Pork Chops With Apple Cider Jus

Hello boys and girls!

Did you know Old MacDonald had a farm? You did? Awesome! And did you know that on that farm he some pigs? You knew that too? Super! Then you must know that there was an oink-oink here, and an oink-oink there, here an oink, there an oink, everywhere an oink-oink! Well at least until the piggies were are hauled away to where a fairy Godmother cast a spell on them to transform them into things of real beauty! Things like bacon and ham and sausages! Into cuts like gammon and ribs and chops!

I love pork! Grilled, smoked, fried, glazed, seared and slathered with smoky barbeque sauce, or just roast on a spit for hours until the meat falls off the bone, or even (my personal favourite) a spicy Goan vindaloo! Every bite, loaded with flavour. Succulent pork pieces with chunks of fat that melt in your mouth! Is there anything better?

Today's recipe is a very simple pork chops recipe. Since we haven't seen a pork recipe so far, this seemed like a good choice. Tender pork chops cooked in the oven with tart granny smith (green) apples and apple cider on a bed of onions and carrots flavoured with rosemary and sage. It takes about 15 minutes to prep and about an hour and 10 minutes in the oven. Serve this with a side of fluffy mashed potatoes and some veggies and you'll have a feast that you won't forget very soon!

For Pork Chops With Apple Cider Jus, you will need the following:

Pork Chops	4 (big ones!)
Onions	2 large
Carrots	2 medium to large
Peppers (capsicum)	3 halves (one each of red, green, and yellow)
Granny Smith Apples	3 medium
Apple cider	half a pint
Rosemary	1 sprig
Sage	4-5 leaves
Garlic	2-3 cloves
Salt	to taste
Pepper	to taste
Olive oil

Prep:

1. Crush a garlic clove.
2. Rub the pork chops on both sides with salt, pepper and the crushed garlic.
3. Slice the onion into moderately thick rings.
4. Chop the carrots into big cubes.
5. Slice the peppers into moderately thick pieces.
6. Peel and quarter the apples.
7. Cut the apple quarters into half.
8. Bruise the remaining garlic. (Just bang it with something so it breaks. Don't smoosh it!)

Method:

1. Turn the oven on and heat to 200 degrees.
2. Grab a deep-ish oven tray.
3. Splash on some olive oil.
4. Lay on the onions so that the bottom of the tray is covered.
5. Squeeze the sage leaves in between.
6. Toss in the garlic.
7. Lay on the apples.
8. Tumble in the carrots and spread them evenly in the dish.
9. Drop in the peppers.
10. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper.
11. Lay the pork chops side by side on the veggies.
12. Pour in the apple cider.
13. Lay the rosemary on the pork chops.
14. Cover the tray with aluminium foil.
15. Slide the tray into the oven.
16. Set your timer for an hour.
17. Put on your fluffy socks.
18. Grab a Harry Potter book (for the hundredth time).
19. Lose yourself in the magic.
20. Snap back to reality when the timer *dings*.
21. Open the oven door.
22. Get smacked in the face with the heat.
23. Stagger back.
24. Put on your oven mitts.
25. Gently get the tray out of the oven.
26. Look for a place to put the tray.
27. Feel your hands getting warmer.
28. And warmer.
29. Experience full blown panic because your hands are on fire and you don't know where to put the tray.
30. Find a vacant surface.
31. Bang the tray down.
32. Throw mitts off and blow on your hands.
33. Take the foil off the tray.
34. Breathe in the aroma.
35. Wonder why your pork chops are a weird whitish colour.
36. Stick the tray back into the oven sans foil for about 10 minutes to brown the pork chops.
37. Wipe away a tear as you take the tray out.
38. To serve, put a pork chop (or two) on a plate, ladle on some of the gorgeous veggies and the cider jus and slap on a massive dollop of mashed potatoes.
39. Stuff face.
40. Bask in the glory of your successfully executed dish.

Tip: For mashed potatoes as fluffy as clouds: peel and halve the potatoes, toss into a pressure cooker with 2 cloves of garlic, 6 whistles, drain water, rough mash, dollop of butter, big splash of milk, salt and pepper, mash until fine.

And remember, overeating is a myth. A full tummy is a happy tummy!