I remember when one of my uncles was in jail he would always write letters and ask me to draw him pictures of food. In this one letter he wrote he asked me draw him a picture of pork chops and apple sauce when I was little. And as a kid of course I thought it was weird but a funny combination of food. So every time my granny was tell me I got a letter from my uncle I would be sooo excited to read it and see what dish he would want me to draw a picture of. How ironic was it that I was drawing pictures of food so young, fast forward to present day, and here I am, a whole ass chef.
I have no idea why randomly one day I was craving pork chops and apples sauce but not really wanting the texture of apples sauce, even though I had never had this combination before. I've had pork chops and eggs, or pork chops and grits but never a sweet element with them. I also was on a couscous kick for a second which randomly comes and goes as it pleases and this was the result. My tastebuds knew exactly what they wanted, so I HAD to oblige. The sweet and savory elements within this dish were unreal. The sweetness of the sautéed apples pair really well with the garlic and flavor of both the couscous and the pork chop.
Let's get to it!
Ingredients:
1-2 pork chops (bone in)
1/2 apple (I used Pink Lady)
1/2 onion (I used white)
fresh parsley
2-3TBS olive oil
4 TBS butter
salt/pepper
1 box of pearled couscous (got mine from sprouts)
For the couscous:
Follow directions as instructed on the back of the box (that's what I did) and added 2TBS of butter
For the Pork chop:
Rinse and season the pork chop with salt/pepper, & garlic and onion powder. Next, heat a cast iron skillet to medium high, and add the olive oil. After the pan begins to smoke, lay the pork chop away from you by its bone into the skillet. Allow the pork chop to get a nice sear for about 4 minutes on each side to create a crispy crust. Next add in the 4TBS of butter to pan and begin to baste the pork chop in the butter. Once its done, set aside on a plate and let it rest.
For the apples:
Cut an apple in 1/2 and chop the apple up any way you'd like. I did a rough small chop. Grab another small pan and heat some olive oil at medium heat. Once the pan heats up, take the chopped apples and sliced onions and add them to the pan. Saute' the ingredients for about 4-5 mins and season with salt & pepper.
By the time all of that is done, the couscous should be done. Grab a plate and serve any way you'd like and top with the fresh parsley. Remember to have fun and experiment in the kitchen with your flavors and plating. My way of doing everything is just a guide to get you started, enjoy!
With Love & Food,
-Chef Morghan