Baked Pork Chops With Apples and Sage

Gourmand's Note:

The tastes of Autumn in this recipe are enough to warm any winter day. It's not necessary to thicken the liquid, but it does help make a better sauce. It can be made ahead up to a certain point in the recipe, refrigerated and finished later. See directions.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 4 pork chops, 1 inch thick and with bone
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 3 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• 1 teaspoon sage, dried
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of butter with the oil in a large frying pan. Sauté the onions on medium high until golden. Layer in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
3. Peel, core and slice the apples, the same size as if for a pie. Heat the remaining tbsp of butter in the same pan. Sauté the apples until they begin to soften and brown slightly. Remove and add to the onions.
4. Season both sides of the chops with salt and pepper. In the same pan, sear the pork chops on each side on high heat, two at a time. Use a little more oil if necessary. They should have a slightly browned crust but are not cooked through. Remove and arrange on top of the onions and apple slices.
5. If making ahead, stop at this point, cover the pan with foil and refrigerate.
6. Mix the cornstarch and water. Mix the apple cider, cinnamon and sage together, add the cornstarch, and pour over the chops. If desired, add more pepper and salt at this time.
7. Cover with foil and bake in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes.