Pork chops star in elegant meal

This week, we are preparing a very simple recipe for pork chops that will be served with sautéed fingerling potatoes, Swiss chard and apple cider sauce.

PORK CHOPS WITH FINGERLING POTATOES AND APPLE CIDER SAUCE

Ingredients

4 large bone-in pork chops (at least 1 inch thick)

For marinade:

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon chili flakes

For potatoes:

1-1⁄2 pounds fingerling potatoes

1⁄2 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic

1⁄2 cup Madeira wine

1⁄2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

4 tablespoons butter

For chard:

4 ounces chopped bacon

1⁄2 cup chopped onion

4 cups chopped Swiss chard

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

Salt and pepper, to taste

For sauce:

2 cups apple cider

2 cups unsalted chicken or beef broth

Putting it together

Prepare the marinade by combining the water, salt, sugar and chili flakes in a large container; mix until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add the pork chops; cover the container and let the chops marinate for at least four hours in the refrigerator.

Remove chops and discard the marinade. In a very large oven-safe sauté pan over high heat, add a splash of oil and the chops. Cook for about three minutes then turn the chops. Immediately put the pan into a 375-degree oven and cook for at least 10 minutes (longer if you want the pork chops well done).

Meanwhile, in a separate sauté pan, add a splash of cooking oil and the potatoes and sauté for at least five minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about one minute. Add the wine and cook over low heat until almost all of the liquid is gone. Add salt and pepper, to taste, along with the thyme and cook until potatoes are softened, adding a bit of water, if necessary, to prevent them from drying out too much. Add the butter and set aside until ready to serve.

In a separate pan, add the bacon and cook until crispy. Add the onion and cook until golden brown. Add the chard and the mustard and cook for about two minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed, and set aside.

When the chops are done, remove them from the pan. Add the apple cider to the same pan without washing it and cook for about three minutes. Add the broth and cook until the liquid reduces by half.

To assemble the dish, add some of the potatoes to a plate; add some of the sautéed chard; add a pork chop on top; and top it all with a ladleful of the cider sauce and enjoy.

Antonio Villagomez is head chef and owner of Cilantro's restaurant and catering in Yuba City, Calif. Contact him at 530-844-2111. His website is cilantros.us.