Fall on a Plate in 20 Minutes

I promise you, dear readers, that one of these days I won't be working so much and will have time to cook something more daring than what I've been posting lately. I may be the Meat and Potatoes Foodie, but I'm hankering for some down and dirty, spend-a-little-longer-in-your-apron kind of cooking. Perhaps Thanksgiving will be my chance.

In the meantime, I have another quickie for you, that I have to say I threw together one night after work having no idea if it would work. I had a drawer full of Lady Apples - the adorable little golf ball sized apples you get in the north east this time of year. I think they're completely sassy and vivacious in their petiteness, which I'm guessing is how they got their name.

Aesthetics aside, they make a great quick pan saute to accompany pork chops as their little size doesn't require much cooking time to become fork tender and melting. Of course you could sub in a regular tart apple, like a Gala, if you needed to. Just cut into smaller pinkie sized-wedges.


Pork Chops with Quick Sauteed Lady Apples
Serves 2.

2 boneless pork chops of good thickness (1 1/2 inches)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tablespoon butter
6-7 Lady Apples, cut into pinkie-width wedges
1 whole garlic clove, smashed with skin removed
A good slug (tipping over bottle for a good two-count) of Calvados (French apple liquor) or white wine
Small pinch fresh lemon zest
Dash of pumpkin pie spice, or cinnamon
Additional tablespoon of butter, optional

Preheat oven to 350.

Salt and pepper the pork chops on both sides. Add olive oil and butter to a medium, rimmed nonstick pan and bring to medium heat. Add chops getting a nice sear and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, just until slightly golden. Transfer to a sprayed baking sheet and put in 350 oven for 15 minutes (10-12 minutes for thinner chops - do not over cook.) Remove and let rest.

Meanwhile, add slivered apples to leftover grease in pan over medium heat. Season with a little salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar, tiny pinch of salt and cook 5 minutes stirring every so often. Add slug of Calvados (or white wine), increase heat, and let bubble away for a few minutes. Lower heat to medium, toss in whole clove of garlic and cook 5 more stirring occassionally. Add lemon zest, dash of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, and cook 2 minutes more or until apples are meltingly soft to the bite. You can also stir in a tablespoon of butter at the end to make it even more silky and luxurious.

Serve apples over pork chops. (You can also roast asparagus with olive oil, salt, and pepper for the same amount of time as the pork takes in the oven - 15 minutes - as an easy side.)