Flavorful pork chops start with apples, onions

Fall is apple season. This hearty main dish with a French twist uses apples teamed with sweet onions (think Vidalia or Spanish yellow). The caramelized apples and onions create a delicious sauce that tastes as good as it smells.

Choose an apple that’s not too tart (I used Galas) or add a little more brown sugar.

Serve with rice or mashed potatoes along with some crusty bread to mop up that juicy sauce.

Pork chops with caramelized apples and onions

Makes 3 servings

Ingredients:

3 boneless pork chops, about 1-inch thick

Seasoning salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

2 apples, cored and sliced 1/2-inch thick

½ cup white wine, apple cider or apple juice

½ cup chicken or vegetable broth

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

½ teaspoon thyme

Chopped parsley, optional

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Pat dry pork chops and generously season both sides with seasoning salt and pepper. Set aside.

In an ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat on the stovetop. Stir fry garlic until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove garlic and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon butter to oil in pan. Add pork chops and brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Baste chops with melted butter in pan while browning. Once browned, remove from pan and set aside. (Chops are not cooked through.)

Add another 1 tablespoon of butter to pan. Add sliced onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add sliced apples to onions and brown apple slices, about 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle brown sugar over apples and onions, then add ¼ cup of white wine, apple cider or apple juice; stir and keep sautéing as the apples and onions caramelize. Cook for another 2 minutes as mixture begins to bubble.

Stir in remaining wine, cider or juice plus all the broth. Add white wine vinegar and thyme. Stir in cooked garlic.

Return pork chops to pan, snuggling them in the middle of the apples and onions. Place pan in the center of the 325-degree oven. Roast for 20 minutes or until the chops are just done.

Remove pan from oven. Remove chops from pan and keep warm.

Back on the stovetop over medium heat, add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the apple-onion sauce. Bring to simmer, stirring often, until juices make a thin sauce, about 2 minutes.

Serve immediately with rice or mashed potatoes, topping the chops with the apple-onion sauce. Sprinkle chopped parsley over top, if desired.