Ingredients
For the chops
  • 4 bone-in, pork loin chops, each about 1- to 1 1/4-inches thick
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon granulated onion
  • 1 teaspoon sweet or smoked sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika or cayenne
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • A few sprigs thyme
  • 1 large or 2 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
  • 3/4 cup chicken stock, divided
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup grainy Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
For the rice
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup broken spaghetti (1-inch long pieces)
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 tablespoons thyme, chopped
  • 4 scallions, whites and greens finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley tops, finely chopped
Preparation

Heat oven to 350°F.

Bring pork chops to room temperature. Combine granulated garlic and onion, paprika and hot paprika or cayenne in a small bowl. Season the chops with salt and pepper then rub spice mixture into meat.


Place vinegar and thyme in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add apples, 1/2 cup stock, syrup and mustard, lower heat and cook at a rolling simmer for 15-20 minutes.

In another saucepot over medium to medium-high heat, melt the butter for the rice. Add broken pasta and nuts, season with salt and pepper, and toast to deeply golden. Add rice and stir a minute more; add stock and cranberries, and bring to bubble. Cover pot, reduce heat to low and cook 15 minutes, giving the pot a shake occasionally. Add a little water if the rice starts to dry out before it’s tender. Add thyme, scallions and parsley to the post, and let stand 5 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high to high heat with oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add chops to the pan and brown on each side. Transfer skillet to oven for 5-6 minutes, and remove when until internal temperature reaches 145°F, or desired doneness, then return pan to heat. Add the butter, a splash of stock and the lemon juice to the pan and baste chops.

Just before serving, fluff rice with a fork. Serve chops topped with apples and sauce with fancy rice alongside.