Roast Pork Chops with Sour Cherries
I love the combination of roast pork and sour cherries. The combo is equally delicious with duck, quail, squab, and game hens. The sauce technique below captures all the caramelized juices and flavors from the roasting pan. I like to transfer the pan sauce to a small saucepan to finish and then hold it for dinner. Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 3 large shallots
- 4 thick-cut bone-in pork chops
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup sour cherries
- 1 cup red wine
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 2-inch sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 cup rich chicken stock
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Slice 1½ shallots into one-eighth inch thick slices. Reserve. Mince the remaining ½ shallot and reserve.
3. Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper.
4. Heat the pan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil and then the pork chops.
5. Sear for 3 or 4 minutes until golden. Turn the chops over and top with sliced shallots and rosemary sprigs. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and a few grinds of pepper.
6. Place in oven and roast for 15-20 minutes until pork chops are cooked through.
7. Place a small pan over medium heat while the pork chops are roasting. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and cook until bubbly and starting to brown. Add the 1 tablespoon minced shallot and the cherries. Sauté, stirring constantly, until the shallots are golden. Turn off the heat and reserve.
8. When the timer sounds, remove the sliced shallot from the top of the chops and leave it in the pan with the rosemary sprigs. Remove the rosemary stems and discard them. Place the pork chops on a cutting board to rest before slicing.
9. Place the roasting pan with the shallots over medium heat. Cook until shallots are soft and golden. Deglaze with red wine and reduce at a full boil until almost dry, about 5 minutes.
10. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil, then strain into the cherry shallot mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir in 1 tablespoon of butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve the soft-sliced shallots to serve with the pork.
11. Debone and slice the pork chops. Serve the pork over sautéed spinach, rice, or whatever you fancy. Spoon the cherries and sauce over the pork and arrange the roasted sliced shallots on the plate.