I always love a dinner that covers all the bases, but that I can get to the table in ten minutes.
I used boiled cider in this recipe but you could use apple juice instead, or Bourbon, or a splash of white wine from whatever you are drinking while you cook, if that is your habit. Calvados would be nice. You basically need a bit of liquid and I happen to have a bottle of boiled cider in the fridge door. It is exactly what it sounds like - cider boiled down until it becomes thick and syrupy.
This would taste great with the addition of mashed potatoes to the plate. You could add a bit of dried sage to the pan juices, or add a touch of grain mustard at the end to zhuzh this up a bit, but I liked the straight forward flavors of this quick dinner as they were and had reached my carb quotient for the day by the time dinner rolled around...
1 thin-cut bone-in pork chop
1/2 apple peeled and diced small so that they will cook in the time it takes the meat to cook (which is quickly)
1 tsp butter
2 tsps boiled cider or 2 tsps liquid of your choice as mentioned above and a splash of maple syrup
Salt and black pepper to taste
Season the pork chop on both sides with salt and pepper.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. No-stick is helpful with this recipe. As soon as the butter is melted and foaming, add the pork chop to the pan. Tip the apple pieces in around it.
Cook the pork chop for two minutes and thirty seconds before flipping it and cooking it for another two minutes on the other side. If not using thin-cut pork chops, your cooking time will be a lot longer. Stir the apple pieces every minute or so while the meat is cooking to avoid any of the pieces burning.
Remove the pork chop to a plate. Lower the heat and add your liquid to the apple pieces and pan juices. Stir well to combine and pour over the meat.
I served this with spinach that I had cooked in the microwave while the chop cooked. I do this all the time as it is very quick - place the amount of spinach you want in a bowl and cover with water. Microwave for two minutes. Stir, and microwave for an additional ninety seconds. Drain in a colander and press out the excess water before serving with a splash of lemon juice.