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Donal Skehan
Maple Pork Chops With Griddled Baby Gem Lettuce | DonalSkehan.com, Liven up a plain old pork chop with this sweet & sticky glaze!
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Maple Pork Chops With Griddled Baby Gem Lettuce

June 13

Sweet maple syrup, tangy vinegar and salty soy sauce with a kick of freshness from coriander really make for an extra special pork chop in this recipe. I particularly love serving the maple glazed pork chops with griddled Baby Gem lettuce (a trick I picked up in America), which turns this humble salad green into something smoky, meaty and fresh.

  • serves Serves 4
  • time 30 mins

Method

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C /375°F/ Gas Mark 5. Melt the butter with the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over a high heat. Pat the pork chops dry with a little kitchen paper and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Add the chops to the pan and brown on both sides.
  2. 2. When the meat has a good colour, add the onion and fry for about 30 seconds. Then pour in the vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce and apple juice and heat until the sauce is bubbling. Baste the meat well with the sauce and then place the pan in the oven on the middle shelf and cook for 10 minutes.
  3. 3. While the pork chops are cooking, place a large griddle pan over a high heat and brush the lettuce halves all over with a little of the oil, and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Place the lettuce halves onto the griddle and cook for about 2 minutes on either side until they have nice deep char marks but still hold their shape. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  4. 4. When the chops are cooked, transfer to a warmed plate and reduce the sauce over a medium heat for a few minutes until slightly thickened. Add the coriander and stir through, then add the chops and the baby gem and coat generously in the sauce. Serve the chops on warmed plates with the charred baby gem and scatter with spring onions and a little extra coriander.

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for brushing

4 large pork loin chops on the bone, 2.5cm thick

Sea salt and ground black pepper

1 small red onion, peeled and finely sliced

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

4 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp light soy sauce

4 tbsp apple juice

6 baby gem lettuce, cut in half lengthways

Large handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish

5 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced, to garnish

 

You'll Need

Large ovenproof frying pan

Large griddle pan