Do not let them brown — patience here is the whole point.
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S2Simmer
Add Thyme & Cream
Stir in the thyme, then pour in the cream. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
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S3Blend
Blend & Strain
Transfer to a blender and blend until very smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve.
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S4Plate
Season & Spoon
Season with salt. Spoon as a base beneath the chop at plating.
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Baked Apple Sauce — Roasted Granny Smith with Dijon and Sherry Vinegar, Spoon to the Side of the Chop
Produce
Granny Smith Apples
Whole, unskinned
2–3
Oil
Olive Oil
1–2 tbsp
Sauce
Dijon Mustard
2 tbsp
Season
Salt and Sherry Vinegar
To taste
to taste
A1Bake
Bake the Apples
Bake the apples whole at 350°F until completely tender, about 50 minutes.
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A2Strain
Pass Through a Sieve
Pass through a fine-mesh sieve — skins and seeds stay behind.
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A3Season
Season to Taste
Season with salt, olive oil, Dijon, and sherry vinegar to taste. The result should be bright and just a little sharp.
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A4Plate
Spoon & Serve
Spoon to the side of the chop as pictured.
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