Pork Chops and Apple Sauce

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds baby red-skin potatoes, cut in half
1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (about a handful) parsley leaves, chopped
4 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and diced
3 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
1 cup all-natural apple juice or cider (it should look cloudy)
Zest of 1 orange, reserving the juice
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
4 center-cut boneless pork loin chops, about 6 to 8 ounces each and an inch thick

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of EVOO and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes. In the last 15 minutes of cooking time, add the green beans to the baking sheet with the potatoes.

While the potatoes are roasting, combine the apples, brown sugar and apple juice in a medium-size pot over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until a chunky sauce forms, about 10-12 minutes. If the sauce begins to spatter as it bubbles, reduce the heat. Once a sauce forms, remove the pot from the heat.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO. In a shallow dish, combine the orange juice and zest, and the soy sauce. Add some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dip the chops into the mixture and place in the hot pan. Brown and caramelize the chops for 4 minutes on each side, until the juices run clear. Remove the chops from the heat and let them rest a couple minutes for the juices to redistribute.

Remove the potatoes and beans from the oven and garnish everything with parsley. Serve the pork chops with the applesauce, roasted potatoes and green beans alongside.