Pork Chops with Smashed Purple Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb purple potatoes , peeled and halved

  • sea salt

  • freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 pork chops

  • extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 small handful fresh thyme , leaves picked

  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

  • 5 bay leaves

  • 5 oz cider

  • 1/2 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

  • 2 tablespoons low fat crème fraîche

  • 1 tablespoon butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

  2. Parboil your potatoes in salted boiling water for around 15 minutes until tender, then drain. Toss with olive oil and thyme and spread on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes.

  1. Meanwhile, pound up your fennel seeds and bay leaves in a pestle and mortar with 2 tablespoons of salt until you have a fine green moist paste. Pat your pork chops with a little oil. Season the pork chops on both sides with the herb salt. Preheat your griddle pan until hot. Add your pork chops, and cook for around 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the pork. Once cooked allow to rest for about 4 minutes.

  2. Heat a little pan and add the cider and mustard. Bring to the boil, then reduce by half and add the crème fraîche. Bring back to the boil and reduce again until the sauce thickens, then remove from the heat. Add the butter and shake the pan around a bit so the sauce thickens and shines. Season to taste.

  3. Serve up the potatoes. Mash up half of them so they smash and crumble Add the pork and any resting juices from the meat. Drizzle over the cider sauce.


Haley Smith