This recipe has a lot of flexibility (I made 2 chops and rationed down the other ingredients, pretty much eye-balling them) and is a snap to make. I mistakenly bought thicker boneless chops, so I browned them in the skillet 4 minutes per side. The tartness of the cornichons and mustard went really well with the pork, and we will definitely make this again.
Pork Chops Piquant
SERVES 4
Novelist and screenwriter Lucian K. Truscott, who gave us this recipe, didn't remember the title of the French cookbook where he first found it. However, he did remember finding it "so extraordinary" that he had it at least twice a week for almost a year.
5 tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. thin-cut pork chops
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
6 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 cup white wine
8 cornichons, sliced
2 tbsp. dijon mustard
1. Heat 2 tbsp. of the oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Generously season chops with salt and pepper. Working in batches, fry chops until browned on each side and just cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Transfer chops to a plate, loosely cover with foil to keep warm, and set aside.
2. Add the remaining 3 tbsp. oil to the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté, stirring often, until soft and just beginning to brown, 3–5 minutes. Add vinegar and cook, stirring and scraping browned bits stuck to bottom of skillet, until reduced by three-quarters, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook until reduced by half, 5–6 minutes. Stir in cornichons, mustard, and any accumulated juices from chops. Reduce heat to medium and cook until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return chops to skillet and baste with sauce until warmed through, about 2 minutes.
Ratings & Reviews (3)
I tried this last night, and boy was it good! I too used thicker, boneless chops, as I had those on hand already, and browned those just a tad longer than the recipe suggests. For this I used a non-stick skillet so I could cut the oil in half. For wine, I used a Sauvignon Blanc, which worked really well with the dish. I will definitely make this one again as it was easy to whip up on a weeknight!
Fabulous!
Pork Chops Piquant
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5
3
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