Ingredients
For the chops:
4 bone-in, pork loin chops, each about 1- to 1 1/4-inches thick
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon sweet or smoked sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika or cayenne
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
A few sprigs thyme
1 large or 2 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
3/4 cup chicken stock, divided
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup grainy Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Juice of 1/2 lemon
For the rice:
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup broken spaghetti (1-inch long pieces)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Salt and pepper
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons thyme, chopped
4 scallions, whites and greens finely chopped
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley tops, finely chopped
Preparation
Heat oven to 350°F.
Bring pork chops to room temperature. Combine granulated garlic and onion, paprika and hot paprika or cayenne in a small bowl. Season the chops with salt and pepper then rub spice mixture into meat.
Place vinegar and thyme in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add apples, 1/2 cup stock, syrup and mustard, lower heat and cook at a rolling simmer for 15-20 minutes.
In another saucepot over medium to medium-high heat, melt the butter for the rice. Add broken pasta and nuts, season with salt and pepper, and toast to deeply golden. Add rice and stir a minute more; add stock and cranberries, and bring to bubble. Cover pot, reduce heat to low and cook 15 minutes, giving the pot a shake occasionally. Add a little water if the rice starts to dry out before it’s tender. Add thyme, scallions and parsley to the post, and let stand 5 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high to high heat with oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add chops to the pan and brown on each side. Transfer skillet to oven for 5-6 minutes then return pan to heat. Add the butter, a splash of stock and the lemon juice to the pan and baste chops.
Just before serving, fluff rice with a fork. Serve chops topped with apples and sauce with fancy rice alongside.
