Pork Chops and Brussels Sprouts in an Apple Cider Mustard Sauce

I told you guys a few weeks ago about a wonderful day in the city and a wonderful wonderful meal we had at a French restaurant there. A meal so wonderful that I nearly ripped the plate out of Bear’s hands to eat it instead of what I ordered.

That meal has been haunting me ever since, so I did my best to recreate it. I’m pretty happy with the results.

Pork Chops and Brussels Sprouts in an Apple Cider Mustard Sauce

4 pork chops
1/2 lb brussels sprouts
olive oil
1/2 C apple cider
1/4 C whole grain dijon mustard
1/2 C cream
1/2 C chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp white wine or apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp cornstarch

Clean and halve the brussels sprouts, then toss them with a generous bit of olive oil and a little salt. Spread them on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven until tender and just a bit crunchy on the edges. Being generous with the oil and giving it a long roast will take away some of the bitterness of the sprouts.

Start the pork chops by giving them a quick grill on each side, just enough to give a little char, or browning in a pan. Don’t let it cook too much, just enough to make a nice brown crust.

Mix the sauce ingredients together. Each mustard will taste a little different, mine was a pretty mild one, so taste as you go and adjust as necessary.

Remove the brussels sprouts from their cookie sheet and place in a baking dish. Put the browned pork chops on top, then pour the sauce all over everything. Cook at 350 for 20 – 30 minutes, or until your pork chops reach the right internal temperature.

I served this with some heavily garlicked mashed potatoes and poured that sauce all over everything. If you want your sauce a little tighter, add a little more cornstarch at the beginning. This recipe makes a TON of sauce, because I wanted plenty to dunk my bread into, but that means that you have a lot of room to play with the texture.