Pork Chops + Carmalized Onion Sauce

This is one of the first recipes I found a couple of years ago (Rachael Ray 2, 4, 6, 8 Great meals for couples or crowds)that Bill ever requested me to make again. We love it, and I love the fact it is so versatile and it the recipe is only made for 2.  You can use pork, chicken or veal...whatever is in your fridge! Depending how long you let the sauce cook down, you can have leftover sauce to use again for another meal (using it as burger topping is delicious). This time I cooked it the sauce cooked longer than normal (Bill got stuck at work) so it was thicker than we were used too, but we both loved it this way! Sometimes being stuck at work is a good thing...not very often, but sometimes...

Pork with Caramelized Onion Sauce

4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large onion, chopped
5-6 fresh thyme sprigs
Salt + Pepper
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter- or whatever you use as butter
2 bone-in loin pork chops


For the caramelized onion sauce, preheat a large skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onions and thyme sprigs, then season them with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring every now and then, for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the garlic, and continue to cook for 1 minute, then add the vinegar and chicken stock. Bring to simmer over high heat and cook until the liquids have reduced by half (about 3-4 minutes). Turn off the heat, remove the thyme twigs, and add the butter. Stir until the butter melts.


Once the onions are on their way, preheat a second skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the chops liberally with salt and pepper and add them to the hot skillet. Cook the chops for 5 minutes on the first side. Resist the temptation to move the chops in the pan, as it will slow down the browning. Flip the chops and reduce the heat to medium. Cook them on the second side for 8-10 minutes or until the desired done-ness. Transfer them to a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil to rest for a couple of minutes. Serve the chops topped with some of the caramelized onion sauce. 

I am on spring break this week, so hopefully there will be more blogging...I am trying a new recipe tomorrow that looks delicious!

xoxo

Meggan