Pork Chops with Caramelized Onion Sauce

Submitted by: JustRightMenus

Description:

A great side dish for this is Mushroom Cherry Couscous.

Note: this is a recipe that's easily removed from the menu. If your plans change, you can drop this from the menu w/o having to worry about what you'll do with the ingredients; they can all be kept for future use (but if the meat is already defrosted in the fridge, you can only keep it there for 2-3 days).

Servings: 2

Categories: Easily removed from the menu, pork

From the kitchen of:

From Rachael Ray 2, 4, 6, 8: Great Meals for Couples or Crowds (Clarkson Potter 2006), page 50.

Ingredients

4 TB extra-virgin olive oil (OPTIONAL - use a nonstick pan w/ spray)

1 large onion, chopped

5-6 fresh thyme sprigs (or about 2 tsp dried)*

salt and black pepper

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

3 TB balsamic vinegar

1 c chicken stock

2 TB butter

1/4 c parsley

2 bone-in pork chops, 1 to 1 1/2" thick

* For thyme, use almost 1/2 tsp dried thyme for every sprig of fresh thyme called for. (2-3 times as much fresh as you would dried.)

Directions

CARMELIZED ONION SAUCE:

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat with 2 TB of the oil (OPTIONAL OIL - just use a nonstick pan & spray).

Add the onions and thyme sprigs, then season them with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring every now and then, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.   ***This is when you start the chops.***

Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute, then add the vinegar and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer over high heat and cook until the liquids have reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes more.

Turn the heat off, remove the thyme twigs (all the leaves will have fallen off by now), and add the butter and parsley. Stir until the butter melts.

CHOPS:

Once the onions are cooking, preheat a second skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 TB of the oil (OPTIONAL OIL).

Season the chops with salt and pepper and add them to the hot skillet. Cook the chops for 5 minutes on the first side. **Resist the urge to move them around the pan - just leave them still. Moving them around slows the browning process.**   ***If you're having Mushroom CHerry Couscous on the side, now is the time to start it.***

Flip the chops and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or to desired doneness.

Transfer chops to a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil to rest for a couple of minutes. Serve topped with some of the carmelized onion sauce.