Rosemary Garlic Pork Chops with Pan Gravy: 2000s Recipes + Menus : gourmet.com

2000s Recipes + Menus

Serves2

Active time:25 min
Start to finish:40 min

February 2009

Without the zing of sweet gherkins, the Borscht Horseradish Terrine from the “An Edible Waltz” menu would fall flat. So what’s to be done with the rest of the jar? These chops get their zest from a pan gravy based on an easy “gherkin broth” (made by puréeing them with some store-bought chicken broth). The pickles’ sharpness mellows when combined with the rosemary and garlic, and sautéed red onions make a handsome topping.

7 or 8 sweet gherkins, chopped (1/3 cup)
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 (3/4-inch-thick) bone-in center-cut pork chops
1 large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Purée gherkins with broth in a blender until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids.
Stir together rosemary, garlic, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a small bowl. Pat chops dry and season with 1/2 tsp salt. Rub both sides of pork chops with 1 Tbsp rosemary mixture (total). Toss onion with 1 Tbsp oil, remaining rosemary mixture, and 1/8 tsp salt.
Heat 1 Tbsp butter and remaining Tbsp oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until foam subsides. Cook pork chops, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to 2 plates.
Add onion to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to plates.
Sprinkle flour into fat in skillet and cook, whisking constantly, 30 seconds. Whisk in gherkin broth and boil, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining Tbsp butter. Strain through cleaned fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve pork chops topped with onion and pan gravy.