Week 20, Recipe 4: Pork Chop with Cider Gravy, Sauteed Apples & Onions

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book in the Meals for One section

• 1 (1-inch-thick) bone-in pork chop
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
• 1 small onion, yellow or red, thinly sliced
• 1 Gala or Golden Delicious apple,thinly sliced
• 2 to 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves finely chopped
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cloudy apple cider
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 corn muffin, split, buttered, and toasted

Season the chop with salt and pepper. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the EVOO in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chop until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side, tenting loosely with foil once you turn the chop. Remove the cooked chop to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add the remaining EVOO and the onions and apples. Season with salt, pepper, and the thyme and cook until just tender, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Douse with juice of the 1/2 lemon and remove to the plate with the chop.

Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet and when it melts, whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then whisk in the cider and stock. Season the gravy with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes to thicken.
Serve the chop covered with apples and onions, the gravy poured down over the top, and the muffin alongside.

Results:  The chop was delish, the apple & onion were delish.  The gravy?  Way too cider-y for me.  I'm cider sensitive but DANG!  Very tart.  I would use either all chicken stock or 1/4 cup of cider in the future.  That picture shows a quarter of the apple.  Why does one person need that much apple??  Cooked with onion one apple seems like A LOT.  I omitted the corn muffin because I would've had to make too many for just me to eat.  I didn't have butter (about to move) so I used EVOO instead.  I also used thinner pork chops.  Thicker probably would've been better-- filled me up more.  Still pretty yummy.