Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with Creamy Cabbage and Apples

By KrissyW330

When a chop is cooked this simply, it's critical to use the best-quality pork. Robert Wiedmaier buys his deeply flavorful, nicely fatty, pasture-raised pork from Virginia's EcoFriendly Foods. Wiedmaier turns humble cabbage into a luxurious side dish for the chops by cooking it with bacon, apple and cream. A hit of mustard and vinegar keeps the recipe from feeling too rich.

By themselves, these chops might go best with a red; add Wiedmaier's bacony cabbage and apples and a lighter rosé feels more appropriate (pork, like many lighter meats, can go with almost any color of wine). California rosés tend to be more fruit-forward and substantial than their French counterparts, and are ideal here.
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Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
• Four 12-ounce bone-in pork loin chops
• 3 thick slices of applewood-smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 head of Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 Granny Smith apple—peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1.In a large, shallow dish, combine 1/4 cup of the olive oil with the thyme sprigs and garlic. Add the pork chops and turn to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate overnight.
2.In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until browned, about 4 minutes; pour off the fat. Add the butter and cabbage to the skillet, cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender, about 7 minutes. Add the apple and vinegar, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apple is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mustard and cream and simmer uncovered over moderate heat until the cream has thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, cover and keep warm.
3.Preheat the oven to 325°. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Remove the pork chops from the marinade; discard the thyme sprigs and scrape off the garlic. Season the chops with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook over moderately high heat until richly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chops for about 12 minutes, turning once halfway through, until just pink in the center. Transfer the pork chops to plates and serve with the cabbage.
Make Ahead The cabbage can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently.