- 4 x 200g/7oz pork chops
- 4 tsp sea salt flakes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, peeled, finely chopped
- 150g/5oz smoked bacon, chopped
- 1 bouquet garni (celery, parsley, bay leaves and thyme)
- 300g/10½oz button mushrooms
- 300g/10½oz shallots, peeled, cooked for ten minutes, then drained and refreshed in cold water
- 4 Cox's apples, peeled, cores removed, quartered
- 4 tbsp muscovado sugar
- 500ml/17½fl oz Suffolk cider
- 4 tsp Suffolk mustard
- 400ml/14fl oz double cream
- cooked carrots, to serve
- mashed potatoes, to serve
- Roll the fat sides of the pork chops in the salt flakes.
- Heat a griddle pan until smoking. Sear the fat side of the pork chops in the pan for 1-2 minutes, using tongs to keep the pork chops upright in the pan. When the fat is golden-brown and crisp, lay the pork chops down flat and fry for 3-4 minutes on both sides, or until the pork chop has deep griddle marks all over. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion and bacon together for 4-5 minutes, or until the onion is starting to colour. Add the bouquet garni, button mushrooms and shallots to the pan and cook over a medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Pour the cider into the pan and deglaze by scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, then bring to the boil. Add the pork chops and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through (the juices should run clear when the pork is pierced at the thickest part).
- Meanwhile, dust the apple pieces with the muscovado sugar. Place the griddle pan used to cook the pork back over the heat, then add the apples and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the apples are golden-brown and caramelised.
- Remove the pork chops from the pan and set aside to rest. Return the pan to the heat and bring to a rapid boil, then stir in the mustard and cream and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced to a sauce consistency.
- To serve, spoon the caramelised apples onto serving plates and arrange a pork chop next to the apples, with the cooked carrots and mashed potatoes alongside. Spoon over the sauce and serve.