Cider-Brined Pork Chops with Walnut-Bacon Butter and Apple and Butternut Squash Tian

Brining yields wonderfully moist chops. Tian, a French word that refers to shallow earthen casserole dishes, also refers to the layered vegetables that are often cooked in them. When you layer the vegetables for the tian, they should lie in flat, even layers. If you want to make the butter mixture ahead, shape it into a three-inch cylinder and wrap it in wax paper. Refrigerate or freeze it until you're ready to use it. Make extra butter, and use it to flavor rice or pasta.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• Pork:
• 5  cups  apple cider
• 2  cups  water
• 1/3  cup  kosher salt
• 6  (8-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops, trimmed
• 
  Tian:
• 1  teaspoon  extra-virgin olive oil
• 3  cups  coarsely chopped Swiss chard
• 1  teaspoon  minced seeded jalapeño pepper
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 8  ounces  butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• 1  large Rome apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices (about 6 1/2 ounces)
• 1  pound  Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• Cooking spray
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/2  cup  apple cider
• 1/4  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1  (1-ounce) slice white bread
• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) shredded Gruyère cheese
• 
  Butter:
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped walnuts, toasted
• 2  tablespoons  unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2  teaspoon  grated orange rind
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• Dash of ground nutmeg
• 1  slice applewood-smoked bacon, cooked and finely crumbled
• 
  Remaining ingredient:
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. To prepare pork, combine 5 cups apple cider, 2 cups water, and 1/3 cup kosher salt in a large bowl; stir until salt dissolves. Add pork chops to cider mixture; cover and refrigerate 2 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 425°.

3. To prepare the tian, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chard, jalapeño, and garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until chard wilts, stirring occasionally. Layer half of squash, apple, potatoes, and chard mixture in a shallow 2-quart broiler-safe baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle vegetables with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Repeat the layers with remaining squash, apple, potato, chard mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Combine 1/2 cup cider and broth; pour mixture into baking dish. Cover dish with foil. Bake at 425° for 50 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

4. Preheat broiler.

5. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup. Combine breadcrumbs and cheese; sprinkle over vegetable mixture. Broil 2 minutes or until breadcrumbs are browned. Remove from broiler, and keep warm.

6. To prepare butter, combine walnuts and next 5 ingredients (through bacon) in a bowl, stirring well.

7. Remove pork from brine mixture; discard brine mixture. Pat pork dry with paper towels. Sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer registers 155° or until desired degree of doneness. Place about 1 cup tian on each of 6 plates; top each serving with 1 pork chop. Divide butter mixture evenly among pork chops.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

369 (35% from fat)

Fat:

14.5g (sat 5.9g,mono 5.2g,poly 2g)

Protein:

28.1g

Carbohydrate:

32.8g

Fiber:

3.2g

Cholesterol:

77mg

Iron:

2.1mg

Sodium:

840mg

Calcium:

120mg