Pork Chops with Mustard and Capers

The trick with pork chops is to keep them from drying out as they cook. Braising them, which is browning the chops and then cooking them in a liquid, keeps them tender and also gives you a delicious sauce. Cook up some broad noodles to accompany the pork chops and smother them in some of the sauce, too. A green salad on the side makes this a complete meal.

 

SERVES 4

 

Ingredients:

4 center cut pork chops, bone in, about 1 inch thick

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

⅓ cup flour

1 teaspoon paprika

 

1 tablespoon olive oil

 

⅓ cup diced carrots

⅓ cup diced onion

1 clove garlic, chopped

½ teaspoon thyme

1 bay leaf

¾ cup chicken broth

½ cup white wine, or ½ cup additional chicken broth

 

 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon capers

 

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

 

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Instructions:

▪ Put the flour on a plate and mix in the paprika. Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides, and then coat each side in the flour mixture.

 

▪ Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat and add the pork chops, cooking them until the bottom side turns brown, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook the other side until brown.

 

▪ Add the carrots, onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaf to the pan. Pour in the wine and broth. Cover the pan and reduce the heat so the liquid barely bubbles at a low simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.

 

▪ Remove the chops to a serving plate. Stir the mustard and capers into the liquid in the pan, raise the heat to bring to a simmer, and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir occasionally, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and combining them into the sauce. Pour some sauce on the chops and put the rest in a bowl to serve on the side. Sprinkle the pork chops with parsley and serve.