Pork chop, apple and polenta

This recipe is a classic pairing of pork and apples, served on a bed of rich, buttery polenta.

Pork chop, sour apples and polenta Credit: Food Network

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 4 thick pork chops
• 4 apples, cleaned and cut into quarters 
• 1 stick of cinnamon 
• 1 tbsp brown sugar 
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 2 pomegranates 
• 3 sprigs thyme 
• 80 g butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil 

Polenta

• ½ cup fine polenta 
• 1½ cups vegetable stock
• 1 bunch thyme
• 1 sprig rosemary 
• 1 bunch wild herbs 
• 1 clove garlic  
• 50 g butter 
• 50 g parmesan 

Instructions

Season pork with salt and pepper, then in a hot pan add olive oil and pork, and cook for 4 minutes on each side until coloured and cooked through. Remove the pork from the pan and rest for 5 minutes. 

In the same pan add apples, cinnamon, sugar and butter and cook till coloured and soft, and deglaze with apple cider vinegar then pour over top of pork chops. 

In a large pot, add the vegetable stock, mixed herbs, flowers and garlic and bring to the simmer to infuse. Remove the herbs and flowers, then add polenta, mixing until thick. This will take about 6 minutes. 

Finish the polenta with butter and parmesan and then season with salt and pepper. 

Serve on a plate topped with pork and caramelised apples. Drizzle with any remaining juices.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.