French Style Pork Chops With Apples And Calvados Recipes

FRENCH-STYLE PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES AND CALVADOS RECIPE

Steps:

• Evenly sprinkle each chop with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Place chops on large plate, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. While chops rest, cut 2 apples into 1/2-inch pieces. Cook bacon in medium saucepan over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add shallots, nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are softened and beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Off heat, add 1/4 cup Calvados and let warm through, about 5 seconds. Wave lit match over pan until Calvados ignites, then shake pan gently to distribute flames. When flames subside, 30 to 60 seconds, cover pan to ensure flame is extinguished, 15 seconds. Add remaining 1/4 cup Calvados and repeat flambéing (flames will subside after 1 1/2 to 2 minutes). (If you have trouble igniting second addition, return pan to medium heat, bring to bare simmer, and remove from heat and try again.) Once flames have extinguished, increase heat to medium-high; add cider, 1 cup broth, thyme sprigs, butter, and chopped apples; and bring to rapid simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are very tender and mixture has reduced to 2 1/3 cups, 25 to 35 minutes. Cover and set aside. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Slice remaining 2 apples into 1/2-inch-thick rings. Pat chops dry with paper towels and evenly sprinkle each chop with pepper to taste. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until beginning to smoke. Increase heat to high and brown chops on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer chops to large plate and reduce heat to medium. Add apple rings and cook until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup broth and cook, scraping up any browned bits with rubber spatula, until liquid has evaporated, about 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat, flip apple rings, and place chops on top of apple rings. Place skillet in oven and cook until chops register 135 to 140 degrees, 11 to 15 minutes. Transfer chops and apple rings to serving platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. While chops rest, strain apple/brandy mixture through fine-mesh strainer set in large bowl, pressing on solids with ladle or rubber spatula to extract liquid; discard solids. (Make sure to use rubber spatula to scrape any apple solids on bottom of strainer into sauce.) Stir in minced thyme and season sauce with vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Transfer sauce to serving bowl. Serve chops and apple rings, passing sauce separately.

PORK WITH APPLES, CALVADOS AND APPLE CIDER

Steps:

• Place pork slices between plastic wrap. Using mallet, pound pork slices to 1/4-inch thickness. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.)
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples and sugar to skillet and sauté until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Set aside.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in another heavy large skillet over high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper. Add pork to skillet and sauté until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate; keep warm.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and thyme and sauté 2 minutes. Add Calvados and boil until reduced to glaze, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in cream and cider; boil until mixture thickens to sauce consistency, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Reheat apples, if necessary. Arrange a few pork slices on each plate. Spoon sauce over. Top generously with sautéed apple slices and serve.

PORK CHOPS WITH CALVADOS

Steps:

• Melt half the butter in a skillet. Add apples and sprinkle them with sugar. Cook over medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until tender and glazed. Keep warm.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute chops until just cooked, turning once. Pour excess fat from skillet (keeping chops in skillet). Add the Calvados (or brandy) and flambe by lighting the skillet with a long match. Be very careful-keep lid handy to smother flames if needed. Cook until flames go out. Transfer chops to a plate and cover with foil and keep warm.
• Add remaining butter to skillet and cook shallots until soft but not brown. Add cider, stock and cream and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Season the sauce, add pork and juices and simmer for 3 minutes to heat through.
• Serve chops with sauce on top and the cooked apples on side. Garnish with sage leaves.