Pork chops with thyme roasted grapes

If you’re wanting to change up the classic combo of pork and apple, try it with grapes instead of apple next time as they pair beautifully with the sweet pork meat. This dish takes little time to prepare, so you’ll have time to get the side dishes sorted. Try it with Hasselback potato gratin, cauliflower, bacon and sage gratin, or barbecued wombok with hazelnuts, blue cheese and anchovy vinaigrette.

INGREDIENTS

400g seedless red grapes on the vine

4 thyme sprigs

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

4 pork cutlets

sea salt flakes, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

20g butter

1 tablespoon plain flour

250ml apple cider

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 220ºC. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the grapes and thyme on the prepared tray and drizzle with the extra oil. Roast for 20–30 minutes or until the grape skins begin to split.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over a high heat until smoking hot. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Cook the pork, flipping once, for 3 minutes on each side until browned, caramelised and only just cooked through. Add the butter and glaze the pork on both sides. Remove the pork from the pan to a plate, cover loosely with foil and let it rest for 6–8 minutes.

Add the flour to the same pan with the drippings and cook for 1 minute over a medium–high heat. Pour in half of the cider and whisk until no lumps remain. Add the remaining cider, scraping the base of the pan to dislodge all the caramelised bits. Simmer to reduce the sauce by half, about 3 minutes. Season to taste. Serve the sauce with the pork chops and the roasted grapes.

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