Serves 4
Start to finish: 25 minutes
4 large, bone-in, 1-inch thick pork chops (about 3 pounds total)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1 cup sliced leeks (white and light green parts only), well rinsed
1/4 cup Madeira wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
Hot cooked mashed potatoes, rice, quinoa or other grains to serve
Chopped freshly parsley to garnish (optional)
Bring the pork chops to room temperature and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and sear the chops without moving them until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes on each side (they will not be fully cooked, but still pink in the middle). Transfer the pork chops to a plate, and tent with foil to keep warm.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the shallots and leeks to the pan. Saute for 10 minutes until they are tender and golden brown. Turn the heat back up to medium-high, add the Madeira, thyme and rosemary, and scrape to release any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken broth and cream and bring to a simmer, then return the pork chops to the pan, nestling them into the sauce among the leeks, and continue to simmer until the pork is just cooked through, with a hint of pink in the middle, to an internal temperature of 145 F, about 3 more minutes. The sauce will have reduced and thickened a bit.
Let the chops sit in the sauce for a couple of minutes off of the heat. Serve them with the starch of your choice, with the leek sauce ladled over the top of the pork. Finish with a sprinkle of parsley, if desired.
Nutrition information per serving: 655 calories; 378 calories from fat; 42 g fat (20 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 213 mg cholesterol; 238 mg sodium; 8 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 55 g protein.
Katie Workman, Associated Press
