Pork Chops with Plum Sauce and Roasted Parsnips

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the vegetables and oven

   Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Peel the parsnips and carrots, then cut them into sticks about 2 cm wide. Toss with 20 ml of the olive oil, 2 g of the salt, and 0.5 g of the black pepper.

   
2. 2

   Roast the root vegetables

   Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a baking tray and roast for 30–35 minutes. Turn them after 20 minutes; they should be tender in the center and golden at the edges when done.

   
3. 3

   Sear the pork chops

   Pat the chops dry with a paper towel and season both sides with the remaining 3 g of salt and the remaining pepper. Heat the remaining 10 ml of oil in a large pan. Sear the chops for about 3–4 minutes per side, until browned and the internal temperature reaches 63 °C. Transfer them to a plate and let rest for 3 minutes.

   
4. 4

   Cook the plum sauce

   Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic, and quarter the plums. Add the onion to the same pan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and thyme and stir for 30 seconds, then pour in the stock and red wine vinegar. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the plums and cook for 8–10 minutes, until they soften and the sauce thickens slightly.

   
5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Return the chops and any juices from the plate to the pan and briefly warm them in the sauce. Taste: the sauce should be savory and tart, with the sweetness of the plums. If it is too sweet, stir in another 5 ml of red wine vinegar from the measured amount; if it is too tart, simmer it for another minute. Serve with the roasted parsnips and carrots.